Hot topic Thriller 40th Anniversary

[Korlay]

Sometimes I prefer Michael over Xscape simply because it gave us one of MJ's final songs and the production sounds like something MJ actually would've done, unlike Xscape.

I have to agree. The mastering is perfect and replay value is still there with the MICHAEL album, even if you take off the 3 fake songs it still holds up pretty well. Xscape feels rushed when you compare it to MICHAEL. I’d still love to hear those 7 songs LA Reid rejected for Xscape though. Thriller 40, new music is a plus if we’re getting remastered original recordings and not club remixes like BAD and Thriller 25.

 

[Lord Jackson]

The MICHAEL album gave us SIX original & never before released songs. Not three and not five!

Let's count it then, (obviously not counting the Cascio songs):
1. "Hold My Hand"
2. "Hollywood Tonight"
4. "(I Like) The Way You Love Me"
6. "Best of Joy"
8. "(I Can't Make It) Another Day"
9. "Behind the Mask"
10. "Much Too Soon"

Of those:
Hollywood Tonight is not the original version, has a cut line, and has an added bridge sang by Taj (aka not Michael)
The Way You Love Me is a remix of the TUC version, is worse
Behind the Mask is also a (terrible) remix
Much Too Soon is yet again, a (ruined) remix

Another Day is also a remix, but unlike Behind the Mask, we don't know for sure what the original sounded like

As for the 2 other songs, they are, as far as I know, the original versions.

 

[Spaceship]

I definitely prefer Xscape over Michael. Eight remixes of never before released songs beats three fake songs (Cascio tracks), a remix of a previously released demo ("The Way You Love Me") , a glorified Akon song ("Hold My Hand") and a blatantly incomplete song ("Hollywood Tonight"). That just leaves four finished, authentic songs; I like "Another Day", "Best of Joy" and I'll be generous on "Much Too Soon", but MJ's cover of "Behind the Mask" was wholly unnecessary.

I really liked the remixes of "Love Never Felt So Good", "Loving You" and "Slave to the Rhythm" on Xscape, but I don't care for the ones of "A Place with No Name", "Blue Gangster", "Chicago", "Do You Know Where Your Children Are" or the title song; the original versions of those songs are better, yet for some stupid reason the Estate only released crappy demos of them in trash quality. All in all, I still greatly prefer Xscape over Michael because the Cascio tracks are a travesty that should have never made it on any MJ project under any circumstances.

 

[Spaceship]

Let's count it then, (obviously not counting the Cascio songs):
1. "Hold My Hand"
2. "Hollywood Tonight"
4. "(I Like) The Way You Love Me"
6. "Best of Joy"
8. "(I Can't Make It) Another Day"
9. "Behind the Mask"
10. "Much Too Soon"

Of those:
Hollywood Tonight is not the original version, has a cut line, and has an added bridge sang by Taj (aka not Michael)
The Way You Love Me is a remix of the TUC version, is worse
Behind the Mask is also a (terrible) remix
Much Too Soon is yet again, a (ruined) remix

Another Day is also a remix, but unlike Behind the Mask, we don't know for sure what the original sounded like

As for the 2 other songs, they are, as far as I know, the original versions.

We have an idea of what the original "Another Day" sounded like, as there's leaked snippet that's long enough to tell us. The original version of "Hold My Hand" leaked in 2008 and isn't the same as the 2010 one. We've never heard the original "Best of Joy", but we know it's not the same as the one on Michael; apparently it has a cut third verse.

 

[Fuzball]

Let's count it then, (obviously not counting the Cascio songs):
1. "Hold My Hand"
2. "Hollywood Tonight"
4. "(I Like) The Way You Love Me"
6. "Best of Joy"
8. "(I Can't Make It) Another Day"
9. "Behind the Mask"
10. "Much Too Soon"

Of those:
Hollywood Tonight is not the original version, has a cut line, and has an added bridge sang by Taj (aka not Michael)
The Way You Love Me is a remix of the TUC version, is worse
Behind the Mask is also a (terrible) remix
Much Too Soon is yet again, a (ruined) remix

Another Day is also a remix, but unlike Behind the Mask, we don't know for sure what the original sounded like

As for the 2 other songs, they are, as far as I know, the original versions.

Best of Joy lacks its original 3rd verse.

 

[Dorian]

Let's count it then, (obviously not counting the Cascio songs):
1. "Hold My Hand"
2. "Hollywood Tonight"
4. "(I Like) The Way You Love Me"
6. "Best of Joy"
8. "(I Can't Make It) Another Day"
9. "Behind the Mask"
10. "Much Too Soon"

Of those:
Hollywood Tonight is not the original version, has a cut line, and has an added bridge sang by Taj (aka not Michael)
The Way You Love Me is a remix of the TUC version, is worse
Behind the Mask is also a (terrible) remix
Much Too Soon is yet again, a (ruined) remix

Another Day is also a remix, but unlike Behind the Mask, we don't know for sure what the original sounded like

As for the 2 other songs, they are, as far as I know, the original versions.

