They had become the Black counter part to the Osmonds. I remember watching Soul Train, American Bandstand, The Jackson cartoon show, and The Osmond cartoon show every Saturday.
With the Jackson's what stood out to me was Michael being the youngest, yet getting much of the attention. Don't get me wrong, the rest of the brothers received their share of attention. Each had their own incredible fan base, but Michael just stole the show. His command on the stage was grand and amazing for someone his age.
Besides all of this Mike was close enough to my age make me an instant fan. Because of this, as the years went by it felt like I was growing up with Michael Jackson.
When he put out the song "Ben" I was there and was in awe that this young guy was still doing his this and growing up with me.
I remember the Soul Train and American Bandstand appearances over the years. Then it seemed that he faded out somewhat.
Suddenly "Off The Wall" came out in 1979 and it clear to all that Michael Jackson was not just a childhood star or teen idol. He was talented and wanted to stay on stage! Yet, knowing the music industry you can never tell when an artist might fade out of the spot light.
"Off The Wall" was a hit, taking Disco and the club scene to the next level. Yet Mike didn't stop there. In 1982 he rocked the world with the album "Thriller"! Not only did it out sell anything before it or since, but the music videos changed videos from being promotional to becoming full scale production and an art form. The money it cost to produce these videos seemed worth it because of the overall attention they brought to each song and the album. Sales which went through the roof now included the video (at that time video tapes) as well as the albums. A peak seemed to have been reached.
Mike followed up with Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), HIStory (1995), Blood on the Dance Floor (1997), and Invincible (2001). Although these albums didn't do as well in sales as Thriller, Bad and Dangerous did well enough to keep him at the top of the charts and push him further along as the all time artist with most album sales.
Along the way Mike had some lows along with the highs. He obtained the Beatles Catalog, purchased his now famous NeverLand Ranch, and lived a billionaires life style while being only a milllionaire. He experienced child molestation charges (2 with one being settled with money only & the other with a full acquital in court) and being dropped from Sony.
According to Wiki:In 2004 Jackson appointed Leonard Muhammad (Nation of Islam Chief of Staff) as business manager. Nation of Islam members served as bodyguards for Jackson. Jackson rented his most recent residence from the Nation of Islam.
Sony BMG released Visionary: The Video Singles to the European market: a series of 20 of his biggest hit singles of the 1980s and 1990s. Each single was issued weekly over a five-month period in DualDisc format (DVD video on one side, CD audio on the other), and the whole group of discs was made available as a boxed set afterwards. The box set was released in the U.S. on November 14, 2006.
Reports of financial problems for Jackson became frequent in 2006 after the closure of the main house on the Neverland Ranch as a cost-cutting measure. One prominent financial issue for him concerned a $270 million loan secured against his music publishing holdings. After delayed repayments on the loan, a refinancing package shifted the loans from Bank of America to debt specialists Fortress Investments. A new package proposed by Sony would have had Jackson borrow an additional $300 million and reduce the interest rate payable on the loan, while giving Sony the future option to buy half of Jackson's stake in their jointly owned publishing company (leaving Jackson with a 25% stake). Jackson agreed to a Sony-backed refinancing deal, although details were not made public. Despite these loans, according to Forbes, Jackson was still making as much as $75 million a year from his publishing partnership with Sony alone.
One of Jackson's first documented public appearances since his trial was in November 2006, when he visited the London office of the Guinness World Records. He received eight records, among them "First Entertainer to Earn More Than 100 Million Dollars in a Year" and "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time". Jackson was awarded the Diamond Award on November 15, 2006, for selling over 100 million albums, at the World Music Awards. Following the death of James Brown, Jackson returned to the U.S. to pay his respects. He, along with more than 8,000 people, paid tribute during Brown's public funeral on December 30, 2006. In late 2006, Jackson agreed to share joint custody of his first two children with ex-wife Debbie Rowe. Jackson and Sony bought Famous Music LLC from Viacom in 2007. This deal gave him the rights to songs by Eminem, Shakira and Beck, among others.
