Michael Jackson’s greatest hits are featured on the double CD, “The Essential Michael Jackson.” Comprised of nothing but Jackson’s best songs, this is an album worth buying. A few songs are from when he was young and with “The Jackson 5,” and the others feature him as an older solo artist. These iconic songs are a must have for any Jackson fan and for any others who love great pop music.
When he was with “The Jackson 5,” Jackson recorded “I Want you Back” in 1969. Jackson’s singing was spectacular, especially considering he was just 11 at the time. The background vocals are excellent, too. The guitar work and other instrumentals complement Jackson as well. This pop song is fun and exciting. It was one of the best songs from the “Jackson 5” and is, not coincidently, the first track on the first CD.
Track two features the legendary song, “ABC,” also was recorded in 1970 when he was with the “Jackson 5.” The song is upbeat and happy and makes people want to sing. Like the previous track, it shows off Jackson’s iconic voice. “ABC” is one of the most well known “Jackson 5” songs, and for good reason; it is well done with excellent background instrumentals that support Jackson’s voice well.
“Rockin’ Robin” by Jackson is another upbeat pop song. It is an early song recorded in 1971. It was good to hear Jackson’s young voice belt out the high notes of the song as well as provide clear, detailed song lyrics. The song is one of the early tracks at number five on the first CD.
One of his more recognizable songs was “Billie Jean.” In it, Jackson sings about a person he has had a relationship with and loved. It has a good beat and is one of his better songs on the CD. It was recorded in 1982 and is the 16th track.
“Beat It,” is also one of his most memorable hits. It has a good rhythm and is fast paced. It was done by Jackson in 1982. It is the 17th track on the CD.
One of the best Halloween songs of all time is “Thriller.” It has a good synthesizer effect and excellent lyrics. Jackson’s voice describes a night of horror. Vincent Price provides an excellent spoken word performance near the end of the song. The music was recorded in 1982 and is the 21st and last track on the first CD.
On the second CD is the song “Another Part of Me.” Jackson sings very passionately, and the synthesizer work is excellent and adds depth. The song is one of my favorites on the album. There are a lot of good sound effects going on for this music, and most people will love it. It is the seventh track on the disc and was produced in 1987.
The song, “Black or White,” has an excellent theme and good mix of guitar and drums. Jackson sings that your skin color doesn’t matter, and that people of all races should be considered equal. This is one of the best songs on the second CD. Interestingly, it came out in 1991 at a time when Jackson was experiencing Vitiligo, a skin pigmentation disease that lightened his skin. This is the ninth track on the CD.
The love song, “Remember the Time,” is a nice light song that talks about an old love. As with most of the songs, the synthesizer is good with great vocals by Jackson. The song is about reminiscing of old memories of better days. The music is the 11th track on the CD and was released in 1991.
Jackson’s music is legendary as he was one of the greatest pop singers of his generation. Unfortunately, his legendary status also refers to his legal and social problems. He was accused of molesting a child in 1993. He was not indicted due to the lack of evidence after a civil lawsuit was settled out of court. In 2005, Jackson was tried and acquitted of child abuse against a different child. In 2009, he died, at age 50, after an overdose of physician-prescribed propofol.
Despite his death, Jackson’s music continues to make a huge impact on the music scene.