It is baffling to me that MJ's catalogue hasn't gotten the same treatment as other legacy acts

Mike P.

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I know there has been Thriller 25 and Bad 25, but I would love to see a reissue of any of his works done in the same vein as the Led Zeppelin Super Deluxe Editions, The Guns N Roses Super Deluxe set, or any of the myriad of multi disc Elvis releases that have come out in the past decade.

Something like a Super Deluxe Edition of Thriller with multiple discs worth of content including Demos, Alternate mixes, non album tracks of the era, Live recordings, ect, Maybe a multi channel surround remix of the album on Blu-ray, a Blu-ray or DVD of the Victory Tour and all Thriller associated short films remastered in HD, a new pressing of the album on vinyl, an informative booklet, all housed in a super slick looking box. Any of Michael's albums are deserving of this kind of treatment, I just picked Thriller as an example since it seems the most obvious choice in terms of sales and whatnot.

So many other artists have been receiving this type of treatment with their catalogue in the last several years, I cannot understand why Michael doesn't get something like this. I think the closest thing was that Bad 25 box set, and even then it wasn't really comparable to those other sets of this type.
 
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I know there has been Thriller 25 and Bad 25, but I would love to see a reissue of any of his works done in the same vein as the Led Zeppelin Super Deluxe Editions, The Guns N Roses Super Deluxe set, or any of the myriad of multi disc Elvis releases that have come out in the past decade.
Those are rock acts though, and rock has generally got more attention from the major labels and general public than other genres. Some jazz artists like Miles Davis get deluxe sets too. There's other music hall of fame museums, but the Rock n Roll Hall Of Fame is the one with more media attention and a TV broadcast. Mike is considered R&B in the US and R&B doesn't usually get the same attention or respect by the mainstream in the US. Hip hop gets more respect than R&B and hip hop originally came from MCs rhyming over R&B, funk, & disco songs. Other than maybe Marvin Gaye, I've seen very few that have gotten a deluxe album set. James Brown had a box set in the 1990s, but his albums have only been re-released on CD just like they originally were, no extra tracks. Some of James' albums have never been on CD.
 
DuranDuran;4255353 said:
Those are rock acts though, and rock has generally got more attention from the major labels and general public than other genres. Some jazz artists like Miles Davis get deluxe sets too. There's other music hall of fame museums, but the Rock n Roll Hall Of Fame is the one with more media attention and a TV broadcast. Mike is considered R&B in the US and R&B doesn't usually get the same attention or respect by the mainstream in the US. Hip hop gets more respect than R&B and hip hop originally came from MCs rhyming over R&B, funk, & disco songs. Other than maybe Marvin Gaye, I've seen very few that have gotten a deluxe album set. James Brown had a box set in the 1990s, but his albums have only been re-released on CD just like they originally were, no extra tracks. Some of James' albums have never been on CD.

FTR, Michael has never been considered an R&B act in the US or anywhere else. He is considered a Pop act. That doesn’t mean that he does not get plenty of love from the R&B audience and radio , he does. That is the very reason for the title “King of Pop”. If Madonna is considered a pop act, then Michael is DEFINITELY a POP act. I have never ever heard Michael described as just an R&B act and I have been a fan for 40+ years. Even the Jackson 5 were described as a Pop act in later years; after their first 4 singles went #1 on the POP charts.
 
somewhereinthedark;4255640 said:
FTR, Michael has never been considered an R&B act in the US or anywhere else. He is considered a Pop act. That doesn’t mean that he does not get plenty of love from the R&B audience and radio , he does. That is the very reason for the title “King of Pop”. If Madonna is considered a pop act, then Michael is DEFINITELY a POP act. I have never ever heard Michael described as just an R&B act and I have been a fan for 40+ years. Even the Jackson 5 were described as a Pop act in later years; after their first 4 singles went #1 on the POP charts.
Pop is short for "popular music" on the Hot 100, it's not a really a type of music itself. That is why R&B artists had to crossover to the pop charts. Right now hip hop is pop music, because that is what is mainstream popular. In the 1930s jazz was pop music, in the late 1950s doo wop was pop music. The same time Mike was charting on the Hot 100 pop chart in the 1980s, so was Def Leppard, Run DMC, Tracy Chapman, Depeche Mode, Lisa Lisa, Paul Simon, Kenny Rogers, Mötley Crüe, Debbie Gibson, Kenny G, George Benson, Beastie Boys, MC Hammer, etc. In the 1990s, Gregorian chants by monks got pop airplay. So did Nirvana, Soundgarden, Snoop Dogg, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Pearl Jam, Ace Of Base, REM, Enya, C+C Music Factory, & Limp Bizkit. Are you saying they all make the same kind of music since they had pop radio airplay and pop hits? Aretha Franklin had pop hits, yet she is called the "Queen Of Soul". Because soul/R&B is her main genre. James Brown had pop hits but he is the "Godfather Of Soul" & "The Minister Of The New Super Heavy Funk". Whenever I went into a record store Michael Jackson & Prince were in the R&B section and they charted on the R&B chart. They did not chart on the country chart or jazz chart. Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Eddie Rabitt, Oak Ridge Boys, Shania Twain all had pop hits too, but they are country singers. Madonna is dance music.
 