I've been in the entertainment industry since I was six-years-old... As Charles Dickens says, "It's been the best of times, the worst of times." But I would not change my career... While some have made deliberate attempts to hurt me, I take it in stride because I have a loving family, a strong faith and wonderful friends and fans who have, and continue, to support me.
—Michael Jackson
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Thriller, Jackson issued Thriller 25, comprising original material from the album, re-mixes, the previously unreleased song "For All Time" and a DVD. Two singles were released to moderate success: "The Girl Is Mine 2008" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008". Thriller 25 was a commercial success, having done particularly well as a re-issue, peaking at number one in eight countries and Europe. It reached number three in the UK and top 10 on over 30 national charts. It was ineligible for the Billboard 200 chart as a re-release, but entered atop the Pop Catalog chart, where it stayed for 11 non-consecutive weeks and had the best sales on that chart since December 1996. In 12 weeks Thriller 25 sold over three million copies worldwide. As of November 2008, U.S. sales of Thriller 25 stood at 688,000 copies, making it the best-selling catalog album of 2008. To date, it sold 774,000 copies in the US.
To celebrate Jackson's 50th birthday, Sony BMG released a compilation album called King of Pop in various countries. These albums included tracks from Jackson's group and solo career, all voted for by fans. The albums had different tracklists, according to how the fans of each nation voted. Although it was not released in the US, King of Pop did reach the top 10 in the vast majority of countries where it was issued. It also charted in other countries, albeit lower, from imported sales.
Fortress Investments considered a foreclosure sale of Neverland Ranch to service a loan Jackson owed on the property, but ultimately sold the loan to Colony Capital LLC. In November, Jackson transferred the title of Neverland Ranch to Sycamore Valley Ranch Company LLC. At the time of his death, Jackson still owned an unknown stake in the property; Sycamore Valley Ranch was a joint venture between Jackson and Colony Capital LLC. The loan Jackson owed was cleared, and he acquired $35 million in the venture.
Jackson had been scheduled to perform 50 sold-out concerts to over one million people, at London's O2 arena, from July 13, 2009, to March 6, 2010. Following this residency, Jackson also planned to tour Europe, Asia, Australia and North America. During a publicity press conference, he had made suggestions of possible retirement. Randy Phillips, president and chief executive of AEG Live, had stated that the first 10 dates alone would have earned the singer approximately £50 million. Phillips said that the promotion company had a three-and-a-half year plan to work with Jackson, including a possible world tour, the release of new music and a 3D film based on Thriller.
Jackson made a music video, currently known as "Dome Project", in early June 2009. The video is scheduled to finish post-production in mid-July 2009.
2009: Death
On June 25, 2009, Jackson collapsed at his rented mansion at 100 North Carolwood Drive in the Holmby Hills area of Los Angeles. Attempts at resuscitating him by his personal physician were unsuccessful. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics received a 911 call at 12:22 p.m. (PDT), arriving three minutes and seventeen seconds later at Jackson's location. He was reportedly not breathing and CPR was performed. Resuscitation efforts continued both en route to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and for an hour further after arriving at approximately 1:13 p.m. (20:13 UTC). He was noted to have been in cardiac arrest by the paramedics who attended him at his house. Jackson was pronounced dead at approximately 2:25 p.m. local time (21:25 UTC). Rumors and news of Jackson's death broke web records, triggering a cyberspace traffic jam and creating severe traffic spikes to websites such as Google, Facebook, Twitter and Wikipedia. Vigils were held by members of the general public after the death.
Musical style and performance
Themes and genres
Steve Huey of Allmusic said that, throughout his solo career, Jackson's versatility allowed him to experiment with various themes and genres. As a musician, he ranged from Motown's dance fare and ballads to techno-edged new jack swing to work that incorporates both funk rhythms and hard rock guitar. Michael, himself, stated at his pre-release party for his Off The Wall album that Little Richard (who inspired James Brown) had a "huge influence" on him.
Unlike many artists, Jackson did not write his songs on paper. Instead he would dictate into a sound recorder; when recording he would sing from memory. Several critics observed Off the Wall was crafted from funk, disco-pop, soul, soft rock, jazz and pop ballads. Prominent examples include the ballad "She's out of My Life", and the two disco tunes "Workin' Day and Night" and "Get on the Floor".
