The Essential Michael Jackson
The Essential Michael Jackson is a greatest hits compilation album by American singer Michael Jackson. It was released on July 19, 2005, by Sony Music's catalog division Legacy Recordings as part of The Essential series. The two-disc compilation features thirty-eight hit songs by Michael Jackson, from his days at Motown Records with The Jackson 5 in the late 1960s and early 1970s to his 2001 hit "You Rock My World".
On August 26, 2008, The Essential Michael Jackson 3.0 was released in the US as a limited edition containing an additional disc of seven songs performed by Jackson. A re-titled release in the UK was planned on July 6, 2009 as The Hits, but was cancelled upon Jackson's death. As of 2018, the album has sold more than 6 million copies and certified 4× platinum in the US.Track listing
European & international version
American & Canadian version
US limited-edition 3.0 bonus disc
Japanese version
Qobuz.com Studio Masters (digital version; 24bit/96kHz)
Charts
Weekly charts
Chart | Peak position |
US Billboard 200 | 46 |
Chart | Peak position |
US Billboard 200 | 31 |
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
Certifications and sales