I don't mean this thread as a kill-joy or as an attack. I just want to discuss the new album from a different perspective.
This is how I personally feel, so I'm interested to see what the rest of you think. All the news I read about Michael's new album relates to him collaborating with people - the hot producers and hip new artists like Akon and Will.I.Am. etc.
I've heard Akon say in interviews that he creates music to suit the mainstream audience. I'm very tempted to express how much I dislike his music regardless, but I acknowledge that people have different tastes. Will.I.Am. is a great guy with good writing ability, but he's no Michael Jackson. I can totally understand why Michael might want to get a young artist's opinion and ideas in preparation for such a big album, but I cannot understand why is working so closely with them or why he needs to.
What I'm hoping for is a Michael Jackson album. A Michael Jackson album would make me cry tears of happiness. At the moment, I don't have my hopes up, because I am preparing myself for when I pop the CD in and hear something that I can find on any Chris Brown or Usher album. At the moment, I am worried that I will never hear anything as majestic as say, Earth Song, ever again.
Who did Michael collaborate with on Thriller, Bad, Dangerous and HIStory? Pretty much nobody. One duet here and there, one co-written song here and there at most. Those albums are all classic Michael Jackson records, pure and simple.
I'll always be a huge MJ fan because I know he's a true talent and what he's capable of when he pulls out all the stops. I'm just praying that his goal is to create art that amazes even himself, rather than the hot new bubble-gum radio-friendly tracks that his label has admitted they are pressuring him to record.
You expect to hear this music from the current young artists, but not Michael Jackson. After all this time, there would be nothing more disappointing than hearing the same stuff from him as we are hearing from everyone else!