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Nearly 270 Michael Jackson Tracks Packed Into New Anthologies The Indispensable Collection

I am totally enjoying the last disc in the Extras package. 60 tracks of the alternate versions & remixes in pristine quality.
 
Why is this release so bad? Because it's a HUGE greatest hits anthology? Or because hardcore fans think the estate should cater to them with every single project? I don't mean to be insulting, but as many others have said, greatest hits anthologies are meant for people who are beginning to become Michael Jackson fans. And that's what this is trying to do: bring over the next generation of fans. The fan extras collection is a cool little compilation of remixes, unreleased songs, etc., ALL of which are mastered for iTunes in the highest possible quality. And to top it off, you can buy most of the songs individually. (Save for This Is It, which has never been released as an individual single as far as I remember.)

Yes, we ALL want unreleased material. And yes, we ALL want another project of Bad 25 standards. But getting disappointed over a project that doesn't cater specifically to you just makes your day worse. We are here because we love Michael Jackson. This project, while not giving anything necessarily new, continues his legacy. Isn't that what we all want?

So if you don't like it, just don't buy anything from it. We still have five months for an actual project.

Tygger said:
I am unsure if this is a positive or a negative at this current time.
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Positive. This means that we still have the rest of the year to hope for a new album.

qbee said:
They are not going to put new songs on this digital ( itunes )anthology. ITs not a new album

It is a digital itunes playlist of all MJ solo albums and releases since OTW. Do you want a new album ??? or do you just want new songs thrown in on a digital release like this randomly. (hell naw) If you don't understand what this package is or the significance .. Just don't buy it. New songs should not be released on a digital itunes anthology playlist like this. New songs respectfully deserve an official new album. I would be highly disappointed if they released new songs in this manner.

This is not a new album. Its not even an official album release. Its a itunes special digital playlist for those interested in the complete comprehensive package of MJ songs to date. And No we do not have a comprehensive release of all MJ songs like this. If you personally don't appreciate it, that doesn't mean its not worthy or that others won't. I respect this (itunes digital release) for what it is and for what is isn't.
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Exactly. If the estate had thrown on a few new songs some would have been complaining that they should have promoted it better. This is an endless and unwinnable battle for the estate.

OnirMJ said:
Are these two releases part of Sony/Estate 10 projects deal? I hope not.
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It's not; it's just a side project. As far as I'm aware the only projects that count are those that are a physical release (i.e., Bad 25, Immortal, etc.)
 
itunes is not available in my country. That really sucks. I would actually buy some tracks.
 
Well... what can I say, I am a bit disappointed now.

This release is NOT of the highest quality.

The beginning of Man in the mirror instrumental is a bit off.
There are some weird beep noices coming inside Can't get outta the rain.

I didn't expect these things. I think I might find some more 'mistakes' like these if I listen carefully in my earphones. Well, they aren't releasing any new tracks. Can't they even package previously released tracks properly? Reminds of the mastering of the 1st disc in Bad 25.

On the flip side, In The Back sounds better in this collection than on The Ultimate Collection. The burp noises are gone.
 
The tracks are also labelled incorrectly. The In The Closet single version and remix are the wrong way around and the Who Is It Brothers In Rhythm House Mix is actually the IHS mix which is already on there anyway. So if you buy the whole thing then you get that mix twice over.
 
Not interested in the one with all of the albums but it was cool to see MJ on the main iTunes page again. hopefully people see it and buy a few tracks for the summer!
 
AlwaysThere said:
Positive. This means that we still have the rest of the year to hope for a new album.

It's not; it's just a side project. As far as I'm aware the only projects that count are those that are a physical release (i.e., Bad 25, Immortal, etc.)
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Thanks for clarifying. Actually I would prefer a product of a higher standard than Bad25 because that was what Michael always delivered. If this product is for new fans, how is the product being promoted to them? I only heard about it here. If I was not on a MJ Forum, how would I know?

Is another project being developed for the end of the year? Would it most likely be the soundtrack for MJ ONE?
 
No one knows what or if we are even getting anything more this year
 
I wonder why ppl are so bothered one way or the other about this. whys everyone so passionate. maybe its just me but who cares! its a digital release one of prob many over the decades.personally i dont do digital music think ive got most if not all of the tracks on there. so i come in the thread when it was first anounced saw what it was and thought ok nothing there for me and left the thread. That was it. there was no need to start posting about why have they done this.ive already got all the songs so the release is rubbish etc etc. does it really matter that much isnt there more important things ?
 