HT from Michael is better than the demo. Banger track for the dance floor.
TWYLM remix sounds like a X-Mas song.
BTM is dope as well. Except the random Bucharest adlibs.
MTS sounds like a Disney song. It’s really close to Bruce’s version.

Another Day Demo >>>> released version. Dunno why Lenny needed to rework the instrumental.

People keep saying the OG producers should work on the tracks having in mind Michael’s vision, but so far Lenny on Another Day, Neff-U(?) on TWYLM and Rodney on Xscape messed up big time.

On the other hand Timbaland on LNFSG, Chicago and STTR is a whole other story

 

[xscape guy 2003]

Carnt wait to see the rest of the promos or activations as the estate calls it.

 

[Victor]

When you do think the estate will announce Thriller 4K along with Billie Jean & Beat It on bluray?

 

[staywild23]

Carnt wait to see the rest of the promos or activations as the estate calls it.

I'm glad you mentioned this...I can't quite wrap my head around their phrasing. I mean, I kinda like it. It's intriguing. Maybe it's a common phrase and I've just been living under a rock. But I've never really hard anything else described this way...

 

[AlwaysThere]

I'm glad you mentioned this...I can't quite wrap my around their phrasing. I mean, I kinda like it. It's intriguing. Maybe it's a common phrase and I've just been living under a rock. But I've never really hard anything else described this way...

I feel the same way. I assume they mean “activations” as in “we have things prepared, and we just need to activate them,” but it’s really odd wording.

 

[kai]

I predict there wont be any happenings until November 😂

 

[MykelTheSuperfan]

Why wasn't a got to be there 50th anniversary?

 

[Fuzball]

When you do think the estate will announce Thriller 4K along with Billie Jean & Beat It on bluray?

I'm not sure if there'll be any bluray release at all. The email from the MJOT has only stated videos in 4K. Technically, this could be just a simple 4K update on youtube.

 

[MJJuniorSinceMW]

Let's count it then, (obviously not counting the Cascio songs):
1. "Hold My Hand"
2. "Hollywood Tonight"
4. "(I Like) The Way You Love Me"
6. "Best of Joy"
8. "(I Can't Make It) Another Day"
9. "Behind the Mask"
10. "Much Too Soon"

Of those:
Hollywood Tonight is not the original version, has a cut line, and has an added bridge sang by Taj (aka not Michael)
The Way You Love Me is a remix of the TUC version, is worse
Behind the Mask is also a (terrible) remix
Much Too Soon is yet again, a (ruined) remix

Another Day is also a remix, but unlike Behind the Mask, we don't know for sure what the original sounded like

As for the 2 other songs, they are, as far as I know, the original versions.

And as I count it‘s six never before released original songs. Not three, not five!

And your opinion about them doesn’t matter to me, because that was not the question.
I for my part love those songs quite a bit.
I‘m not saying, I wouldn’t wanna have the original versions also, as MJ left them.

And it was Tarryl on „Hollywood“ and not Taj.
And as already stated: Of course we have an idea how „Another Day“ sounds in OG.

 

[MJJuniorSinceMW]

HT from Michael is better than the demo. Banger track for the dance floor.
TWYLM remix sounds like a X-Mas song.
BTM is dope as well. Except the random Bucharest adlibs.
MTS sounds like a Disney song. It’s really close to Bruce’s version.

Another Day Demo >>>> released version. Dunno why Lenny needed to rework the instrumental.

People keep saying the OG producers should work on the tracks having in mind Michael’s vision, but so far Lenny on Another Day, Neff-U(?) on TWYLM and Rodney on Xscape messed up big time.

On the other hand Timbaland on LNFSG, Chicago and STTR is a whole other story

Not to forget Timbaland‘s best job:
Loving You!

To me it’s the best work on Xscape.
Made from a nice little happy song into an unchallenged banger!

 

[Lord Jackson]

We have an idea of what the original "Another Day" sounded like, as there's leaked snippet that's long enough to tell us. The original version of "Hold My Hand" leaked in 2008 and isn't the same as the 2010 one. We've never heard the original "Best of Joy", but we know it's not the same as the one on Michael; apparently it has a cut third verse.

Didn't hear the Another Day leak, my bad
got a link?

