• Celebrity
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Women in Music
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
  • Fashion
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion House
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Color Files Podcast
    • Nails
    • How-To
    • Beauty Carnival-Archive
    • Dope Stuff On My Desk
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weaves
    • 4C
    • Spring Hair And Beauty
  • Love
    • Love & Sex
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle News
    • Coronavirus: Everything You Need to Know
    • Health & Wellness
    • Holiday Gift Guide 2020
    • Unbossed Podcast
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
    • Currency Conversations
    • Your legacy
  • News
    • BLACK VOTES MATTER
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Videos
  • Events
    • WELLNESS HOUSE: YEAR OF RENEWAL
    • LEVEL UP: Entrepreneur Summit (DEC 2020)
    • Power Tools
    • SHE GOT NOW
    • Girls United Summit
    • Making Moves Now: Virtual Bootcamp
    • #EF SESSIONS
    • Dear Black Men
    • Cares Act
    • News & Announcements
  • Festival
  • Subscribe
  • Essence Studios
  • Girls United
  • NaturallyCurly
  • Shop Essence

Follow Us

Skip to content
  • Essence Studios
  • Girls United
  • NaturallyCurly
  • Shop Essence
  • Celebrity
    • Celebrity
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Women in Music
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
  • Fashion
    • Fashion
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion House
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Color Files Podcast
    • Nails
    • How-To
    • AVEENO® Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty Carnival-Archive
    • Dope Stuff On My Desk
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • Beauty News
  • Hair
    • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weaves
    • 4C
    • Spring Hair And Beauty
  • Love
    • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Coronavirus: Everything You Need to Know
    • Health & Wellness
    • Lifestyle News
    • Holiday Gift Guide 2020
    • Netflix’s Jingle Jangle Gift Guide
    • Unbossed Podcast
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
    • Currency Conversations
    • Your Legacy
  • News
    • News
    • BLACK VOTES MATTER
    • Essence 50th Anniversary
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Videos
  • Events
    • Events
    • WELLNESS HOUSE: YEAR OF RENEWAL
    • LEVEL UP: Entrepreneur Summit (DEC 2020)
    • Power Tools
    • SHE GOT NOW
    • Girls United Summit
    • Making Moves Now: Virtual Bootcamp
    • #EF SESSIONS
    • Dear Black Men
    • Cares Act
    • News & Announcements
  • Festival
  • Subscribe
Home · News

Michael Jackson's Top 25 Songs

Michael Jackson Top 25 Songs
By · June 25, 2009October 29, 2020
01
‘Got to Be There’

Any young man who understands a sense of urgency to be by his woman’s side just because has our vote of confidence any day.

Listen Now Michael Jackson - The Essential Michael Jackson

The Michael Jackson Memorial: Read our Live Blog Report »

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

02
‘ABC’

Reciting the alphabet has never been more cool or funky.

Listen Now Jackson 5 - Anthology: Jackson 5

The Michael Jackson Memorial: Read our Live Blog Report »

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

03
‘I Want You Back’

We guess it’s true when they say you never miss a good thing until it’s gone. The J5 had no shame in their game and asked for a reconciliation.

Listen Now Jackson 5 - Jackson 5: The Ultimate Collection

The Michael Jackson Memorial: Read our Live Blog Report »

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

04
‘I’ll be There’

Knowing that your man is always going to hold you down is the ultimate sign of love.

Listen Now Jackson 5 - Jackson 5: The Ultimate Collection

The Michael Jackson Memorial: Read our Live Blog Report »

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

05
‘Who’s Lovin’ You?’

The minute MJ’s vocals soared to emphasize how badly he was treating his lil’ lady, we fell in love.

Listen Now Jackson 5 - Jackson 5: The Ultimate Collection

The Michael Jackson Memorial: Read our Live Blog Report »

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

06
‘Never Can Say Goodbye’

Letting go is never easy, so we felt MJ’s pain and loss.

Listen Now Jackson 5 - Jackson 5: The Ultimate Collection

The Michael Jackson Memorial: Read our Live Blog Report »

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

07
‘We Are the World’

Jackson lent his famous name and efforts to help those less fortunate around the world and inspired others to do the same with this star-studded track.