According to Huey, Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall; the dance and rock tracks were more aggressive, while the pop tunes and ballads were softer and more soulful. Notable tracks included the ballads "The Lady in My Life", "Human Nature" and "The Girl Is Mine"; the funk pieces "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"; and the disco set "Baby Be Mine" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)". With Thriller, Christopher Connelly of Rolling Stone commented that Jackson developed his long association with the subliminal theme of paranoia and darker imagery. Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted this is evident on the songs "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'". In "Billie Jean", Jackson sings about an obsessive fan who alleges he has fathered a child of hers. In "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" he argues against gossip and the media. The anti-gang violence rock song "Beat It" became a homage to West Side Story, and was Jackson's first successful rock cross-over piece, according to Huey. He also observed that the title track "Thriller" began Jackson's interest with the theme of the supernatural, a topic he revisited in subsequent years. In 1985, Jackson wrote the charity anthem "We Are the World"; humanitarian themes later became a central component of his life and music.
In Bad, Jackson's concept of the predatory lover can be seen on the rock song "Dirty Diana". The lead single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" was a traditional love ballad, while "Man in the Mirror", an anthemic ballad of confession and resolution, improved on his earlier "We Are the World". "Smooth Criminal" was an evocation of bloody assault, rape and likely murder. Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that Dangerous presents Jackson as a stark paradoxical individual. He comments the album is more diverse than his previous Bad, as it appeals to an urban audience while also attracting the middle class with anthems like "Heal the World". The first half of the record is dedicated to new jack swing, including songs like "Jam" and "Remember the Time". The album is Jackson's first where social ills become a primary theme; "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", for example, protests against world hunger, AIDS, homelessness and drugs. Dangerous contains sexually charged efforts like "In the Closet", a love song about desire and denial, risk and repression, solitude and connection, privacy and revelation. The title track continues the theme of the predatory lover and compulsive desire. The second half includes introspective, pop-gospel anthems such as "Will You Be There", "Heal the World" and "Keep the Faith"; these songs show Jackson finally opening up about various personal struggles and worries. In the ballad "Gone Too Soon", Jackson gives tribute to his friend Ryan White and the plight of those with AIDS.
HIStory creates an atmosphere of paranoia. Its content focuses on the hardships and public struggles Jackson went through just prior to its production. In the new jack swing-funk-rock efforts "Scream" and "Tabloid Junkie", along with the R&B ballad "You Are Not Alone", Jackson retaliates against the injustice and isolation he feels, and directs much of his anger at the media. In the introspective ballad "Stranger in Moscow", Jackson laments over his "fall from grace", while songs like "Earth Song", "Childhood", "Little Susie" and "Smile" are all operatic pop pieces. In the track "D.S.", Jackson launched a verbal attack against Tom Sneddon. He describes Sneddon as an antisocial, white supremacist who wanted to "get my ass, dead or alive". Of the song, Sneddon said, "I have not — shall we say — done him the honor of listening to it, but I’ve been told that it ends with the sound of a gunshot". Invincible found Jackson working heavily with producer Rodney Jerkins. It is a record made up of urban soul like "Cry" and "The Lost Children", ballads such as "Speechless", "Break of Dawn" and "Butterflies" and mixes hip hop, pop and rap in "2000 Watts", "Heartbreaker" and "Invincible".
