King of Pop: Japan Edition

~ Release by Michael Jackson (see all versions of this release, 28 available)

Tracklist

1CD
#TitleRatingLength
1Billie Jean (single version)
recording engineer and mixer:
Bruce Swedien
synthesizer programming:
Bill Wolfer (record producer, songwriter, musician and synthesizer programmer from USA)
co-producer:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
producer:
Quincy Jones
bass guitar:
Louis Johnson (bass, member of Brothers Johnson)
drums (drum set):
Leon Ndugu Chancler
guitar:
David Williams (session guitarist and songwriter)
Rhodes piano and synthesizer:
Greg Phillinganes
synthesizer:
Bill Wolfer (record producer, songwriter, musician and synthesizer programmer from USA)
lead vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
conductor:
Jeremy Lubbock
percussion and synthesizer arranger and synthesizer arranger:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
strings arranger:
Jerry Hey
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MJJ Productions Inc. (rights holder, not an imprint) (in 1982)
recorded at:
Westlake Recording Studios (founded as Westlake Audio in the early 1970s) in West Hollywood, California, United States (in 1982)
edit of:
Billie Jean (long version) by Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
music videos:
Billie Jean by Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
part of:
VH1: 100 Greatest Songs of the 80’s (compiled in 2006) (number: 4), Billboard: The 500 Best Pop Songs (as of October 2023) (number: 7), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-05-23 (number: 15), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – 500 Songs That Shaped Rock, Billboard Hot 100: 2026-05-16 (number: 17), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-06-20 (number: 18), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-06-06 (number: 19), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-06-13 (number: 19), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-05-30 (number: 32), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-05-09 (number: 38), Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 44), Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 58) and Billboard: Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Songs (number: 95)
recording of:
Billie Jean
lyricist and composer:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
publisher:
Mijac Music, Warner–Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (publisher; do NOT use as release label) and Warner/Chappell North America Limited (formerly incorporated as Marmalade Music Ltd., from 1968/09/19–1999/11/09)
sub-publisher:
Neue Welt Musikverlag GmbH & Co. KG (– 2017) and ソニー・ミュージックパブリッシング A事業部 (Sony Music Publishing (Japan) Inc., A Division)
part of:
MJ: The Musical
4.14:54
2Man in the Mirror (album version)
recording engineer and mixer:
Bruce Swedien
co-producer:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
producer:
Quincy Jones
guitar:
Dann Huff
keyboard:
Greg Phillinganes
synthesizer:
Glen Ballard and Randy Kerber
background vocals:
The Andraé Crouch Choir, Siedah Garrett and The Winans
background vocals and lead vocals and lead vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
synthesizer arranger:
Glen Ballard, Jerry Hey and Quincy Jones
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MJJ Productions Inc. (rights holder, not an imprint) (in 1987)
recording of:
Man in the Mirror
writer:
Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett
publisher:
Areostation Corporation, Arlovol Music, MCA Music Publishing (renamed since c. 1996 as Universal Music Publishing Group), Universal Music Corporation (France), Universal/MCA Music Publishing Pty Ltd, Warner Chappell Music (holding behind all publishing activities of Warner Music Group, 2019–) and Yellowbrick Road Music
sub-publisher:
シンコーミュージック・エンタテイメント (Shinko Music Entertainment Co., Ltd.), ヤマハミュージックエンタテインメントホールディングス (Yamaha Music Entertainment Holdings, Inc., holding company – do not use as release label), ユニバーサル・ミュージック・パブリッシング Synch事業部 (Universal Music Publishing, Synch Division) and ワーナー・チャペル音楽出版 Synch事業部 (Warner/Chappell Music Japan K.K., Synch Division)
part of:
MJ: The Musical
3.955:18
3Smooth Criminal (radio edit / album version)
recording engineer and mixer:
Bruce Swedien
co-producer:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
