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Why didn’t MJ make more albums?

Smoothwalker

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Genuine question, because surely there was demand for more and yet we got so little
 
I don’t really know. I’ve also wondered this because many other artists have so much more studio albums…
 
Michael Jackson provided an explanation for that to his close friend and spiritual advisor Rabbi Shmuley Boteach (in 2000-2001):

"I do love the power of mystery, I really do. I think it's very powerful … There's six doors, you can open any of these doors. But the fifth door, don't open it. Don't open the fifth door, no matter what ... I only do an album every five years. Other artists do an album every year and my albums outlast and outsell all the other artists. And people wait for it. There's like, you know, a whole pulse going on about this album" (Michael Jackson, The Michael Jackson Tapes)

So, the singer believed a lot in the power of mystery, and how it keeps the public interested.

The number five triggers the greatest mystery, and particularly the fifth door.
 
MJ album releases were always an event. I could feel that anticipation even as a child.
Much more of an event than when someone releases an album every 1-2 years - definitely quality over quantity as mentioned above.

Michael was a master of the power of mystery.
 
Because he was rich enough that he didn't have to put out a record more often. Many other recording artists aren't and they also didn't own a song publishing catalog. Some artists just like recording and/or performing all the time. I've seen interviews with artists who said that when the pandemic hit and everything shut down, they didn't know what to do with their time, because they spent a lot of every year touring. They didn't spend much time at home before covid. Also most other acts don't milk 1 album for 2 years and release the entire album as singles, lol.
 
DuranDuran said:
Because he was rich enough that he didn't have to put out a record more often. Many other recording artists aren't and they also didn't own a song publishing catalog. Some artists just like recording and/or performing all the time. I've seen interviews with artists who said that when the pandemic hit and everything shut down, they didn't know what to do with their time, because they spent a lot of every year touring. They didn't spend much time at home before covid. Also most other acts don't milk 1 album for 2 years and release the entire album as singles, lol.
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Great points. If I recall correctly he had signed on to release another album shortly after Thriller but then it became the greatest selling album in the world lol.
 
He was more about quality songs. I think he accepted that he had to put out albums because of the industry and album narrative, using the mystery aspect to fully master the format. But he still wanted each song to stand on its own and apparently gravitated less towards albums in his later years.

So I'd say the main reason is industry expectations. If he didn't have to promote a product (album) with, tours and so on, we would probably have more songs, I think. Like with What More Can I Give. It allegedly wasn't officially released because it could compete (sic) with Invincible.
It all worked extremely well as long as his vision had the full backing of executives.
 
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Also too, MJ favored, Double Albums, and Triple Albums. He wanted Bad to be 3 disc's. He filled the entire lengths of CDs, while hating having to cut songs and trim them.
 
Sensual visionary said:
If he didn't have to promote a product (album) with, tours and so on, we would probably have more songs, I think.
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I don't think this has anything to do with it. Prince released albums every year and toured. So did a lot of other artists. If it was up to Prince, he would release multiple albums each year. But Warner Brothers refused to do that. The Jackson 5 was constantly recording & touring. Not only the group albums, but Mike & Jermaine solo albums too. They did a lot of TV show appearances on top of that. Harry Weinger, who runs Motown's catalog reissues, said years ago that the J5 had around 300 unreleased songs including an instrumental solo album by Tito. Mike has said he didn't even remember recording some of the songs that did get released. But the record business was different then. The labels required that before the mid 1970s. It's like The Beatles released so much stuff in a few years, not necessarily because they wanted to, but that is what was in their contracts. It was common for acts to release 2 or 3 albums every year and in some cases non-album singles.

Mike might have been burned out with the Motown era way of doing things, and had enough money where he did not have to do that. With the success of Thriller, Mike might have renegotiated his contract with album releases, because he would have had more clout. Because up until Victory, (including The Jacksons albums) there was an album every year on Epic from 1976 to 1984, except in 1983. Although the 1981 album was not a studio album, but a live one. Technically it might be partly one since it's been said that some of the vocals were redone in the studio. But studio overdubs were not unusual with live albums in general, not just with vocals but instruments too.
 
because m did not want to do his career like that, we waited five - to seven years at least for each album. I can say he taught me patience . He does it his way so yano
 
DuranDuran said:
Because he was rich enough that he didn't have to put out a record more often.
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This.

From 1969-1978, J5 released 13 albums, with MJ having a further 4 solo albums. Not to mention a tour almost every year.

Then he became much more successful, and we got his last 4 albums in 14 years.

Why work if you don't have to?
 
Mister_Jay_Tee said:
Also too, MJ favored, Double Albums, and Triple Albums. He wanted Bad to be 3 disc's. He filled the entire lengths of CDs, while hating having to cut songs and trim them.
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He should have made a greatest hits double album at the end of the 80s and 90s. Featuring his best songs from that decade. In 2000 he could have made a four disc greatest hits featuring all of his best songs to celebrate the new millennium.
 
His principal was "quality over quantity " if you listen to the rolling stones interview, from the questions asked, they were anticipated for the release of the album. Mj releasing an album was NEVER smthn that considered to be normal, it was world shaking event, people were throwing predictions here and there , he never disappointed.
 
mj_frenzy said:
Michael Jackson provided an explanation for that to his close friend and spiritual advisor Rabbi Shmuley Boteach (in 2000-2001):

"I do love the power of mystery, I really do. I think it's very powerful … There's six doors, you can open any of these doors. But the fifth door, don't open it. Don't open the fifth door, no matter what ... I only do an album every five years. Other artists do an album every year and my albums outlast and outsell all the other artists. And people wait for it. There's like, you know, a whole pulse going on about this album" (Michael Jackson, The Michael Jackson Tapes)

So, the singer believed a lot in the power of mystery, and how it keeps the public interested.

