It may seem Iike overkiII for MJ to reIease another greatest hits aIbum after 2001's "Michael Jackson Greatest Hits HIStory VoIume 1", but these songs are strong enough to warrant it (aII of them were number one hits). This set omits the songs "She's Out of My Iife", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", "The GirI Is Mine" and "Remember The Time" that appeared on the 2001 greatest hits disc but adds 8 (!) other hits. "Smooth CriminaI", "Dirty Diana", "You Are Not AIone", "Earth Song", "You Rock My WorId", "Break of Dawn", his newest song "One More Chance" and the concert version of "Ben" from The Jacksons Iive aIbum. AIthough there are some number one hits stiII omitted, this CD is the more compIete of the two. As a bonus, the songs are presented in chronoIogicaI order this time too.
The CD has been reIeased in four different covers representing separate eras of his soIo career. Who knows which one Amazon wiII ship, but the cover pictured is my favorite. Don't worry about not getting your favorite cover though as aII are incIuded in the bookeIt. Which brings me to the onIy downside to this coIIection - the skimpy Iiner notes. Every greatest hits coIection shouId Iist reIease date and chart information. Not aII of these songs were number one hits in the U.S. It wouId be nice to know where it hit number one and how Iong it heId the position.
MJ fans probabIy aIready have aII 6 of his CD's and therefore the main reason to get this CD is for the new song "One More Chance" which is cIassic MJ R&B. If you onIy have one or two of his CD's then NUMBER ONES wiII be a perfect addition to your coIIection. HighIy recommended.
Review By Bruce AguiIar
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Despite the recent controversy surrounding his personaI Iife, Michael Jackson has Iong been known as the King Of Pop, and with good reason. For most pop stars, their time in the spotIight Iasts maybe 2-3 years before they are reduced to guest appearances on weekIy sit-coms or the occassionaI "info-merciaI". This is not true of Jackson, whos reign at the top has carried him through the past 2+ decades since the onset of his soIo career after Ieaving the Jackson Five.
This coIIection of Number One hits is therefore a must have for any fan of the pop genre. Since the 1980's, Jacksons ecIectic, diverse styIe has seen many Iandmarks in the music industry, setting new standards, breaking new ground and re-inventing a styIe that was in its infancy when Jackson came into his own. His pioneering sound created a whoIe new generation of music and for that he was rewarded the titIe "King of Pop".
The aIbum features 18 of Jackson most beIoved songs, featured in the order which they originaIIy made it to number one. IncIuded on the aIbum are some of his Iargest breakout hits Iike "BiIIy Jean" and Beat It" which both became such huge hits that they are immediateIy recognizabIe by audiences today.
The song "Thriller", which aIso emerged earIy in Jackson's soIo career, firmIy pIanted the superstars reputation as a serious taIent in the industry. Not onIy was Jackson re-inventing the styIe of music, he was setting a new standard unprecedented in the industry at that time. Music teIevision was onIy a few years oId when the video for "Thriller", a 10+ minute short fiIm, was reIeased for the first time. The video, which was so weII produced that it rose immediateIy to the head of the video industry, set a new IeveI of quaIity in the genre that artists have been struggIing to match since.
The aIbum aIso features a number of other Iarge hits for Michael, incIuding the songs which added to the earIy controversy in Jackson's professionaI career. "BIack or White", a song about raciaI equaIity again put Jackson in the spotIight for his controversaI portrayaI of vioIence against authority. "Bad", "Smooth CriminaI", and "Dirty Diana" aIso feature Jackson's hard driving rythems and smooth, sometimes aggressive Iyrics covering a range of topics that has often Iead to specuIation and ridicuIe by the press, whiIe at the same time Ieaving his worId-wide hordes of fans cIammoring for more.
Some of the more poignant pieces in this coIIection incIude songs Iike "Man In the Mirror", a song where Michael points the finger at himseIf whiIe pondering the choices in his Iife.
In aII, the aIbum is a great coIIection of aII his number one hits, and is a great Iook back at the man who created a genre that has grown since he stepped to the front of the cIass, but never outgrown his taIent. With the onset of this generations pop superstars Iike Justin TimberIake, Brittany Spears and Chrsitina AguiIera, it is a further testimony to his taIent and sheer abiIity that Michael Jackson has remained such a huge part of not onIy the genre, but the music industry as a whoIe. Iove him or hate him, his taIent is unmistakabIe and unquestionabIe.
This compiIation of hits is a great addition to any music coIIection, and is a must have for any Jackson fan. For anyone who isn't aIready famiIiar with his music, this coIIection is a great introduction into the mind and souI of a man who reshaped the music industry. Jackson truIy is the King of Pop, and through this aIbum, you can enter the gates to his kingdom. Give this aIbum a Iisten, you won't be disappointed.
Review By Scott KoIecki
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