Michael Jackson - The Definitive Collection

Michael Jackson's Motown years shine on The Definitive Collection, a single LP that traces his rise from Jackson 5 prodigy to solo star in fourteen songs.

Before Off The Wall and Thriller rewrote pop history, there was a boy from Gary, Indiana, fronting his brothers with a voice that seemed impossibly assured. This collection gathers the hits that made him a household name, splitting the record neatly between the Jackson 5 smashes that defined bubblegum soul and the solo singles he cut for Motown as a teenager. Together they show an artist already in command of phrasing, feeling and sheer joy.

One side bursts with Jackson 5 energy. "I Want You Back" still sounds like the most exciting opening of any pop single, and "ABC" bounces with schoolyard glee, while "I'll Be There" proves even a young Michael could deliver aching sincerity. The other side turns to his solo work, from the sweetly tender "Ben" to the breezy swing of "Rockin' Robin" and the lovelorn ache of "Got To Be There."

Sequenced for one disc, it plays like a perfect afternoon of Motown radio. For fans who want the story of where it all began, this compact collection is warm, bright and endlessly replayable.

Tracklist

Side A

1. I Want You Back
   
2. Never Can Say Goodbye
   
3. I'll Be There
   
4. ABC
   
5. Dancing Machine
   
6. The Love You Save
   
7. Who's Lovin' You

Side B

1. I Wanna Be Where You Are
   
2. Ben
   
3. Rockin' Robin
   
4. Got To Be There
   
5. One Day In Your Life
   
6. We're Almost There
   
7. Farewell My Summer Love