When I hear these releases I think of hopefully Michael gaining new fans and appreciation. Even if I have most of the songs maybe there is still something I can find but I would hope that Michael's fan base just grows and grows.
 
Five Must-Hear Michael Jackson Tracks from 'The Ultimate Fan Extras Collection'
Huge rarities set accompanies Cirque du Soleil's new Vegas tribute


By BENJY EISEN
July 10, 2013 11:30 AM ET


In celebration of Cirque du Soleil's premiere of their newest Las Vegas show, Michael Jackson ONE, Legacy Recordings has released nearly 270 Michael Jackson tracks on two iTunes anthologies, including The Ultimate Fan Extras Collection, which pairs rarities and demos with live versions, remixes and alternate takes. Here are five tracks you should download now.


"Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough (Original Demo)"
When "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" was released for public consumption in 1979, it served as the first single from Michael Jackson's Off the Wall album and quickly shot to No. 1 on the charts. But the song didn't come out of nowhere. It started as a melody that Jackson allegedly couldn't get out of his head. When he first gave birth to it in song form, he had his family members accompany him on percussion and keyboards, providing the basic sketch of what it would ultimately sound like. But the original demo is still light years away from the horn-laced disco-pop classic that the song became. With just an elementary sketch of the lyrics – and none of the musical bells and whistles of the song as you know it – this demo of "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" may not be a frequent listen, but it's still a must-hear for Jackson diehards.


"I'll Be There (Immortal Version)"
Whereas the original "I'll Be There" became a No. 1 hit for the Jackson 5 in 1970, this version, taken from Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour, features little Mike accompanied only by a minimalist piano part. Jackson sang this song on virtually all of his tours and co-opted it for various uses throughout his career. This stripped-down version is a powerful reminder of MJ's early years as a child star, and hearing it stirred up emotions for his brothers – who sang on the original version – when they saw the Cirque production in Las Vegas. "That was very touching to me," Jackie Jackson told Rolling Stone at the recent premiere of Cirque's newest resident show, Michael Jackson ONE. "That song brings back a lot of memories."


"Rock with You (Live)" (The Jacksons)
As an entertainer, Jackson had the whole package. So while we remember his sugar-sweet vocals and criminally smooth dance moves on songs like "Rock With You," a track from 1979's Off the Wall, he brought just as much power and verve to its live performance. He performed various takes of the disco-influenced song on different tours throughout his career and was reportedly planning on keeping it in the set list for his ill-fated "This Is It" concerts. For this version, recorded live with his brothers (touring under the name "The Jacksons"), the song absolutely pops with MJ's enthusiasm, conviction and unmatched showmanship.

"Al Capone"
The real-life gangster was perhaps the ultimate smooth criminal, so it doesn't seem all unnatural that Jackson's "Al Capone" eventually became the song "Smooth Criminal." The relationship between the two different tracks is both immediate and overt. Sure, "Smooth Criminal" is the better of the two, but it's that very evolution – or transformation – that makes "Al Capone" such a compelling listen. Originally released in 2012 as part of the bonus material found on Bad 25, a special 25th anniversary edition, "Al Capone" is an absolute must for completists.


"We Are Here to Change the World"
"We Are Here to Change the World" served as an anthem for Disney theme parks around the world. Jackson wrote the song specifically for the movie Captain EO, which was shown in special "4-D" movie theaters inside Disney parks (including Disneyland and Epcot) beginning in 1986. Jackson also starred in the film, which was produced by George Lucas and featured Francis Ford Coppola in the director's chair. The only other original MJ song used in the film was "Another Part of Me," which Jackson then included on his 1987 mega-hit album Bad. Had "We Are Here to Change the World" made it on that album, it may well have been another chart-topping single. It finally saw a wide release in 2004 as part of The Ultimate Collection box set, but it never had the chance to become the stand-alone hit that it could have been. Regardless, it's a classic Jackson track from one of his peak creative periods.




Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/n...-fan-extras-collection-20130710#ixzz2YhWN7UMe
 
^This is the stuff people should be writing about Michael. I did look at iTunes and found a few things that I didn't have and liked to have and got. I also think it's great how all his albums are in one anthology and casual fans or new ones can listen to the tracks of say something in History and Invincible. I liked the fan collection because I listened to things I never heard before.
 
