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About Filler Songs

roiklow

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Hey everybody!

I would like to open up a debate about filler songs on albums. Where do you draw the line between fillers and potential singles? Let's take michael's albums for example. I read somewhere that HIStory was the first MJ album with fillers. and listenned to the bad and dangerous album just after listening to the history album and i think Speed Demon, Can't let her get away or she drives me wild more "filler-like" songs than This Time Around or 2Bad wich is one hell of a song if you listen closely to the background vocals, the percussion and all. So what dou you think of all this?

Once again, excuse my english i am spanish lol:angel:
 
Personally, I think the only albums to have filler songs are Pre-OTW, Blood On The Dance Floor, and Invincible. Speed Demon isn't really filler to me. And all of Dangerous is perfect together.

Also, TTA and 2 Bad are not fillers. Both are amazingly awesome and unique songs.
 
To me, none of Michael's albums have filler songs. Seriously. Not on Invincible, no way!!! Well, that's what I think.
 
no filler songs on mj's albums. that's why i think a and r people didn't know what to do with his later albums, lol. they aren't used to it. prob didn't like it either, out of envy
 
Mystic said:
Personally, I think the only albums to have filler songs are Pre-OTW, Blood On The Dance Floor, and Invincible. Speed Demon isn't really filler to me. And all of Dangerous is perfect together.

Also, TTA and 2 Bad are not fillers. Both are amazingly awesome and unique songs.
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Agreed. . . . . SInce there's usually several yrs between albums, I don't think there's much if any filler there. I imagine every song is either there to serve a purpose to the album's concept, or because he thinks it's a hit.
 
I don't think any songs are fillers on MJ's albums. I do think there are songs that are not single-worthy, but that's not exactly what I would consider filler.
 
I agree with you all but could someone answer this question: what exactly IS a Filler? and WHERE do you draw the line btween a filler and a potential-single?

Thanks!
 
Technically, there is no such thing as "filler". Pre-1970s some acts only put out singles and no albums. If a particular song became really popular, the act's record label would have them record a bunch of songs really fast and rush out an album. In some cases it was songs similar in sound or theme to the hit song and not much thought was put into them. They were written by record label staff writers usually and sometimes new writers to test them out. These were called "filler" tracks to pad out an album. Some acts were "album" artists and didn't design songs for singles like jazz or psychedelic bands. So the songs might last 20 minutes long since they weren't trying to get radio play or "hits", and these acts generally had more control over what was put on their album.
 
People are using the term "filler" as a phrase to describe tracks that seem thoughtless or simply used to pad out an album and add songs besides the singles. Like, if you've ever heard an artist with a few hit singles from a new album, and you buy the album only to find out tracks 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 15, etc. were all generic crap, you might call those tracks "filler".
 
roiklow said:
I agree with you all but could someone answer this question: what exactly IS a Filler? and WHERE do you draw the line btween a filler and a potential-single?

Thanks!
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Filler: Low quality song to add length to the album.
Example: Speechless
 
Sure, MJ has filler material on his albums. It doesn't necessarily mean these songs aren't good, but they just aren't as strong as the others. That's the way I see it anyway.

I think all the following is filler:

Off The Wall: Girlfriend (I still like this song a lot tho)

Bad: Speed Demon, Just Good Friends

Thriller: No Filler here, there isn't one bad song even though "The Girl Is Mine" is usually cited as the worst, but every song on here could have been a hit and almost every song on here was.

Dangerous: She Drives Me Wild, Can't Let Her Get Away

History: D.S., Money

Invincible: The Lost Children, Privacy,Threatened
 
Superstition said:
I don't think any songs are fillers on MJ's albums. I do think there are songs that are not single-worthy, but that's not exactly what I would consider filler.
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Co-sign. And I believe there's no filler songs from Mike's perspective as well as some of fans'. There's a reason why he takes so much time between albums and write like, ten-fold songs of the number of ones on the final list. In his perfectionist mind and work ethic, there's simply no space on his album that he's willing to leave for filler tracks.
 
Cinnamon234 said:
Sure, MJ has filler material on his albums. It doesn't necessarily mean these songs aren't good, but they just aren't as strong as the others. That's the way I see it anyway.

I think all the following is filler:

Off The Wall: Girlfriend (I still like this song a lot tho) ---> agree

Bad: Speed Demon, Just Good Friends --> agree

Thriller: No Filler here, there isn't one bad song even though "The Girl Is Mine" is usually cited as the worst, but every song on here could have been a hit and almost every song on here was. --> disagree absolutely no filler even TGIM

Dangerous: She Drives Me Wild, Can't Let Her Get Away --> completely agree

History: D.S., Money --> completely disagree for me it would be Come Together and Smile (Covers)

Invincible: The Lost Children, Privacy,Threatened
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---> absolutely disagree for me it would be Invincible and YAML
 
When he made over 100 songs for each of his album, it's unfair to say some songs are filler just because you don't like it.
 
i never said i don't like them i just think they don't top the overall quality of their respective albums ;)
 
To me, there are some filler songs on his albums. They are not bad songs, they just aren't as powerful as other songs. These songs to me are ones that probably wouldn't survive long, or at all if it was released as a single.

