Michael, Bad 25, and Xscape are wiped from existence. How would you reconfigure an album?

AlwaysThere

Proud Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2012
Messages
5,628
Points
113
Another hypothetical!

(Sorry about the continuous posts regarding Michael's "unreleased" music. I'm going stir crazy because so many albums, movies, and video games are being delayed due to COVID-19, and the email I sent to the Estate suggesting new music to hold us over was promptly [and understandably] rejected. So I have a ton of time on my hands.)

It's an alternate 2020, and the Estate hasn't released a single unheard song from the vault. You finally convince them otherwise, and are put in charge of configuring an album of brand-new material. They give you 21 songs to choose from:

  • "This Is It"
  • "Hold My Hand"
  • "Hollywood Tonight"
  • "Best of Joy"
  • "Another Day"
  • "Behind the Mask"
  • "Much Too Soon"
  • "Don't Be Messin' 'Round"
  • "I'm So Blue"
  • "Song Groove"
  • "Free"
  • "Price of Fame"
  • "Al Capone"
  • "Love Never Felt So Good"
  • "Chicago"
  • "Loving You"
  • "A Place with No Name"
  • "Slave to the Rhythm"
  • "Do You Know Where Your Children Are"
  • "Blue Gangsta"
  • "Xscape"
The only rules are:

  • You can ONLY choose from the 21 songs listed above; no other leaked tracks or as-yet-unheard titles.
  • You can only include up to 12 songs.
  • You cannot swap out demo/alternate versions of these songs UNLESS those versions were officially released. So, you can't choose the "Hollywood Tonight" demo over the album version, but you can choose the Throwback Mix. Also, the Xscape "original versions" are all fair game.
  • You can configure a box set or compilation package instead of an album if you so desire.
So, how would you do it?
 
What was the exact reply of the Estate?

1. Blue Gangsta (original)
2. Chicago (original)
3. I'm So Blue
4. Don't Be Messin' Round
5. Al Capone
6. Much Too Soon
7. Loving You (original)
8. Love Never Felt So Good (piano version)
9. Price of Fame

Don't care much for the other songs. It's a shame I couldn't include Streetwalker which is my favorite non album track so far.
 
Last edited:
1. Love Never Felt So Good (MJ Reworked Solo Version)
2. Hollywood Tonight
3. Loving You (Original Version)
4. Best of Joy
5. Slave to the Rhythm (Xscape Version)
6. Behind The Mask
7. Song Groove
8. Much Too Soon
9. Price of Fame
10. Free
11. A Place With No Name (Original Version)
12. Xscape (Xscape Version)

Title = Xscape
 
It's an alternate 2020, and the Estate hasn't released a single unheard song from the vault. You finally convince them otherwise, and are put in charge of configuring an album of brand-new material.

[*]You can only include up to 12 songs.

You know that the Cascio-Bros had the same idea 10 years ago, don't you?:D


Anyway, it's hard to choose as the first seven songs you've listed are released only in remixed form. I refuse to use those remixes. Already released songs (pre-2009) are allowed, right?


Hm, I think this would be what I'd suggest:

01. Cheater
02. Al Capone
03. I'm So Blue
04. DYKWYCA (original)
05. WATW (solo demo)
06. Price Of Fame
07. Loving You (original)
08. Streetwalker
09. Fly Away
 
JichaelMackson;4285294 said:
What was the exact reply of the Estate?

Well, not so much the Estate as the Online Team, but nevertheless.

I sent a long, detailed proposal for a weekly, online-only singles package to help provide the community some relief from the ongoing pandemic and quarantine. I went in like it was the last thing I'd ever do -- a project title ("MJ Mondays"), pricing, how to keep costs down, ease of access, etc. Alicia's response was:

Thanks for reaching out and I hope you are healthy and safe. While the Estate team agrees that it seems reasonable to imagine that Michael might have tried to calm and support his fans and the world at large during a time like this, the reality is that Michael is no longer here with us.

