20-05-2021

Michael Jackson Xscape Album Download

Xscape

Compilation album by

Released

May 13, 2014

Recorded

1983–1999 (original songs)
2013–2014 (reworked songs)

Genre

R&B^[1]
pop^[2]

Length

34:25

Label

Producer

Daniel Jones
King Solomon Logan

Michael Jackson chronology

Bad 25
(2012)

Xscape
(2014)

Scream
(2017)

Singles from Xscape

'Love Never Felt So Good'
Released: May 2, 2014
'A Place with No Name'
Released: August 12, 2014

Sony Mobile customers with either Xperia Z2, Xperia Z2 Tablet, Xperia Z1 or Xperia M2 were able to download the album for free on the day of its digital release, through the Xperia Lounge app. The promotion ran until 31st May 2014 and the album needed to be redeemed by 30th June 2014.

Xscape is the second posthumous album by American entertainer Michael Jackson, composed of previously unreleased tracks that were recorded between 1983 to 1999. It was released on May 13, 2014 by Epic Records, MJJ Music and Sony Music, and is the tenth release by Sony and/or Motown since Jackson's death on June 25, 2009. L.A. Reid, chairman of Epic Records, curated and served as executive producer for the album enlisting Timbaland to lead a team of record producers, including StarGate, Jerome 'J-Roc' Harmon, John McClain, and Rodney Jerkins, to remix and contemporize the eight selected tracks. Jerkins produced the title song and is the only original song producer to work on the final productions.

The standard version of Xscape features eight tracks, each reworked between 2013 to 2014, whilst the deluxe version also includes the original versions of the songs which were recorded between 1983 to 1999, a bonus track and two videos. Xscape was promoted across the Sony group of companies; Sony Mobile used a snippet of 'Slave to the Rhythm' in their advertising campaign for the Xperia Z2 mobile phone. The album was preceded by the release of its lead single, 'Love Never Felt So Good' on May 2, 2014, which included a newly recorded version featuring Justin Timberlake. A second single, 'A Place with No Name' was released later that year on August 12. Xscape was generally well received by critics and would go on to be certified Platinum in France, Poland and South Korea as well as earning a number of Gold certifications elsewhere in the world.

8Charts

Background[edit]

Officially announced on March 31, 2014, Xscape features 8 tracks which were originally recorded between 1983 to 1999.^[3]^[4]^[5] It is the second such album of posthumous material to be released by Epic Records since Jackson's death in 2009.^[6] The title track 'Xscape' was recorded in 1999 for Jackson's tenth studio album Invincible.^[7] American producer Timbaland and Epic Records chairman and CEO L.A. Reid executively produced the album,^[8] with additional production from Rodney Jerkins, StarGate and John McClain.^[9] Timbaland said that Reid had personally approached the producer at his home to discuss the new Jackson project.^[10]Jesse Johnson, former lead guitarist of the American band The Time revealed that he had worked on elements of one song that featured Mary J. Blige, Questlove, and D'Angelo.^[11] However, the track failed to be included in the final track listing of the album. Reid said that they wanted to honor Jackson's legacy when naming the album, 'the title of this album (Xscape) honors Michael's album naming process. He always chose a song from the album to name his projects and, beginning with Thriller, used only one word titles, each with an edgy quality to them (Thriller, Bad, Dangerous, HIStory and Invincible). This is true of the new project.'^[12]

Recording history[edit]

'Love Never Felt So Good' was co-written by Canadian singer-songwriter Paul Anka^[13] and was originally recorded in 1983 as a demo with Anka on the piano. The song was also recorded by American entertainer Johnny Mathis.^[14] A duet version of the song with Justin Timberlake was recorded and released as a single – the song features percussion and breaths from Jackson's 1979 song 'Workin' Day And Night'.

'Chicago' (originally called 'She Was Lovin' Me') was recorded in 1999 but failed to make the Invincible album.

'Loving You' was recorded in 1985 before the 'Bad' sessions started.

'A Place With No Name' was written and recorded in 1998. The track resembles 'A Horse with No Name,' a hit song by American rock band America. A 24-second snippet was leaked online by TMZ in July 2009 and a full version was leaked in December 2013.^[15]

'Slave to the Rhythm' was recorded during the Dangerous sessions in 1990. A Tricky Stewart remix version leaked on the internet in 2010, which was intended for the first posthumous album, Michael. Justin Bieber also recorded a 'duet version' featured with Jackson's vocals, which was leaked in August 2013. The Michael Jackson Estate afterwards stated that they had not authorized the release of this recording.^[16]

'Do You Know Where Your Children Are' was written and recorded during the 'Bad' sessions. However, the song was later picked up and reworked for the Dangerous album but did not make the cut. The version appearing on Xscape was recorded in 1986.

