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Did Michael prefer co-writing to writing songs by himself?

analogue

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After the Bad album MJ seemed to really start co-writing songs with outside producers. Do you all think that Michael prefered co-writing to actually writing songs by himself? Or do you think that's just how the albums turned out?

I have a few theories. I know it's an odd topic but i'm really interested in MJ's creative process

1. That's just how the albums turned out

2. Michael really did prefer co-writing because it can be much more fun to sit in a studio with a person/people and bounce ideas off each other instead of siting in a room and writing all by yourself

My final thought is that Michael enjoyed both co-writing and writing songs by himself. Also that was another great thing about Michael is that while he did things alone he always left the door open for anyone else who wanted to contribute and i think that a true genius will use their own ideas but at the same time will also be humble enough to take ideas and suggestions from others, and that's what Michael was
 
To me, I think it's whatever the song was telling him to do....I agree with your last point :)
 
analogue said:
After the Bad album MJ seemed to really start co-writing songs with outside producers. Do you all think that Michael prefered co-writing to actually writing songs by himself? Or do you think that's just how the albums turned out?

I have a few theories. I know it's an odd topic but i'm really interested in MJ's creative process

1. That's just how the albums turned out

2. Michael really did prefer co-writing because it can be much more fun to sit in a studio with a person/people and bounce ideas off each other instead of siting in a room and writing all by yourself

My final thought is that Michael enjoyed both co-writing and writing songs by himself. Also that was another great thing about Michael is that while he did things alone he always left the door open for anyone else who wanted to contribute and i think that a true genius will use their own ideas but at the same time will also be humble enough to take ideas and suggestions from others, and that's what Michael was
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Agree with everything you said. I think he enjoyed both co-writing and writing by himself. He just did what the song told him to do. He followed the music.

I know I get a gratification when seeing the phrase "composed, written and arranged by Michael Jackson". The songs written by him alone are indeed his best. However, I like many songs he co-wrote with others, like Teddy Riley collaborations on Dangerous. With Michael, he always managed to make the songs written by others his own. He made Off The Wall, Thriller, Human Nature, MITM his own.

Unlike most artists who share writing credits thesedays, Michael was a phenomenal song writer in his own right. He didn't come in, changed a few words and called himself a co-writer. Unfortunately, his song writing ability is the one talent underrated by most - even by his own fans.
 
I dont know:no:but I think he was open to suggestions for writing songs:yes:
 
I wish he had more songs on Invincible those were written solely by him. I don't think Invincible is a bad album, so don't get me wrong (actually I feel it's underrated by the general public), however out of all MJ albums it's the least MJ-ish to me. And I think the reason for that is that most songs were co-written by 5-6 people. That's a bit too many to write a song in my opinion and the more people work on a song the less MJ-feel it will have. It's OK if he works with 1 or 2 co-writers then his style won't be lost in the process, but with 5-6 people, I think it will.

I realized that on each album my favourite songs are usually those which were written solely by him. Bad was the album on which he wrote the most songs alone, however on Dangerous and on History there are still many songs written solely by him (and those are usually the best songs I have to note). On Invincible it's just two.

I don't know the reason for it. I wish he had written more alone as I tend to prefer those.
 
I have no problem with MJ co-writing but when i buy an MJ album i do expect a good chunk to have songs that he wrote and composed by himself.

Songs he wrote on HIStory:
They Don't Care About Us
Stranger In Moscow
Earth Song
D.S
Money
Childhood
Little Susie

Songs he wrote on Dangerous:
Heal The World
Black Or White (Minus the rap lyrics)
Who Is It
Will You Be There

Even though MJ co-wrote on those albums a good chunk of them still had MJ's self written and composed songs. To go from all that to just having 2 songs on Invincible is a little dissapointing for me
 
Song written solely by Michael (without one or more co-writers - of course there are many more which he wrote with (a) co-writer(s)):

Off the Wall

Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough
Workin' Day and Night

Thriller

Wanna be startin' somethin'
The Girl is Mine
Beat it
Billie Jean

Bad

Bad
The way you make me feel
Speed Demon
Liberian Girl
Another part of me
I just can't stop loving you
Smooth Criminal
Dirty Diana
Leave me alone
Fly away

Dangerous

Heal the World
Black or White (minus rap lyrics)
Who is it
Will you be there

History

They don't care about us
Stranger in Moscow
Earth Song
D.S.
Money
Childhood
Little Susie

Blood on the dancefloor

Morphine

Invincible

Speechless
The lost children

Michael

(I like) the way you love me
Best of joy
Much too soon

Performed together with the Jacksons but written solely by Michael:

Blues Away
Be not always

Other

What more can I give
Elizabeth, I love you
You were there

(plus many unreleased songs)
 
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