Michael Jackson better than everybody else?

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In the latest ICE, Steve Berkowitz of Sony Legacy says the following about the unreleased tracks on the upcoming Michael Jackson box set:

"I kept thinking that the guy has unreleased music that, if put together on a new greatest hits-style album, would equal any other Hall of Fame artist's real greatest-hits record."

I say bull.

What do you think? Is Michael Jackson better than everybody else?

― Edward Bax, Tuesday, 19 October 2004 00:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I think in specific unreleased greatness terms, Berkowitz meant to say "Prince" but coughed.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 00:20 (twenty-one years ago)

how many songs on are on this hypothetical greatest hits record

― ryan (ryan), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 00:20 (twenty-one years ago)

how many songs on are on this hypothetical greatest hits record

According to the article, the box set will be 57 songs including 13 previously unissued.

So, can Michael Jackson's 13 unreleased tracks top any 13 songs by any artist?

(Ned's answer is too bad, either.)

― Edward Bax, Tuesday, 19 October 2004 00:31 (twenty-one years ago)

(Ned's answer is too bad, either.)

Duh. That was supposed to say that "Ned's answer is not bad, either."

― Edward Bax, Tuesday, 19 October 2004 00:32 (twenty-one years ago)

he hasn't written a decent track since thriller.

― Savin All My Love 4 u (Savin 4ll my (heart) 4u), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 01:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Didn't he try this with that HIStory debacle? And isn't this why you can now buy the Greatest Hits disc without that execrable new album attached?

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 01:37 (twenty-one years ago)

The hivemind decided that album was alright in the end. I keep thinking one of the new ones will be called 'Someone Touching Me'.

― B.A.R.M.S. (Barima), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 10:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Alex In NYC to thread

― Serghei Daduismus (Dada), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 10:36 (twenty-one years ago)

The last few MJ albums reeked so strongly of sweat, strain & effort that I'm sure any gems in the can would have already been worked and promo'd to death by now.

― briania (briania), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 11:46 (twenty-one years ago)

57 songs? Pretty small beer next to Neil Young or Guided By Voices innit? (no gags about GBV having the one song pls)

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 October 2004 11:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Steve Berkowitz in label employee making grand statements aboot forthcoming Xmastime release shockah!

Is Michael Jackson better than everybody else?

I saw the video for "Beat It" the other day, and tackiness aside (the gangs, Michael's piano t-shirt) it felt like I was watching something special (something most videos don't do), and was made sadder knowing what the next two decades entailed. So no, he's not better than everybody else, but he was really great for awhile.

― Vic Funk, Tuesday, 19 October 2004 12:34 (twenty-one years ago)

No, "Beat It" was where he lost it.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 October 2004 12:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Billie Jean might be the best song of the 80s.

― Hurting (Hurting), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 12:46 (twenty-one years ago)

To borrow a line from a favorite song writer, Michael Jackson is running late for a very early grave.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 12:47 (twenty-one years ago)

i've come to quite like 'Remember The Time'

― Freelance Hiveminder (blueski), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 12:49 (twenty-one years ago)

I didn't like "Billie Jean" much either. Thought and still think that Thriller was a poor follow-up to Off The Wall with gimmicks replacing decent songs.

I was listening to Off The Wall the other evening; I miss the old Michael Jackson who was content to sing straightforward songs like "I Can't Help It."

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 October 2004 12:51 (twenty-one years ago)

People, Steve Berkowitz is only saying these things so he can SELL COPIES OF THE BOX SET, fer cryin' out loud. He knows AS WELL AS ANY SENTIENT, CONSCIOUS BEING WITH A WORKING PAIR OF EARS AND A BRAIN TO GO WITH IT that creatively speaking, Michael Jackson is entirely DEAD ON ARRIVAL, and even his "great period" (let's dust off and wheel out that old warhorse, Thriller) has aged about as well as a carton of milk from 1983.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 12:53 (twenty-one years ago)

People, Steve Berkowitz is only saying these things so he can SELL COPIES OF THE BOX SET

That's my feelings as well.

If it was MJ himself making the comment, I would draw a comparison to a certain Milli Vanilli quote...

― Edward Bax, Tuesday, 19 October 2004 13:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Alex in a Michael Jackson thread is always good VFM

― Serghei Daduismus (Dada), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 13:17 (twenty-one years ago)

There were great songs on Bad though. Well, maybe one.

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 13:18 (twenty-one years ago)

VFM?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 13:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Value For Money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

― Serghei Daduismus (Dada), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 13:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Outstanding.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 13:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Who does this Michael Jackson think he is?

― Rockist Scientist, Tuesday, 19 October 2004 13:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Bill Oddie.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 October 2004 13:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Jacko! Jacko Jacko Yum Yum Aaaaaa

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 13:33 (twenty-one years ago)

You know, I was listening to some Jackson 5 yesterday and wondering exactly when Michael's voice lost it. I mean, he's certainly had a definable style for the last couple decades, but even with a gun to his head, there's NO WAY he could belt out one of those songs like when he was a kid.

― Jordan (Jordan), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 13:40 (twenty-one years ago)

works at parties

― Loose Translation: Sexy Dancer (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 13:40 (twenty-one years ago)

it's called puberty Jordan. happened to Aled Jones too...

― Freelance Hiveminder (blueski), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 14:07 (twenty-one years ago)

I suppose so, but is it all the voice change? He got WEAK. It just seems weird that he seemingly can't push as much air as when he was 12.

― Jordan (Jordan), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 14:19 (twenty-one years ago)

All singer's voices tend to deteriorate as they get older

― Serghei Daduismus (Dada), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 14:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Especially when they've had numerous nose jobs. It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that inferior turbinate.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 October 2004 14:22 (twenty-one years ago)

He can still hit as high as Prince, mind.

― B.A.R.M.S. (Barima), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 14:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Puberty was very mean to Michael's voice and, as Marcello points out, making an integral part of your resonant space smaller doesn't help.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 20:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Probably bullshit. But anyway, the unreleased stuff on the "Bad" CD in particular was indeed quite good, and, I would say, considerably better than most of the stuff he has actually put on ordinary albums later.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 21:00 (twenty-one years ago)

damning with faint praise there

― Gear! (Gear!), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 21:16 (twenty-one years ago)

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