'Blue Gangsta' was written and recorded in 1998 but failed to make the Invincible album. Rapper Tempamental remixed the song without Jackson's permission and made it available on his MySpace web page in late 2006. The remix titled 'Gangsta (No Friend of Mine)' featured Pras of the Fugees.^[17]

'Xscape' was written and recorded in 1999 during his Invincible album recording sessions but failed to make the album. The song was completed in 2001 and leaked on the internet the following year. The tune has been given a modern spin by its original producer, Rodney Jerkins, and features samples of 'You Rock My World', a song recorded in the same era as 'Invincible'.

Promotion and singles[edit]

Two official singles, 'Love Never Felt So Good' and 'A Place with No Name', were released from Xscape. 'Slave to the Rhythm' was the first song announced for the album, and appeared on several notable music charts due to digital downloads and streaming. 'Loving You' was released as a promotional single to UK radios.

In February 2014, Sony and Jackson's estate announced a partnership with Sony Mobile that saw the release of an ad incorporating a new version of the track 'Slave to the Rhythm', which was confirmed as one of the album tracks.^[18] The commercial advertisement was for Sony Mobile's Xperia Z2 mobile phone.^[19] The album had been aired to the UK media in the basement of a Knightsbridge hotel on March 31, 2014. The journalists were permitted to hear the album once without any electronic devices, and song titles were kept secret.^[20] The entertainment correspondents for some UK media, such as Sky News,^[21]London Evening Standard,^[20]The Daily Telegraph,^[22]Mixmag,^[23]The Guardian^[24] and Digital Spy^[25] were invited.

On April 30, it was revealed that 'Love Never Felt So Good' would be unveiled at the iHeartRadio Music Awards on May 1 as the album's first single, contradicting statements by Timbaland that suggested that 'Chicago' would be released first.^[10] It was co-written by Canadian singer-songwriter Paul Anka,^[13] and features Justin Timberlake.^[26] 'Love Never Felt So Good' was previously recorded by American entertainer Johnny Mathis.^[14] The digital download for the single became available on iTunes at 0:01 EDT on May 2, 2014 for the album version and the duet version with Justin Timberlake.^[27] The release date of the single to urban radio stations confirmed as May 6, 2014.^[28] On May 4, the track 'Chicago' became available to Music Unlimited subscribers, being followed by 'Loving You', 'A Place with No Name', 'Slave to the Rhythm', and 'Do You Know Where Your Children Are' in the succeeding days.^[29]

The Xscape standard and Deluxe Editions were available for pre-order beginning April 1 on iTunes.com/MichaelJackson and elsewhere, and available at all retailers worldwide on May 13.^[30]

A Pepper's ghost^[31] illusion of Michael Jackson performed 'Slave to the Rhythm' at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards on May 18, 2014. The performance was choreographed by the Talauega brothers and was directed by Jamie King.^[32] A day after the coverage, the 'live' performance of 'Slave to the Rhythm' was uploaded to Michael Jackson's VEVO YouTube channel.^[33]

Following the success of 'Love Never Felt So Good' on the Billboard Hot 100, the song rocketed into the iTunes Top 5 in the US, peaking at #1 in 17 countries and landing in the Top 5 in 67 countries around the world, within 24 hours of release. 'Love Never Felt So Good' marks Jackson's 49th Hot 100 entry and it made multiple debuts on various radio formats charts.^[34] Jackson became the first solo artist to have a single reach the top 10 in Six different decades, (1960's 70's 80's 90's 2000's & 10's).^[35] 'Slave to the Rhythm', which debuted at number 45 on the Billboard charts, was Jackson's 50th Hot 100 hit.^[36]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	66/100^[37]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[38]
Consequence of Sound	C^[39]
The Guardian	^[40]
Los Angeles Times	^[41]
Rolling Stone	^[42]
Slant Magazine	^[43]
The Sydney Morning Herald	^[44]
The Independent	^[45]
Billboard	90/100 ^[46]
Entertainment Weekly	B^[47]

