Michael Jackson Album: “Ultimate Collection”

I bought this the day it came out as I counldn't wait to hear the unreleased tracks. I was dying to hear Sunset Driver and the P.Y.T. demo. I was NOT dissapointed at all. Sunset Driver is an excellent song. I think it was meant to be put on Off The Wall but the booklet says it was recorded for Thriller. Anyways, I dont know why the song was never put on an album, maybe Michael was just being too picky. Other notable songs on disc one are "You Can't Win". I was glad to hear they had the long version with "Can't Get Outta The Rain" on it. The "Shake Your Body" demo is very similar to the final cut version. Disc two has the demo of "P.Y.T". I was looking forward to hear. It is mid-tempo, I guess Quincy Jones wanted something faster for the album. I really like this demo a lot. It is very catchy for a demo. As far as the rest of the boxed set, all the hits are there. My only complaints are that "Human Nature" wasn't put on. And as for unreleased tracks, where is "Hot Street"? Put Hot Street and Sunset Driver on the cd and you got two excellent unreleased dance tracks. "Carousel" is also another track from thriller that is very good but was unreleased. Wish that was on there as well. The dvd concert is good but I would rather see a concert from the "Victory Tour" in 1984 or even the "Bad Tour". The unreleased material on disc's 3 and 4 are O-kay. I just feel that MJ's best music was from Off The Wall and the Thriller era so I just wanted to hear as much from that era than anything else. This boxed set is definitely worth the money.

I was surprised when I heard that Michael was going to be releasing a BOX SET this year. I hoped it would have all the hits that I've enjoyed thru out my life. Well I was surprise to tell you that I got more than what I expected. I got Unreleased tracks, Rare demo and of all things, that rare live concert from HBO. I remember that concert breaking HBO's record for the most people tuning to watch their station of all things, I was set for the Holidays!

...I did have to go on a hefty search to get "The Ultimate Collection" which started on 11.16.04 and ended 11.17.04...here goes...I was told by Circuit City that they would have MJ's Box set on sale on 11.16.04, so as a music fan who appreciates great...let me correct that...Quality music, i got off work and took a taxi to get to Circuit City before closing time to pick up the Box Set but to my discuss, they tell me that the album is on BACKORDER!...which is good for sales but I'm left with no BOX SET man!...I took the loss as a trooper and tried again the next day 11.17.04....

Second try...I come from work to take the train to Best Buy because they state that they have the album there. As you can tell my hopes are up again. I get off the train run into Best Buy down the stairs to the music/cd section (I actually bumped into 3 customers who were all polite to my surprise) and I see no box set, no Biggie...I ask a sales person there and to my surprise he tells me..."Ohh, that new Box Set by Mike?..It's sold out man, sorry"...I was thinking to myself I should have just ordered online and save myself the trouble but the sales man gave me an alternative. He said "If you really want to get mike new album, you can try the VIRGIN MEGA STORE in Times Square"...I was walking away from the sales person and thanked him when an guy who was with his girlfriend stopped me and asked "Mike got a new album out?"...I told him "yeah" (..thinking to myself again, bad promotion from SONY but it's MJ's last album from them so whatever)...we actually spoke about Mike for a good min or two about how he's still the MAN and all that good stuff...The guy actually gave me a pound (ghetto hand shake) and thanked me for "supporting legends on the music industry"...I was ampped after the whole conversation and made it clear that i was going to get this BOX SET that day.

Third and final try...I take the F train to Times square walk about 1-2 long blocks and rush in to the entrance and to me delight, Michael Jackson-The Ultimate Collection is staring me in the face sitting there on the "new Release" stand shrink wrapper with the Logo and art work in Gold and ready to come home!...Man As soon As i picked up my copy, I felt how HEAVY this Box SET felt and I've never been so happy to buy Michael's last album...

`Til this day, I don't leave the house with out listening to MJ's The Ultimate Collection, I have my system set to max when I listen to mike after a hard days work. This The Ultimate Collection was made for my Surround System, even my neighbors don't complain about the walls vibrating! What a great way to end my story...thank god for Mike, he to me is definitely the "King Of Pop" and I'm at a loss of words when I'm just sitting back listening to this mans voice...I truly own an actual Ultimate Collection of music.

All the songs that you could imagine are on this! This man is a living legend, and has inspired many, as well as going on to be the biggest selling solo artist of all time, with over 380 million records sold to his name.

The best tracks are "We've Had Enough" and "The Way You Love Me"...which is obviously some of the new recorded songs on this. Others include songs from the Wiz Soundtrack, and unreleased songs: "Sunset Driver, Scared of the Moon, Cheater, Someone Put Your Hand Out, FAll Again, In The Back, Beautiful Girl, His Own Version of "We Are The World", Who Is IHS Remix."

The ultimate greatest hit is "Stranger In Moscow", which itself is enough to buy! Buy this. You won't regret it.

I'm a fan of the "King's" music as well as his amazing dancing moves. Is there another artist with such legendary style and coolness? The man is just BAD and I'll forever be in his corner despite all the haters that like to judge him and don't even know him. They don't wanna be startin' somethin'! I already have HIStory book 1 which I've treasured for years that has a lot of his greatest hits (30 tracks/2 discs) 13 of which aren't included in this set, but I'm also buying this boxed set because it offers such a complete collection including personal favorites I didnt yet have: dirty diana, smooth criminal, Jam, Blood on the dance floor, & you rock my world...even songs back from the Jacksons era. I just wish this was released in the superior SACD format instead. This is actually the first boxed set I've bought from any artist, fitting it's from the greatest. Keep your head up Mike, we still love you! woooo !

It doesn't matter what anybody says about this man, he is the epitome of a pop superstar, legend, performer, entertainer, songwritter & vocalist. His presence alone makes people cry & pass out, it's as if they're going through an exorcism. What other human being in this world has that kind of effect on people? You don't have to be a fanatic to see the phenomenal talent that this man has. All these popstars out there today: Justin, Usher, britney, beyonce, etc. are doing things MJ did 20 years ago yet people worship them & bash MJ. These people wouldn't even be here had it not been for him. This boxset is great, "Fall Again" & "We've had enough" show why Michael is the great music maker he is today. The 1992 concert? Truly amazing & Michael at his best. When doesn't he do a show stopping performance? From the time he first appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show to Thriller to History & beyond, he has changed the world & revolutionized popular music & this box set traces that journey. Michael Jackson is the definition of an icon & I find it so unfair that people choose to pick him apart the way they do all because he's extremely rich & extremely influential & they're just too damn jealous to handle it! Michael broke? HA! That man has income coming in from a thousand & one different places. All he has to do is give one concert & that'll generate 10-15 million bucks right there & if he went on tour... well, I think you already know. Michael is the king of Pop & there will never be another like him. That man commands respect when he shows up at award shows & he knows that no matter what happens, his fans got his back!