Recording sessions : August 1998-September 2001
Studios : The Hit Factory (New York City), Criteria Studios (Miami, Florida), Marvin’s Room
(Los Angeles, California), Darkchild Studios (Los Angeles, California), Record Plant (Los Angeles, California), Future Recording Studio (Norfolk, Virginia), Sony Studios (New York City), Record One
(Los Angeles, California), A Touch of Jazz Studios (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), Brandon’s Way Recording
(Los Angeles, California), Capitol Studios (Hollywood, California)
Label : Sony Music
Release date : October 30, 2001
Peak on Billboard 200 : 1
Original track listing
Unbreakable (featuring The Notorious B.I.G.)
Heartbreaker (featuring Fats)
Invincible (featuring Fats)
Break of Dawn
Heaven Can Wait
You Rock My World
Butterflies
Speechless
2000 Watts
You Are My Life
Privacy
Don’t Walk Away
Cry
The Lost Children (featuring Prince Jackson & Aldo Cascio)
Whatever Happens (featuring Carlos Santana)
Threatened
ALTERNATIVE VERSIONS*
*Worked by MJ during his lifetime. Covers and remixes by other artists are not included.
You Rock My World (short film version) : Mix done in July 2001 for the short film. Remains unreleased.
OUTTAKES FROM THE ALBUM RECORDING SESSIONS
Bio : Written by Michael Jackson, Brad Buxer in 1998-2001 Remains unreleased.
Blue Powder : Written by Michael Jackson, Brad Buxer in 1998-2001. Remains unreleased.
Shout : Recorded in 2001 & released in 2001 (Side B to the “Cry” single).
Fall Again (demo) : Recorded in 1999 & released in 2004 (The Ultimate Collection Box Set).
She Was Loving Me (Chicago) : Recorded in 1999. Original demo + new remix by Timbaland released posthumously in 2014 (Xscape) under the title “Chicago”.
A Place with No Name : Recorded in 1998-2008, snippet leaked in 2009. Full song leaked in 2013. Original demo + new remix by Stargate released posthumously in 2014 (Xscape)
Blue Gangsta : Recorded in 1998, snippet known as “No Friend Of Mine” leaked in 2006 and full song leaked in 2010. Original demo + new remix released posthumously in 2014 (Xscape)
Rampage : Written and recorded in 1999-2001. Snippet leaked in 2020. Remains unreleased.
Seeing Voices : Recorded in 1999. Frank Casio auctionned a demo tape in May 2014. Leaked online in 2016 but remains unreleased.
We Be Ballin : Recorded in 1999-2001 and leaked in 2009. Remains unreleased.
(I Can’t Make It) Another Day : Recorded in 1999-2001 & released posthumously in 2010 as a remix (Michael). Original demo remains unreleased.
Cheater (2nd demo) : Reworked during Invincible sessions (1999-2001). Failed to make the Invincible album; Features rapper “Fats”. Short snippet leaked online but remains unreleased.
Xscape/aka Escape : Recorded in 1999-2002 & leaked in 2002. Original demo + new remix by Darkchild released posthumously in 2014 (Xscape).
Get Your Weight Off Of Me : Written and recorded in 1999-2004. Finalized and mixed in 2004. One of numerous tracks recorded with Rodney Jerkins that is vocally complete and ready for release. Often referred to with the wrong title (“Can’t Get Your Weight Off Of Me”), Only three very short snippets are online. The whole version was played by Michael Prince to a few fans. Run time: 5:17. Full demo remains unreleased.
We’ve Had Enough : 1st mix recorded in 1999-2001. New mix recorded in 2004 & released in 2004 (The Ultimate Collection Box Set).
One More Chance : Recorded in 1999-2003 & released in 2003 (Number Ones).
Beautiful Girl : First mix recorded in 1998. New mix recorded & released in 2004 (The Ultimate Collection Box Set).
What You Do To Me : Demo recorded in 1998. Damien Shields : “The 1998 What You Do To Me filing is an early demo of The Way You Love Me. The version I heard had primitive production and only had scratch vocals on the chorus (no verse vocal). However, a lyric sheet for the complete song was also enclosed. MJ is scatting/yodelling at the end”.
