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Michael Jackson is well on his way to claiming the Official Albums Chart Number 1 this weekend with his second posthumous release Xscape.

Back in March it was announced Epic Records had teamed up with the late Michael Jackson’s estate to compile an album of previously unheard tracks.

Xscape features ‘contemporised’ versions of the original track recordings and high-profile producers include Timbaland, Rodney Jerkins, JRoc, Stargate and John McClain.

Michael Jackson has an impressive chart history scoring 30 Official Albums Chart Top 40s and nine Number 1s, to date. And, selling over 25,000 copies so far this week, Xscape looks on track to be the late King Of Pop’s 10th UK Number 1 album.

The Official Charts Company | The UK Charts | Top 40

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Amazon.com: XSCAPE (Deluxe Edition CD\DVD): Music

#1 Best Sellers in Music

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XSCAPE #1 in 51 Countries

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LA Reid (Album Producer) answering questions on Twitter

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itunes Chart

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Song chart positions on itunes

Love Never Felt So Good
#1 Slovakia
#2 Anguilla
#2 Brunei Darussalam
#2 Laos
#3 Malaysia
#3 Philippines
#4 Hong Kong
#4 Indonesia
#4 Mexico
#4 Singapore
#4 Ukraine
#5 United States
#5 Argentina
#5 Denmark
#5 Ecuador
#5 Poland
#6 France
#6 Taiwan
#7 Thailand
#8 Israel
#8 Malaysia
#8 Netherlands
#8 Taiwan
#9 Armenia
#9 Czech Republic
#9 Fiji
#9 New Zealand
#9 Spain
#9 Sweden
#9 Uzbekistan
#1 0 Azerbaijan
#1 0 Canada
#1 0 Chile
#1 0 Egypt
#1 0 Greece
#1 0 Hungary
#1 0 Spain
#1 1 Colombia
#1 1 United Arab Emirates
#1 2 United Kingdom
#1 2 Armenia
#1 2 Brazil
#1 2 Indonesia
#1 2 Russia
#1 2 South Africa
#1 2 Sri Lanka
#1 2 Vietnam
#1 3 Peru
#1 4 Greece
#1 4 Hong Kong
#1 4 Thailand
#1 5 Italy
#1 5 Norway
#1 5 Portugal
#1 6 Lithuania
#1 6 Philippines
#1 6 Poland
#1 6 Sri Lanka
#1 7 Belgium
#1 7 France
#1 7 Namibia
#1 7 Singapore
#1 9 Estonia
#1 9 Honduras
#1 9 Mongolia
#2 0 Bermuda
#2 0 Chile
#2 0 Germany
#2 0 Luxembourg
#2 0 Switzerland
#2 1 India
#2 1 Kenya
#2 1 Macau
#2 2 Ireland
#2 2 Philippines
#2 2 Trinidad and Tobago
#2 4 Australia
#2 5 Kazakhstan
#2 6 Ukraine
#2 9 India
#3 0 Egypt
#3 1 Finland
#3 2 Netherlands
#3 3 Uzbekistan
#3 4 Japan
#3 4 Mexico
#3 5 Dominican Republic
#3 6 Russia
#3 6 Sweden
#3 6 Vietnam
#3 8 United States
#3 8 United Kingdom
#3 8 Belarus
#3 8 Brunei Darussalam
#3 8 Kazakhstan
#4 0 Colombia
#4 0 Mauritius
#4 0 Nigeria
#4 2 Kenya
#4 2 Nigeria
#4 2 Turkey
#4 3 Bulgaria
#4 4 Denmark
#4 4 Mongolia
#4 6 Bulgaria
#4 6 Ireland
#4 6 Macau
#4 7 Norway
#4 8 Brazil
#4 9 Luxembourg
#4 9 United Arab Emirates
#5 0 Japan
#5 0 Romania
#5 0 Switzerland
#5 3 Belgium
#5 4 Austria
#5 5 Slovakia
#5 8 Canada
#5 8 Namibia
#5 8 Netherlands
#5 8 New Zealand
#6 1 Argentina
#6 4 Italy
#6 5 South Africa
#6 7 Germany
#6 7 Lithuania
#6 8 Azerbaijan
#7 2 Costa Rica
#7 2 Latvia
#7 3 Bermuda
#7 4 Israel
#7 5 Nicaragua
#7 7 Saudi Arabia
#7 7 The Bahamas
#7 9 Guatemala
#7 9 Peru
#8 0 Bahrain
#8 3 Romania
#8 6 Honduras
#8 7 Turkey
#8 8 Guatemala
#9 1 Estonia
#9 1 Latvia
#9 1 Mauritius
#9 1 Portugal
#9 2 Czech Republic
#9 3 India
#9 9 Australia
#1 05 Cyprus
#1 05 Paraguay
#1 08 Austria
#1 10 France
#1 11 Spain
#1 13 Hungary
#1 15 El Salvador
#1 15 Moldova
#1 18 Cyprus
#1 21 Slovenia
#1 22 Indonesia
#1 23 Thailand
#1 25 Belarus
#1 25 Czech Republic
#1 30 Netherlands
#1 34 Argentina
#1 34 Ecuador
#1 38 Malta
#1 40 Mozambique
#1 41 Mozambique
#1 42 Cayman Islands
#1 47 Taiwan
#1 48 Panama
#1 49 Spain
#1 51 Bahrain
#1 51 Chile
#1 51 Ghana
#1 52 Ghana
#1 67 Lebanon
#1 67 Malaysia
#1 69 El Salvador
#1 77 Russia
#1 83 Grenada
#1 84 Grenada
#1 86 Barbados
#1 91 Singapore
#1 99 Papua New Guinea
#2 21 Bolivia
#2 32 Venezuela
#3 85 Qatar
#3 97 Botswana

