The Definitive Collection (Michael Jackson album)

The Definitive Collection is a compilation album by Michael Jackson released by Universal Motown in 2009, and the third album to be released since his death.[1][2]

The Definitive Collection
Compilation album by Michael Jackson
Released	August 25, 2009
Recorded	1969–1974
Length	65:20
Label	Universal Motown
Producer	Harry Weinger
Michael Jackson chronology
The Stripped Mixes (2009) The Definitive Collection (2009) Hello World: The Motown Solo Collection (2009)

Charts

The Definitive Collection charted on number 39 on Billboard 200 and number 17 on R&B/Hip Hop Albums.[3][4]

Review

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."[5]

Track listing

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

References

1. The Definitive Collection: Michael Jackson: MP3 Downloads. Amazon.com. Retrieved on 2011-02-14.
2. The Definitive Collection by Michael Jackson : Booksamillion.com (602527147833, CD). Booksamillion.com. Retrieved on 2011-02-14.
3. The Definitive Collection, Michael Jackson – Review, allmusic.com
4. billboard
5. "The Definitive Collection - Michael Jackson - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic".