Michael Jacksonis one of the biggest names in music. There’s a reason he reigns supreme as theKing of Pop, even after his passing.Jackson released over 20 albumsas part of The Jackson 5, The Jacksons, and as a solo artist, broke plenty of previously held records, and won 13 Grammys. With a career that spanned over 40 years and lasted up until his death in 2009, Jackson’s music inspires artists of all kinds, from all around the world.
Numerous unreleased songs and demos have come to light in the years following his death. It’s worth noting that posthumous releases are often controversial, and Jackson’s are no different.If an artist didn’t release certain songs while they were alive, why would they want them released when they don’t have a say?Whatever the answer may be, Jackson’s estate chose to posthumously release a number of songs, starting with the albumMichaelin December 2010.
In the years that followed, his team would releaseBad 25in 2012,XSCAPEin 2024, andThriller 40in 2022, each marking a significant anniversary with the inclusion of previously unreleased demos, completed tracks, and remixes.It’s inevitable for these releases to receive varied levels of criticism, but it’s also inevitable for fans to wonder why some of these songs weren’t released in the first place. The 10 songs below are some of the ones I believe would either fit within the tracklists of other releases or show an aspect of Jackson’s artistry that deserves to be heard.
10Xscape (Original Version)
XSCAPE (2014)
WhenXSCAPE’s titular track begins, the listener is met with the sounds of a cell door opening, a guard announcing that whoever occupied the cell is gone, and an alarm blaring before the music kicks in. It’s reminiscent ofHIStory’s “They Don’t Really Care About Us” in its focus on societal systems out of Jackson’s control, but also feels similar toBad’s “Leave Me Alone” with theobvious emphasis on escaping outside forces that are closing in.
The song’s narrator literally escapes from prison at the start, then spends the rest of the song explaining to the listener why they had to get away. For that structure alone, it’s easy to imagine this song on a later album likeInvincible.After listening to the songs mentioned above, however, it makes sense that Jackson would choose the stronger tracks over this one despite their similarities.
9For All Time
Thriller 25 Super Deluxe Edition (2008)
Thriller’s 25th anniversary edition includes everything from new tracks that didn’t make the original album to a number of interviews with producer Quincy Jones. It’s also the only album on this list to come out prior to Jackson’s passing. The track from this release that stood out to me was “For All Time,“a sincere love song that fits in right alongside tracks like “Human Nature” and “The Lady in My Life.“Jackson’s voice takes on that smooth vibrato that floats through “Human Nature,” while also bringing a grounded quality to his voice in the chorus.
Jackson’s voice takes on that smooth vibrato that floats through “Human Nature,” while also bringing a grounded quality to his voice in the chorus.
For an album as short yet perfect asThriller, what’s one more romantic track to round things out? With one more addition, the album would sit comfortably at 10 tracks, each with a different focal point that showcases the versatility of his voice.
8Free
The 25th anniversary edition ofBadincludes eight previously unreleased tracks, as well as remixes and a version of “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” in both Spanish and French. Amid all of these tracks lies “Free,“another love song that also doubles as an appreciation of the freedom one can feel inside no matter who they’re with or where they are.
To me, this song feels like something that might fit better on one of Jackson’s earlier albums, so it makes sense that it didn’t make the final cut for this particular album. There’s no way it wouldn’t have been overshadowed by the more directly impactful tracks before it. “Free” shows the softer side of Jackson as a songwriter and as a person, touching on his desire to be free despite the attention he has received for most of his life.
7Al Capone
Continuing within the world ofBad,“Al Capone” is a song that stands impressively tall among anthems like “Smooth Criminal” and “Beat It.” It combines a bassline similar to the former and subject matter similar to the latter to create a groovy revenge track that harps on the unfair fight about to unfold between the song’s protagonist and Al Capone.
10 Underrated Michael Jackson Songs You’ve Probably Never Heard Before
Michael Jackson is one of the most famous artists of all time, but his discography still holds many widely unknown masterpieces. Here are 10 of them.
While listening,you can’t help but anticipate the fight, wondering if it’ll be anything as flashy as the"Smooth Criminal” music videoor more scrappy, like a scene fromThe Outsiders. It has its obvious similarities to “Smooth Criminal,” which is reason enough for it to be cut from the album, but I believe its inclusion could’ve led to an interesting series of tracks that connect to form some kind of narrative through music videos or short films. Either way, it’s a great track to listen to within the context of the album it almost made it onto.
6A Place With No Name (Original Version)
When it comes to Jackson’s discography, there are several instances where he, like many artists, sampled the work of someone else to use in his own way. One of the most obvious instances of this is in “A Place With No Name” off ofXSCAPE. Upon first listen, you might think that consistent acoustic guitar and the melody of the chorus sound familiar.The song’s title and much of its sound is sampled from America’s “A Horse with No Name” from 1972.