Xscape has a score of 66 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 22 critics, indicating generally favorable reviews.^[37] Prior to the album release, Xscape was played for critics at exclusive album listening parties in New York City.^[48] Bernadette McNulty from The Daily Telegraph praised the album as 'pristine', noting the 'front-and-center presence of Jackson's voice in the mix'.^[22] Michael Cragg from The Guardian said Xscape feels 'like an album created to showcase a handful of Jackson songs that on the whole deserve to be heard'.^[24] Richard Suchet from Sky News thought the album 'sound[ed] more like modern-day remixes'.^[21] Nick Stevenson from Mixmag asserted that the album was 'more like a collection of B-sides from Off the Wall than a follow-up to Invincible'.^[23] Michael Arceneaux from Ebony said 'the upcoming project 'from' the late singer sounds like a recipe for legacy tarnishing'.^[49] Elysa Gardner of USA Today said that the producers on the album 'ensure that Jackson's enduring strengths as a singer are represented, layering in modern electronic textures without overwhelming the distinctly slinky, shivery vocals or overall structure of the tunes.'^[50] Other critics suggested the product was just a way to promote Sony smartphones,^[51] and had questions about the songwriting and production,^[52] or with the singing.^[53]^[54] Jackson fan Nekesa Mumbi Moody, writing for Yahoo, said that much of the album had a dated feel, with 'A Place with No Name' having poor lyrics and sound. She concluded that 'putting out music that falls below Jackson's standards detracts from the carefully constructed catalog he spent decades creating and protecting.'^[55]

Commercial performance[edit]

Xscape became Jackson's tenth UK number-one album after it debuted atop the UK Albums Chart with 47,764 first-week sales.^[56]^[57] Currently, sales of the album in the UK stand at 135,500 copies and has been certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry. The album also debuted at number one in Belgium, Denmark, France, and Spain.^[58] It debuted at number two on the US Billboard charts with first-week sales of 157,000 copies in the United States.^[59] In its second week of sales, the album sold 67,000 more copies. In its third week it sold 35,000 copies bringing its total sales to 259,000 copies.^[60] In its fourth week, it sold a little more than 25,000 copies,^[61] and the fifth week it sold a little less than 25,000 copies.^[62] The album has sold 459,000 copies in the US as of January 2015.^[63]

In Canada, the album debuted at number three on the Canadian Albums Chart, selling 12,000 copies.^[64]

Track listing[edit]

Xscape – Standard version (catalog number 88843053662)^[65]
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	'Love Never Felt So Good' (recorded 1983, in the 'Thriller' era)	3:54
2.	'Chicago' (recorded in 1999, during the 'Invincible' sessions)	Cory Rooney	Jerome 'J-Roc' Harmon^[a] Jackson^[b] Rooney^[b]	4:05
3.	'Loving You' (recorded in 1985, during the 'Bad' sessions)	Jackson	3:15
4.	'A Place with No Name' (recorded in 1998, during the 'Invincible' sessions)	Jackson	5:35
5.	'Slave to the Rhythm' (recorded in 1990, during the 'Dangerous' sessions)	Kevin Roberson	4:15
6.	'Do You Know Where Your Children Are' (recorded in 1986 during the 'Bad' sessions)	Jackson	Timbaland Harmon^[a] Jackson^[b]	4:36
7.	'Blue Gangsta' (recorded in 1998 – 1999, during the 'Invincible' sessions)	King Solomon Logan Daniel Jones Timbaland Harmon^[a] Jackson^[b] Dr. Freeze^[b]	4:14
8.	'Xscape' (recorded in 1999 – 2000 & late 2001, during the 'Invincible' sessions)	Jackson	4:04
Total length:				34:25

Xscape – Sony Xperia Lounge bonus track^[66]
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
9.	'Chicago' (Papercha$er Remix)	Rooney	Timbaland Harmon^[a] Jackson^[b] Rooney^[b]	4:19
Total length:				38:44

Xscape – Deluxe Edition (catalog number 88843066762)^[67]
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
9.	'Love Never Felt So Good' (original version) (recorded in 1983)	Jackson Anka	3:19
10.	'Chicago' (original version) (recorded in 1999 during the 'Invincible' sessions)	Rooney	4:43
11.	'Loving You' (original version) (recorded in 1985 during the 'Bad' sessions)	Jackson	Jackson	3:02
12.	'A Place with No Name' (original version) (recorded in 1998 during the 'Invincible' sessions)	Jackson Bunnell Straite	4:55
13.	'Slave to the Rhythm' (original version) (recorded in 1990 during the 'Dangerous' sessions)	Reid Edmonds Simmons Roberson	4:35
14.	'Do You Know Where Your Children Are' (original version) (recorded in 1986 during the 'Bad' sessions)	Jackson	Jackson	4:39
15.	'Blue Gangsta' (original version) (recorded in 1998-1999 during the 'Invincible' sessions)	Jackson Straite	4:16
16.	'Xscape' (original version) (recorded in 1999-2000 & late 2001 during the 'Invincible' sessions))	Jackson R. Jerkins F. Jerkins III Daniels	5:44
17.	'Love Never Felt So Good' (featuring Justin Timberlake)	Jackson Anka	Timbaland Harmon^[a] Timberlake^[a] Jackson^[b] Anka^[b] Paugam	4:05
Total length:				73:43

