The Signature Songs of Each album

[KingofPop125]

I see a lot of the time on social media like Reddit, Twitter (or now preferably BlueSky), Instagram, etc. MJ fans asking what their favorite deep cut. But everytime I look the songd, half of them were not even songs I considered to be a deep cut. For example, I always thought Leave Me Alone and Stranger In Moscow were pretty mainstream, but some people say they were not and I don’t know what to believe.

So what are all the popular songs from each of the big six albums (and hell, count in the Jackson 5, early solo, and Jacksons eras & Blood on the Dance Floor to make it more complete)?

To give an example of what I’m looking and asking for, the one album that I pretty much have the answer to is dangerous. If I was being more liberal with my answer, it would be the all 9 singles + the song Dangerous. If I was being more conservative, I would cut Who Is It, Give In to Me, and Gone Too Soon out. You can choose whichever method out of these two.

 

[mj_frenzy]

The most popular/mainstream songs from each of his 6 big albums are these:

- 'Rock With You' ('Off The Wall' album)

- 'Billie Jean' ('Thriller' album)

- 'The Way You Make Me Feel' ('BAD' album)

- 'Remember The Time' ('Dangerous' album)

- 'You Are Not Alone' ('HIStory' album)

- 'You Rock My World' ('Invincible' album)

 

[Hot_Street]

The most popular/mainstream songs from each of his 6 big albums are these:

- 'Rock With You' ('Off The Wall' album)

- 'Billie Jean' ('Thriller' album)

- 'The Way You Make Me Feel' ('BAD' album)

- 'Black or White' ('Dangerous' album)

- 'You Are Not Alone' ('HIStory' album)

- 'You Rock My World' ('Invincible' album)

fixed

 

[R1chard]

"Got to Be There" and "Ain't No Sunshine" from Got to Be There
"Ben" from Ben
"Happy" from Music & Me
"One Day in Your Life" from Forever Michael
"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" from Off The Wall
"Billie Jean" and "Beat It" from Thriller
"Man in the Mirror" and "Smooth Criminal" from Bad
"Black or White" from Dangerous (used to be "Heal the World" as well, but not any more)
"Scream" and "Earth Song" from HIStory.

 

[KingofPop125]

The most popular/mainstream songs from each of his 6 big albums are these:

- 'Rock With You' ('Off The Wall' album)

- 'Billie Jean' ('Thriller' album)

- 'The Way You Make Me Feel' ('BAD' album)

- 'Remember The Time' ('Dangerous' album)

- 'You Are Not Alone' ('HIStory' album)

- 'You Rock My World' ('Invincible' album)

I was thinking for more of a set of songs, not just one. Any others please?

 

[R1chard]

Also, I guess for the most part, somebody who's not a fan is extremely unlikely to know which song is on which album - especially one that was released 30+ years ago. The songs I listed above are probably the only exceptions.

 

[etoile 37]

Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5:
- I Want You Back
- Who's Loving You

ABC:
- ABC
- The Love You Save

Third Album:
- I'll Be There
- Mama's Pearl

Maybe Tomorrow:
- Never Can Say Goodbye

Greatest Hits:
- Sugar Daddy

Lookin' Through The Windows:
- Lookin' Through The Windows

Skywriter:
- Skywriter (not really that well-known)

Get It Together:
- Dancing Machine (also released on the album "Dancing Machine")

Dancing Machine:
- Dancing Machine (also released on the album "Get It Together")

Moving Violation:
- Forever Came Today (not really that well-known)
- Moving Violation (not really that well-known)
- Body Language (not really that well-known)

Joyful Jukebox Music:
- Pride and Joy (not really that well-known)

Got To Be There:
- I Wanna Be Where You Are
- Rockin Robin
- Got To Be There

Ben:
- Ben

Music and Me:
- Music and Me

Forever Michael:
- One Day In Your Life (not really that well-known)

The Jacksons:
- Enjoy Yourself (not really that well-known)

Goin' Places:
- Goin' Places (not really that well-known)

Destiny:
- Blame It On The Boogie
- Things I Do For You
- Shake Your Body

Triumph:
- Can You Feel It
- This Place Hotel

Victory:
- Torture
- State of Shock

Off The Wall:
- Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
- Rock With You
- She's Out Of My Life
- Off The Wall
- Workin' Day and Night

Thriller:
- Thriller
- Billie Jean
- Beat It
- Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
- Human Nature

Bad:
- Bad
- The Way You Make Me Feel
- Man In The Mirror
- Dirty Diana
- Smooth Criminal

Dangerous:
- Black Or White
- Will You Be There
- Remember The Time
- Heal The World

History:
- You Are Not Alone
- Scream
- They Don't Care About Us
- Earth Song

Blood On The Dance Floor:
- Blood On The Dance Floor
- Ghosts
- Is It Scary

Invincible:
- You Rock My World
- Butterflies

Special mention:
- Somebody's Watching Me

 

[mj_frenzy]

I was thinking for more of a set of songs, not just one. Any others please?