IMO the following from each of Michael's albums would qualify as a filler song:

OTW- Girlfriend

Thriller- none All the songs were pretty good. IMO Baby Be Mine should have been released instead of Girl Is Mine

Bad- Just Good Friends & Leave Me Alone

Dangerous- Even though this is my all time favorite album and each song flows into one another well, I'd say Why You Wanna Trip On Me, She's Driving Me Wild, & Can't Let Her Get Away would be the fillers.

HIStory- DS, Money, Come Together-(my reason for this is in the Come Together thread), Tabloid Junkie & HIStory-(could have been a bigger hit with a better video and promotion)

BOTDF- of the 5 originals, Superfly Sister

Invincible- Heartbreaker & Invincible...IMO they sound too much like Unbreakable. Should either have been on a different part of the track lineup, or not on the album at all. Also, Heaven Can Wait. Good song but a filler IMO. It was released as a single and did terrible. Privacy & The Lost children
 
Leave Me Alone was a single (though not in the U.S.). The video also won a grammy award.

As I mentioned earlier, I think there's a difference between a song not worthy of being a single and filler material. Filler, in my opinion, is a song that really sounds like throwaway material and was put on album for the sole purpose of padding out a record, i.e. reaching "x" amount of tracks. Especially when you consider the differences in taste from country to country. I don't think Earth Song could have done well in the United States, yet it was one of MJ's most powerful singles overseas.
 
I know Leave me Alone was a single, but I think there were other songs more worthy to be on the album (Streetwalker and Fly Away).

Earth Song would have done better in the states had Sony promoted it better and radio stations played it.
 
WYWTOM is filler? No really, what? That is an amazing song. Same with Hearbreaker. Those are like some of the best songs of their albums.
 
Michael doesn't have filler songs.he must create songs for every person.some songs talk to the masses ,other to special individuals.
 
Prince Of Pop said:
To me, there are some filler songs on his albums. They are not bad songs, they just aren't as powerful as other songs. These songs to me are ones that probably wouldn't survive long, or at all if it was released as a single.

IMO the following from each of Michael's albums would qualify as a filler song:

OTW- Girlfriend

Thriller- none All the songs were pretty good. IMO Baby Be Mine should have been released instead of Girl Is Mine

Bad- Just Good Friends & Leave Me Alone

Dangerous- Even though this is my all time favorite album and each song flows into one another well, I'd say Why You Wanna Trip On Me, She's Driving Me Wild, & Can't Let Her Get Away would be the fillers.

HIStory- DS, Money, Come Together-(my reason for this is in the Come Together thread), Tabloid Junkie & HIStory-(could have been a bigger hit with a better video and promotion)

BOTDF- of the 5 originals, Superfly Sister

Invincible- Heartbreaker & Invincible...IMO they sound too much like Unbreakable. Should either have been on a different part of the track lineup, or not on the album at all. Also, Heaven Can Wait. Good song but a filler IMO. It was released as a single and did terrible. Privacy & The Lost children
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Heaven Can Wait was released as a single?????:wild:
 
ilovemjj4ever said:
When he made over 100 songs for each of his album, it's unfair to say some songs are filler just because you don't like it.
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Exactly. It's a matter of taste to your ears.

I know a lot of folks slaughtered Money from History as a filler etc. But for me, Money is one of Michael's best songs. It was a ground breaking music to my ears. So smooth, fluid, sexy, sophisticated and 'suave'.

But if some people still really insist with the concept of fillers, then I would consider:

  • Girlfriend - It's the Falling in Love - Burn the Disco Out

  • The Lady in My Life - Baby Be Mine

  • Speed Demon - Another Part of Me (I was scold by a fan circa 1999 for disliking this song)

  • She Drive Me Wild - Give in To Me - Goon to Soon - Dangerous

  • Come Together

  • Superfly Sister - Is It Scary

  • Unbreakable - Heartbreaker - Speechless - You Are My Life - Privacy - Cry - The Lost Children - Threatened
There.

During 1997, I avoided and skipped Scream and Can't Let Her Get Away like plague. I just could not comprehend with the glass shattering effect etc. inside Scream. Then voila! both of these songs have become two of my most favorite songs from Michael Jackson. Oh yes, same story with Jam and few others.

Lesson 101? My taste probably not your taste. We quickly assume songs that we dislike as fillers.
 
*Gasp* "Give In To Me" Is Not filler!!! That's just wrong lol. That is one of Mike's best songs imo.
 
roiklow said:
Heaven Can Wait was released as a single?????:wild:
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I don't know, but it was played on the radio ALOT here, and ppl luuuuved it :yes:

:girl_weeping: I really really like "girlfriend"!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Why does everyone hate on Girlfriend? :no:
I love that song, if there's a filler in OTW then it's 'It's the falling in love'.
Thriller: None
Bad: Speed Demon
Dangerous: Gone to Soon / Can't let her get away
HIStory: Money
BOTDF: Doesn't really count as an album IMO
Invincible: Eh, Invincible and Heartbreaker sound pretty much the same to me, 80% of the time idk which one is playing until a few minutes into it. Also 'Cry' sounds like a bad remake of 'Heal the World'.
Oh and 'Heaven Can Wait' is absolutely fantastic to me, so not at all a filler IMO.
 
Heaven Can Wait was a radio single and only went as high as 72 on the Billboard Hot 100.
 
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