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Michael Jackson - 10 Songs & Videos

Michael Jackson (1958-2009)

An entire generation has been left in the wake

Of a title wave that covers the world’s horizons.

A single man with a musical soul

Who challenged popular culture with just one goal.

Build a united land of races

Put smiles on poor children’s faces

Fight the growing problem of poverty &

Reexamine the premise of sovereignty.

At age 50 Michael Jackson has died.

10. Man in the Mirror

This song was a #1 single for Michael in spring of 1988. It is a lyrical masterpiece and was nominated for Record of the Year. It includes vocals from Garrett, the Winans, and the Andrae Crouch Choir, which gives the song a great feel. The video included depicts a live performance of the song taken from the 1988 Grammy Awards.

8. Human Nature

Another release off the legendary album Thriller this was a hit single for Jackson. It was the last song selected for the album and almost did not make the cut. The song is credited with being one of the first examples of adult R&B music. The video is a great tribute to Jackson and this wonderful tune.

6. I Want You Back

This song was a #1 hit single released by The Jackson 5 in 1969. It was a mass success and sold over $6 million copies worldwide. I Want You Back ranked #120 on a recent Rolling Stone Magazine list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It has been praised for having one of the best chord progressions in pop music history. The video shows a live performance by Michael and his brothers.

4. I Just Can’t Stop Loving You

This is a song that was written and composed by Jackson in the late 1980’s. It might be the best example of a Michael Jackson ballad. It is a duet and he is accompanied by Siedah Garrett on this track. The song was the first of five consecutive #1 hits off of Jackson’s Bad album. The original version of this tune featured a spoken intro backed with a longer version of opening music, which can be heard in the video included.

2. Billie Jean

This was one of the most revolutionary songs in the history of music. It was released on Thriller and became one of the best selling singles of 1983. It was the first video by a black artist to be aired on MTV. This video is of a live performance in Motown back in 1983.

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Anna Salce - June 26, 2009 at 10:18 pm
Sorry about Michael, he was great and everyone looked up to him. He was a great young man and lovely father to his kids. My prayers are with his family.

Hemant Bagul - June 28, 2009 at 8:55 am
Dear all,
I don't have a word to explain my sorrow just saying a Kohinoor (precious jewel) is fail down from the crown of world music....

pradeep.h - April 14, 2010
You are my fav dancer and singer.

9. The Way You Make Me Feel

This song was written by Michael for his seventh album Bad. It was another #1 hit for Jackson and was his musical attempt at a shuffling kind of rhythm. It is a great lyric and one of Jackson’s best productions. The song was a staple on many of his most popular world tours and the video I included has the tunes lyrics on it.

7. Smooth Criminal

Smooth Criminal is the seventh single from Michael’s Bad album. The lyrics examine the story of a girl named Annie, who has been attacked by a hitman in her hotel room. The song peaked at #7, but has since become one of Jackson’s most popular mixes. It was the centerpiece in Jackson's short film Moonwalker, as you can see in the video included.

5. The Love You Save

This song is a 1970 #1 hit single for The Jackson 5. It was the second single from the group’s album ABC. This is the least known of the groups hit singles and has an extremely distinctive tone. It is a compilation between Michael and Jermaine warning a fast girl to stop because “the love you save me may be your own.” The video included is an acapella version of the song. It shows off Michael’s incredible musical tone and range better then any other song.

3. Heal the World

This song was the most successful release off of Michael’s 1991 hit album Dangerous. The song and video depict children in various countries of the world suffering from inhumanity. As with many of his videos, Michael is not depicted in the official video. Jackson is quoted as saying that he was more proud of creating this song than any other. It is a lyrical masterpiece and a universal sign of peace.

1. Thriller

This song is a 1984 hit single released off the Thriller album. It peaked at #4 in the U.S. and #10 in the UK. The music video is widely regarded as the greatest of all time. It single handedly helped expand the MTV network. It is considered one of Michael’s signature songs and the choreographed dance numbers have become famous. I was not able to embed the original video, only a copy of the song with lyrics.