Jackson family battle: Michael vs. Janet (battle over)

We haven't had one of these in a while, and since we've never had any battles involving any Jacksons I figured why not. Each bracket is one Michael song vs. a Janet song. This might end up with the last two songs being either one or the other, but we'll see.

1a) Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
1b) When I Think of You

2a) Rock With You
2b) What Have You Done For Me Lately?

3a) Thriller
3b) Rhythm Nation

4a) Beat It
4b) Miss You Much

5a) Billie Jean
5b) Escapade

6a) The Way You Make Me Feel
6b) Love Will Never Do (Without You)


7a) Smooth Criminal
7b) That's The Way Love Goes

8a) Man in the Mirror
8b) Together Again

The video links probably aren't at all necessary for Michael, but hey, his videos are kind of fun.

1a) Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

2b) What Have You Done For Me Lately?

3a) Thriller

4b) Miss You Much

5a) Billie Jean

6a) The Way You Make Me Feel


7b) That's The Way Love Goes

8b) Together Again

1b) When I Think of You

2b) What Have You Done For Me Lately?

3a) Thriller

4b) Miss You Much

5a) Billie Jean

6a) The Way You Make Me Feel

7a) Smooth Criminal

8a) Man in the Mirror

1a) Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

2b) What Have You Done For Me Lately?

3a) Thriller

4a) Beat It

5a) Billie Jean

6a) The Way You Make Me Feel

7a) Smooth Criminal

8b) Together Again

We pick the one we want to see in the next round, right?

1a) Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

2b) What Have You Done For Me Lately?

3a) Thriller

4b) Miss You Much

5a) Billie Jean

6a) The Way You Make Me Feel

7a) Smooth Criminal

8a) Man in the Mirror

Quote:

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Originally posted by Myrnalene

We pick the one we want to see in the next round, right?

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Yes.

1b) When I Think of You

2a) Rock With You

3a) Thriller

4b) Miss You Much

5b) Escapade

6b) Love Will Never Do (Without You)

7b) That's The Way Love Goes

8a) Man in the Mirror

1a) Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

2b) What Have You Done For Me Lately?

3a) Thriller

4a) Beat It

5a) Billie Jean

6a) The Way You Make Me Feel

7a) Smooth Criminal

8a) Man in the Mirror

1a) Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
2b) What Have You Done For Me Lately?
3a) Thriller
4a) Beat It
5a) Billie Jean
6a) The Way You Make Me Feel
7a) Smooth Criminal
8a) Man in the Mirror

I really don't see Janet having any chance at all against Michael. Her best songs are better than some of her brother's worse songs, but he's just way too far ahead of her otherwise.

Quote:

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Originally posted by parzival

I really don't see Janet having any chance at all against Michael. Her best songs are better than some of her brother's worse songs, but he's just way too far ahead of her otherwise.

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In terms of this battle, I never actually expected Janet to win. But I can't agree with you. Michael, at his best, did better than Janet ever did, however I think over the course of their two careers (assuming your just talking solo stuff. The Jackson 5/The Jacksons might put Michael over the edge. It's arguable.), Janet's overall body of work is better than Michael's. He had two excellent albums, and a couple of good singles otherwise. She was good from Control until All For You. (86-01). Whether you can give that credit to Janet herself, or Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, I don't know. You can make the same argument for Michael and Quincy Jones, though. ETA: Of course, in terms of just singles, Michael blows Janet out of the water.


1b) When I Think of You

2a) Rock With You

3a) Thriller

4b) Miss You Much

5a) Billie Jean

6b) Love Will Never Do (Without You)

7a) Smooth Criminal

8a) Man in the Mirror

Quote:

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Originally posted by Taumpy

In terms of this battle, I never actually expected Janet to win. But I can't agree with you. Michael, at his best, did better than Janet ever did, however I think over the course of their two careers (assuming your just talking solo stuff. The Jackson 5/The Jacksons might put Michael over the edge. It's arguable.), Janet's overall body of work is better than Michael's. He had two excellent albums, and a couple of good singles otherwise. She was good from Control until All For You. (86-01). Whether you can give that credit to Janet herself, or Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, I don't know. You can make the same argument for Michael and Quincy Jones, though. ETA: Of course, in terms of just singles, Michael blows Janet out of the water.

