Unreleased Michael Jackson tracks in 2024? Here’s how
Image credits: Pete Still/Redferns
Twelve unreleased Michael Jackson tracks have been found following the purchase of an old abandoned, storage unit.
The discovery
New tracks from the King of Pop is news that I was certainly not expecting to see at the end of 2024. A storage unit purchased in the San Fernando Valley, once belonging to music producer and singer Bryan Loren, led to the astonishing discovery of twelve unreleased Michael Jackson tracks. The tapes date back to the period between 1989 and 1991, predating Jackson’s Dangerous album.
“I’ve gone to all the fan sites. Some of them [the songs] are rumoured to exist, some of them have been leaked a little bit. A couple aren’t out even out there in the world.”
Gregg Musgrove (the discoverer of the tracks), tells The Hollywood Reporter
The tracklist
Musgrove compiled an inventory of the tracklist, with some tracks having multiple versions, and three remaining unfinished. Among the unreleased material are unique gems that delve into uncharted territory for Jackson, such as a rap collaboration with LL Cool J on the track “Truth on Youth”. Here’s the tracklist:
- “Don’t Believe It”
- “Seven Digits”
- “Can’t Come Back”
- “Son of Thriller”
- “Truth on Youth”
- “She’s Got It Baby”
- “All the Truth You Need”
- “Call It Off”
- “She Got It”
- “Man In Black”
- “Work That Body”
- “A Pretty Face Is”
- “To Satisfy You”
- “Pressure”
- “Serious Effect”
Beyond the music, the tapes offer an intimate glimpse into the creative process, featuring never-heard-before snippets of conversations between Jackson and Loren. These exchanges make the collection even more valuable- a rare insight into the world of the King of Pop.
“I’m listening to this stuff, and I would get goosebumps because nobody’s heard this stuff before. To hear Michael Jackson actually talk and kind of joke back and forth, it was really, really cool.”
Gregg Musgrove
What happens next?
Despite the excitement, it appears unlikely that fans will hear these tracks anytime soon. The Michael Jackson Estate has stated that while it declined to purchase the collection, for an unknown reason, it retains the copyright to the music recordings and compositions. This stance effectively means the music can not be publicly released without the estate’s permission.
However, Musgrove and his team plan to auction the tapes through major auction houses, believing the collection to be in the seven-figure range. The question remains: who will secure these extraordinary pieces of music history?
For now, fans can only wonder what secrets these tracks hold and whether they’ll ever get the chance to hear them.