Listen Now Michael Jackson - Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection - We Are the World

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

08
‘Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’

If ever there were a dare for a dance off, this was the tune to hit up the dance floor.
Listen Now Michael Jackson - The Essential Michael Jackson

The Michael Jackson Memorial: Read our Live Blog Report »

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

09
‘Human Nature’

MJ simplified the complexities of everyday people with his musical rhetoric. Listen Now Michael Jackson - The Essential Michael Jackson

The Michael Jackson Memorial: Read our Live Blog Report »

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

10
‘Can You Feel It’

The horns on this upbeat track mixed with Jackson’s vocals made Saturday morning cleaning bearable.

Listen Now Michael Jackson - The Essential Michael Jackson - Can You Feel It

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

11
‘Ben’

We never thought we’d be jealous of a rodent, but Jackson’s serenade to his furry friend was endearing.

Listen Now Michael Jackson - The Essential Michael Jackson - Ben

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

12
‘Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough’

This song proves that M.J. was hot even before “Thriller.” “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough” is still a favorite on the dance floor.

Listen Now Michael Jackson - The Essential Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

13
‘P.Y.T.’

Kanye West sampled this beat for his song “Good Life,” but if you ask us, no one did it like Mike.

Listen Now Michael Jackson - The Essential Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

14
‘Beat It’

We couldn’t think of a better way to let someone know you were the boss and to get lost.

Listen Now Michael Jackson - Thriller

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

15
‘Thriller’

Only the King of Pop could transform the music video industry with a short horror movie to accompany this catchy tune.

Listen Now Michael Jackson - Thriller (25th Anniversary, Zombie Cover)

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

16
‘Billie Jean’

The sequined glove, the moonwalk, the Jheri curl—all those images we’ll never forget. It all started with this song right here.

Listen Now Michael Jackson - The Essential Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

17
‘Smooth Criminal’

This was more than a song. It was also one of the top hits from Michael’s movie “Moonwalker,” in which he saved a group of kids from the bad guys.

Listen Now Michael Jackson - The Essential Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

18
‘The Way You Make Me Feel’

Who doesn’t love a man who can admit that he’s sprung and his woman has him stalking her down dark alleys?
Listen Now Michael Jackson - The Essential Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

19
‘Butterflies’

There’s a special lady that could even make the King of Pop swoon.

Listen Now Michael Jackson - Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

20
‘You Are Not Alone’

Michael Jackson was known for his sensitivity and no record displays that emotion better than this song.

Listen Now Michael Jackson - The Essential Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

21
‘Bad’

Hardly known as a bad boy, Michael embraced his all-black wearing, graffiti-spraying, dangerous side in this video.

Listen Now Michael Jackson - The Essential Michael Jackson

The Michael Jackson Memorial: Read our Live Blog Report »

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

22
‘Scream’ feat. Janet Jackson

Blowing off some serious steam never sounded this cool.

Listen Now Michael Jackson - History: Past, Present and Future, Book 1

The Michael Jackson Memorial: Read our Live Blog Report »

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

23
‘Black or White’

No one could have preached about the beauty of color blindness to knock down all racial barriers.

Listen Now Michael Jackson - The Essential Michael Jackson

The Michael Jackson Memorial: Read our Live Blog Report »

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

24
‘You Rock My World’

In Living Color’s Wanda (Jamie Foxx) might have been the inspiration for this seductive jam, but we didn’t mind rockin’ with The Gloved one all night long.

Listen Now Michael Jackson - The Essential Michael Jackson

The Michael Jackson Memorial: Read our Live Blog Report »

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

25
‘Remember the Time’

Reminiscing on past loves can get you in trouble but who said trying to win them back can’t be an adventure.

Listen Now Michael Jackson - The Essential Michael Jackson

The Michael Jackson Memorial: Read our Live Blog Report »

Michael Jackson’s life in photos »

Read More

Entertainment
Lil Kim Shares The One Thing She Wants Viewers To Take Away ...
Travel
Airbnb Cancels All DC Reservations Ahead Of Inauguration Week
Oprah Winfrey Documentary Coming To Apple TV+
Videos
Who is Lorna Simpson
Beauty
Skincare Products For All Your Problem Areas
FOLLOW US
Privacy Policy
Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now