In terms of a set of songs from each of his 6 big albums, the most popular/mainstream songs are these:

- 'Rock With You' ('Off The Wall' album)

- 'Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough' ('Off The Wall' album)

- 'Billie Jean' ('Thriller' album)

- 'Beat It' ('Thriller' album)

- 'The Girl Is Mine' ('Thriller' album)

- 'The Way You Make Me Feel' ('BAD' album)

- 'Smooth Criminal' ('BAD' album)

- 'Man In The Mirror' ('BAD' album)

- 'Remember The Time' ('Dangerous' album)

- 'Black Or White' ('Dangerous' album)

- 'You Are Not Alone' ('HIStory' album)

- 'Earth Song' ('HIStory' album)

- 'You Rock My World' ('Invincible' album)

- 'Cry' ('Invincible' album)

 

[R1chard]

We really need to stop pretending that "You Rock My World", "Butterflies" and "Cry" were a big deal. Nothing "signature " about any of them, even at release. They're literally unknown songs that have been forgotten with the passing of time.

 

[NeoGardiV12]

We really need to stop pretending that "You Rock My World", "Butterflies" and "Cry" were a big deal. Nothing "signature " about any of them, even at release. They're literally unknown songs that have been forgotten with the passing of time.

Nah, that might be true for literally every song in the Invincible album except... you guessed it, You Rock My World, that's probably one of the few post 1982 MJ songs that normal folks actually know, which is crazy. (social media trends also helped You Rock My World to get back on the map too)

 

[R1chard]

It simply wasn't.

TC used the word mainstream. It's not about the songs you like. It's about songs my mum has heard of.

Saying anything post 1996 is just misleading.

 

[MonkeyCheater]

We really need to stop pretending that "You Rock My World", "Butterflies" and "Cry" were a big deal. Nothing "signature " about any of them, even at release. They're literally unknown songs that have been forgotten with the passing of time.

To be fair, YRMW was a huge radio hit in Europe.
It also did reappear on some charts after his death in 2009.
It has also made its way onto the big compilation albums.
So, there is a case to be made that it is one of his bigger and more well known hits - especially with those of a younger generation.

Though, to your point, not a ‘big deal’.

 

[Blues_Away2023]

YRMW has aged really well, it seems that more people like it now especially on social media , TikTok.

It was considered a bit meh back in 2001 though but I’ve always enjoyed it and it was the first ever MJ single I bought.

Number 2 in the UK charts btw but seen as disappointing because Kyle Minouge remained at number 1 with can’t get you outta my head (where she had been for the previous 3/4 weeks already)

 

[R1chard]

To be fair, YRMW was a huge radio hit in Europe.

Are you including the UK here? Because at the time, I was listening to about 4 hours of radio every day, and I remember thinking that this was the first time that the lead single from a new MJ album had been ignored by radio.

I think it got played more on Radio 2 than it did Radio 1. Probably means it appealed more to older people (ie those that already knew about MJ).

Really, I was lucky I even got to see the video.

It also did reappear on some charts after his death in 2009.

Every MJ song appeared in the charts that week.
YRMW got to #60. They only play the top 40. It wasn't even in the top 20 MJ songs in 2009.

It has also made its way onto the big compilation albums.

That was just as the token Invincible track so that there was a song from every album. It was more just to say "look, MJ had an album you didn't know about!"

 

[NeoGardiV12]

It simply wasn't.

TC used the word mainstream. It's not about the songs you like. It's about songs my mum has heard of.

Saying anything post 1996 is just misleading.

Fam i'm young enough to know what other people my age heard of.
YRMW is pretty mainstream nowadays lol

 

[MonkeyCheater]

Are you including the UK here? Because at the time, I was listening to about 4 hours of radio every day, and I remember thinking that this was the first time that the lead single from a new MJ album had been ignored by radio.

I think it got played more on Radio 2 than it did Radio 1. Probably means it appealed more to older people (ie those that already knew about MJ).

Really, I was lucky I even got to see the video.


Every MJ song appeared in the charts that week.
YRMW got to #60. They only play the top 40. It wasn't even in the top 20 MJ songs in 2009.


That was just as the token Invincible track so that there was a song from every album. It was more just to say "look, MJ had an album you didn't know about!"

 

[MonkeyCheater]

@R1chard….

When YRMW made its debit on the UK sales chart at number 2, it was number 1 on the UK airplay chart whilst Kylie was at number 2 (despite her being number 1 on the sales chart).

Also, YRMW was A-listed on Radio 1.

So, it certainly did get big exposure to a younger generation.

Further, you are quite right, a lot of MJ tracks recharted in the UK after MJ’s death, and for sure YRMW was way behind the likes of Billie Jean. But YRMW was also ahead of some other classics, like Remember the Time.

So, on balance I would say YRMW stands up as a big MJ song, be it one that is not as big as his obvious classics.

 

[R1chard]

To answer TCs other (near identical) thread.

Bad - it used to be Bad and TWYMMF, but now it's MITM and Smooth Criminal.

HIStory - it used to be Scream and YANA, but now it's Earth Song and TDCAU.