The driving force behind Xscape was L.A. Reid, then Chairman and CEO of Epic Records. His mission was clear: to honor the legacy of the King of Pop by curating a collection of songs that would stand tall next to his iconic catalog. To bring this vision to life, Reid enlisted a dream team of producers. Leading the charge was Timbaland, a production powerhouse known for his work with Justin Timberlake and Missy Elliott. Reid believed Timbaland had the "gravitas, depth and range" to engage with Jackson’s work creatively. He was joined by a formidable team including Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins (who had worked with Michael on Invincible ), the Norwegian duo Stargate, Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon, and John McClain.
: A cinematic, soul-infused track recorded in 1999 for the Invincible sessions.
Tracks like the original "Love Never Felt So Good" are sparse and spellbinding, showcasing just Jackson's voice, a piano, some snapping fingers, and two clapping hands. Many purists argue that these original versions better capture Jackson's essence and artistic genius, lamenting that the original recordings feel "good as-is" and that "his essence is best captured on the versions that revisit his old sounds". Listening to both versions side-by-side provides an invaluable music education, demonstrating how a modern production team reinterprets a core melody for a new generation while attempting to preserve its soul.
A quirky, accordion-led track with a marching rhythm and rich, multi-layered vocal harmonies.
The album spans nearly two decades of Jackson's creative output, offering a mix of joy and darker, more aggressive themes. Michael Jackson Xscape -Deluxe Edition- 2014
The contemporized tracks on Xscape showcase the distinct flavors of its all-star production team.
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A guitar-heavy, mid-tempo rock-pop hybrid with intense vocal layers.
The title track, originally recorded for the 2001 Invincible album. Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, who produced the original demo, returned to modernize his own work. The result is a fierce, uptempo track detailing Jackson's desire for privacy away from the media spotlight, anchored by sharp vocal rhythms and aggressive percussion. Bonus Material and Documentary The driving force behind Xscape was L
While the standard edition of Xscape successfully proved that Jackson’s music could compete on modern radio, the Deluxe Edition serves a much greater historical purpose.
What makes the Deluxe Edition truly indispensable for collectors and scholars is its dual-disc format. The standard edition of Xscape contained eight contemporized tracks. The Deluxe Edition, however, includes a second disc: This is the crown jewel of the package.
A bright, disco-pop masterclass produced by John McClain and Giorgio Tuinfort. The Deluxe Edition also features a blockbuster duet version with Justin Timberlake, which became a global Top 10 hit.
Commercially, Xscape was a resounding success. It debuted at on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 157,000 copies in its first week. It achieved even greater international success, becoming Jackson's tenth number-one album in the UK. The album reached the top spot on the charts in over 52 countries worldwide. By September 2014, it had been certified Gold by the RIAA for selling over 500,000 copies in the US. Globally, it went on to sell over 1.2 million copies. To bring this vision to life, Reid enlisted
The album's lead single, "Love Never Felt So Good," was a triumph. A duet version featuring Justin Timberlake was a massive hit, peaking at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. This was a historic achievement, as it made Michael Jackson the first solo artist to have a top-ten single in five different decades (1970s, 80s, 90s, 00s, and 10s).
Below is the complete track listing from the CD in the Deluxe Edition:
The core philosophy behind Xscape was distinct from Michael . Instead of simply finishing incomplete vocals with soundalike singers or adding generic beats, executive producer L.A. Reid, CEO of Epic Records at the time, curated a list of A-list producers to "contemporize" Jackson’s archival recordings. The producers—a team called the "Dream Team"—included Timbaland, Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon, Rodney Jerkins (a longtime Jackson collaborator who worked on Invincible ), Stargate, and John McClain.
Dating back to the Bad sessions in 1985, this track is a rare glimpse into a softer, purely romantic side of Jackson.