Did Michael Jackson write his own songs? Did Michael Jackson write songs for other music artists? Is Michael Jackson really a great songwriter? Is Michael Jackson also a musician? There are really many questions regarding Michael Jackson’s life as fans are wondering what the answers are, and we will give answers to some of the questions.
So, who is Michael Jackson really? If you were born in the 20th century, it is impossible for you not to know Michael Jackson’s name. Born on August 29, 1958, Michael Jackson is an American singer, songwriter, and dancer and has become one of the most iconic figures, especially in the mid-80s and 90s.
Michael Jackson is born into a family of talented musicians. He and his four other brothers were known as the Jackson 5 in the 1970s, and they were pretty famous as they were able to produce four consecutive number one pop hits. The Jackson 5 continued success into the 80s until they decided to break up to pursue their respective solo careers.
It was when he pursued his career as a solo artist that he reached the peak of his stardom. His first album immediately became a hit, becoming the best-selling album of that year, exceeding all the expectations as it was his first try in his solo career.
It was when he pursued his career as a solo artist that he reached the peak of his stardom. His first album immediately became a hit, becoming the best-selling album of that year, exceeding all the expectations as it was his first try in his solo career. He was crowned as the King of Pop because of his exceptional pop songs, and even after his death, I doubt that there is someone that can replace him as the new king of pop.
Unfortunately, Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, due to cardiac arrest. After the police investigation, it was concluded that his death was a homicide, as it was caused by a lethal combination of sedatives and anesthetic that his doctor administered. The doctor was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter by the court.
How Many Of Michael Jackson Songs Did He Personally Wrote?
Almost all songs that Michael Jackson was the artist were personally written by him. Although he is a great songwriter, he was never a great musician. Michael can only play a little bit of drums, piano and guitar, but never at the level of genius musicians like Stevie Wonder and Prince. He also does not know how to read music and does not have any training in composing songs.
When Michael Jackson was asked how he was able to write his songs, he replied that he could only hear the songs in his head, just like the classical composer Mozart, and that’s how it all started. He was able to write more than 150 songs on his own.
Top 4 Songs Of Michael Jackson That He Personally Wrote
Billie Jean
I personally consider the best song that Michael Jackson ever wrote, Billie Jean, was based on a woman who stalked and wrote him a letter about her son, thinking that Michael was the father. He was able to come up with the song’s rhythm track on his drum machine and was able to record the vocals in one take only.
The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks and has received Grammy Awards in 1983 for Best Rhythm and Blues Song, and Best Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance.
Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough
The song Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough is the opening track of Michael Jackson’s first album as a solo artist. The song was also his first completely written song. When asked how he was able to come up with the song, he replied that the song’s melody only came to him, and he kept humming it for days.
The song was Jackson’s second single that topped the Billboard Hot 100, and it remained there for six weeks. The song was also an international success as it was the top song in nine other countries. He also received a Grammy Award for the Best R&B Vocal Performance for the song.
Smooth Criminal
Although most of the songs written by Michael Jackson are from his personal experiences, the song Smooth Criminal is a fictional story of an adept gangster who has attacked a woman in her apartment. If you are going to listen at the beginning of the song, you will hear Michael’s heartbeat, which was digitally processed by using a Synclavier.
The song reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart. The song was also an international success as it went number one in Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium and Iceland.
Beat It
The story of the song “Beat It” is all about life on the streets and gang activity. Although Michael Jackson never experienced anything about life as a gang member because he became a star already at such a young age, he was able to base his interpretations on the musical West Side Story, which used gangs as its musical theme.
The song “Beat It” topped the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Hot Black Singles chart for three consecutive weeks. The song is also one of the best-selling singles of all time. It also became the number one song in all of Europe. Michael Jackson received two Grammy Awards for the song in 1983: Records of the Year and Best Rock Vocal Performance.
What Songs Did Michael Jackson Wrote For Other Artists?
As a songwriter, Michael Jackson also wrote songs for other artists. Here are some of his greatest compositions that were performed by different singers:
We Are The World
The song was composed by Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie as a charity single and was recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. After its release, it became the eighth best-selling physical single of all time, and the proceeds went to the victims of famine in Africa.
The song became the fastest-selling pop single in history and received a Quadruple Platinum certification. The song also received three Grammy Awards, one American Music Award and one People’s Choice Award.
Muscles
The song “Muscles” was written and produced by Michael Jackson for the singer Diana Ross and her desire for a muscular lover. The song reached the tenth spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and the fourth spot on the Billboard Soul chart.
Say Say Say
The song was composed and performed by Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney and was released in 1983. The song is all about a guy who’s unhappy with his unrequited love, pleads and belittles the girl who broke his heart.
The song was an international success, reaching the number one spot in the USA, Canada, Norway, Sweden, and several other countries. At the same time, it also reached the number two spot in the United Kingdom. It has also earned the top 10 spot in more than 20 nations.
Centipede
The song was written and produced by Michael Jackson for her older sister, Rebbie Jackson. It was her debut single and was released in 1984. The song reached the fourth spot on the Billboard R&B Charts and the 24th spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
So, did Michael Jackson write his own songs? Yes, there is no doubt about that. He was even generous enough to help other artists by writing songs for them. Even though Michael Jackson is already gone, his songs and what he did for the music industry will never be forgotten.
