The Essential Michael Jackson
07/19/2005 | Sony
Lyrics from The Essential Michael Jackson
Videos from The Essential Michael Jackson
All Music Guide Review
There are several Michael Jackson greatest-hits compilations out there, each one its own take on what should be the definitive portrait of the gloved one's career. The Ultimate Collection, The Essential Collection (different from the one here), and Number Ones have all surfaced in 2003 and 2004, and HIStory a few years prior. Each one of these collections, while commendable in its attempt to thoroughly document Jackson's accomplishments, has fallen woefully short in one aspect or another. This has finally been rectified with this installment of Sony's outstanding Essential collection. Starting with his campaign with his brothers in the Jackson 5, this two-disc set tours through every important single and every important fan favorite short of including his duet with Paul McCartney on "Say Say Say" (the Beatle does, however, make an appearance here on "The Girl Is Mine"). From Off the Wall to Dangerous, it's all here in one concise package, making it the ideal reference point from which exploration into his deeper catalog can begin. While die-hard fans will already have every single song contained herein and may be weary to purchase another greatest-hits compilation short of a greatest-hits compilation including his backing vocals on Rockwell's "Somebody's Watching Me," this may be the only one fans and casual listeners will ever have to purchase to get their fill of the King of Pop's magic. ~ Rob Theakston, All Music Guide
The Essential Michael Jackson Track Listing
Credits of The Essential Michael Jackson
- Paulette McWilliams
- Vocals (Background)
- Johnny Mandel
- Conductor, String Arrangements, Orchestral Arrangements
- Jerry Marcellino
- Producer
- Jay Marks
- Mixing
- Rick Marotta
- Percussion, Drums
- Marty Paich
- Arranger, Conductor
- Don Murray
- Engineer, Mixing
- David Paich
- Synthesizer, Synthesizer Arrangements, Keyboard Arrangements, Arranger, Rhythm Arrangements, Keyboards
- Joseph M. Palmaccio
- Mastering
- Jeff Porcaro
- Drums
- Greg Phillinganes
- Synthesizer, Keyboards, Rhythm Arrangements, Piano (Electric)
- Steve Porcaro
- Synthesizer, Synthesizer Programming, Arranger
- Teddy Riley
- Synthesizer, Synthesizer Arrangements, Rhythm Arrangements, Producer, Vocal Arrangement
- Slash
- Guitar
- Claudio Slon
- Conga
- Bruce Swedien
- Producer, Mixing, Effects
- Rod Temperton
- Vocal Arrangement, Synthesizer Arrangements, Rhythm Arrangements
- Tom Tom 84
- Horn Arrangements, String Arrangements
- Gerald Vinci
- Concert Master
- Maxine Willard Waters
- Vocals (Background)
- Oren Waters
- Vocals (Background)
- Zedric Williams
- Vocals (Background)
- David Wolinski "Hawk"
- Piano (Electric)
- Dick Zimmerman
- Photography
- Nelson George
- Liner Notes
- Rodney Jerkins
- Producer, Instrumentation, Engineer, Mixing
- Claudio Sion
- Conga
- Waters, Julia
- Vocals (Background)
- Neal Preston
- Photography
- Nathan Watts
- Bass
- Sam Emerson
- Photography
- Dexter Simmons
- Engineer
- Todd Gray
- Photography
- Stuart Brawley
- Engineer, Digital Editing
- Chris Tucker
- Introduction
- Mario Henderson
- Guitar
- Harvey Mason, Jr.
- Digital Editing
- Ashley Ferrell
- Vocals
- Bruce Cannon
- Effects
- Bobby Martin
- Arranger
- David E. Williams
- Guitar
- Douglas Kirkland
- Cover Photo
- Ben Wright
- String Arrangements
- Andraé Crouch Choir
- Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus
- Joy Gilbert Monfried
- Project Director
- Laudir DeOliveira
- Percussion, Conga, Drums
- Bobby Ray Watson
- Bass
- Ed Green
- Drums
- Susan Hargrove
- Packaging Manager
- Roger Menz
- Project Director
- Mike Atkinson
- Executive Producer
- Kenny Rogers
- Photography
- Bill Colomby
- Executive Producer
- Jeff Tarsia
- Engineer, Mixing
- David Foster
- Synthesizer Arrangements
- Roland Bautista
- Guitar
- Bryan Loren
- Percussion
- Michael Sembello
- Guitar
- Vincent Price
- Rap
- Jackie Jackson
- Arranger
- Bunny Hull
- Vocals (Background)
- R. Kelly
- Producer
- Andraé Crouch
- Vocal Arrangement, Choir Arrangement
- John Bahler
- Choir Arrangement
- Glen Ballard
- Rhythm Arrangements, Synthesizer Arrangements
- John Barnes
- Vocal Arrangement, Rhythm Arrangements, Synthesizer Arrangements, String Arrangements
- George DelBarrio
- String Arrangements
- Michael Boddicker
- Synthesizer, Keyboards, Synthesizer Programming
- Bill Bottrell
- Producer
- Brad Buxer
- Synthesizer, Keyboard Arrangements, Keyboards
- David Daoud Coleman
- Art Direction, Design
- Bobby Colomby
- Executive Producer
- Paulinho Da Costa
- Percussion
- Christopher Currell
- Rhythm Arrangements
- Hal Davis
- Producer
- Frank Dileo
- ?, Breathing
- Kenny Gamble
- Producer
- Brad Gilderman
- Engineer
- Jim Gilstrap
- Vocals (Background)
- Peter Granet
- Engineer, Mixing
- Linda Harmon
- Soprano (Vocal)
- Richard Heath
- Percussion
- Marlo Henderson
- Guitar
- Jerry Hey
- Horn Arrangements, Synthesizer Arrangements, String Conductor, String Arrangements, Rhythm Arrangements
- Jean-Marie Horvat
- Engineer
- Leon Huff
- Producer
- Randy Jackson
- Percussion
- Tito Jackson
- Guitar
- Mortonette Jenkins
- Vocals (Background)
- Augie Johnson
- Vocals (Background)
- Louis Johnson
- Bass
- Gary King
- Bass
- L.T.B.
- Rap
- Christa Larson
- Vocals
- Mel Larson
- Producer
- Rhett Lawrence
- Synthesizer
- Becky Lopez
- Vocals (Background)
- Steve Lukather
- Arranger
- Sandra Crouch
- Choir Arrangement
- Siedah Garrett
- Vocals, Duet
- James Ingram
- Arranger, Vocals (Background)
- Michael Jackson
- Percussion, Arranger, Vocals, Vocals (Background), Producer, Soprano (Vocal), Clapping, Executive Producer, Vocal Arrangement, Horn Arrangements, Rhythm Arrangements, Synthesizer Arrangements, Soloist, Instrumentation, Finger Snapping, Percussion Arrangement, Introduction, Duet
- Paul McCartney
- Vocals, Vocals (Background), Soloist
- Trevor Rabin
- Guitar
- Steve Stevens
- Guitar, Soloist
- Larry Carlton
- Guitar
- George Duke
- Synthesizer, Synthesizer Programming
- Quincy Jones
- Arranger, Producer, Vocal Arrangement, Rhythm Arrangements, Synthesizer Arrangements
- Jeremy Lubbock
- String Conductor


































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