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AGREED, although Janet has had a few stunners on her more recent albums. "I want you" from Damita Jo was a stunner and she's had some fantastic sunny tracks on Discipline and 20 Y.O. that went unnoticed. But I cannot deny that some of Michael's singles are heaven in a bridge.

1a. When I think of you

2a. Rock With You

3b. Rhythm Nation

4b. Miss You Much

5a. Billie Jean

6b. Love Will Never Do (Without You)

7b. That's the Way Love Goes

8b. Together Again

JANET STAN

Round 2:

1a) Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
1b) What Have You Done For Me Lately?

2a) Thriller
2b) Miss You Much

3a) Billie Jean
3b) The Way You Make Me Feel

4a) Smooth Criminal
4b) Man in the Mirror

Uh-oh. Things are looking dark for Janet already. :( (Panther, I'm glad someone voted for Rhythm Nation. It pained me to vote against that song. But putting it against Thriller, what can you do?)

1b) What Have You Done For Me Lately?

2a) Thriller

3a) Billie Jean

4a) Smooth Criminal

Aw geez.

1b) What Have You Done For Me Lately?

2a) Thriller

3a) Billie Jean

4a) Smooth Criminal

1b) What Have You Done For Me Lately?

2b) Miss You Much

3b) The Way You Make Me Feel

4b) Man in the Mirror


I feel like a blue in a red state...:(

1a) Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

2a) Thriller

3a) Billie Jean

4a) Smooth Criminal

1b) What Have You Done For Me Lately?

2b) Miss You Much

3a) Billie Jean

4a) Smooth Criminal

1b) What Have You Done For Me Lately?

2a) Thriller

3a) Billie Jean

4a) Smooth Criminal

1b) What Have You Done For Me Lately?

2a) Thriller (really really wanted to vote for Janet here but just... couldn't.)

3a) Billie Jean

4a) Smooth Criminal


And this will go to round three sometime tomorrow.

1a) Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

2a) Thriller

3b) The Way You Make Me Feel

4b) Man in the Mirror




Almost forgot to vote

Round 3!

1a) What Have You Done For Me Lately?
1b) Thriller

2a) Billie Jean
2b) Smooth Criminal

1a) What Have you Done For Me Lately?

2a) Billie Jean

1b) Thriller

2a) Billie Jean

1a) What Have You Done For Me Lately?

2a) Billie Jean

1a) What Have You Done For Me Lately?

2b) Smooth Criminal

1b) Thriller

2b) Smooth Criminal

1b) Thriller

2a) Billie Jean

1a) What Have you Done For Me Lately?

2a) Billie Jean

1a) What Have you Done For Me Lately?

2a) Billie Jean

Final round! Yay, Janet made it!

What Have You Done For Me Lately?
vs.
Billie Jean

What Have You Done For Me Lately?

You know, I never could have predicted this showdown. Regardless:

What Have You Done For Me Lately?

Billie Jean.

2a) Billie Jean

Billie Jean

What Have You Done For Me Lately.

Just because it's Janet's.

Billie Jean

Billie Jean (Sorry Janet. :( )

Well, I'd say it's official. Michael wins. (and I called Billie Jean winning in round 2, though IMO it's not his best song.)

Quote:

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Originally posted by Taumpy

(and I called Billie Jean winning in round 2, though IMO it's not his best song.)

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What do you think is?

It's not his best song, but it is a very pivotal one as far as his career goes and so has been cemented in people's minds. The distinctive bass, the unveiling of the moonwalk in his first televised performance of it, and of course, its link to the Pepsi commercials that set in motion his addiction to pain killers.

Billie Jean both made and destroyed him, in a way.

I would say Thriller, though I may be very influenced (perhaps unfairly) by the video. It's definitely debatable, as at least in one sense (how well the sound/production of the songs have aged) Billie Jean does win out.

Who wants to host Jermaine Jackson vs Reenie Jackson or Randy Jackson?