MJ’s missed opportunities

another missed opportunity:
helping the brothers with their Humanity album
The brothers would supposedly work on the record for years to come. In a 1999 interview with Liberty Radio, Michael listed the reunion album among the things he was working on at the moment. He specifically mentioned he did "three cuts" for the Jacksons.[2]
Unfortunately, the album was completely shelved, and to this day it has not been released and it is likely to never see the light of day. It is also unknown what state the production was in, and it may be, that no songs were even recorded. It is presumed, that Humanity could've been canceled simply due to Michael being busy with other projects, such as the production of Invincible. It is important to note, however, that the group did eventually reunite in 2001 for the 30th Anniversary Celebration show, and after Michael's passing.
 
not releasing ‘the making of thriller’ on dvd and streaming. so many people would love to see that.

not uploading the motown 25 performance of ‘billie jean’ to the official youtube channel.

the ‘victory’ tour not being the ‘thriller’ tour - if he really wanted to tour in the first place..

not keeping ‘love never felt so good’ for himself and releasing it in ‘83/‘84
 
Not releasing a follow up to Thriller sooner.

He could have called it Filler and included songs like hot street, behind the mask and carousel 😎
 
- Michael not re scheduling his “one night only” shows. This purely because it was supposedly more intimate and different.
Indeed, it would have been great to have smaller shows.

- Michael not using any of the other countless Motown hits in his live medley.
So many of them. He has lots of songs better than STLYS.

He should have customized the set list according to the songs that were popular in the countries he was performing in.

- Not releasing Baby Be Mine and The Lady Of My Life as singles. An album with all songs released as singles would have been so cool and unique.
Baffles me why they didn't release BBM for T25 and LIMY for T40.

- Michael not performing at live aid (duet with Mick Jagger anyone?)
I think he didn't think it was going to be as big as it was.
 
1. Cancelled concert with Marcel Marceau.
2. Duet with Whitney.
3. Performance of One Day In Your Live in solo tours.
5. Duet hit with Freddie Mercury
 
They should have released Justin Bieber's Slave to the Rhythm. I am sure it would have been a massive hit and I think it's by far the best out of the 4 versions.
 
MJ’s missed opportunities
After the trial, he could have put together an album of songs from the Invincible era that were already finished and that would have fit at a time, which was full of accusations and rumors: Blue Gangsta, Xscape, GYWOOM, Shout, We've Had Enough
 
Michael Jackson had to move on with his career and he was also busy with more important upcoming projects at that time (shooting new music videos from the 'HIStory' album, preparations for his upcoming, giant HIStory Tour, and so on).

Re-scheduling and performing the 1995 HBO 'One Night Only' concerts at later dates would have happened at the expense of these more important projects, so this cannot be really seen as a missed opportunity.
He could absolutely have rescheduled One night only. Everything was pretty much done and ready. HIStory tour wasn't announced until April or May, so I doubt there was too much work going on on that before the announcement. Also it would have been another major push for the album, which was the original intent. It's a damn shame they never rescheduled it.
 
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He missed so many opportunities to perform songs live during his career. Instead he would just tour and do the same shows over and over. Didn’t take any risks performing always took the safe route.
 
- Michael not performing at live aid (duet with Mick Jagger anyone?)

Yeah but, I don't think I would trade it for just the fact that Joan Baez performed Michael's lines in We Are The World ... (OK, well, she's wasn't at the top of her game I think...). And, I don't really care about State of Shock and Mick Jagger.

Wait... I just noticed that she also made a 2-minutes solo cover of We Are The World , also at Live Aid... Of course, she would always cover anything having Dylan in it...


Give the guy a break! (...)

And also, this ^
 
- Not releasing Baby Be Mine and The Lady Of My Life as singles. An album with all songs released as singles would have been so cool and unique.

Just Good Friends should have been released as single! Speed Demon had its promo.

By the way, that was his plan for Dangerous , plan was disrupted due to the Chandler thing.
 
100% agree with this, well 99%, I think for Captain Eo it's normal because it's a Disney project, so he didn't have too much choice, I would say that this attempt to look tough is itself very childish at his age; there are also the sound of Bad who was somehow very immature, very chaotic, with a lack of direction, specially in comparaison to the maturity of his previous album.