Vocal style
Jackson sang from childhood, and over time his voice and vocal style changed noticeably, either through puberty or a personal preference to align his vocal interpretation to the themes and genres he chose to express. Between 1971 and 1975, Jackson's voice "descended ever so slightly from boy soprano to his current androgynous high tenor". In the mid-1970s, the singer adopted a "vocal hiccup" as seen in "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)". The purpose of the hiccup—somewhat like a gulping for air or gasping—was to help promote a certain emotion, be it excitement, sadness or fear. With the arrival of Off the Wall in the late 1970s, Jackson's abilities as a vocalist were well regarded; Allmusic described him as a "blindingly gifted vocalist". At the time, Rolling Stone compared his vocals to the "breathless, dreamy stutter" of Stevie Wonder. Their analysis was also that "Jackson's feathery-timbred tenor is extraordinarily beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that's used very daringly". 1982 saw the release of Thriller, and Rolling Stone were of the opinion that Jackson was then singing in a "fully adult voice" that was "tinged by sadness".The release of "Bad" in 1987 displayed gritty lead vocals on the verse and lighter tones employed on the chorus. A distinctive deliberate mispronunciation of "come on", used frequently by Jackson, occasionally spelt "cha'mone" or "shamone", is also a staple in impressions and caricatures of him. The turn of the 1990s saw the release of the introspective album Dangerous; here Jackson used his vocals to intensify the split themes and genres described earlier. The New York Times noted that on some tracks, "he gulps for breath, his voice quivers with anxiety or drops to a desperate whisper, hissing through clenched teeth" and he had a "wretched tone". When singing of brotherhood or self-esteem the musician would return to "smooth" vocals. "In the Closet" contained heavy breathing and a loop of five scat-sung syllables, whereas in the album's title track, Jackson performs a spoken rap. When commenting on Invincible, Rolling Stone were of the opinion that—at the age of 43—Jackson still performed, "exquisitely voiced rhythm tracks and vibrating vocal harmonies". Nelson George summed up Jackson's vocals by stating "The grace, the aggression, the growling, the natural boyishness, the falsetto, the smoothness—that combination of elements mark him as a major vocalist".
Music videos and choreography
Consciousness expresses itself through creation. This world we live in is the dance of the creator. Dancers come and go in the twinkling of an eye but the dance lives on. On many an occasion, when I am dancing, I have felt touched by something sacred. In those moments, I felt my spirit soar and become one with everything that exists. I become the stars and the moon. I become the lover and the beloved. I become the victor and the vanquished. I become the master and the slave. I become the singer and the song. I become the knower and the known. I keep on dancing and then, it is the eternal dance of creation. The creator and the creation merge into one wholeness of joy. I keep on dancing...until there is only...the dance.
—Michael Jackson, in Dangerous
Steve Huey of Allmusic observed how Jackson transformed the music video into an art form and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameo appearances; simultaneously breaking down racial barriers. According to director Vincent Paterson, who collaborated with the singer on several music videos, Jackson conceptualized many of the darker, bleak themes in his filmography.
Before Thriller, Jackson struggled to receive coverage on MTV because he was African American. Pressure from CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", leading to a lengthy partnership with Jackson, also helping other black music artists gain recognition. The popularity of his videos on MTV helped to put the relatively young channel "on the map"; MTV's focus shifted in favor of pop and R&B. Short films like Thriller largely remained unique to Jackson, while the group dance sequence in "Beat It" has frequently been imitated. The choreography in Thriller has become a part of global pop culture, replicated everywhere from Indian films to prisons in the Philippines. The Thriller short film marked an increase in scale for music videos, and has been named the most successful music video ever by the Guinness World Records.
In the 19-minute music video for "Bad"—directed by Martin Scorsese—Jackson began using sexual imagery and choreography not previously seen in his work. He occasionally grabbed or touched his chest, torso and crotch. While he has described this as "choreography," it garnered a mixed reception from both fans and critics; Time magazine described it as "infamous". The video also featured Wesley Snipes; in the future Jackson's videos would often feature famous cameo roles. For "Smooth Criminal", Jackson experimented with an innovative "anti-gravity lean" in his performances, for which he was granted U.S. Patent No. 5,255,452. Although the music video for "Leave Me Alone" was not officially released in the US, in 1989, it was nominated for four Billboard Music Video Awards, winning three; the same year it won a Golden Lion Award for the quality of the special effects used in its production. In 1990, "Leave Me Alone" won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.
The MTV Video Vanguard Artist of the Decade Award was given to Jackson to celebrate his accomplishments in the art form in the 1980s; the following year the award was renamed in his honor. "Black or White" was accompanied by a controversial music video, which, on November 14, 1991, simultaneously premiered in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million people, the largest viewing ever for a music video. It featured scenes construed as having a sexual nature as well as depictions of violence. The offending scenes in the final half of the 14-minute version were edited out to prevent the video from being banned, and Jackson apologized. Along with Jackson, it featured Macaulay Culkin, Peggy Lipton and George Wendt. It helped usher in morphing as an important technology in music videos.