producer:
Quincy Jones
drums (drum set):
Bill Bottrell, John “JR” Robinson (session drummer) and Bruce Swedien
guitar:
David Williams (session guitarist and songwriter)
piano:
Kevin Maloney
saxophone:
Kim Hutchcroft and Larry Williams (jazz keyboard, sax, flute & clarinet; producer, composer, arranger, and multi‐instrumentalist)
synclavier:
Christopher Currell (arranger)
synthesizer:
John Barnes (US soul songwriter, keyboardist, synthesizer & pianist aka LA Jay) and Michael Boddicker
trumpet:
Gary Grant (brass) and Jerry Hey
background vocals and lead vocals and lead vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
wind instruments arranger:
Jerry Hey
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MJJ Productions Inc. (rights holder, not an imprint) (in 1987)
recording of:
Smooth Criminal
lyricist and composer:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
publisher:
Mijac Music and Warner-Tamerlane Publ. Co. (publisher; do NOT use as release label)
part of:
MJ: The Musical
4.44:18
4Thriller (single version)
producer:
Quincy Jones
lead vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MJJ Productions Inc. (rights holder, not an imprint) (in 1982)
recording of:
Thriller
lyricist and composer:
Rod Temperton
publisher:
Almo Music Corp. (USA, affiliated with ASCAP), Chrysalis Music Ltd. (music publisher, affiliated with PRS), Rodsongs (publisher), Rondor Music (London) Ltd., Universal Music Publishing France (not for release label use!) and ワーナー・チャペル音楽出版 Synch事業部 (Warner/Chappell Music Japan K.K., Synch Division)
is based on:
Starlight
part of:
MJ: The Musical
4.25:13
5Beat It (single version)
recording engineer:
Donn Landee and Bruce Swedien
synthesizer programming:
Steve Porcaro
co-producer:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
producer:
Quincy Jones
mixer:
Bruce Swedien
drums (drum set):
Jeff Porcaro
electric bass guitar and electric guitar:
Steve Lukather (guitarist, vocalist, composer, producer and arranger)
guitar:
Paul Jackson, Jr. (fusion/urban jazz composer, arranger, producer and guitarist)
keyboard:
Bill Wolfer (record producer, songwriter, musician and synthesizer programmer from USA)
percussion [drum case beater], background vocals and lead vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
Rhodes piano and synthesizer:
Greg Phillinganes
solo electric guitar:
Edward Van Halen
synclavier:
Tom Bahler
synthesizer:
Steve Porcaro
synthesizer [Synergy synthesizer]:
Greg Smith (Producer/Keyboards)
vibraslap:
Chris Shepard
percussion arranger:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”) and Quincy Jones
arranger:
Rod Temperton
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MJJ Productions Inc. (rights holder, not an imprint) (in 1982)
recorded at:
Westlake Recording Studios (founded as Westlake Audio in the early 1970s) in West Hollywood, California, United States (in 1982)
samples:
Untitled (side A) by Denny Jaeger
music videos:
Beat It by Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
part of:
Rolling Stone: The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time (2026-05-04) (number: 12), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – 500 Songs That Shaped Rock, NME: 50 Greatest Guitar Riffs of All Time (2012-10-25) (number: 18), VH1: 100 Greatest Songs of the 80’s (compiled in 2006) (number: 21), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-05-23 (number: 29), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-05-16 (number: 32), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-05-30 (number: 47), Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 185), Billboard: The 500 Best Pop Songs (as of October 2023) (number: 209) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 337)
recording of:
Beat It
lyricist and composer:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
publisher:
Mijac Music and ソニー・ミュージックパブリッシング A事業部 (Sony Music Publishing (Japan) Inc., A Division)
part of:
MJ: The Musical
4.354:17
6Bad (album version)
recording engineer and mixer:
Bruce Swedien
drums (drum set) programming:
Douglas Getschal
co-producer:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
producer:
Quincy Jones
drums (drum set):
John “JR” Robinson (session drummer)
guitar:
David Williams (session guitarist and songwriter)
Hammond organ:
Jimmy Smith (US jazz organist)
percussion:
Paulinho da Costa (Brazilian percussionist) and How Now Brown Cow
