The Essential Michael Jackson
Released: July 19, 2005
Recorded: 1969 through 2003
Length: International 155:06 | North America 157:46 | CD3 33:07
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Album Details
Song Listing (Alphabetized)
Note: Song selections and specific song versions vary greatly depending on the album edition. Please see Album Edition section on this page for list of songs and song versions on each edition of this album.ABC *
Another Part Of Me *
Bad *
Beat It *
Ben *
Billie Jean *
Black Or White *
Blame It On The Boogie *
Blood On The Dance Floor *
Butterflies *
Can You Feel It *
Can't Get Outta The Rain *
Dangerous *
Dirty Diana *
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough *
Earth Song *
Enjoy Yourself *
Got To Be There *
Heal The World *
Human Nature *
I Just Can't Stop Loving You *
I Want You Back *
In The Closet *
Jam *
Leave Me Alone *
Man In The Mirror *
Off The Wall *
One More Chance *
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) *
Remember The Time *
Rock With You *
Rockin' Robin *
Say Say Say *
Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) *
She's Out Of My Life *
Smooth Criminal *
Stranger In Moscow *
The Girl Is Mine *
The Love You Save *
The Way You Make Me Feel *
They Don't Care About Us *
Thriller *
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' *
Who Is It *
Will You Be There *
You Are Not Alone *
You Rock My World *
Album Summary
The Essential Michael Jackson is a greatest hits compilation album by American singer Michael Jackson. It was released on July 19, 2005, by Sony Music's catalog division Legacy Recordings as part of The Essential series. The two-disc compilation features thirty-eight hit songs by Michael Jackson, from his days at Motown Records with The Jackson 5 in the late 1960s and early 1970s to his 2001 hit You Rock My World.
On August 26, 2008, The Essential Michael Jackson 3.0 was released in the United States as a limited edition containing an additional disc of seven songs performed by Jackson. A re-titled release in the United Kingdom was planned on July 6, 2009, as The Hits, but was cancelled upon Jackson's death. As of 2021, the album was certified 5x platinum in the United States for over 2.5 million copies sold. Worldwide, the compilation has sold an estimated 6 million copies.
Following Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, the album sold 102,000 units in the US on the chart week ending July 1, 2009. The following week the album sold 125,000 units in the US on the chart week ending July 8, 2009 and was the fourth biggest-selling album of the week.
As of 2021, the album was certified 5x platinum in the United States for over 2.5 million copies sold. Worldwide, the compilation has sold an estimated 6 million copies.
Album Editions
North America
Released 2005
Music - CD1
I Want You Back
ABC
The Love You Save
Got To Be There
Rockin' Robin
Ben
Enjoy Yourself (Alternate Edit)
Blame It On The Boogie (Album Edit)
Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) (7" Version)
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (12" Edit)
Rock With You (7" Remix)
Off The Wall (7" Edit - 2005)
She's Out Of My Life
Can You Feel It (7" Edit)
The Girl Is Mine
Billie Jean
Beat It
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (7" Edit - 2005)
Human Nature (7" Edit - 2005)
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
Thriller (Radio Edit)
Music - CD2
Bad (7" Single Remix)
I Just Can't Stop Loving You (Radio Edit)
Leave Me Alone
The Way You Make Me Feel (7" Remix)
Man In The Mirror
Dirty Diana (Single Edit)
Another Part Of Me (7" Version)
Smooth Criminal (Album Version #3)
Black Or White (Single Version)
Heal The World
Remember The Time
In The Closet (7" Edit)
Who Is It (7" Edit)
Will You Be There (Radio Edit)
Dangerous
You Are Not Alone (Album Edit)
You Rock My World (Album Edit)
Limited Edition 3.0
Released 2005
Music - CD1
I Want You Back
ABC
The Love You Save
Got To Be There
Rockin' Robin
Ben
Enjoy Yourself (Alternate Edit)
Blame It On The Boogie (Album Edit)
Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) (7" Version)
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (12" Edit)
Rock With You (7" Remix)
Off The Wall (7" Edit - 2005)
She's Out Of My Life
Can You Feel It (7" Edit)
The Girl Is Mine
Billie Jean
Beat It
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (7" Edit - 2005)
Human Nature (7" Edit - 2005)
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
Thriller (Radio Edit)
Music - CD2
Bad (7" Single Remix)
I Just Can't Stop Loving You (Radio Edit)
Leave Me Alone
The Way You Make Me Feel (7" Remix)
Man In The Mirror
Dirty Diana (Single Edit)
Another Part Of Me (7" Version)
Smooth Criminal (Album Version #3)
Black Or White (Single Version)
Heal The World
Remember The Time
In The Closet (7" Edit)
Who Is It (7" Edit)
Will You Be There (Radio Edit)
Dangerous
You Are Not Alone (Album Edit)
You Rock My World (Album Edit)
Music - CD3
Can't Get Outta The Rain (Single Version)
Say Say Say
Jam (7" Edit)
They Don't Care About Us
Blood On The Dance Floor
Stranger In Moscow
Butterflies
International
Released 2005
Music - CD1
I Want You Back
ABC
The Love You Save
Got To Be There
Rockin' Robin
Ben
Blame It On The Boogie (Album Edit)
Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) (7" Version)
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (7" Edit - 2003)
Off The Wall (7" Edit - 2005)
Rock With You (7" Remix)
She's Out Of My Life
Can You Feel It (7" Edit)
The Girl Is Mine
Billie Jean
Beat It
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (7" Edit - 2005)
Human Nature (7" Edit - 2005)
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
I Just Can't Stop Loving You (Radio Edit)
Thriller (Radio Edit)
Music - 02
Bad (7" Single Remix)
The Way You Make Me Feel (7" Remix)
Man In The Mirror
Dirty Diana (Single Edit)
Another Part Of Me (7" Version)
Smooth Criminal (Album Version #3)
Leave Me Alone
Black Or White (Single Version)
Remember The Time
In The Closet (7" Edit)
Who Is It (7" Edit)
Heal The World
Will You Be There (Radio Edit)
You Are Not Alone (LP Edit)
Earth Song (Radio Edit)
They Don't Care About Us
You Rock My World (Album Edit)
Japan
Released 2005
Music - CD1
I Want You Back
ABC
The Love You Save
Got To Be There
Rockin' Robin
Ben
Blame It On The Boogie (Album Edit)
Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) (7" Version)
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (7" Edit - 2003)
Off The Wall (7" Edit - 2005)
Rock With You (7" Remix)
She's Out Of My Life
Can You Feel It (7" Edit)
The Girl Is Mine
Billie Jean
Beat It
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (7" Edit - 2005)
Human Nature (7" Edit - 2005)
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
I Just Can't Stop Loving You (Radio Edit)
Thriller (Radio Edit)
Music - CD2
Bad (7" Single Remix)
The Way You Make Me Feel (7" Remix)
Man In The Mirror
Dirty Diana (Single Edit)
Another Part Of Me (7" Version)
Smooth Criminal (Album Version #3)
Leave Me Alone
Black Or White (Single Version)
Remember The Time
In The Closet (7" Edit)
Who Is It (7" Edit)
Heal The World
Will You Be There (Radio Edit)
You Are Not Alone (Album Edit)
Blood On The Dance Floor
One More Chance
You Rock My World (Album Edit)
Edition Notes: This version was re-released in 2009 on Blu-spec format and in a Special Edition package that includes Number Ones on DVD.