"Remember the Time" was an elaborate production, and became one of his longest videos at over nine minutes. Set in ancient Egypt, it featured groundbreaking visual effects and appearances by Eddie Murphy, Iman and Magic Johnson, along with a distinct complex dance routine. The video for "In the Closet" was Jackson's most sexually provocative piece to date. It featured supermodel Naomi Campbell in a courtship dance with Jackson. The video was banned in South Africa because of its imagery.
The music video for "Scream", directed by Mark Romanek and production designer Tom Foden, is one of Jackson's most critically acclaimed. In 1995, it gained 11 MTV Video Music Award Nominations—more than any other music video—and won "Best Dance Video", "Best Choreography", and "Best Art Direction". The song and its accompanying video are a response to the backlash Jackson received from the media after being accused of child molestation in 1993. A year later, it won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form; shortly afterwards Guinness World Records listed it as the most expensive music video ever made at a cost of $7 million.
"Earth Song" was accompanied by an expensive and well-received music video that gained a Grammy nomination for Best Music Video, Short Form in 1997. The video had an environmental theme, showing images of animal cruelty, deforestation, pollution and war. Using special effects, time is reversed so that life returns, war ends and the forests re-grow. Released in 1997 and premiering at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival, Ghosts was a short film written by Jackson and Stephen King and directed by Stan Winston. The video for Ghosts is over 38 minutes long and holds the Guinness World Record as the world's longest music video.
Legacy and influence
Jackson had a notable impact on music and culture throughout the world. He broke down racial barriers, transformed the art of the music video and paved the way for modern pop music in his own country. Jackson's work, distinctive musical sound and vocal style have influenced hip hop, pop and R&B artists, including Mariah Carey, Usher, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and R. Kelly. For much of his career, he had an "unparalleled" level of worldwide influence over the younger generation through his musical and humanitarian contributions.
Michael Jackson was inducted onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1984. Throughout his career he received numerous honors and awards, including the World Music Awards' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium, the American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award and the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award. He was a double-inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, once as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1997 and later as a solo artist in 2001. Jackson was also an inductee of the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002. His awards include multiple Guinness World Records (eight in 2006 alone), 13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era—and the sale of over 800 million records worldwide, making him the world's best selling male solo pop artist.
He was characterized as "an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the tools to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility and loads of sheer star power". In the mid-1980s, Time described Jackson as "the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley". By 1990, Vanity Fair had already cited Jackson as the most popular artist in the history of show business. Daily Telegraph writer Tom Utley called him an "extremely important figure in the history of popular culture" and a "genius". In late 2007, Jackson said the following of his work and future influence, "Music has been my outlet, my gift to all of the lovers in this world. Through it, my music, I know I will live forever."
