The latest posthumous Michael Jackson album Xscape comprises of eight remixed tracks recorded by the King of Pop between 1980 and 1999. The Deluxe Edition also includes the original versions of those eight tracks, plus an additional remix of “Love Never Felt So Good” featuring Justin Timberlake. However, come the end of the year, the album could have further expanded its offerings.
The Estate of Michael Jackson and Epic Records have a hit with Xscape and are now looking at how they can make the most of the success-wave the album is currently riding. With worldwide sales passing the 1 million mark weeks ago, and the second single “A Place With No Name” to be released in August, attention behind closed doors will likely be turned towards a top-secret plan to re-release the album in the 4th quarter of 2014.
The strategy is simple: Re-release the album with the addition of a handful of new songs in the lead-up to Christmas and watch it return to the top of the charts.
Epic Records chief L.A. Reid has spoken about the process of putting the existing Xscape album together in a series of promotional interviews over the last few months. Reid explains that they initially had approximately twenty-four tracks available. Those twenty-four were then narrowed down to the fourteen strongest. From there, the remixing process began, and ultimately eight tracks were chosen for the album.
However, as part of the plan to re-release the album, fans could end up hearing all fourteen of the strongest tracks – the eight that were released on Xscape and up to six new ones being considered for the re-release, which we’ll refer to as ‘Xscape 2.0‘ for now. (Note: Xscape 2.0 is not the official title of the re-release concept – at least not to my knowledge anyway!)
Following the Xscape album’s May 13 release producer Rodney Jerkins hinted that Jackson fans might be in for more material than they’d already been given.
“We got more surprises coming,” Jerkins told Rolling Stone back in June. “I’m sure there are a few more great things out there and hopefully we’ll all have a chance to hear them.”
Fans who followed the lead-up to the Xscape album’s release will remember speculation about the possible inclusion of a Michael Jackson, Mary J. Blige and D’Angelo cover-version of Sly Stone’s “Hot Fun In The Summertime.” L.A. Reid’s son Aaron Reid, who works A&R for Epic Records, was responsible for putting that collaboration together for the album. It didn’t make the cut in May, but could very well be included on Xscape 2.0 later this year.
One of Jackson’s unpublished collaborations with Brad Buxer, called “I Was The Loser,” may come into consideration for Xscape 2.0. L.A. Reid personally loved the track upon hearing it for the first time in late-September last year. Another track that has yet to make its way onto any official projects, and remains unleaked, is Rodney Jerkins’s Invincible outtake “Can’t Get Your Weight Off Of Me.”
Other unpublished materials at Epic Records’ disposal include tracks from the Bad and Dangerous album sessions such as “Throwing Your Life Away” and “If You Don’t Love Me” to name just two of many. In 2010 Mark Ronson worked on a track for the Michael album called “Lovely Way.” Ultimately it was not selected and remains unreleased.
Re-releasing Xscape in the 4th quarter with such new additions could boost the album’s sales in a very significant way. As I’ve stated in previous articles, the fact that the album has sold more than 1.1 million copies worldwide so far is impressive considering it has not benefitted from any kind of festive sales spike or post-release promotion. It’s purely been running on the fumes of a successful lead single in “Love Never Felt So Good”.
With a handful of new reasons for fans to purchase another copy of the album, and a dozen reasons for those who are yet to get one to do so, the Christmas period could very well add an extra million-or-so copies to Xscape‘s worldwide sales tally. Throw in the possible-release of a new single from the additional material in November and Epic Records really can’t go wrong. The frantic purchasing habits of consumers during the festive season would almost certainly result in much stronger-than-usual sales from mid-November all the way until the new year. It’s a no-brainer to have your products on shelves and being promoted during that period.
Damien Shields is the author of the book Xscape Origins: The Songs & Stories Michael Jackson Left Behind about Michael Jackson’s artistry and creative process. Click here to order your copy today – also available via Amazon, Kindle, iBooks, and Google Play. Follow Damien on Facebook and Twitter to stay up-to-date with Michael Jackson-related news.
I hope this happens. Can’t wait!!!
Oh crap. Just go ahead and punish the true fans who already spent their money on the album. When is the music industry really going to learn? Really, give the ‘innovators’ and ‘early adapters’ a reward for buying and don’t release more after you’ve taken our money already.
Nathan this wouldn’t be the first time an album got re-released with more material.