Xscape
#4 5 Mongolia
#5 1 India
#6 5 Kenya
#6 8 Poland
#8 3 Russia
#9 1 Azerbaijan
#9 2 Denmark
#9 7 Sweden
#1 05 France
#1 20 Switzerland
#1 22 Norway
#1 29 Mexico
#1 32 New Zealand
#1 34 Germany
#1 40 United Kingdom
#1 42 Spain
#1 47 Hong Kong
#1 50 Hungary
#1 52 Dominican Republic
#1 53 United Arab Emirates
#1 56 Macau
#1 63 Canada
#1 63 Indonesia
#1 69 Bermuda
#1 70 United States
#1 73 South Africa
#1 75 Italy
#1 75 Japan
#1 81 Netherlands
#1 85 Bulgaria
#1 92 Chile
#1 99 Belgium
#2 05 Taiwan
#2 06 Turkey
#2 09 Brunei Darussalam
#2 20 Portugal
#2 32 Estonia
#2 33 Australia
#2 35 Brazil
#2 47 Peru
#2 49 Nicaragua
#2 51 Thailand
#2 60 Vietnam
#2 62 Singapore
#2 82 Sri Lanka
#3 06 Ireland

Loving You
#1 Laos
#1 1 British Virgin Islands
#6 0 Jordan
#6 9 Philippines
#7 4 Nicaragua
#7 6 Hong Kong
#7 8 Indonesia
#9 2 India
#1 04 Singapore
#1 06 Portugal
#1 08 Malaysia
#1 35 France
#1 40 Spain
#1 46 Netherlands
#1 48 New Zealand
#1 50 Chile
#1 52 Chile
#1 72 Malaysia
#1 76 Russia
#1 80 United States
#1 90 France
#2 06 Mexico
#2 08 United Kingdom
#2 13 Taiwan
#2 23 Thailand
#2 26 Nigeria
#2 33 Estonia
#2 39 Brazil
#2 45 Denmark
#2 46 Costa Rica
#2 61 Vietnam
#2 70 Norway
#2 72 Japan
#2 87 Sri Lanka
#3 16 Ireland
#3 35 Canada
#3 42 Australia
#3 53 Switzerland
#3 55 Germany
#3 71 Austria

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Michael Jackson's Originals Better Than Updates on 'Xscape'

There are high and low moments on Michael Jackson's second posthumous album, "Xscape," available Tuesday on Epic Recordings. The distinction is rooted in the difference between the contemporized and original versions of previously unreleased songs from the late iconic star.

The album includes eight modern versions of the songs, and the deluxe includes an additional nine original recordings. The catch: Most of the original versions are good as-is; there wasn't a need to give them a contemporary twist.

Considering Jackson is one of the most revered artists of all time and many of his fans are still mourning his 2009 death, his essence is best captured on the versions that revisit his old sounds. On "Love Never Felt So Good," "Loving You," and "A Place With No Name," Jackson feels more organic. The music is stripped down, and his sharp vocals find comfort with the tracks. During these moments, listeners are reminded of Jackson during "Off the Wall" or "Thriller" eras with songs that may not have made the final cut but are satisfactory.

All good, but let's move on to the "modernized" versions. Some of the contemporized takes on the songs are, simply, unsuccessful at capturing Jackson's majestic fluid sound. ("Love Never Felt So Good" featuring Justin Timberlake is one of the exceptions.) Dance track "Slave to the Rhythm" composed by Babyface, L.A. Reid, Daryl Simmons, and Kevin Roberson has an 1980s breakdancing, boogaloo groove that seems a mismatched fit for Jackson. The title track, helmed by Jackson, Rodney Jerkins, Fred Jerkins III, and LaShawn Daniels is another awkward composition, as the track — though good — heavily leans on a booty-shaking, twerk-ready hip-hop tempo, a complete departure for Jackson. "Chicago" feels like an attempt to recapture the energy of Jackson's "Liberian Girl," but it's not as infectious.

"Blue Gangsta" is a puzzling, theatrical song that would have been better suited for one of Jackson's shorts. The concept, possibly a reference to heartache, seems like an early draft of his song "Smooth Criminal."

For the introductory listen, those who desire to feel Jackson nostalgia should skip the first eight songs — i.e., the contemporized productions — and advance to the deluxe portion. It's worth hearing first the songs that better match Jackson's familiar style. The updated versions should be considered as bonus material and special mixes.

https://music.yahoo.com/blogs/music-...010410857.html

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Love Never Felt So Good ft. Justin Timberlake OFFICIAL Music Video

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Rare Pic of MJ and LA Reid

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Vocal Reviews on Xscape Album

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/m...d-approve.html