His total lifetime earnings from royalties on his solo recordings and music videos, revenue from concerts and endorsements have been estimated at $500 million; some analysts have speculated that his music catalog holdings could be worth billions of dollars. As one of the world's most famous men, Jackson's highly publicized personal life, coupled with his successful career, made him a part of popular culture for almost four decades.As I glance back, I notice that history dictates that those of us who shine brighter than most usually burn out and/or expire young. They impact the world on a grand scale, make their mark, leaving an impression, touching hearts, minds, & souls, bringing change, setting trends, creatively out doing all & then they will fade out and/or return to the essence! Alexander the Great, Malcolm X, MLK, Bruce Lee, Diana, Mike Jackson-RIP
1. Jessica Dubroff (7)Pilot -- Plane crash -- 1996
2. Heather O'Rourke (12)Child actor -- Bowel obstruction -- 1988
3. Anne Frank (15)Dutch-Jewish author -- Typhus in concentration camp -- 1945
4. Ritchie Valens (17)Rock 'n' roll singer -- Plane crash -- 1959
5. Eddie Cochran (21)Rockabilly musician -- Auto accident -- 1960
6. Aaliyah (22)R&B singer -- Plane crash -- 2001
7. Buddy Holly (22)Rock 'n' roll singer -- Plane crash -- 1959
8. Freddie Prinze (22)Comedian/actor -- Suicide -- 1977
9. River Phoenix (23)Actor -- Drug overdose -- 1993
10. Selena (23)Mexican-American singer -- Homicide -- 1995
11. James Dean (24)Actor -- Auto accident -- 1955
12. Otis Redding (26)Soul singer -- Plane crash -- 1967
13. Brian Jones (27)British rock guitarist -- Drug-related drowning, possibly homicide -- 1969
14. Janis Joplin (27)Rock/soul singer -- Heroin overdose -- 1970
15. Jim Morrison (27)Rock singer -- Heart attack, possibly due to drug overdose -- 1971
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17. Kurt Cobain (27)Grunge rock singer/guitarist -- Gunshot and lethal dose of heroin, presumed suicide -- 1994
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22. Andy Gibb (30)Singer -- Heart failure due to cocaine abuse -- 1988
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24. Patsy Cline (30)Country music singer -- Plane crash -- 1963
25. Sylvia Plath (30)Poet and author -- Suicide -- 1963
26. Brian Epstein (32)Beatles manager -- Drug overdose -- 1967
27. Bruce Lee (32)Martial arts actor -- Possible allergic reaction -- 1973
28. Cass Elliot (32)Singer -- Heart attack brought on by obesity -- 1974
29. Karen Carpenter (32)Singer and musician -- Cardiac arrest from anorexia nervosa -- 1983
30. Keith Moon (32)Rock drummer -- Overdose of medication -- 1978
31. Carole Lombard (33)Actor -- Plane crash -- 1942
32. Chris Farley (33)Comedian/actor -- Overdose of cocaine and heroin -- 1997
33. Darryl Kile (33)Major League Baseball pitcher -- Coronary heart disease -- 2002
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39. Jayne Mansfield (34)Actor -- Auto accident -- 1967
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50. Florence Griffith Joyner (38)Olympian/sprinter -- Possible asphyxiation during epileptic seizure -- 1998
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Michael Jackson, the sheikh and the comeback album that came too late
As-yet unnamed record was meant to resurrect career and features songwriters behind Justin Timberlake and 50 Cent
- guardian.co.uk, Friday 26 June 2009 17.32 BST
- Article history
Michael Jackson in 2005 with Abdullah bin Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, the son of Bahrain's king and backer of Jackson's unreleased collaboration with some of the world's biggest contemporary pop songwriters. Photograph: EPA
An unreleased Michael Jackson album produced in collaboration with some of current crop of hip and successful pop songwriters looks set to reignite sales of the late superstar's back catalogue – though we will never know whether it could have rescued his career as the King of Pop.
The album, which was partly recorded in Las Vegas, includes songs written by Akon, Ne-Yo and Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas, who between them have produced hits for stars including Justin Timberlake and 50 Cent.
The record, as yet unnamed, has taken several years to produce but had raised hopes of a return to form for an artist whose musical career appeared to have completely stalled by the time he died of a heart attack.
The bestselling solo artist of all time had been dropped by record label Sony and his last album, 2001's Invincible, was critically mauled. It sold less than 8m copies worldwide – compared with more than 100m for 1982's Thriller. He had not been in the American top 10 since 2001.
Jackson's death has caused a surge in sales of his existing albums. Less than 12 hours after his death was reported, Amazon's bestselling 12 records were by Michael Jackson. Now there is the prospect of fresh material with a more edgy, contemporary sound delivered by hit-makers Jackson hired. It is unclear how much of the proceeds from any release will go to settling Jackson's personal debts stemming from his lavish lifestyle.
"It's incredible," Akon said about the unreleased material in Entertainment Week before Jackson's death. "We're trying something he's never done before, and that's the challenge. There's not too much Michael Jackson hasn't covered. Just be ready for it."
Jackson was said to be nervous about public reaction to the record and kept putting off its release before he died.
"It's tough when all eyes are on him and there is so much young competition out there," said Ne-Yo, the songwriters behind hits for Beyonce, who wrote several tracks and emailed them to Jackson.