You don’t have to buy the whole album again, you just can purchase the bonus tracks over iTunes or on other Music Stores. Look, a month ago they released an EP of Love Never Felt So Good, did you had to buy this too?
Why do they have to re-release the Xscape tracks? Sure, As JC said, it wouldn’t be the first time an album was re-released, but in the same year? RedOne suggests just buying the new tracks on iTunes, but I’m old school in that I like to have tangible copies of my albums. I see some people commenting saying they wouldn’t mind spending money on the album if it had the extra six songs. Six is only two away from 8. Give us another 2 or 3 songs from the original 24 and you’ve got yourself a new album that more people would buy. I agree with Nathan; I would feel cheated if I were made to buy an album with the same songs again. I think that releasing an album like that would make more people resort to piracy.
The only problem I can immediately think of for this strategy is – what about the Estate/Epic deal made after Michael’s passing? That deal was for a minimum of seven albums. Would an expanded “re-release” of Xscape legitimately count as one of the 7 albums? If so, there’s nothing for Epic to lose with this strategy. If not, however, additional quality songs going on an Xscape re-release would, potentially, cut into material that could be released on some other altogether separate album later on.
Can’t wait. Love you Michael.
Agree with Nathan, “When is the music industry really going to learn?” Clearly, MJ was ahead of them. According to Michael Prince, MJ had no plans to release another album, only singles. Brilliant if you ask me. It is always wise to respect what the consumer wants.
Singles certainly make more sense, now that the dedicated fans in many countries have already bought multiple copies of Xscape to give away and donate to friends or new MJ fans… or how about an EP with the additional tracks only? MJ considered releasing EPs in the 90’s too, so I understand.
My personal fantasy is a re-release of Invincible as a double album with additional material not released in 2001… Invincible certainly deserves a redemption.
Not true. Michael was going to release single after single, which would culminate into a full album after seven or eight songs were released. That album would feature two songs that weren’t issued.
!!of course! He worked on his comeback album from 2006-2009! Til the This Is It-crap killed him!
Hoping this happens, would definitely love some more never before heard tracks! great idea, let’s see if it comes..
I’ve already got the album.
And i know its not right to keep taking the fans money. But to be honest. I would definitely cough up another 10-15 pound for the album again for a handful of new Michael Jackson songs.
Hes the only artist I would do that for.
Time for the Estate to get with Will.I.Am and release those tracks.
I don’t think so, Will has being really clear with his plans, and sadly, they not include release those songs…
Any way, just want to hear Can Get Your Weith Of Me
I’d buy it any time of year…it’s Michael we are talking about here…..the genius…King of Pop:>)
Definitely buy any music that he did .We all love MJ
i agree that invincible album should be re-released ,because the songs of album are really great,i think timbaland should make remix of the album and it will be really great
Timbaland remix of Invincible???
NO NO NO NO NOOOOO
Terrible idea.
i agree that invincible album should re-released because,the album has great songs and should be re-worked by timbaland like “Xcape” album and i think at least,there are 4 or 5 songs will reach the first place
the invinicble album is incredible
one more time…
NO!
Bad idea. 2 many releases of MJ’s unreleased material in a short amount of time. They need to stop purging the vault so fast in so little time. They should wait and take a year off and plan for a possible Dangerous 25 release in 2016. I’d much rather have an anniversary edition of (in my opinion) Michael’s best album EVER, rather then re-release Xscape.
Xscape is not going to bounce back. Sony had their chance and blew it. They waited to long to release the 1st single (and too close to the album release date IMO), and now have waited too long to release single number 2.
Xscape will not be back on the top of the charts again. The novelty is over. Release the next single if you must, or just end it and move on.
@Eric H What are u taking about? U’re acting like Xscape is failure. The album is selling well, selling over 1 million copies worldwide. They haven’t promoted the album for a few weeks now & it’s still selling well. Love Never Felt So Good was a top 10 hit & was a #1 on the Adult Com charts. The only fault the company has is not releasing a new single yet. They already waited a year to release this album why would they take another year off? If I remember correctly they until 2017 to release MJ material. Dangerous 25 is gonna come out in 2016.
I agree with some of the above. I don’t think I would want to buy Xscape again, put out new songs as singles or EP I would also like to see Invincible re-launched in some form. It didn’t get the promotion it deserved because of MJ’s locked heads with TM. Didn’t F.C say in his book that MJ said Invincible would be thought a masterpiece in 10 years – words to that effect. I love that album.