Xscape – Deluxe Edition bonus DVD
No.	Title	Length
1.	'Xscape Documentary'	23:21
2.	'Xscape Documentary Outtakes'	2:40
Total length:		25:57

Xscape – Vinyl (catalog number 88843053661)^[68]
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	'Love Never Felt So Good'	Jackson John McClain Anka	3:54
2.	'Chicago'	Cory Rooney	Jerome 'J-Roc' Harmon^[a] Jackson^[b] Rooney^[b]	4:05
3.	'Loving You'	Jackson	3:15
4.	'A Place with No Name'	Jackson	5:35
5.	'Slave to the Rhythm'	Kevin Roberson	4:15
6.	'Do You Know Where Your Children Are'	Jackson	Timbaland Harmon^[a] Jackson^[b]	4:36
7.	'Blue Gangsta'	King Solomon Logan Daniel Jones Timbaland Harmon^[a] Jackson^[b] Dr. Freeze^[b]	4:14
8.	'Xscape'	Jackson	4:04
9.	'Love Never Felt So Good' (featuring Justin Timberlake)	Jackson Anka	Timbaland Harmon^[a] Timberlake^[a] Jackson^[b] Anka^[b] Paugam	4:05
Total length:				38:30

Notes

^{^[a]} signifies a co-producer
^{^[b]} signifies a vocal producer

Personnel[edit]

Credits adapted from Xscape album liner notes.^[69]

Michael Jackson – composer, primary artist, producer, keyboard, drums, vocal producer, vocals/background vocals

Dayna Anderson – violin
Paul Anka – composer, piano, producer
Babyface – composer, vocal producer
Paul Bailey – assistant
Cheryl Banks – production coordination
David Barnett – viola
Davis Barnett – viola
Diana Baron – publicity, public relations
Jim Bates – public relations
Alla Benyatov – marketing
Shalik Berry – A&R
Michelle Bishop – violin
John Branca – executive producer, management
Dewey Bunnell – composer
David Byrnes – legal counsel
Scott Carter – marketing
Demacio 'Demo' Castellon – engineer
Lauren Ceradini – publicity
Jeff Chestek – engineer
Vadim Chislov – assistant
Eliza Cho – violin
Fuko Chubachi – art direction
LaShawn Daniels – composer, vocals (background)
Jeroen DeRijk – percussion
Alex Deyoung – assistant engineer
Konstantinos 'KD1' Digkas – composer, assistant engineer, instrumentation
Dr. Freeze – composer, vocal producer
John Doelp – associate producer
Mike Donaldson – engineer, vocal editing
Elisabeth Liefkes-Cats – violin
Mikkel S. Eriksen – engineer, instrumentation
Blake Espy – violin
Mike Daddy Evans – production coordination
Rick Frazier – production coordination
Brian 'Big Bass' Gardner – mastering
Dalia Glickman – A&R
Chris Godbey – engineer, mixing
Larry Gold – string arrangements
Jerome 'J-Roc' Harmon – producer
Trehy Harris – mixing
Tor Hermansen – instrumentation
Jerry Hey – horn, leader
Kevin Hissink – guitar
Fredrik Strand Holland – guitar
Mieke Honingh – violin
Norman Jansen – violin
Jaycen Joshua – mixing
Fred 'Uncle Freddie' Jerkins III – composer
Rodney Jerkins – composer, engineer, mixing
Rodney 'Darkchild' Jerkins – producer, vocal producer
Perry Jimenez – assistant engineer
Brandon Jones – engineer
Daniel Jones – producer
Julia Jowett – violin
JP Robinson – creative director
Jeff Juin – A&R
Michael Kane – accounting
Joel 'Roosevelt' Katz – legal counsel
Jonathan Kim – viola
Sarah Koch – violin
Wim Kok – violin
Rutger 'Ruffi' Kroese – assistant, drum programming
Jay Krugman – marketing
Heath Kudler – music business affairs
Emma Kummrow – violin
Karen Langford – legal counsel, project supervisor
Vera Laporeva – violin
Sam Lecca – creative director
Tamae Lee – violin
Arend Liefkes – bass
Efrem I. Paugam – producer
King Solomon Logan – producer
Jennie Lorenzo – cello
Mat Maitland – art direction, design, images
Luigi Mazzocchi – violin
John McClain – executive producer, management, producer
Ranaan L. Meyer – bass
Erica Miller – violin
Mo'Horns – horns
Jesús Morales – cello
Greg Morgan – editing, sound design
Bill Nation – photography
Cole Nystrom – assistant engineer
Charles Parker – violin
David Peijnenburg – violin
Dave Pensado – mixing
Karl Petersen – assistant engineer
Marisa Pizarro – A&R
Paul Power – engineer
Aaron Reid – A&R
Antonio 'L.A.' Reid – composer, music coordinator, producer
Daniela Rivera – assistant engineer, engineer
Kevin Roberson – composer
Cory Rooney – composer, vocal producer
Carlos Rubio – violin
Arlia de Ruiter – violin
Heather Santos – A&R
Marcel Schimscheimer – bass
Scott Seviour – marketing
Daryl Simmons – composer
Mike Sitrick – public relations
Stargate – producer
Phil Tan – mixing
Annie Tangberg – cello
Pauline Terlouw – violin
Timbaland – executive producer, producer
Steve Tirpak – assistant copyist
Giorgio Tuinfort – drum programming, piano, producer
Vera Van Der Bie – violin
Franck van der Heijden – conductor, orchestral arrangements
Bastiaan Van Der Werf – cello
Herman Van Haaren – violin
Joe Vogel – liner notes
Mark Ward – cello
Dan Warner – guitar
Renee Warnick – viola
Matt Weber – assistant
Howard Weitzman – legal counsel
David Williams – guitar, soloist
Stephanie Yu – music business affairs