"This album needs to be better than Thriller. He wants killer melodies. He'll call me back and say 'I really like song number three, song number four the hook could be stronger. Song number one, change the first verse … Okay, bye.' Click. And then I redo them and he's like, 'Okay, they're perfect. Send me more.' So I don't know what he's keeping, what he's getting rid of, what he's recording."
In 2007 Will.I.Am said Jackson was looking at ways to use new technology to his advantage in releasing the album, particularly social networking sites and downloads.
"Man, he still sings like a bird," he said. "He could go anywhere. I think we have a real opportunity to do something here. It's either gonna be really big or nobody's gonna care. Ain't no middle ground on this one."
Jackson had drawn up tentative plans to release the record on Bahrain-based Two Seas Records. Jackson and a Bahrain royal, Abdullah bin Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, announce the joint venture in April 2006. At the time Jackson was living in Bahrain.
There is understood to be other unreleased Jackson material including a cache of 100 songs that one of the singers biographers, Ian Halperin, has claimed Jackson made for his children.
Halperin, author of Unmasked: The Michael Jackson Story, said before the singer's death: "He wants to leave them for his kids, a very personal legacy to them. I was told he will not let them come out now."
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It’s been reported that former pop super-star Michael Jackson is working on a comeback album. Well, if it’s true then I would be the happiest person, since I’m a big fan of his.
Michael Jackson
The move is basically reasoned as to help Michael’s financial woes which almost led the foreclosure of his Neverland ranch.
“I’m coming back. And I’ve got a very special treat for all of my fans,” he told fans at Cannes, through a video message.
Micahel,49, has reportedly hired music producers RedOne and Akon to mastermind his new album.
The trio started work on the album at the Palms recording studio in Las Vegas on Wednesday. He seems to be very serious this time. His kids are not allowed to enter the recording studio and he has distanced himself from their nanny Grace, Rwaramba, who he had been seeing.
“Michael is producing the album himself and then will sell it to a record company when he’s finished,�? a source tells.
Best of luck, Michael!
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Amazon.com: Michael Jackson: Albums, Songs, Bios, Photos
Visit Amazon.com's Michael Jackson Store to shop for Michael Jackson albums ... In early 2007 it was announced that a comeback album was planned for late in ...
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Will.i.am from The Black Eyed Peas paid tribute to Jackson at Glastonbury http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8123468.stm
Pop star Will.i.am has spoken about the new material he recorded with Michael Jackson before the King of Pop's death.
"It was fresh," said the Black Eyed Peas frontman, who became close friends with Jackson. "It was very demanding.
"It demanded all the people to the dancefloor. Of course, it was melodic. As he would say, juicy." He was speaking at the Glastonbury festival.
He did not know what would happen to the new songs as Jackson had kept the hard drives on which they were saved.
"He had all the hard drives because I didn't want to be responsible for that," Will.i.am told BBC News.
 Michael Jackson was due to perform at the O2 in London next month |
"It's one thing to lose a Black Eyed Peas hard drive. I move around a lot and to make songs with Michael Jackson and risk me losing that music, I didn't want that responsibility.
"So he kept all the stuff that we worked on."
Jackson's last album of new material was Invincible, released in 2001.
He had been hoping to reignite his career by working with current pop stars, also including Akon and Ne-Yo, on his long-awaited comeback.
Speaking after Jackson's death, Akon told Billboard magazine they were "working on a lot of ideas".
"Right now they're pretty much all ideas, but if there is anything to be done to them, of course I would let the family make all those decisions," he said.
 |  He'd call me up for father's day because he knew I didn't have a dad - he was something else  Will.i.am |
Will.i.am dedicated his Glastonbury performance on Sunday to all that Jackson "stood for and all that he brought to the world".
His band also performed Thriller in tribute to the superstar, who died in Los Angeles on Thursday.
"He became a really good friend to me, he reached out to me and he didn't have to do that," Will.i.am said.
"He'd call me up for father's day because he knew I didn't have a dad. He was something else, he taught me a lot.
"He was a really, really great artist and human being and he taught me a lot. I miss him very, very much."
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