DuranDuran;4255643 said:
Pop is short for "popular music" on the Hot 100, it's not a really a type of music itself. That is why R&B artists had to crossover to the pop charts. Right now hip hop is pop music, because that is what is mainstream popular. In the 1930s jazz was pop music, in the late 1950s doo wop was pop music. The same time Mike was charting on the Hot 100 pop chart in the 1980s, so was Def Leppard, Run DMC, Tracy Chapman, Depeche Mode, Lisa Lisa, Paul Simon, Kenny Rogers, Mötley Crüe, Debbie Gibson, Kenny G, George Benson, Beastie Boys, MC Hammer, etc. In the 1990s, Gregorian chants by monks got pop airplay. So did Nirvana, Soundgarden, Snoop Dogg, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Pearl Jam, Ace Of Base, REM, Enya, C+C Music Factory, & Limp Bizkit. Are you saying they all make the same kind of music since they had pop radio airplay and pop hits? Aretha Franklin had pop hits, yet she is called the "Queen Of Soul". Because soul/R&B is her main genre. James Brown had pop hits but he is the "Godfather Of Soul" & "The Minister Of The New Super Heavy Funk". Whenever I went into a record store Michael Jackson & Prince were in the R&B section and they charted on the R&B chart. They did not chart on the country chart or jazz chart. Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Eddie Rabitt, Oak Ridge Boys, Shania Twain all had pop hits too, but they are country singers. Madonna is dance music.

I am very aware that “pop” is short for popular music. However, Pop music was/is was considered a genre or style of music on the charts. Michael was mainly known as a Pop artist. However, his pop hits were also on the R&B charts. Michael was the King of Pop. Aretha Franklin was known as the Queen of Soul;although she had as many Pop hits as she did R&B. Madonna is known as the Queen of Pop because of her pop hits. When I went to record stores, Michael was usually always in the pop section. The Jackson 5, whose first 4 singles went to #1 on pop charts, were always in the R&B section. My only disagreement with you was that you claimed Michael was main,y known as a R&B artist and that is NOT true.
 
Because white music critics have dismissed Michael's art as not important for decades and the Estate has done nothing to change that perception. It's about having a devotion and respect for the art of an artist and the people in charge of Michael's catalog don't have that.
 
I know there has been Thriller 25 and Bad 25, but I would love to see a reissue of any of his works done in the same vein as the Led Zeppelin Super Deluxe Editions, The Guns N Roses Super Deluxe set, or any of the myriad of multi disc Elvis releases that have come out in the past decade.

Something like a Super Deluxe Edition of Thriller with multiple discs worth of content including Demos, Alternate mixes, non album tracks of the era, Live recordings, ect, Maybe a multi channel surround remix of the album on Blu-ray, a Blu-ray or DVD of the Victory Tour and all Thriller associated short films remastered in HD, a new pressing of the album on vinyl, an informative booklet, all housed in a super slick looking box. Any of Michael's albums are deserving of this kind of treatment, I just picked Thriller as an example since it seems the most obvious choice in terms of sales and whatnot.

So many other artists have been receiving this type of treatment with their catalogue in the last several years, I cannot understand why Michael doesn't get something like this. I think the closest thing was that Bad 25 box set, and even then it wasn't really comparable to those other sets of this type.

That type of deluxe material does not really generate profit for the MJ Estate.