Geesh, why should 3 fake songs ruin this mega colection? Just ignore them and enjoy! :chillin:
 
So I had weird beep noises coming in Can't get outta the rain and I'm so blue. The start of Man in the mirror was broken. Also Who it it brother's remix is actually IHS remix. I complained and got a full refund.
 
Karthik said:
So I had weird beep noises coming in Can't get outta the rain and I'm so blue. The start of Man in the mirror was broken. Also Who it it brother's remix is actually IHS remix. I complained and got a full refund.
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Really? hehe
 
Interesting maybe it will encourage new fans to want more like we all did
 
Did new Michael Jackson anthologies empty the vault?

The 162-track "Ultimate Fan Extras" is a bargain at $82, but is it too much too soon?

The recent release of two massive Michael Jackson anthologies, the most comprehensive sets in his catalog, raises a question about an artist never known for stockpiling songs: Is this it?

The 270 tracks released to iTunes might just have cleaned out the pop legend's vault a mere four years after his death. No one at Epic or Legacy Recordings would comment on the digital box sets or what's left in the can.

The Indispensable Collection compiles seven albums, from 1979's Off the Wall to 2001's Invincible, plus a live 1988 performance. The Ultimate Fan Extras Collection gathers career-spanning demos, alternate versions, radio edits, remixes, instrumentals and live cuts.

These are the latest lures in a pipeline that began flowing soon after Jackson died of a propofol overdose in 2009 while preparing for his This Is It concert run.

Their arrival coincides with Michael Jackson ONE, a new Cirque du Soleil production in Las Vegas that follows the lucrative touring Cirque show, The Immortal World Tour. They also overlap the ongoing wrongful death suit filed by his mother against AEG Live.

"Why release two anthologies now, when Michael Jackson's reputation is being tarnished, yet again, in a much-publicized court case?" says George Varga, U-T San Diego pop music critic, who decries "the continuing rush to again cash in on Jackson's tragic death."

"Of course, it's not surprising that this enormously gifted and tragic artist seems to be even more exploited now than when he was alive. But it doesn't make it any less disconcerting. In the old days — like, you know, a decade or two ago — the estates of dead pop superstars might actually have waited until the fifth anniversary to simultaneously release two mega-compilations. But why wait when opportunity is knocking?"

Billboard editor Joe Levy takes a rosier view, dubbing the 162-track Ultimate's $82 price tag "a bit of a bargain," presuming fans desire five versions each of Remember the Time, Black or White and One More Chance.

"I don't think we've hit a point where they've released too much, and certainly the market doesn't think so," says Levy, citing Nielsen SoundScan data indicating that 21.7 million Jackson albums sold between 1991-2009 and 12.3 million since he died.

The question may not be what's left but "what you do with the assets, how you remix and recombine them," Levy says. "If you invited collaborators in, what might you be able to create that's new and lets you hear the music in a new way?

"Michael Jackson wasn't like 2Pac, someone who went to the studio and just laid down ideas. There were artists like Jimi Hendrix, whose genius was restless and short-lived and whose work has been mined far longer and deeper than you would have imagined. Michael doesn't appear to be that kind of an artist. I wouldn't rule out other unheard tracks surfacing, but I wouldn't count on it."

He does envision countless reconfigurations, "given how important he was to so many different generations."

"Look at how many times Jay-Z references him on his current album," Levy says. "Certain legacy artists continue to sell forever, like Elvis, The Beatles. Michael will be repackaged endlessly and new generations can be introduced to the work through those packages."

Pointing to The Complete Remix Suite, a recent compilation of retooled Jackson tunes, Levy adds, "In the age of remixes, I would not say this music is over, particularly because so many artists talk about Jackson's influence on their work. There are any number of rappers, pop stars, R&B artists and veterans who would be thrilled and honored to collaborate on a Michael Jackson record."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/...n-anthologies-may-have-emptied-vault/2518467/
 
^ Maybe it's just me but I don't get the point this article tries to make. That the Indispensable Collection is a sign of nothing more left in the vault? Talk about jumping to conclusions.

I didn't get the Jimi Hendrix stuff either.
 
