Michael Jackson was a megastar. And even though he started his career alongside his brothers in the Jackson 5, we remember him above all as a solo artist. Yet he always worked with many other stars throughout his long career. Here are some of the best Michael Jackson collaborations.
On stage, in the recording studio, or on set for a video shoot: wherever he was, Michael Jackson was always at the center of attention. He therefore thought carefully about who he wanted to share the spotlight with – and was often spot on: many of his collaborations were met with very positive feedback from critics and the public. More importantly, Jackson built musical bridges through his choices. Distorted guitars or an ‘evil’ rapper in a mainstream pop song? Before MJ, that was virtually unthinkable; with him, it became the norm. Here are some of the most important Michael Jackson collaborations. Do you know them all?
1- “The Girl Is Mine” with Paul McCartney
While this wasn’t Michael Jackson’s only collaboration with Sir Paul McCartney, it is his best-known. On McCartney’s “Say Say Say”, his role was that of a featured artist, but “The Girl Is Mine” is a wonderful duet between MJ and the former Beatle. It appeared on one of the world’s most successful albums of all time, Thriller (1982), produced by Quincy Jones and engineered by the legendary Bruce Swedien.
The relationship between the two legends wasn’t without problems: later on, a dispute arose between them over Jackson’s purchase of the Beatles’ catalogue rights. “The Girl Is Mine” was also the subject of a copyright lawsuit. But in any case, it is a great song! By the way: “Say Say Say”, released on McCartney’s Pipes of Peace (1983), is also well worth a listen!
Michael Jackson (with Paul McCartney) – The Girl Is Mine (Official Video) 4K
2- The Notorious B.I.G.
Michael Jackson also collaborated with The Notorious B.I.G. – twice! On the 1995 album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, the New York rapper can be heard on “This Time Around”. B.I.G. also makes an appearance on “Unbreakable” – though this didn’t come out until four years after “Biggie’s” death in 1997 on Michael Jackson’s Invincible. What both tracks have in common is that B.I.G. takes the stage toward the end, in the style of typical rap features.
Michael Jackson’s This Time Around feat. Biggie HD! NEW! 2019 !
3- Collab between siblings: Janet Jackson
Michael Jackson has numerous siblings, but it was with Janet that he performed “Scream”. The song from the album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, which deals with rumours about MJ circulating in the press, is not only autobiographical but also truly brilliant – and hugely successful. It reached the Top 10 in 19 countries worldwide and has sold millions of copies.
But it was the video that became the talk of the town in 1995: with a production budget of 7 million dollars, it was the most expensive music video in the world at the time and was considered – at least back then – absolutely mind-blowing.
Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson – Scream (Official Video)
4- Cher
Who collaborated with whom here? After all, Cher was without a doubt the bigger star in the mid-seventies. On 16 March 1975, she invited Michael Jackson and his brothers onto The Cher Show for a medley, to which everyone danced enthusiastically.
“Otherworldly” captures Jackson’s dance style perfectly. Even at a young age, as part of the Jackson 5, he almost made the host Cher look pale in comparison. The music was almost an afterthought. And all this happened years before the legendary Moonwalk would become a thing!
Cher – Medley (with The Jackson Five) (The Cher Show, 16/03/1975)
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5- Jackson with Kravitz, or: Kravitz with Jackson … and who else?
“(I Can’t Make It) Another Day” (2010) is a track with typical Jackson energy. And the fact that Michael’s “hee-hee” goes well with catchy guitar riffs had long been proven since “Dirty Diana” and “Beat It”. Officially, the performers are listed as: Michael Jackson feat. Lenny Kravitz.
But the credits tell a different story: “Composer, Electric Guitar, Background Vocal, Associated Performer, Bass, Percussion, Programmer, Synthesizer, Lyricist, Mixing Engineer, Performance Arranger, Producer, Timpani: Lenny Kravitz”! The credits also list Dave Grohl, although he later stated that his recorded drum parts were not used in the final release.
(I Can’t Make It) Another Day
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6- Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson?
Yes, indeed: as early as 1981, these two giants recorded three duets. But the collaboration was not without its tensions, and the songs weren’t released at the time. This changed in 2014, when “There Must Be More To Life Than This” appeared on Queen Forever. It didn’t become a real hit, but you can’t always win.
There Must Be More to Life Than This (Freddie Mercury with Michael Jackson)
7- Jackson and the Guitar Heroes 1: Eddie van Halen and Steve Lukather
“Beat It”: Those two words are probably enough to bring the iconic riff to mind for everyone. Contrary to popular belief, however, the riff wasn’t recorded by Eddie van Halen, but by Steve Lukather from Toto – also a top-tier guitarist. But you can clearly recognize EVH in his solo. And a tapping guitar solo in a pop song really was a novelty at the time. Eddie certainly played a part in making Jackson the undisputed “King of Pop”.
Michael Jackson – Beat It (Official 4K Video)
8- Jackson and the Guitar Heroes 2: Slash, Jennifer Batten and Carlos Santana
Slash collaborated with Michael Jackson on numerous occasions and frequently shared the stage with him. The Guns N’ Roses guitarist clearly had just as little fear of the spotlight as Jackson, and so you can hear his legendary singing guitar tone on tracks such as “Give In To Me” (from Dangerous, 1991).
But we mustn’t forget Jackson’s collaborations with two other brilliant guitarists: Jennifer Batten accompanied him on the Bad, Dangerous, and HIStory world tours, and Carlos Santana’s rich Latin sound is unmistakable on “Whatever Happens” (Invincible).
Michael Jackson – Give In To Me (Official Video – Upscaled)
The best Michael Jackson collaborations – Your Opinon?
The King of Pop always worked with the best in their field. Which collaboration stands out most in your memory? Let us know in the comments!
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