saxophone:
Kim Hutchcroft and Larry Williams (jazz keyboard, sax, flute & clarinet; producer, composer, arranger, and multi‐instrumentalist)
synclavier:
Christopher Currell (arranger)
synthesizer:
John Barnes (US soul songwriter, keyboardist, synthesizer & pianist aka LA Jay), Michael Boddicker and Greg Phillinganes
trumpet:
Gary Grant (brass) and Jerry Hey
background vocals and lead vocals and lead vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
wind instruments arranger:
Jerry Hey
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MJJ Productions Inc. (rights holder, not an imprint) (in 1987)
recorded at and mixed at:
Westlake Audio (former name of Westlake Recording Studios) in Los Angeles, California, United States
recording of:
Bad
lyricist and composer:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
publisher:
Mijac Music and Warner-Tamerlane Publ. Co. (publisher; do NOT use as release label)
part of:
MJ: The Musical
4.254:08
7Black or White (album version)
recording engineer and mixer:
Bill Bottrell
additional engineer:
Matt Forger
producer:
Bill Bottrell and Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
bass guitar:
Terry Jackson
guest electric guitar:
Slash (Guns N’ Roses guitarist)
guitar:
Tim Pierce (US session guitarist)
guitar and percussion:
Bill Bottrell
keyboard:
John Barnes (US soul songwriter, keyboardist, synthesizer & pianist aka LA Jay) and Jasun Martz
keyboard and percussion and guest performer:
Brad Buxer
Moog and drums (drum set):
Bryan Loren (producer, songwriter, vocalist/singer, musician/multi-instrumentalist)
background vocals and lead vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
other vocals and spoken vocals:
L.T.B.
spoken vocals:
Andres McKenzie
part of:
CBC Music: 10 Songs That Have Changed the World
recording of:
Black or White (in 1991)
additional lyricist:
Bill Bottrell
lyricist and composer:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
part of:
MJ: The Musical
3.64:16
8Heal the World (7″ edit)
recording of:
Heal the World
lyricist and composer:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
publisher:
Mijac Music and ソニー・ミュージックパブリッシング A事業部 (Sony Music Publishing (Japan) Inc., A Division)
3.54:31
9Rock With You (single version)
lead vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MJJ Productions Inc. (rights holder, not an imprint) (in 1979)
edit of:
Rock With You (original mix) by Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
music videos:
Rock With You by Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
part of:
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 354)
recording of:
Rock With You
lyricist and composer:
Rod Temperton
publisher:
Almo Music Corp. (USA, affiliated with ASCAP), Rodsongs (publisher) and Rondor Music (London) Ltd.
sub-publisher:
ワーナー・チャペル音楽出版 Synch事業部 (Warner/Chappell Music Japan K.K., Synch Division), ヤマハミュージックパブリッシング (Yamaha Music Publishing) (until 2017-03-31) and ヤマハミュージックエンタテインメントホールディングス (Yamaha Music Entertainment Holdings, Inc., holding company – do not use as release label) (from 2017-04-01 to present)
4.253:23
10Human Nature (album version)
recording engineer and mixer:
Bruce Swedien
synthesizer programming:
Steve Porcaro
producer:
Quincy Jones
drums (drum set):
Jeff Porcaro
guitar:
Steve Lukather (guitarist, vocalist, composer, producer and arranger)
percussion:
Paulinho da Costa (Brazilian percussionist)
synthesizer:
David Paich and Steve Porcaro
lead vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
arranger:
Steve Lukather (guitarist, vocalist, composer, producer and arranger), David Paich and Steve Porcaro
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MJJ Productions Inc. (rights holder, not an imprint) (in 1982)
recorded at:
Westlake Recording Studios (founded as Westlake Audio in the early 1970s) in West Hollywood, California, United States (in 1982)
part of:
Billboard Hot 100: 2026-05-23 (number: 21), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-05-16 (number: 29), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-06-06 (number: 31), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-06-13 (number: 31), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-06-20 (number: 37), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-05-30 (number: 44), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-07-04 (number: 45), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-07-11 (number: 46) and Billboard Hot 100: 2026-06-27 (number: 47)
