[MJSunshine]

Some sites say Sony Music UK is the source for this news, but I didn't find an official statement.


Michael Jackson's new single confirmed as 'Hollywood Tonight'

The second official single from Michael Jackson's album MICHAEL has been confirmed as 'Hollywood Tonight'.

Written by Michael during the time of the INVINCIBLE album, Michael pulled the track out of the archives in 2007 to work on the song with producer Ron 'Neff-U' Feemster. The track was written by Michael Jackson (spoken bridge by Teddy Riley) and produced by Michael with Teddy Riley and co-production from Neff-U.

It follows lead single 'Hold My Hand', a duet with Akon, which gave Michael his 55th UK top 10 smash hit single extending his run of UK top 10 hits to 40 years. It is the second single to be lifted from the album MICHAEL which is the fastest selling new Michael Jackson studio album in the UK since 1991's DANGEROUS and was certified platinum within one week of release.

I't has the extraordinary confidence of a pop classic and presages an album that may well be Jackson's best work since his Eighties glory days.' Neil McCormick, Daily Telegraph

MICHAEL is the first release in nine years of new material by one of music's most beloved icons whose artistry continues to touch new generations of fans. The album marks another release under the new agreement between the Estate of Michael Jackson and Sony Music announced in March that continues the label's 35-year relationship with Michael and his music. During that time, Michael sold hundreds of millions of records, had 13 US #1 singles and released the pop culture phenomenon 'Thriller,' which remains music's all-time bestselling album with more than 100 million copies sold worldwide.

www.music-news.com

[Ben S]

I really don't know how the singles from the "Michael" album will be a success. I can't imagine how Michael's estate and Sony can make music videos for songs that weren't released in Michael's live time. Unless they have video footage of Micahael in the studio recording these previously unreleased songs, I can't take the release songs if they come with music videos seriously. I never recorded the video of Hold My Hand, it likes watching Michael's music over footage of "Glee" (a program I never watch).

I think Hollywood Tonight, will have more of a chance of being a Top 10 hit in then Hold My Hand. Because a) Michael's vocals were hardly on Hold My Hand with too much of Akons vocals. b) I personally don't think Hold My Hand is a great song. c) Too much negative publicity over fake songs like Breaking News (a song that should never have been released, or streamed on michaeljackson.com), ended any major impact of the Michael album before it was released.

Hollywood Tonight is a good choice for the release of a single from "Michael". But despite by dislike for John McClain tampering with Behind The Mask. Behind The Mask should have been the first single released from the "Michael" album.

Songs I think should be released.....

01. Behind The Mask
02. (I Can't Make It) Another Day
03. Best Of Joy

[jimarez]

the song is great

[MJSunshine]

Ben S, on 26 January 2011 - 05:24 PM, said:

Songs I think should be released.....

01. Behind The Mask
02. (I Can't Make It) Another Day
03. Best Of Joy

I absolutely agree with you about this!!!

[Ben S]

MJSunshine, on 05 February 2011 - 05:32 AM, said:

I absolutely agree with you about this!!!

Thanks !

I like Hollywood Tonight, but I think it's a little overproduced. And I don't like that Teddy Riley rap on the bridge of the song.

[waldo]

i only want Behind The Mask issued as a single if they include as a bonus track on the CD - Michael's original demo. or at least a version without the pointless sax and Bucharest crowd noises. i'm bored with the current version on MICHAEL. i'm bored with the entire album to be honest. every time i listen it frustrates the heck out of me how they saw fit to tamper with almost every cut.. even Best Of Joy has been tampered with by adding additional harmonies by other people.

i thought one of 3T were doing the rap on H.T.

[MJSunshine]

Yes, it's Taryll's voice. The bridge is far too long for me and somehow it leaves the impression that the song needed to be stretched.

[Ben S]

waldo, on 05 February 2011 - 06:05 PM, said:

i only want Behind The Mask issued as a single if they include as a bonus track on the CD - Michael's original demo. or at least a version without the pointless sax and Bucharest crowd noises. i'm bored with the current version on MICHAEL. i'm bored with the entire album to be honest. every time i listen it frustrates the heck out of me how they saw fit to tamper with almost every cut.. even Best Of Joy has been tampered with by adding additional harmonies by other people.

i thought one of 3T were doing the rap on H.T.

Good suggestions about any future release of Behind The Mask as a single. A demo of Behind The Mask or a version without the pointless and dated early 90's sounding sax and crowd noses would be a good reason to by Behind The Mask if it was released as a single. I have no idea what made John Branca and especially John McClain feel he had the right to tamper and ruin Michael's music.

I listen to Behind The Mask a lot because of Michael's vocals, but alway fast forward over the sax intro/sax crowd bridge, and worst of all the pathetic Shanice "I love you Michael" at the end.

MJSunshine, on 06 February 2011 - 07:14 AM, said:

Yes, it's Taryll's voice. The bridge is far too long for me and somehow it leaves the impression that the song needed to be stretched.

