Hollywood Tonight Vocal Question

[pinballmaster]

I'm sorry if this has been answered in the past.....
Why are the vocals on Hollywood Tonight bad quality?
It's like they had one vocal layer and Auto-tuned the crap out of it.
Imo, it's not even auto-tuned well.
Something like Melodyne should have been used to properly tweak each word. Instead, what I hear is a lazy Auto-tune automatic settings tweak job.
It's also kind of sounds like they turned the pitch up a bit making it sound unlike Michael at times.
Is it basically a glorified demo? Like there isn't an original finished version better than what was released?
Who originally recorded/produced the track?

 

[Mister_Jay_Tee]

It is just a demo. With a filter effect/autotune applied throughout.

 

[Fuzball]

Who originally recorded/produced the track?

It was recorded by Brad Buxer in a hotel room.

 

[AlwaysThere]

The original demo was recorded at Record Plant in fall 1998. Teddy Riley applied some sort of distortion/filter effect over it, perhaps to beef it up and make it appear more forceful.

 

[SmoothGangsta]

It sounds awful lol

 

[Mister_Jay_Tee]

That's why I prefer the throwback mix

 

[wonderouzmj]

All this time I thought it was just me

 

[Fuzball]

They have messed up with every song on the album

 

[Mister_Jay_Tee]

They have messed up with every song on the album

1 4 and 6 are all pretty well handled, 2 is the main one neutered

 

[Salami]

If you told me Hollywood Tonight was the fake track I would've believed it.

 

[AlwaysThere]

I still prefer the Teddy mix to any other. Imperfect, but the overall production has so much life and vibe. The demo is a little bland for me.

 

[NeoGardiV8]

If you told me Hollywood Tonight was the fake track I would've believed it.

Back when the Michael album came out A LOT of people believed Hollywood Tonight was one of the fake tracks.
Can't blame them, but personally i was always able to tell that HT was actually MJ, just fucked up in classic Teddy Riley fashion.

 

[Mister_Jay_Tee]

I still prefer the Teddy mix to any other. Imperfect, but the overall production has so much life and vibe. The demo is a little bland for me.

It is bland but it's authentic. And that's all that matters.

 

[NeoGardiV8]

It is bland but it's authentic. And that's all that matters.

I love the demo personally, just wish it had leaked in lossless.
The leaked MP3 is full of distortion and it makes me sad

 

[AlwaysThere]

It is bland but it's authentic. And that's all that matters.

If we’re talking authenticity, of course it’s the best version. But if we’re talking actual execution and intrigue, I gotta give it to Teddy.

The Throwback Mix is also great, if only they didn’t directly take the “Billie Jean” drums.

 

[Mister_Jay_Tee]

It is bland but it's authentic. And that's all that matters.

This is sarcasm. This is, objectively true but that's just not how I want them to do with everything they have.

 

[Mister_Jay_Tee]

I love the demo personally, just wish it had leaked in lossless.
The leaked MP3 is full of distortion and it makes me sad

I love how consistent you are. And you are right. I take it for granted that there is no good leaks. Though didn't the sony server hack bore some fruit