I feel the more they put out the better, but really it will depend on how the second single plays out. In my opinion, A Place Without No Name is a fantastic song in it’s original form, but it’s clearly not one of those “dance floor bangers,” it’s a song that forces listeners to listen and actually imagine the scenario of the song. In 2014 the attention span of top 40 listeners is limited to just quick beats and simple lyrics. I feel like APWNN may not climb the charts because it’s almost too rich, clocking in at over 5 minutes long, they’ll have to do a serious radio edit, which (with a song like that) will kill some of it’s meaning and impact. To take from MJ “you have to feel totally nourished by it.” So I’ll wait to hold my judgment until next month, but it will be interesting to see how it plays out and what kind of video they come up with. Was “Love Never Felt So Good” just a lucky fluke for the album or can they keep that momentum going? I think that will determine the success of the supposed “Xscape 2.0.” Either way I love the album and am just excited that 2014 brought his name back into popular culture in a positive way.
As long as the Estate keeps it’s word and excludes Bieber from STTR remix and any future MJ projects I’m down. No shade to Justin, but he’s not made his presence known as an adult artist yet and I don’t care to see him use Michael to do so. Let him do it on his own steam. But yea, 2.0 sounds great, can’t wait!
I am 100% excited for the possiblity of 14 track re-release of XSCAPE. I do not think they can get anymore perfect with a posthumous album than XSCAPE, and 8 songs was muchh too short for my taste. I would gladly buy a higher-tracked re-release.
If I could have anything, it would be to have a new version of “What More Can I Give” on the re-release of XSCAPE. MJ tried twice to launch that song but circumstances always got in the way. I can only imagine how an XSCAPE’d out version would sound. If there was anyway to make noise for the estate to hear this idea and flirt with the idea of releasing “What More Can I Give” on the re-release, that would make this posthumous era perfect to me. MJ always had a touching world song once he started doing them. “Do You Know Where Your Children Are” is not that representation. That is more along the lines of “Black or White”, where it is a song with a serious message, but one that you can dance to.
AND I agree and have said in the past to various friends that Invincible deserves a re-release with some remixes AND that footage of MJ recordimg the album in the studio that Rodney Jerkins said that he has.
1 million copies worldwide is nothing to be excited about. The album is dropping off charts everywhere as is Love Never Felt So Good. The 2nd single should have been released weeks ago. Sony dropped the ball on that, and the whole hologram BS. I have close ties to people in the radio industry, so I know what I’m talking about. Interest for MJ’s new stuff is very low right now because Sony isn’t doing jack shit to promote it or keep it on the charts.
Re-releasing the album with added stuff is just a bad idea. Wait to raid the vaults until the next project is ready.
Eric Xscape sold 1 million after a few weeks of no promotion in this day & age that’s a good thing. The album is still selling everywhere. In the US the album is selling more than 10,000 every week. Of course Love Never Felt So Good is dropping of the charts because MJ isn’t alive to promote the album. MJ has enough material for the other albums.If they do the same thing they did with Xscape by giving us the new mixes & demos of the tracks than that’s alright.
I doubt LA Ried is gonna put half finished songs on the re-released of Xscape.
i wish they would release all the tracks together instead of trying to make more money. but i am still excited for new KOP music.
I think the estate should stick to a stategy of strong videos, tv specials, unseen footage and use the tracks as mj left them in the videos, not the contemporary ones which will sound dated in a few years. The album needs a more visual presence. The original Xscape is a good track, but the contemporary one is awful. I think Xscape is a strong album ( the none remixed versions of the songs on the deluxe edition), I am keeping my figures crossed for the next release.
it would be better to release a new project, with more untouched songs, or both contemporized and original versions. HIStory is going to turn 20 years of release next year, which could justify many commemorative releases.
I will continue to buy anything that has Michael’s demos on it. I don’t care for the way they “re-worked” any of the songs on Xscape and I totally agree with the person who said that the “new” Xscape track is awful. They ruined that song and Michael had it ready for release so it did not need “fixing.” Actually I never thought any of Michael’s music needed fixing. But if anyone has any pull with the powers that be, please let them know that we want the original demos with anything they release.
Love is dropping off the charts because it hit it’s peak. It has nothing to do with MJ not being there to promote it. Butterflies didn’t have ANY promotion for it, and the album it came from was sabotaged by the record label, yet it hit number 2 on the R&B charts, and MJ was still alive. Care to explain that?
