There needs to be more videos like this. Michael is so remembered for all of the controversial topics, and not enough time is spent diving into his musical gifts he created whilst he was here. I want to learn more about that.

I always preferred the beat it jacket over the thriller jacket

Hi! I was ten years old when Michael released Billie Jean & Beat It as singles. I had no clue this was actually a R&B/AOR crossover. I diddn'T even know he was a black artist, at first. It doesn't matter anyway. All I knew was how much I love everything about these songs... And, in hindsight I'm sure that's all you need to know. Michael's voice and songs need no further explanation. Still a fan in 2026. R.I.P Michael...

5:00

I briefly dated a life coach who told me this about ideas and inspiration. "Well ya know, the idea will choose someone else if you don't respect it enough to claim it(along those words)". She was older than me and had seen a bit more of the world. That's wild.

dude please put the whole interview in one video, this has to be preserved and viralized

Gen x drummer, i had to stop the video and go from My Sharona to Beat It, in my mind. Wow, you can almost feel what Michael may have been feeling, that's incredible . Great look into this process, love these treasured insights Anthony!!

I would have never thought it came from that inspiration. It's so much more hard rock than My Sharona lol

About Billie Jean: the bassline of “State Of Independence”, by Donna Summer and also produced by Quincy (a Quincy’s claim) and “I Can’t Go for That” by Hall & Oates” (Michael’s claim, well a Darryl Hall claim in fact) are HUGE influences. For Thriller: Rod Temperton used “Don’t Stop ‘till You Get Enough” as a basis, and when you hear the keyboard reduction of the two, it’s obvious. Nothing comes out of the blue, but it doesn’t take away MJ’s or Rod’s genius. They are some of the greatest who ever did it of course. Of course!!!

Let’s talk about the MJ’s legendary Hee hee.

There was no explanation at all of what happened musically. Just the inspiration

Love learning the history behind these great songs ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

I'm never going to be able to unhear the connection between those two songs now!

"...he was a feel person..." (about Michael Jackson)

I think Michael Jackson changed everything about music videos. The idea of Beat It was from what Michael saw in the streets.

Bit like Timothy Gallwey's inner game of tennis - Let go of the logical self, tune into the other self... But funkier ;)

I’m already over many of the conversations that surround Michael’s work after reading just a couple of sly comments, simply because certain White people and other anti-Black people, plus toxic Prince fans, don’t actually care about the collaborative effort it took to make these songs and albums, or highlighting Michael. They’re more interested in saying "Michael couldn’t have done it without White people" without verbally saying it, but it’s clear as day, because I see it every time whenever I’m looking across the internet for info on Michael’s processes with his teams and studio sessions and fun facts, and just seeing any more comments like that has got me fed up.

And it’s so stupid for so many reasons. 1. Being that he could choose whoever he wanted to work with. Anyone should be fortunate that they got to work with Michael out of every artist on the planet. 2. Those White and non-Black people are doing Black music anyway, from Michael’s culture. Every popular music genre comes from Foundational Black Americans, other than classical.

It’s the same garbage they do with constantly trying to say "Michael learned how to dance from Fred Astaire". Great, and who did Fred Astaire learn from? Black people. And who did any of the White guys Fred Astaire learned from, learn from? Also Black people. And Michael learned from other Black people in the Black community within these Black genres, as well, such as James Brown.

He also did write some of his own music, yet ya’ll keep spreading the rumor that he didn’t. As if he was a talentless hack who also couldn’t play instruments. Trying to muddy up his legacy. The music doesn’t exist without Black people. The dancing doesn’t exist without Black people, all the way to KPOP. Michael was willing to work with non-Black people. That’s the only reason some of you people even know some of their names. He has the biggest name in music for a reason. He was a powerhouse. Nobody is impressed with your White hero stories to diminish Black artists. Black hero stories are what are impressive in America. He became the King Of Pop in this anti-Black racist world, and this anti-Black racist country, having to break barriers as a Black man, and this is what ya’ll choose to try and do to his legacy after all of that effort he put into all of his songs and performances?

People came to see and hear Michael for a reason. It doesn’t work without him. Never would have. You can thank Black people for Elvis, Frank Sinatra, and any of your other favorites. Kiss, The Beatles, Queen. Your favorite Rock bands from the UK. All of them. Ya’ll will forever hate a Black person being credited for anything, EVEN WHEN BLACK PEOPLE MADE THESE GENRES, which is why ya’ll try to White-wash the history of America’s music, and deny it all of the time, because you’re too ashamed and bitter to admit the truth. You’re never going to make us see Michael as lesser. Artists collaborate to make great art. If ya’ll haters weren’t racist, we’d have no issues. Ya’ll just suck.

It’s the only problem with Black people working with non-Black people, because people hate when the Black person is the stand out. Nobody gives a rats tail to highlight Black people who help White people. Even Eminem goes out of his way to tell so much of his racist White audience (that only exists because he’s White) all of the Black people who taught, helped, and allowed him to reach the status he’s at (to Black people’s detriment in the culture clearly), and those White people couldn’t care less, and pretend that those Black people who practically made Eminem, and got him to where he is in the industry, don’t exist, and that Eminem did it all on his own. Too many of ya’ll are not appreciative of Black artists at all

The process you are actually talking about is the Reticular Activating System. here's how the mind works regarding this if you are or want to be a creative person: 1-NEVER force an idea. 2-Tell yourself (your mind) what you are after (In this case, the driving hooky baseline) then forget about it. 3- Your mind unbeknownst to you is working behind the scene and when it finds it, it pops it out for you. It's an amazing process. 4-try it and thank me later.
The easiest way to see it: 1-tell yourself the sort of tee/shirt color you'd love to have. 2-forget about it. 3-One day, while walking outside or something, your mind will notice a person wearing that  and it will immediately remind you of it.  4-try it and thank me later.
Above all, if you are a creative person, NEVER force an idea. If you feel blocked, do something else...your mind will carry on its magic.
If you find this useful, give it a like. Thanks.

You need to interview Steve Lukather about the guitar parts

My favourite MJ song by far, my favourite part is the angelic synth sound blend at the end of each verse...

Michael was truly enthuse about what he wanted on in his music. When the Jackson left Motown that’s when Michael creative juices seemed to have started flowing. At Motown it was a known fact that Berry Gordy kept many of Motown singers from writing and recording their own songs. He kept so many songs that was even written by Holland/Dozier/Holland on the shelf for 2-3 years before getting okayed by him. That was a big reason The Jackson’s and others left Motown and all becoming successful writers and artists. 👏🏽