I know the liner notes of the "Michael" album state Taryll does the spoken bridge on "Hollywood Tonight". But for some reason because it say's "spoken bridge" and not rap, I keep thinking it's Teddy Riley. I just can't imagine Taryll rapping, if you know what I mean. He's not like his cousin Jackie's son Dealz (Siggy Jackson his real name, sounds better) who fits the rapping mould better. But yes, it is Taryll rapping.

I'm actually surprised that some of Michael's family members approve of some of the songs they don't consider to be fake vocals. I was surprised when I read Jackie's post on Twitter that he liked Behind The Mask. I mean John McClain tampered with Michael's 1982 demo. And as much as I like and respect Jackie, I don't know how he could approve John McClain tampering with his brother Michael's music.

This post has been edited by Ben S: 06 February 2011 - 10:20 PM

[waldo]

i can only assume that Sony must be paying family members off to keep quiet, not to say anything and let them tamper with the songs how they see fit. if i was a family member i would have filed suit already.

[Ben S]

I also think some family members have been paid off, or are getting a wage from Michael's estate. The album should state it contains new remixes of Michael's music, because it's misleading to have fans and the general public think Michael approved of the final "remixes" of those songs.

I know it won't make much difference (but hopefully a bit), but I will write a letter to John Branca (I think many should write to John Branca) about my concerns about the Michael album and future releases. Michael's estate should be taking notice of fans, because the money made from Michael's estate comes mainly from us.

Even though Michael's album releases etc were few and far between, the quality was always amazing. And considering there is most likely amazing stuff in Michael's vault, the standards Michael set should never have dropped like they did on the Michael album. The fault of that was John Branca and John McClain allowing other producers and Sony do what they like with Michael's music.

This post has been edited by Ben S: 19 February 2011 - 11:25 PM

[Billie Jean]

I want BEST OF JOY!!! A local station just asked their viewers whether they should BUMP or DUMP "Hollywood Tonight" last night after they played it. Inland Empire/Riverside County, CA.

Have you seen this?

http://www.deejay.it...Michael-Jackson

[MJSunshine]

Billie Jean, on 19 February 2011 - 08:08 PM, said:

I want BEST OF JOY!!! A local station just asked their viewers whether they should BUMP or DUMP "Hollywood Tonight" last night after they played it. Inland Empire/Riverside County, CA.

What did the viewers say?

[waldo]

i bet Jackie has been bought off. he even came out and said the album is great. hello ??? how $$$$$tupid could he be?? i love the brothers for what they stood for in the seventies and eighties. in 1984 all 6 brothers were my role models. but i don't particularly like or support them today in 2011.

[Ben S]

Well I think Jackie is a payed employee of Michael's estate. As much as I like Jackie, I am very disappointed he's supported the Michael album. He posted on Twitter how much he loved Behind The Mask. I re-tweeted him and told him how much I hated what his friend John McClain had done to Behind The Mask. Obviously I got no reply.

Sites like United4MJLegacy support the Michael album, they disagreed over my comments about Shanice's pointless vocals on Behind The Mask. I think some fan sites have an agreement with Michael's estate.

I was actually hoping promotion for the Michael album was finished, and it was just left to be forgotten. This is the only Michael Jackson album, that I've actually agreed with the media with from reviews I've read. ie it doesn't sound like a Michael Jackson due the the over production by the liked of the egomaniac Teddy Riley etc. If anything has finally made me realize Michael is no longer with us, it's the Michael album. The album cover looks dead, the liner notes are dead, and the album sounds hollow, and nothing like a Michael Jackson album.

[MJSunshine]

The sad story continues with this trite cover for the single release in France:



Source: MJdatabank / Sony Music

[waldo]

yes sadly all that's included is a radio edit of Behind The Mask.

[Ben S]

MJSunshine, on 22 February 2011 - 06:59 AM, said:

The sad story continues with this trite cover for the single release in France:



Source: MJdatabank / Sony Music

A lot of fans dislike this single cover. It's tacky and not even a design, just a botched up version on Michael's 1992 single for In The Closet. Many fans have pointed out that it looks like the In The Closet single.

I don't know why Michael's estate and Sony are repeating the artwork from the Dangerous album etc for the Michael album project. I don't see why they just can't get the graphic designers and illustrators who worked with Michael on his albums in singles from at least 1982-2008, and those who did paintings etc for Michael's own private collection.

I just see this whole Michael album project going from bad to worse.

[Billie Jean]

MJSunshine, on 20 February 2011 - 06:36 AM, said:

What did the viewers say?

Bumpity, bump bump

[Ben S]

Michael's estate and Sony suck. I can't believe what a bad job they are doing with Michael's music. This Michael album and it's singles and video releases are beyond shocking.

It's shocking because I know that at least John Branca can do a much better job than he's doing. But I think he's really just about music business law, contract deals etc, looking after Sony/ATV and MiJac music publishing. I get the feeling John McClain is the one responsible for the bad quality of the Michael album etc, and what will be on any new Michael Jackson album releases. I don't know much about John McClain other than he's a music executive and was very close to Michael for over 30yrs. But he doesn't appear to really be a music man. Michael's estate needs someone who really knows about music releases and quality control. I think number of fans could do a better job over seeing Michael's music than what's being done.