recording of:
Human Nature
lyricist:
John Bettis
composer:
Steve Porcaro
publisher:
John Bettis Music and Mystical Light Music
sub-publisher:
Sony Music Publishing France, Warner Chappell Music France, ソニー・ミュージックパブリッシング A事業部 (Sony Music Publishing (Japan) Inc., A Division), ヤマハミュージックエンタテインメントホールディングス (Yamaha Music Entertainment Holdings, Inc., holding company – do not use as release label) (, from 2017-04-01 to present), ワーナー・チャペル音楽出版 Synch事業部 (Warner/Chappell Music Japan K.K., Synch Division) and ヤマハミュージックパブリッシング (Yamaha Music Publishing) (until 2017-03-31)
part of:
MJ: The Musical
3.654:05
11We Are the World (demo)
recording of:
We Are the World (in 1985)
writer:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”) and Lionel Richie
35:20
12Say Say Say (album version)
recording of:
Say Say Say
written in:
England, United Kingdom
writer:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”) and Paul McCartney (The Beatles)
publisher:
Mijac Music and MPL Communications Inc. (Paul McCartney‐related, NYC‐based company)
53:56
13Scream (album version)
recording engineer and mixer:
Steve Hodge (engineer and producer) and Bruce Swedien
producer:
Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”), Jimmy Jam (James Harris of Jam & Lewis) and Terry Lewis (US hip-hop/soul songwriter, producer & label owner)
keyboard and percussion:
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
vocals:
Janet Jackson
recording of:
Scream
writer:
Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”), Jimmy Jam (James Harris of Jam & Lewis) and Terry Lewis (US hip-hop/soul songwriter, producer & label owner)
4.254:39
14Remember the Time (album version)
recording engineer and mixer:
Teddy Riley (US R&B singer & producer), Bruce Swedien and Dave Way
programming:
Wayne Cobham (US engineer)
co-producer:
Teddy Riley (US R&B singer & producer)
producer:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”) and Teddy Riley (US R&B singer & producer)
keyboard and synthesizer:
Teddy Riley (US R&B singer & producer)
background vocals and lead vocals and lead vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
synthesizer arranger and additional arranger:
Teddy Riley (US R&B singer & producer)
vocals arranger:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
recording of:
Remember the Time (in 1991)
writer:
Bernard Belle, Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”) and Teddy Riley (US R&B singer & producer)
3.854:00
15Off the Wall
recording engineer and mixer:
Bruce Swedien
synthesizer programming:
Michael Boddicker and George Duke
producer:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”) and Quincy Jones
alto saxophone, flute and tenor saxophone:
Larry Williams (jazz keyboard, sax, flute & clarinet; producer, composer, arranger, and multi‐instrumentalist)
baritone saxophone, flute and tenor saxophone:
Kim Hutchcroft
drums (drum set):
John “JR” Robinson (session drummer)
electric bass guitar:
Louis Johnson (bass, member of Brothers Johnson)
flugelhorn and trumpet:
Jerry Hey
guitar:
Marlo Henderson and David Williams (session guitarist and songwriter)
percussion:
Paulinho da Costa (Brazilian percussionist)
Rhodes piano and synthesizer:
Greg Phillinganes
synthesizer:
George Duke
trombone:
Bill Reichenbach, Jr. (jazz trombonist)
trumpet:
Gary Grant (brass)
background vocals and lead vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
horn arranger:
Jerry Hey
arranger and vocals arranger:
Rod Temperton
sound effects:
George Duke
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MJJ Productions Inc. (rights holder, not an imprint) (in 1979)
recording of:
Off the Wall (from 1978-12 until 1979-04)
lyricist and composer:
Rod Temperton
4.454:07
16Ben (single version)
producer:
The Corporation (Motown songwriters)
lead vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”) (in 1972)
arranger:
The Corporation (Motown songwriters)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Record Company, L.P. (company credits only; do NOT use as release label)
recording of:
Ben (in 1972)
lyricist:
Don Black (English lyricist)
composer:
Walter Scharf
publisher:
Jobette Music (in 1972)
part of:
The 45th Academy Award for Best Original Song (number: 2)
3.852:45
17Thriller Megamix (radio edit)
54:08