For his missing opportunity, I would say first to don't care enough of himself, I will put the blame also to CBS for that, Michael was extremely sensitive about his appearance, it's not a secret, the recent leak interview have shown that just after Victory he was happy now with his face after his acne problem, that he will do his best to help kids with these problems (specially kids from show business), but 2 years later, maybe less, he has a strong vitiligo and lupus, so for him that would have very painful to live again that. His agent, managers, CBS etc...should have make sure that everything was alright for him at this moment, and not put him in exposition before he was ready.

Also in this context, avoid surgeries with Bad, it was the beginning of the problems, he should have revealed his illness to the public, if Michael didn't want because it's personnal, fine, but he should have put a darker make up to be close to Thriller to avoid controversial critics in his music video and the records covers, CBS should have forced him to accept that.

Don't make 2 years tour and stop the tours in general, he hated that, he have more or less fired his brothers for 6 months tours in USA, but was forced to make 4 times longers tour when he was older, that have simply destroyed his life, he should have put on video Victory or accepted Dileo proposition in 85 to continue the tour in Europe in solo and commercial in video this one (if he has some problems with his brothers for contract etc...), Michael Thriller was at his peak and he should have milked that.

After the Thriller music video, he should have movies, specially before vitiligo etc...he have various projects, never understand why that didn't works, specially street dandy, it was clearly his goal and was really passionnated about that, he would have shown his talent for soundtrack, who is very different that a pop album.

He should have put a solo album in 85, agree with a previous message, it was too long to wait 1987, he should have put unreleased Thriller tracks, they were amazing, I don't know who have put in his head that he was overexposed but it was dumb, and continue to be very funky, not onely agressive voice like since Bad.

He should have sung Thriller and State of Shock during Victory, replace Jagger and Price with other rocker or horror actor if they didnt want to comeback, he should have participated more to the Victory album, he could have the best selling album in solo and with the group.

Don't leave Quincy and his brothers, at least not definitely like he have done, specially because he has nothing bette than them.

That about his personnal life, but I think he should have married way sooner, if the Ola romance was true, his entourages should have put all their powers to conclude with a wedding with her, specially because he feel lonely and that would have avoided weird theory about him, he should have avoided kids, yes I know he loved them, but kids from celebrities, kid actors or singers and his family was enough (like during Thriller).

It's not his fault, but it's sad that his Sega game projecr didn't work, it was a very cool idea.

My list is already long, but for me after Captain Eo, all his career is a missing opportunity, it's sad because he could have avoided that easily, it's some way he would have been better for his reputation and his life, if he have done in semi-retreat after Captain Eo, more or less like Lionel Richie.
He did use darker makeup on certain occasions though. I always felt like he was trying to get his color back with makeup, until he couldn't anymore.

Examples being:- Liberian Girl video, Come Together video, Annie Leibovitz photoshoots, his visit to Japan, John Branca's wedding. He was trying his best to revert back to his natural color with caked on makeup.
 
Just Good Friends should have been released as single! Speed Demon had its promo.

By the way, that was his plan for Dangerous , plan was disrupted due to the Chandler thing.
A video for Dangerous would be something epic to see.
 
A Las Vegas residency where he would have played instruments, along with singing because less focus on dancing and more focus on singing as he grew older.
 
He was not able to play instruments. Maybe that is a missed opportunity, too. Imagine instead of Invincible Michael would have totally reinvented himself by walking on a stage with an acoustic guitar and singong a ballad while playing it.
 
A Las Vegas residency where he would have played instruments, along with singing because less focus on dancing and more focus on singing as he grew older.
Totally agree as I have said so often, I've been such a huge fan, and as a person who grew up with Michael loved the dance and the music. So wish he would have trusted us to watch him evolve in to a mature wonderful singer with a little dance here and there ❤️
 
missed opportunity: recording a duet with Alicia Keys

but she did this one..
 