Most of the 1 million sales were done with promotion in the weeks leading up to and the week of the album’s initial release. Like I said, 1 million worldwide for album sales? Nothing to be excited about. Everyone and their Grandmother knows if Sony would have done more to promote the album, and support single releases quicker rather then let the hype of the album die and wait months after the release for the next single release, it would have been a different story.
Pretty sad that the Michael album of all albums has outsold Xscape. Xscape tracks are by far better (with the selection of a few off Michael), yet Xscape hasn’t done nothing.
You say that there was no promotion for ‘Butterflies’, but people wanted to buy it because of a very successful lead single – ‘You Rock My World’. Not to mention that the ‘Invincible’ album was a hit – perhaps not by Michael Jackson’s standards, but it did reach #1. MJ’s ‘Cry’ single was also quite successful, reaching #1 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart and #6 on the Spanish Singles Chart. Also, from 2001-2002, MJ did quite a few live performances – the Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Special concerts promoted the album, while in 2002, he performed live at The Apollo, American Bandstand etc. – perhaps there wasn’t any ‘Butterflies’-specific promotion, but there still was a lot of Michael Jackson-promotion. As for the fact that ‘Michael’ has more sales than ‘Xscape’ – ‘Michael’ has been around for 4 years now, compared to ‘Xscape’, which was released two months ago. Of course ‘Michael”s sales are going to higher for now.
I hope this happens for sure!! it would be a good business move that we also benefit from too. if it pushes the total album says for Xscape well past 2m its good for legacy and the record books. No better way to show MJ is still relevant.
They could do a version with the 8 tracks in their most complete MJ-version. The ones on the deluxe are probably not the most recent ones Michael made. Some songs have a wide variety of version as MJ worked on them continously over the years. This could be a second disc, while the first disc has the same format as Xscape 1.0 with the remaining songs revamped and their most recent originals.
Point is, there’s a lot to be done with the material. But it probably won’t be that elaborate, since the Estate will want to give out songs with intervals to keep the flow going.
‘The strongest tracks’ is a matter of opinion. L.A. Reid’s strongest are not neccesarily THE strongest. He had a specific way of selecting tracks. There’s a lot of stuff there that will most likely rock our worlds. I wouldn’t be to worried about an emptying vault. Elvis and Jimi are still releasing ‘new material’. They’ve been gone a while. All we can do is wait and see. I am curious though…
While ‘A Place With No Name’ is a very good song, I don’t think it’ll boost up ‘Xscape’ sales – I think it’s fair to say that many people bought ‘Xscape’ because a contemporary artist like Justin Timberlake actually sang a ‘duet’ with MJ. That was one of the reasons why ‘Love Never Felt So Good’ was so popular. The Original Version of the ‘A Place With No Name’ was much better – personally, I think this single will be a flop – let’s hope I’m wrong!
Why can’t The Estate of Michael Jackson release some Victory Tour footage? They released footage of one of the ‘This Place Hotel’ performances, and that was it! 2014 is the 30th anniversary of The Jacksons’ tour, which let’s be fair, was mostly Michael Jackson’s tour. This year is the perfect time to release full footage of one of the concerts – I hope “Xscape 2.0” has a DVD featuring Victory Tour footage – ‘Xscape (Deluxe)’ featured a documentary which was bad in every way possible – release some video footage of a concert! I say Victory Tour, but I certainly would not mind Triumph Tour, HIStory World Tour, MJ & Friends, Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Special concerts, or in fact any footage of the 2002 performances (The Apollo concert comes to mind)
My husband made a face when he heard the contemporized version of “A Place With No Name” playing on television on a June 25th anniversary special on BET. They were showing the LA Reid documentary. He likes STTR better and the original “Place with no Name” version better. He didnt think the new version complimented MJ’s vocals. I wonder whst MJ would think.
I’d definitely welcome an Xscape 2.0 with 14 tracks (or more!). I am eager to hear more of MJ’s unreleased material, especially songs that have not yet leaked. I do hope that the original demos are included, and I’d argue that is part of the success of Xscape (at least from the fan perspective).
I also think it makes a lot of financial sense to release an edition for the lucrative pre-Christmas shopping season.
More craps remix are coming soon? I think this article is just a joke.
Don’t want to hear any remix from timbaland any more.
Really sad for what he’ve done!!!
Here’s betting the Audien Slave mix will be thrown on Xscape 2.0 ( which by the way would be a good official album title if it is re-released)
I wouldn’t imagine so. It’s just another throw away mix to add to the list – like the Papercha$er remix of ‘Chicago’ and Fedde Le Grand remix of ‘Love Never Felt So Good’.