As for Hold My Hand, that song was so boring to me I can't remember what was different from the leaked demo and the Michael version

As for Best of Joy, other than it's 3rd verse, is it mixed differently? I remember reading it's one of the last songs he made

Anyway, in that case it would mean there's no real unique song on Michael as they are all remixed
So the number is not five, three, two or seven

It's 0

Best of Joy lacks its original 3rd verse.

Again, I didn't know, my bad

HT from Michael is better than the demo. Banger track for the dance floor.
TWYLM remix sounds like a X-Mas song.
BTM is dope as well. Except the random Bucharest adlibs.
MTS sounds like a Disney song. It’s really close to Bruce’s version.

HT is missing "She's only fifteen" and made it a feat
It's not supposed to be a feat though

Behind The Mask is (most likely) supposed to sound like

And it was Tarryl on „Hollywood“ and not Taj.

My bad, all I remembered is that one of the brothers from 3T did it, don't know why I assumed it was Taj

 

[SmoothGangsta]

Best Of Joy was completely re-done, the version on the Michael album is quite different to the demo if descriptions are to be believed.

 

[Fuzball]

 

[ChanceToDance]

As for Hold My Hand, that song was so boring to me I can't remember what was different from the leaked demo and the Michael version

The Instrumental was completely redone and it has more Michael's vocals.

As for Best of Joy, other than it's 3rd verse, is it mixed differently? I remember reading it's one of the last songs he made

Completely, the demo is more barebones as it only features a drum machine loop and a Fender Rhodes keyboard.

 

[Themidwestcowboy]

Here's to hoping we finally get to hear Michael's version of this song

 

[SilkySnare]

So what is the deal with the vinyl release? Is there going to be a bundle with unreleased stuff or are we getting only the album itself?
I gotta know if I should place a preorder on the current vinyl or wait for the bundle..

 

[dethorro]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1527294376199671813

This would be a dream come true and certainly the best release since Bad 25.

 

[PurpleThriller]

Not to forget Timbaland‘s best job:
Loving You!

To me it’s the best work on Xscape.
Made from a nice little happy song into an unchallenged banger!

He destroyed the song.
The demo is a magical song with Michael's touch all over it.
The Xscape version is lame and clearly too modern. It doesn’t sound like anything Michael would have done ...
Not to mention the obvious and painful autotune that they have put in Michael' s voice 0_0

 

[dam2040]

Here's to hoping we finally get to hear Michael's version of this song

This sounds so much like Baby Be Mine - is it an alternative version?

 

[Themidwestcowboy]

This sounds so much like Baby Be Mine - is it an alternative version?

Both Baby Be Mine and Spice of life was written by rod temperton for inclusion on the Thriller album. That’s why they sound so similar and perhaps why only one of them ended up on Thriller.

This song was also written by Rod and given to Michael but so far I haven’t found anything that corroborates that Michael recorded it.

 

[ChanceToDance]

Both Baby Be Mine and Spice of life was written by rod temperton for inclusion on the Thriller album. That’s why they sound so similar and perhaps why only one of them ended up on Thriller.

This song was also written by Rod and given to Michael but so far I haven’t found anything that corroborates that Michael recorded it.

I haven't found anything that says MJ recorded both those songs, seems like he turned them down right away.

 

[dam2040]

Both Baby Be Mine and Spice of life was written by rod temperton for inclusion on the Thriller album. That’s why they sound so similar and perhaps why only one of them ended up on Thriller.

This song was also written by Rod and given to Michael but so far I haven’t found anything that corroborates that Michael recorded it.

That is insane lol. It sounds like I’m listening to Baby Be Mine but not at the same time… trippy!

 

[PurpleThriller]

Both Baby Be Mine and Spice of life was written by rod temperton for inclusion on the Thriller album. That’s why they sound so similar and perhaps why only one of them ended up on Thriller.

This song was also written by Rod and given to Michael but so far I haven’t found anything that corroborates that Michael recorded it.

Man,Baby be Mine ,Spice of life and Mystery all really got that Michael sound.Even the vocal melody is so Michael-ish.
Rod Temperton really had huge a hand in shaping the Michael Jackson sound i see,at least in the earlier days.Such a shame he is gone :0
i hope we get some ,,behind the scenes ,, facts about the making of the album for Thriller 40

 

[Themidwestcowboy]

I haven't found anything that says MJ recorded both those songs, seems like he turned them down right away.

MJ mentioned spice of life in the Mexico 1993 depositions as “recorded but not released”

 

[ChanceToDance]

MJ mentioned spice of life in the Mexico 1993 depositions as “recorded but not released”

Do you know if it's the november 8th or 10th deposition? I can't find where he says that. Baby Be Mine is one of my favorites from Thriller, it would be exciting to see that there's another song similar to it...