Fans have been consistently requesting “new” material from the Estate since Michael’s passing, and the occurrence of a global pandemic has certainly increased those requests. Unfortunately, the existence of a global pandemic has not brought Michael back nor does it change the circumstances around the decisions that have influenced the Estate’s strategy over the past ten years.

Michael was a once in a lifetime artist, and he released a wealth of material for his fans throughout his career. Hopefully, some of his art will provide comfort to you and the broader fan community during these uncertain times.

Best wishes to you and your family.


And honestly, I understand. I feel a bit foolish in contacting them in retrospect. I know we'd all love to hear new music, but currently I don't think anyone at the Estate should be focused on releasing projects. Sure, they COULD, but I don't blame anyone for wanting to simply stay home and let the world get back to some sense of normalcy.
 
AlwaysThere;4285311 said:
that have influenced the Estate’s strategy over the past ten years.
Wait! The Estate had a strategy?:rofl::rofl:
 
Wtf was that reply from the Estate? Weren’t they the ones who said they’d only release singles moving forward? Don’t they also have some new songs contemporized by Mark Ronson back in 2018 ready to go???
 
They should stop modernizing the songs, release them the way their were recorded initially. Who are they trying to reach, nobody but fans are interested in left over songs...Now they are massacring the music, trying to make it relevant, they are only producing more costs and I'm sure most fans aren't happy with the produced results.
 
The reason they modernize the songs is for the newer fans and younger fans. keep in mind if Michael was alive. some of his songs would sort of sound like today. not exactly. but you get what I mean.

Michael was the type of guy that move with the times but also went with his own style. that what made him so great. like it or not he would of featured some of the newer artists to his music like he did went he was alive.

Michael isn't with us anymore. so we will never know what his music would had sound like. we can only imagine I think if he was alive his music would still be on the top like he was alive. 2014 when xscape was release love never felt so good was on the top of the charts and he wasn't even here.
 
Michael Jackson is a dead artist. All of this manipulation of past recorded demos is a misplaced attempt to sound new and fresh.

They should have stuck with 2001's formula: re-release the albums with bonus tracks ( interviews and outtakes from that era). Whatever is allowed without being tied up or shelved because of credit and/ or royalties or in some cases morality.

After his death, the whole reason for putting out posthumous albums was not to please the fans, but to pay off debt. The
three mentioned albums came out up until the other half of the ATV catalog was sold. Then the estate announced all debt was cleared.

The releases stopped and the Estate announced they were only focusing on Michael's published work. Producers and other collaborators tease and tease, but I doubt we will ever see any unreleased material because it wouldn't benefit the Estate.

Could be a million reasons why but it eventually comes down to dollars.
 
Great idea as always my friend

I always think about this, if they just would have held off and just released 1 brand new album it could have been amazing
This was tough to do but here's mine

The Title would be Xscape

1. Xscape (2014 version)
2. Slave To The Rhythm (2014 version)
3. Another Day (2010 version)
4. Best Of Joy (2010 version)
5. A Place With No Name (Original version)
6. Loving You (2014 version)
7. Behind The Mask (2010 version)
8. Price Of Fame (2012 version)
9. Hollywood Tonight (Michael version)
10. I'm So Blue (2012 version)
11. She Was Lovin' Me (Original version)

Not sure about the order of the track listing but that would be my choice. The only one I would add would've been Someone Put Your Hand Out (had it not been against the rules) the album was just crying out for a Mike soulful ballad but the version of Much Too Soon with the out of place Accordion doesn't feel good enough (hopefully some day we hear the original officially). I really deliberated with adding, Song Groove (maybe too controversial but a great track), Blue Gangsta (a wonderful vocal but I always feel it needed a real bridge to polish it off, the original is wonderful) and also Al Capone (possibly a little too rough when compared with the finished state of the other tracks but it's so funky)

The album cover would be https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e2/9b/61/e29b6123a9033bd0030f4e520b18fb38.jpg
 
Back
Top