I Hope “I Am A Loser” is on here that song is amazing
there are alot of songs out there that still need to be officially released, so it would be easy for them to add thse songs to a 2.0 version without digging in to the vault too much. maybe one or two unheard songs would even it out.
I would love to read an article specifically focused on the songs he had on his radar right before he died from 2009. There are so many songs on the two sheets found in his bedroom that we still have no knowledge about (D.I.E., Adore You, Rock Tonight, Silent Spring, just to name a select readable few). I would love to know the status of these, or how complete they are. I feel like if he was able to have a list put together at that point they must be reasonably complete (Hollywood Tonight, Best Of Joy, The Loser, are just a few on there that we’ve heard). Anyone have any info on these? I’d love to hear even one on Xscape 2.0, see where MJ was musically before he passed.
Can we please drop the idea of re-leasing or remixing Invincible? I get it. There was controversy surrounding it what with Michael’s feud with Sony at the time and the album sales were relatively low for a Michael Jackson album. Don’t get me wrong; it’s actually my favourite album. While I do enjoy some of the contemporised tracks on Xscape, I think it’s bad enough that they’ve got Timbaland and others who never worked with Michael remixing the unreleased stuff; they shouldn’t touch the tracks that Michael approved while he was on this earth.
I bet they’re gonna release some stupid remixes of the contemporised songs on “Xscape 2.0” like ‘Slave To The Rhythm (Audien Remix)’, ‘Chicago (Papercha$er Remix)’ and ‘Love Never Felt So Good (Fedde le Grande Remix)’. I don’t get why they have to remix these songs again! The original versions were fantastic, and the contemporised versions are pretty good. But these remixes are really bad – the Audien Remix basically has two verses, the Fedde le Grande one sounds like a five-year old remixing a classic, and the only good thing with the Papercha$er Remix is the a cappella section they put in…
Im laughing at all the negative comments,fuck me people we don’t get shit for 4 years (and its legit ffs) and now we get a load of new material in the space of months…….fuck off back to your ipads.
I Pray That I Am A Loser is on this album that album is so wonderful.
As Xscape has already been done i don’t think they should include the songs released but how about they release another album in december from the songs mixed and possibly get the gang back to together to produce say a 11 song track list, my idea of the track list would be:
Hot Fun In The Summertime
I Was The Loser
Can’t Get Your Weight Off Of Me
Throwing Your Life Away
If You Don’t Love Me
Lovely Way
Days In Gloucestershire
We’ve Had Enough
I’m Still The King
Shout
Vibrationist
I know that Will.I.Am doesn’t want the track to be released but the estate owns michaels music not will, so this should happen, the album so stick to tradition and be named “Shout” i also know that shout and we’ve had enough have already been released but not on a studio album and i think these are two great songs and would be commercially successful
I reckon some songs that MJ wanted to release himself or did perform live should be released. Examples include ‘What More Can I Give’, ‘Ekam Satyam’, and ‘Elizabeth I Love You’. I also wouldn’t mind a studio version of the 1995 MTV VMA medley
I o ho tutti gli album di MJ e finchè continueranno a pubblicarne li comprerò tutti anche se ci saranno canzoni ripetute.La musica di MJ mi accompagna tutto il giorno e non riuscirei mai più a farne a meno ,mi da la forza per continuare a sopravvivere! Grazie Michael!!!
I love a place with no name its a geat song.Cant wait to see what else he has in store for us im excited
I think it would be wonderful for them to re-release the xscape album with additional tracks.
just have to wait and see what happens in the time being, I’m glad A Place with No Name was released on the album.
I think it would be better if the re releasing albums to be released 1by 1 each year so that it can increase production time and also increase the rating of the album all over the world. Also if possible releasing of holograms of Mj with genuine authorization could be fascinating
Interesting comments by alot of fans….for those fans critical of timbaland and remixes….shut the fuck up you old farts…..invincible re-released with remixes by the likes of timbaland,teddy riley and rodney jerkins….absafuckinglutely….it’s a no brainer…..my opinion bottom line just get the fucking music out there…..too much dickin around and bullshit about what producer mixer does what with mj songs…..I just want to listen to mj…get the point….good….let’s dance 😉
Anyone ever thought how funny if wkend did a duet with mj would be….their latest track in the night is pure mj.
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