I thought Michael sold 30 million albums since he died? Also what does Jay Z say about Michael on his album? I don't listen to rap much.
 
marebear;3869940 said:
I thought Michael sold 30 million albums since he died?
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He's sold much, much more actually. I recall the Estate saying in an ABC? interview or something recently he's sold 50,000,000 albums or so since he passed away, with 35,000,000 in the first year after his passing alone [Source]. It's possible that he is referring to the US Market only as MJ sold 8,000,000 or so albums in the first year after his passing, so that would definitely make sense.

Bubs;3869929 said:
The recent release of two massive Michael Jackson anthologies, the most comprehensive sets in his catalog, raises a question about an artist never known for stockpiling songs: Is this it?
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Never known for stockpiling songs? BS. This wikipedia page says otherwise (and before others jump down my throat, most of them have notes explaining where they were mentioned/confirmed). Even there there's an absolute crapload of songs MJ would've worked on in the studio that we wouldn't know of, as Bad 25 showed us. And what about the songs MJ dictated into a personal voice recording? Regardless of the status of these actual tapes, most where probably recorded in some way or another. Also with reports of multiple hard drives filled with music... you get my point.

Bubs;3869929 said:
The 270 tracks released to iTunes might just have cleaned out the pop legend's vault a mere four years after his death.
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This guy is an idiot. Pretty much everything... in fact everything in this collection has been released previously in one way or another, be it a b-side on a single (such as Shout)or on a remix album (Immortal)

Bubs;3869929 said:
"Of course, it's not surprising that this enormously gifted and tragic artist seems to be even more exploited now than when he was alive. But it doesn't make it any less disconcerting. In the old days — like, you know, a decade or two ago — the estates of dead pop superstars might actually have waited until the fifth anniversary to simultaneously release two mega-compilations. But why wait when opportunity is knocking?"
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Are they kidding? In the 70s alone (so 2 years and 4 months or so after he died), 7 compilations of Elvis Presley was released (and I thought the amount of MJ compilations was high HAHA). Buddy Holly also had a number of compilations released in the few years after his death.

Bubs;3869929 said:

"Look at how many times Jay-Z references him on his current album," Levy says. "Certain legacy artists continue to sell forever, like Elvis, The Beatles. Michael will be repackaged endlessly and new generations can be introduced to the work through those packages."
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I actually love how I occasionally hear MJ be mentioned on albums, especially those of rap. J. Cole, Kanye, Jay-Z, it's awesome :)

I like how this set actually got a bit of promotion though ! Not only did I get an email from iTunes promoting it, but MJ was also showcased on the iTunes front page. Sure it wasn't exactly 'front page and center' (in the sense that it was the first banner to appear on the homepage), but it was still on the front page regardless so I'm rather happy about that :D
 
I think this release is good, it's nice it's possible to download all of those with just a click. I'm sorry if the rest of this post sounds like I'm complaining, it's just something I think would make the fan extras even better. Again, I am happy with this release and downloaded quite a few gems I liked plus HIStory in the mix since I wanted that on my Ipod.

My main problem with the "fan extras" collection is it doesn't even include all the song MJ was in, so it's not totally up to date. Even if he was only featured in some of those songs, I'd like them as well.

It doesn't include:
- His Pepsi alterations Bad and Billie Jean (I'd really like those to be remastered with better quality)
- Eddie Murphy's whatzupwitu he was featured in
- Any 3T songs he was featured in, e.g. "Why", "I need you"
- "Muscles" he was featured with Diana Ross
- "Night time lover" MJ with LJ
- "Save me" Dave Mason and MJ

And more...
They included Paul McCartney's with MJ, so why not include others as well? Plus, I really don't get why the Pepsi ones weren't in it.
 
I love the idea of this complete digital collection, but I don't like the lower quality files that Itunes sell.

What they should do is sell high quality digital files.

Or better, sell the collection on CD exclusively to official michael jackson websites.


Edit: I think that the estate should stop releasing new stuff for a few years (at least). The market has become saturated with too many MJ releases.
 
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I know some people are like.. "We already have these already" however if you look outside of the box, There are other fans that are NOT as loyal and die hard as 'Us" that might want to purchase it. And something else I would like to add, This would be a good way to Introduce albums to fans that can't get past Thriller and Bad and get them enjoying some of Michael's BEST work such as "Dangerous" and HIStory and even Invincible!

I think this is a smart move from the Estate and afterwords, We should be expecting a new Album shortly after this release.
 
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