Jackson built his chorus from the original’s repetition of “la, la, la” that transitions each chorus into the verses. His version almost describes a less haunted version of “Hotel California,” someplace where no one feels pain, everyone feels happy and is filled with laughter, and where, of course, you don’t know how to leave. That’s okay though, becausewhy would you want to when you have everything you could ever need in a place with no name?I don’t know exactly where this track would fit on his discography, but I love the more acoustic instrumental paired with his vocals.
5Love Never Felt So Good (Original Version)
This track fromXSCAPEis one of the first that always comes to mind when thinking of Jackson’s previously unreleased work. Up until recently, I’d only heard the duet version with Justin Timberlake and the solo version that was remastered for this album’s release. Despite that,I much prefer the original version of “Love Never Felt So Good.“Obviously, it’s a demo that wasn’t fully produced or cut from a project before it could be fully realized, but the simplicity is incredibly charming.
10 Songs That Define Michael Jackson’s Career
The songs that best define the culture-changing, genre-defining Michael Jackson, certifying him as the King Of Pop.
Jackson’s voice at its purest shines over simple piano chords. I can hear an eventual version including a horn section and an explosive final chorus, making it something worthy of including onOff the Wallamong hits like “Rock With You” and “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough.” It would’ve made a great addition to his already iconic discography, seen in how successful the remastered version was.
4Price Of Fame
On “Price of Fame,” Jackson expresses the devastating reality of fame. The verses sound vaguely similar to “Billie Jean,” which leads me to believe this was cut fromThrilleror inspired by that album’s sound, but its subject matter mostly reminds me of “Leave Me Alone,” this time set far earlier in his solo career. Anyone at his level of fame would surely have thoughts like this.
Father always told me
You won’t live a quiet life
They start to wonderin’ where have you been?
I feel the envious look at me
Their mistaken jealousy
Well, then, stand here in my shoes
And get a taste of my blues
Jackson uses this song to reflect on the idea that he’ll never live a quiet life if becoming an artist is his end goal.He uses this warning to inform listeners that his flashy life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, asking them to stand in his shoes for a second, something that would become a sad reminder of how so many superstars end up after so much time in the spotlight without the help they deserve. “Price of Fame” is a timeless reminder that deserved a place within his official discography.
3Loving You (Original Version)
Another original version fromXSCAPEthat would fit perfectly onThrillerbeside “The Girl Is Mine” is “Loving You,” a sweet track that includes a simple flute instrumental and a melodic vocal delivery from Jackson.He sounds like he’s smiling through every word, making you smile in return, which gives a warm energy to the song that pairs well with its romantic nature.
Another original version from XSCAPE that would fit perfectly on Thriller beside “The Girl Is Mine” is “Loving You.”
The fact that this song was written and produced solely by Jackson is another impressive aspect of it. It’s a song that doesn’t offer anything too flashy or immediately impressive, but one that has the ability to round out any album. Sometimes a song just needs to be well-sung, well-written, and well-produced, and, if anything, Jackson’s songs will always promise just that.
2Streetwalker
Before you even check to be sure,it’s clear that “Streetwalker” is a song that was cut fromBad.The snapping during the introduction and the funky beat feel very similar to “The Way You Make Me Feel.” When listening to the lyrics and considering the song’s subject matter, it also feels like an extension of theBadhit. Jackson spots an attractive girl walking down the street, feels a rush of attraction, and pursues her wholeheartedly. In this version of the story, though, it doesn’t sound like his pursuit will lead to a silhouetted dance break.
This song’s structure, including its catchy chorus and extended outro, make it an already perfect fit for Jackson’s discography in the 1980s. I wonder if it felt too similar to other songs he had already released, and that’s why it got cut.
1Chicago
I can confidently say that I don’t understand why this song wasn’t released until 2014. I can also confidently say that this is the best remastered version onXSCAPE, produced by Jackson, Cory Rooney, and Timbaland. The beat created for this song pairs much better with Jackson’s desperate vocal delivery than the minimalistic instrumental that underlies the original version.
“Chicago” has recently gained a resurgence through TikTok, which has boosted the song to, at the time of writing, 378 million streams on Spotify - nearly matching those from the album’s biggest single, “Love Never Felt So Good.”
Although it’s slightly different in its production than what Jackson’s music usually sounded like, I believe it could’ve fit on an album likeInvincibleorBLOOD ON THE DANCEFLOORwhere fans saw Jackson leaning into more experimental sounds. The chorus is addictive, and the song has the effect of making you think you’re hearing a true story told by Jackson in his famous narrative style. Even though it wasn’t officially released until afterMichael Jackson’s death,I’m glad that “Chicago” continues to receive the praise it deserves from dedicated fans and younger generations.