The number five triggers the greatest mystery, and particularly the fifth door.
Click to expand...
Example: Invincible
Wasn't promoted enough, yet it was chosen as the album of 2000 by votes on billboard
The thing is : many artists and they are important ones, they used to go perform at every single award show then tops of the pops or whatever its name was, then do MTV interviews before and after or perform promotional concerts, each one after another then drop an album again to "stay relevant " , I mean yes they stayed relevant at the moment but the impact didn't stay like MJ'S
Mj barely did interviews like he promised himself in that off the wall notes
Sometimes I think that those so called comedians who mocked him on talk shows were doing this because of his refusal to appear there like he also stated in Moonwalker by mentioning those specials they used to do during the Jacksons
As if it's a way to grab his attention like Eminem stated in his interview that just lose it grabbed Michael's attention, and that was "enough for him"
 
IhateTheMedia said:
He should have made a greatest hits double album at the end of the 80s and 90s. Featuring his best songs from that decade. In 2000 he could have made a four disc greatest hits featuring all of his best songs to celebrate the new millennium.
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Decade was the Intention. That became HIStory.

The 2000s gave us The Ultimate Collection.
 
DuranDuran said:
Because he was rich enough that he didn't have to put out a record more often.
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R1chard said:
Why work if you don't have to?
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I doubt that has anything to do with it? He didn't just work because he had to. He was rich enough to retire when he was young, if that was what he wanted. He loved what he was doing, and that's why he did it. Like he said, "I'm married to my music".
Same goes for many other entertainers. If they all retired when they become rich enough to do so, why even continue to be an entertainer?
Believe it or not, some people actually like doing what they're doing, and keep working, no matter how rich they are
 
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IhateTheMedia said:
In 2000 he could have made a four disc greatest hits featuring all of his best songs to celebrate the new millennium.
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Huh?! So, you mean, just re-release every album? What's the point? When you're releasing 1 or 2 new albums per decade, it would be silly to do a greatest hits each time.

I really don't get the fascination some MJ fans have with endless compilations.

Mister_Jay_Tee said:
Decade was the Intention. That became HIStory.

The 2000s gave us The Ultimate Collection.
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And, after rebuying loads of stuff with History, then rebuying loads of stuff again with BOTDF, people started to realize they were being taken advantage of, so that's why TUC is seen as an insult.

It's never a good idea to mix new material and old.

Michaels Lover said:
He didn't just work because he had to. He was rich enough to retire when he was young, if that was what he wanted.
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I dunno. TC asked the question why weren't there more MJ albums. The answer is because there didn't need to be.
 
R1chard said:
And, after rebuying loads of stuff with History, then rebuying loads of stuff again with BOTDF, people started to realize they were being taken advantage of, so that's why TUC is seen as an insult.
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There's nothing insulting about TUC. You'd maybe have a point if you were talking about King of Pop 4 years later. Or heck, Number Ones in 2003. That had 1 new song at least. TUC had multiple. It's an entirely separate audience though.

Meanwhile the Essential Michael Jackson in 2005 has outsold and outpaces all and that's just the songs. Compilations are not invalidated.


R1chard said:
The answer is because there didn't need to be.
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The answer is because MJ didn't want to do more and didn't. it just is. People are just trying to question him and rationalize otherwise.
 

Why didn’t MJ make more albums?​

I only do an album every five years. Other artists do an album every year and my albums outlast and outsell all the other artists. And people wait for it.
The Michael Jackson Tapes, p. 145
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Well, you can always engineer yourself one new album of leaked/previously unreleased material per each of his studio album releases!!
Like a „OTW alternative“, „Thriller 2“, „Chicago 1945“, „Monkey Business“, „Blood Expanded“ & „We‘ve had enough“ …
 
He did 1 album a year or more from 1969 to 1980, then thriller came and everything changed. From then on most artists started to take their sweet time to do a follow up album instead of 1 every year or every 2 years. The album changed the music industry, albums needed to have longevity from then on, with big marketing, several singles, videoclips, all killer no filler material. It apparently also saved the music industry by selling truckloads, albums post thriller all suddenly sold truckloads, Michael changed the rules and the game and others followed his lead.

edit: I don’t need @DuranDuran to tell me the names of a billion artists who still released albums on a yearly basis and that Michael didn’t really change the rules literally and on purpose.
 
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Michael Jackson, also known as MJ, was one of the most successful and influential artists of all time. He made 10 studio albums as a solo artist, and 15 more with his family group, The Jackson 5. However, some fans may wonder why he did not make more albums, especially in the later years of his career. Here are some possible reasons:

• High expectations: MJ was a perfectionist who always wanted to surpass his previous achievements. He felt that his albums had to be groundbreaking and innovative, and he spent a lot of time and effort creating them. For example, he worked on his best-selling album, Thriller, for over two years, and he was determined to exceed its impact with his next release Redditt..

• Legal issues: MJ faced several legal troubles and controversies that affected his career and personal life. He was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993 and 2003, and he had to deal with lawsuits, trials, and media scrutiny. He was also involved in disputes with his record label, Sony, over his contracts and royalties. These issues may have drained his energy and creativity and prevented him from making more music.

• Health problems: MJ suffered from various health problems that impaired his physical and mental well-being. He had a skin disorder called vitiligo, which caused him to lose pigment in his skin. He also had several plastic surgeries that altered his appearance. He struggled with insomnia, anxiety, and pain, and he became dependent on prescription drugs. He died of a drug overdose in 2009, at the age of 50.

These are some of the possible reasons why MJ did not make more albums. However, he left behind a legacy of music that continues to inspire and entertain millions of people around the world
 
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