The Definitive Collection
Compilation album by
Michael Jackson
ReleasedAugust 25, 2009
Recorded
  • 1969–1974
  • 1984 (overdubs on "Farewell My Summer Love")
Length65:20
LabelUniversal Motown
ProducerHarry Weinger
Michael Jackson chronology
The Stripped Mixes
(2009) 		The Definitive Collection
(2009) 		Hello World: The Motown Solo Collection
(2009)

The Definitive Collection is a compilation album by American singer Michael Jackson released by Universal Motown on August 25, 2009 (four days before what would have been his 51st birthday), and the third album to be released since his death.[1][2]

Chart performance

The Definitive Collection charted on number 39 on the Billboard 200 and number 17 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.[3]

Reception

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic said: "Released roughly three days after Michael Jackson's passing, The Definitive Collection is a 19-track collection of highlights from his Motown recordings, including the hits he had with his brothers in the Jackson 5. This emphasizes Michael's solo hits over the Jackson 5's—there are ten cuts of him alone, nine with his brothers (and one of those is an alternate 'minus mix' of 'I'll Be There')—which skews this a little bit toward puppy love over bubblegum, something that may be a little too syrupy for some listeners, but there's no denying that for fans lacking a collection of Michael's earliest hits, this is a useful compilation, gathering 'I Want You Back', 'ABC', 'The Love You Save', 'Who's Lovin' You', 'Never Can Say Goodbye', 'Got to Be There', 'Rockin' Robin', 'Ben', and 'Dancing Machine' in one place."[4]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Want You Back"The Corporation (Berry Gordy, Freddie Perren, Deke Richards, Alphonzo Mizell)2:58
2."ABC"The Corporation2:57
3."The Love You Save"The Corporation3:03
4."I'll Be There"Berry Gordy, Bob West, Hal Davis, Willie Hutch3:56
5."Never Can Say Goodbye"Clifton Davis2:59
6."Maybe Tomorrow"The Corporation4:45
7."Got to Be There"Elliot Willensky3:23
8."Rockin' Robin"Leon Rene2:32
9."I Wanna Be Where You Are"Arthur "T-Boy" Ross, Leon Ware2:59
10."Ain't No Sunshine"Bill Withers4:10
11."Ben"Walter Scharf, Don Black2:44
12."With a Child's Heart"Vicki Basemore, Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy3:32
13."One Day in Your Life"Sam Brown, Renée Armand4:13
14."We're Almost There"Brian Holland, Edward Holland Jr.3:44
15."Dancing Machine"Hal Davis, Don Fletcher, Dean Parks2:37
16."Just a Little Bit of You"Brian Holland, Edward Holland Jr.3:12
17."Farewell My Summer Love"Keni St. Lewis3:41
18."Who's Lovin' You"Smokey Robinson4:00
19."I'll Be There (Minus Mix)"Berry Gordy, Bob West, Hal Davis, Willie Hutch3:55

Charts

Chart (2009) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[3] 39
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[5] 17

References

  1. ^ "The Definitive Collection: Michael Jackson: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
  2. ^ "The Definitive Collection by Michael Jackson (CD)". booksamillion.com. Books-A-Million. Archived from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Michael Jackson Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  4. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Definitive Collection – Michael Jackson". AllMusic. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  5. ^ "Michael Jackson Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
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