Only his avid fans are interested in buying that type of material, while casual listeners (who typically have a bigger buying demand) will not pay attention to such deluxe releases.

Also, it is a matter of funds allocation/priorities.

If the MJ Estate has plans for a theatrical release for example, then that type of deluxe editions is automatically held back.

The MJ Estate has to act on a long-term, profitable basis while keeping his legacy alive &, to my mind, they do a good job at that.
 
That type of deluxe material does not really generate profit for the MJ Estate.

Only his avid fans are interested in buying that type of material, while casual listeners (who typically have a bigger buying demand) will not pay attention to such deluxe releases.

Also, it is a matter of funds allocation/priorities.

If the MJ Estate has plans for a theatrical release for example, then that type of deluxe editions is automatically held back.

The MJ Estate has to act on a long-term, profitable basis while keeping his legacy alive &, to my mind, they do a good job at that.

I agree.
 
somewhereinthedark;4255650 said:
I am very aware that “pop” is short for popular music. However, Pop music was/is was considered a genre or style of music on the charts. Michael was mainly known as a Pop artist. However, his pop hits were also on the R&B charts. Michael was the King of Pop. Aretha Franklin was known as the Queen of Soul;although she had as many Pop hits as she did R&B. Madonna is known as the Queen of Pop because of her pop hits. When I went to record stores, Michael was usually always in the pop section. The Jackson 5, whose first 4 singles went to #1 on pop charts, were always in the R&B section. My only disagreement with you was that you claimed Michael was main,y known as a R&B artist and that is NOT true.
Going by this logic, then either Drake, Lil Wayne, or Nicki Minaj should be called "King Of Pop", since they have more entries on the Hot 100 than anyone else. Including Mike, Elvis Presley, Madonna, Mariah Carey, & The Beatles. Aretha Franklin was in #1 place for females until Nicki passed her up a few years ago and Elvis was #1 period. Pop is still not a type of music genre, it's "popular music". R&B, jazz, rock n roll, country, dance, disco, progressive rock, folk, polka, salsa, Tejano, funk, and so on are music genres that people can play in. The pop chart is called the "Hot 100". Hot 100 is not a genre. You can't get an instrument and play "Hot 100". Pop radio is different genres combined. That's how singers & bands chart in the mother genre and the pop chart that they "crossover" to. If pop was a thing itself, there would be no such thing as crossing over. Remember Off The Wall was only nominated in R&B for Grammys/AMAs, not pop.
 
I agree with OP. Look at every other major artist from the 70s/80s. Queen fans for example have been blessed with several Live releases (at least 2 on Film). Bad25 should have been from the film source that was planned and scrapped. Or at least from an HQ source. I get they tried but it felt rushed IMO.

As for Jacksons material. There is currently a whopping 0 official Live concert material available. If you count the Triumph tour live audio CD then thats about it. This is why we need a collectors label. Its very dissapointing how little quality official releases have come out.

Dont get me wrong, Im glad we got Bad25 but I think it could have been better. More Jacksons material should be released. Official Collectors label should be considered.
 
I've said it before many times and I'll say it again..... Michael Jackson's music videos need to all be re-finished to at the very least a 4K Ultra HD format. Michael Jackson has the best most innovative music videos of any musical act, yet they are grainy and look dated. If you really want to re-introduce Michael to the younger generations in my opinion its wise to use the legendary material that the world already loves. Instead of releasing old demos and such, why not focus on the bread and butter of the MJ catalogue. If it were me, I'd focus on 12-15 or so of MJ's biggest most iconic videos, spend the time to remaster them visually and sonically. Upgrade the quality to a 4K and then release a big Blu-Ray, 4K DVD collection, as well as maybe do a deal with Netflix. Then follow this up with adding them onto Youtube for the world to enjoy.

I'd do the track list something like this:

Don't Stop Til Ya Get Enough
Thriller
Billie Jean
Beat It
The Way You Make Me Feel
Bad
Smooth Criminal
Leave Me Alone
Dirty Diana
Black Or White
Remember The Time
Jam
Scream
Earth Song
They Don't Care About Us
Ghosts
 
As progressive as we have gotten there is still a major racial factor involved..
 
Well thriller is complete.....i just have no ****ing clue as to why they are holding it....wont even release it on YouTube. Glad i recorded it
 
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