The Way You Love Me : Recorded in 2000. Second mix recorded and released in 2004 (The Ultimate Collection Box Set) + new remix released in 2010 (Michael).
Hollywood Tonight : Recorded in 1999-2008. Additional vocals recorded late 2008 in Michael’s Bel Air Hotel suite. Damien Shields : “There are unreleased vocals of MJ ad-libbing “she’s too young to understand” during the bridge of Hollywood Tonight which somehow slipped through the cracks and were never used in any posthumous remix. There’s an unreleased rhythm guitar by David Williams too”. Remixed version featuring Taryll Jackson was released posthumously in 2010 (Michael). Demo leaked in 2014 but remains unreleased.
Monster : Recorded in 1998. Mentionned by Michael Prince & CJ DeVillar. Mj sings “you created a monster” in the chorus. The song was played to fans. Not related to the FAKE Cascio song released in 2010. Damien Shields : “Recorded 1998. Epic production. Lots of layers. It’s dark. Heavy beat. Has a string section. MJ sang the strings in a voicemail left on Brad Buxer’s answering machine, and Michael Prince brought them to life musically. Lyrics: “you created a monster” and that’s it.” Remains unreleased.
I Have This Dream (1st demo) : Written by Michael Jackson, David Foster and Carol Bayer Sager in 1999 during the Invincible sessions. The song was reworked in 2005. Both demos remains unreleased.
OTHER SONGS FROM THIS ERA
Thank Heaven : Damien Shields : “MJ spoken intro (dedicating the song to “my son Michael Jackson Jr”) but the song itself is sung by a woman + choir. Sounds like a lullaby/nursery rhyme. Remains unreleased.
Neverland Landing : Damien Shields : Just say “children’s song” Remains unreleased.
Light The Way : Damien Shields: “has a horn section intro, and a choir in the choruses. According to my notes, the choir sings: “Light the way, let’s pray for peace”. Slow song. No lead vocal on what I heard. Just music + choral chorus”. Remains unreleased.
Children’s Holiday : Recorded in November 1997 for the fund-raising band J-friends along with ‘People Of The World’. The lyrics were translated to Japanese by Goro Matsui. Released in 1998 only in Japan. Michael’s solo demo remains unreleased.
People Of The World : Released only in Japan in 1998 for the Japanese children’s choir J-Friends. Solo demo leaked in 2014 but remains unreleased.
Space Dance : Michael’s voice and beatboxing was recorded for the soundtrack of the videogame Space Channel 5 in 2000. It remains unreleased.
I Love You : Song recorded by 3T for their second album in 1998 and co-produced by MJ. Over 20 songs were recorded for the album and only 12 would have been on it. The album however was never released by Sony due to strained relationships between MJ (3T were signed on his label MJJ Music) and Sony. This album is known as The Lost Album. When MJ died in 2009, a written note indicates that he wanted to finish the song “I Love You” with Taryll.
“Ekan Satyam (The One Truth)” : Recorded as a duet in 1999 by Jackson (singing in English) and Rahman (singing in Sanskrit).
What More Can I Give (solo demo) : Recorded in 1998 and sent to artists during the recording of 9/11 Charity song in 2001. Leaked in 2017 but remains unreleased.
What More Can I Give : Recorded from September to November 2001.Sony refused to release it in 2001. 200 promo copies of the song were sent to the musicians who participated in the recording process, it was leaked in 2002 by WKTU-FM’s Program Director Frankie Blue and finally released digitally on October 27, 2003. The song was never released on CD or streaming platforms.
Toda Para Ti : Spanish version of What More Can I Give. Recorded from September to November 2001.Sony refused to release it in 2001. Released digitally on October 27, 2003. The song was never released on CD or streaming platforms.
Invincible : single and videos (2001-2002)
Concerts
Michael Jackson And Friends 1999
Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration 2001
Previous era : « Blood On The Dance Floor » (1997)
Jackson Dynasty 