← Back

The Essential Michael Jackson

by Michael Jackson

Released: July 19, 2005

Pop, soul, funk, rhythm and blues, rock, disco, post-disco

musicOnOff editorial

Why This Album Matters

This album matters because its strongest editorial story is: Chart Success.

The Album

It contains songs he recorded from 1969 to the late 1990s, during his tenure at Epic Records. In terms of its selection of songs, "The Essential Michael Jackson" provides a deep dive into the breadth of Michael Jackson's work, showcasing his evolution as an artist and his extraordinary talent as a songwriter, singer, and performer. The compilation is a comprehensive representation of his career, featuring tracks from his early days at Motown with The Jackson 5, to his solo success in the 80s with albums like "Thriller" and "Bad," as well as his late career hits.

Watch and listen

Explore the Album

Michael Jackson - The Essential Michael Jackson

Open in Albums Gallery

Then

Reception

Commercially, "The Essential Michael Jackson" was a success, charting in numerous countries and receiving multiple certified awards. It charted at number 2 in the UK Albums Chart and remained in the charts for an incredible 424 weeks. In the US, the album peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200 and was certified 3x Platinum by the RIAA.

Now

Legacy

"The Essential Michael Jackson" is a compilation album by Michael Jackson that was released on July 19, 2005 by Sony Music's catalog division Legacy Recordings.

Full background

The Complete Album Story

"The Essential Michael Jackson" is a compilation album by Michael Jackson that was released on July 19, 2005 by Sony Music's catalog division Legacy Recordings. It contains songs he recorded from 1969 to the late 1990s, during his tenure at Epic Records.

The compilation is a comprehensive representation of his career, featuring tracks from his early days at Motown with The Jackson 5, to his solo success in the 80s with albums like "Thriller" and "Bad," as well as his late career hits. The double disc album includes iconic songs like "Billie Jean," "Beat It," "Thriller," "Black or White," and "You Are Not Alone."

Upon its release, the album received positive reviews. Commercially, "The Essential Michael Jackson" was a success, charting in numerous countries and receiving multiple certified awards. It charted at number 2 in the UK Albums Chart and remained in the charts for an incredible 424 weeks. In the US, the album peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200 and was certified 3x Platinum by the RIAA.

In terms of its selection of songs, "The Essential Michael Jackson" provides a deep dive into the breadth of Michael Jackson's work, showcasing his evolution as an artist and his extraordinary talent as a songwriter, singer, and performer.