“Wanna Be Startin Somethin” and “Don’t Stop till You Get Enough”.
I think Quincy Jones must deserve much of the credit for those songs as well, for it seems that after they parted ways, Michael became trapped in perpetual artistic mediocrity.
Definitely “Billie Jean”.
Most underrated: “Human Nature”
“Human Nature” is my pick from his solo albums. From J5, maybe “I Want You Back.”
Billie Jean seems to be the fav here. But my vote goes to Beat it. Also, Remember the Time, Leave me Alone, Black or White (great music, great video) and They don’t really care about us
- She’s Out of My Life
Beat It
Billie Jean*
I miss that Michael Jackson.
Nothing from Mr. Jackson beats the funky grooves of the Jackson 5. My fav being ABC!
Though I will admit the man(?) has talent, but I always prefer to listen to a Jackson CD over a MJ one.
Yeah, Human nature is defintely the most under-rated.
It is really sad what the uncanny talent of that little boy who sang " I want you back " with such sweet maturity has become,
regardless of any court cases. He has become uncanny in another terrible way.
I’m partial to Stranger in Moscow and Earth Song only because you don’t hear them played every minute on the radio.
Jackson 5 stuff…I gotta go with Maybe Tomorrow. I listen to it and tears well up in my eyes.
I think Beat It is superior to Billie Jean. And the video to the former is superior to everything (just about).
I have to join in with the chorus and say Billie Jean. Remember the Time and Smooth Criminal are close seconds. Off the Wall, Thriller, Bad, and Dangerous were great albums. It’s a shame what happened to the artist behind them.
“Don’t Stop 'Til You Get Enough,” with the rest of Off the Wall behind it. Alas, that Michael Jackson is no more.
Yet another vote for Billie Jean. sigh I miss the old Michael Jackson…
I think Dangerous is underappreciated. I love the title track. That was his last good CD.
But I think my very favorite is “The Way You Make Me Feel”
What was Michael Jackson’s best song?
“Please Release Me, Let Me Go…”
I was in the perfect target demographic when the Thriller album came out, and loved pretty much every song in it. We even used “Beat it” in a school air guitar contest, lost out to the damn pretty boys singing “Jump” by Van Halen. Unfortunately, by the time Bad came out it was uncool to like him so I lost track after that.
I also vote for “Billie Jean”, but the “Thriller” video was amazing for its time.
“Billie Jean” is my pick, too, just barely nosing out “Beat It.” Both are absolutely Grade A+ songs. You won’t find many albums with two better tracks.
“Smooth Criminal” and “Don’t Stop” were great too. And if we can have Jackson 5 material, “ABC” is terrific.
As an aside, does anyone think that Michael Jackson still has a great album in his future? I would love it if he went away for about 15 years, regained some perspective a la Brian Wilson, and then returned at about 55 and cranked out a killer album. He has tremendous talent, and it would be a shame if we’ve seen the last of it.
Nice to see that some folks picked Dirty Diana. That’s my favorite too.
Thriller great video and song - nice touch to have the late Vincent Price narrating the middle section.
Slightly off-topic here but a great parody of the “Bad” album was Weird Al Yankovic’s “Even Worse”.
I do. Especially considering that many of the songs that appeared on Justin Timberlake’s solo album were originally written for Michael Jackson by the Neptunes. I know a lot of people will disagree with me, but there are some good single on Justin’s album, and if Michael Jackson had taken those songs, he would now be ‘that weird guy who’s still making good music,’ rather than ‘that weird guy who used to be big 20 years ago.’
And as for the poll, I hate Michael Jackon, but I can’t deny that Billie Jean has a great groove. So sparse, yet so dancy and memorable. And for the Jackson 5 days, I really like I Want You Back. That bassline is fantastic.
The way things are going for him, he might just be “going away for about 15 years.”
ahem Sorry. :o Anyway…
“Smooth Criminal”
“She’s Out of My Life”–in fact, all the hits from Off the Wall
“Thriller”
“Bad”
And from the Jackson 5: “Dancing Machine”
I cast a fourth vote (so far) for ‘Human Nature’ – even audiences who normally didn’t car.e for MJ liked it.
The whole ‘Thriller’ album was an absolute force of nature.
It’s very sad what such a genius of a performer has turned into.