Charts[edit]

Michael Jackson Xscape Album Review

Weekly charts[edit]

Chart (2014)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[70]	2
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)^[71]	2
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)^[72]	1
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)^[73]	1
Canadian Albums (Billboard)^[74]	3
Chinese Albums (Sino Chart)^[75]	2
Croatian Albums (HDU)^[76]	2
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)^[77]	5
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)^[78]	1
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[79]	2
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)^[80]	5
French Albums (SNEP)^[81]	1
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[82]	2
Greek Albums (IFPI)^[83]	2
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)^[84]	4
Irish Albums (IRMA)^[85]	4
Italian Albums (FIMI)^[86]	2
Japanese Albums (Oricon)^[87]	4
Mexican Albums (Top 100 Mexico)^[88]	4
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[89]	3
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)^[90]	2
Polish Albums (ZPAV)^[91]	4
Portuguese Albums (AFP)^[92]	3
Scottish Albums (OCC)^[93]	3
South African Albums (RISA)^[94]	13
South Korean Albums (Gaon)^[95]	6
South Korean International Albums (Gaon)^[96]	1
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)^[97]	1
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)^[98]	3
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[99]	2
UK Albums (OCC)^[100]	1
US Billboard 200^[101]	2
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[102]	1

Monthly charts[edit]

Chart (2014)	Peak position
Argentine Monthly Albums (CAPIF)^[103]	5
South Korean Albums (Gaon)^[104]	16
South Korean International Albums (Gaon)^[105]	2

Year-end charts[edit]

Chart (2014)	Position
Australian Albums Chart^[106]	66
Austrian Albums Chart^[107]	56
Italian Albums Chart^[108]	38
South Korean International Albums (Gaon)^[109]	15
US Billboard 200^[110]	36
US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums^[111]	7
US Billboard Top R&B Albums^[112]	5

Michael Jackson Albums Download Zip

Certifications[edit]

Region	Certification	Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)^[113]	Gold	35,000^{^}
Austria (IFPI Austria)^[114]	Gold	7,500^*
Belgium (BEA)^[115]	Gold	15,000^*
Canada (Music Canada)^[116]	Gold	40,000^{^}
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)^[117]	Gold	10,000^{^}
France (SNEP)^[118]	Platinum	100,000^*
Germany (BVMI)^[119]	Gold	100,000^{^}
Italy (FIMI)^[120]	Gold	25,000^*
Japan (RIAJ)^[121]	Gold	100,000^{^}
Mexico (AMPROFON)^[122]	Gold	30,000^{^}
Poland (ZPAV)^[123]	Platinum	20,000^*
South Korea (Gaon)^[124]	Platinum	12,224
Spain (PROMUSICAE)^[125]	Gold	20,000^{^}
Sweden (GLF)^[126]	Gold	20,000^{^}
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)^[127]	Gold	10,000^{^}
United Kingdom (BPI)^[128]	Gold	100,000^{^}
United States (RIAA)^[129]	Gold	500,000^{^}
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^{^}shipments figures based on certification alone