Not recording a fully beatboxed song (it was a trademark MJ thing, he should have done more with it imo)
Not setting up/lend himself for a Vitiligo foundation or campaign (the general public would believe and undersatnd his disease better)
Not incorporate tap dancing in one of his short films (we know that he could from The Jacksons' variety show)
Not doing an Unplugged session
Not recording a song with The Bee Gees (not just with Barry)
Not releasing an album with just gospel music
Not incorporating more Disney style music in his ballads
 
- Not releasing a 1980s Compilation album after Bad
- Not having more compiliation albums when he had all of those unreleased songs on the cutting room floor
- Not re-recording his Motown songs as a adult
- Making HIStory a Double album instead of a studio album
- Not making Blood on the Dance Floor a studio album
- Not doing any features. He legit only had couple with Paul McCartney and that's it, he should have had way more. Stuff with Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Prince would have been huge, more songs with Janet as well
 
Yes wasn't there talk of him and Michael flatly doing a joint thing
There's been a couple of stories in the Irish press, interviews with Michael Flatley saying Michael stayed with him at his house in Ireland and they talked about doing something together, some sort of 90 second 'dance off' for an MTV thing. :unsure:

No idea if it's true.
 
A lot of these aren't missed opportunities, they are just terrible ideas.
Thank you. Really just the same wishlists people persist in. Michaels career went just fine, people
Ngl, I do like the idea of some sort of low-key, unplugged type of concert. But that's only if Michael was still alive, if he was still performing (and was doing it bc he wanted to and was enjoying it), if he was interested in experimenting a little bit with a low-key concert that showcases his voice over a more theatrical presentation. It's not something I see as part of Michael's career up to the 2000's. I see it more as something that could have happened now, if he had lived. It would be the quieter part of his career.

But I agree that Michael's career was just fine.
 
Ngl, I do like the idea of some sort of low-key, unplugged type of concert. But that's only if Michael was still alive, if he was still performing (and was doing it bc he wanted to and was enjoying it), if he was interested in experimenting a little bit with a low-key concert that showcases his voice over a more theatrical presentation. It's not something I see as part of Michael's career up to the 2000's. I see it more as something that could have happened now, if he had lived. It would be the quieter part of his career.
In case you refer to MTV Unplugged Specials, note that after his death (2009) these unplugged shows have less success/appeal.

Since 2009, they have aired less frequently and not even always on TV, but via online or subscription only.

Besides, had Michael Jackson lived now, he would not have sustained such an unplugged show of only fully live vocals due to his medical problems (i.e., diminished lung function and respiratory bronchiolitis).
 
In case you refer to MTV Unplugged Specials, note that after his death (2009) these unplugged shows have less success/appeal.
No, I'm not referring to those.

Since 2009, they have aired less frequently and not even always on TV, but via online or subscription only.
idc. That's not the point. I'm not even talking about an actual 'unplugged' show. I said this:
Ngl, I do like the idea of some sort of low-key, unplugged type of concert. [...]
meaning any type of shorter, small-scale show that isn't a full-on stadium show.

Besides, had Michael Jackson lived now, he would not have sustained such an unplugged show of only fully live vocals due to his medical problems (i.e., diminished lung function and respiratory bronchiolitis).
I'm talking about a fantasy that can never be realised. I'm talking about a fantasy in which Michael is alive and well (i.e. healthy), wants to do a small-scale show and is enjoying himself.

How many times? It's a fantasy. One which I only give time to bc Michael is no longer here. If he was still here I would be content with whatever decision he made about his own career.

You really don't seem to understand wishful fantasy or mild speculation.
 
No, I'm not referring to those.

idc. That's not the point. I'm not even talking about an actual 'unplugged' show. I said this:

meaning any type of shorter, small-scale show that isn't a full-on stadium show.

I'm talking about a fantasy that can never be realised. I'm talking about a fantasy in which Michael is alive and well (i.e. healthy), wants to do a small-scale show and is enjoying himself.

How many times? It's a fantasy. One which I only give time to bc Michael is no longer here. If he was still here I would be content with whatever decision he made about his own career.

You really don't seem to understand wishful fantasy or mild speculation.
Note that wishful fantasy and missed opportunity are 2 different concepts.

In a wishful fantasy anything can be possible (which makes it similar to daydream).

A missed opportunity means that someone is alive but he/she does not use an opportunity to do something.
 
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