
Remember Michael Jackson by listening to our annotated Essential Playlist, then check out these remixes and covers:
Aerogramme, “Thriller” [Michael Jackson Cover]
The only thing creepier than Vincent Price’s voiceover in the original is the slow, unsettling take on Jackson’s classic by this band of Scots. Aerogramme get it exactly right, turning “Thriller” into a veritable Hitchcock soundtrack, a masterpiece of creeping-death strings, full of shadows and fog.
Michael Jackson, “Wanna Be Startin’ Something” [Streetlife DJs Remix]
Frontloading Michael’s sly snipping of “Soul Makossa,” the streetlife DJs give MJs dance masterpiece even more thump and grind, shooting it up with bright-light synthesizers and giving the synthbass a furious whip and snap, proving Jackson’s timeless melody can withstand decades of tweaking.
Belle & Sebastian, “Billie Jean” [Michael Jackson Cover]
Even indie rockers bow down — the sound quality is less than perfect, but once it gets moving, the Scottish troupe’s spot-on cover is loaded with the kind of cheeky reverence that proves Jackson’s legacy transcends musical subcultures.
Michael Jackson, “Smooth Criminal” [LAZRTag Remix]
An astonishing, breathless deconstruction of one of Jackson’s more intimidating numbers. LAZRTag strip the song back to just a wisp of vocal and a fat, thumping synth, making it sound like the fight theme from Moonwalker.
Michael Jackson, “Billie Jean” [Home Demo from 1981]
A fascinating look at a classic-in-progress, this home demo from 1981 starts with Jackson making specific vocal requests and then plunging headfirst into a vocal ad-lib that would set the template for one of pop’s finest moments. It’s like standing over Coppola’s shoulder in the editing room.

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- Portions of Album Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC.