Which do you prefer Michael Jackson with Jacksons(J5) or Solo?

Growing up in the 90's watching MJ light up the ground as he moonwalked and danced was absolutely mind blowing. As an adult today I have to say that I get the same level of excitement hearing him sing his heart out in his adolescent days with the Jackson 5/Jacksons. Most of my favorite songs by MJ are with his brothers but it's his solo work that got me into that music in the first place so it's hard to choose which one I appreciate the most. This is the song I find myself going back to the most...


So for now I'll have to go with the Jacksons.

 

I voted for The Jackson Five, although I do like some of Michael's solo hits in the early '70s (like "Ben"), and also OFF THE WALL and THRILLER. (I'm done after that).

 

You're forgetting the album that marked his artistic peak. (Bad)

 

No, I didn't. It had the right title, judging by the song.

 

Discovered him as a kid via the cartoons. Loved his whole career, but J5 was my first love.

 

Ah, you had to use one of my favorite Jacksons songs .
Anyway, I chose J5 because their material seems a bit more interesting to me compared to Michael's solo work. Another reason I chose J5 is because of the mini-series The Jacksons: An American Dream. I first watched it about a month or so after Michael's death. That late summer/early of 2009 fall seemed to be a transition period for me; what with moving from the to the east side of Cincinnati and attending yet another new school. Of course, I was listening to quite a bit of Michael's work (both solo and J5), but then I watched An American Dream on VH1. Seeing the events that the family was caught up in before the Motown audition really made an impression on me somehow. I was amazed at how well the actors performed, so much so that it seemed a little too "true". For much of the first half (or "the Early Years" as disc 1 of the DVD calls it), I felt like I was really there with the Jackson family and experiencing all of their joys and struggles. The second half is no slouch either, with the main highlight being Wylie Draper (who, like Michael himself, died far too early). Draper looked and sounded so much like Michael that I was convinced he WAS MJ. The same can be said for Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs' performance as Joseph Jackson. I honestly think that he can do a better Joe Jackson than Joe himself! Here's one of my favorite moments, where Joe discovers that his boys have quite a bit of talent:

 

The Jackson Five.

 

This is one artist I can't choose because I like both equally. In both camps he was an innovator.

 

My fave period runs from the deeper-voiced cuts on Get It Together thru Thriller. I love as many songs on those later Motown & early CBS albums as i do Mike's Off The Wall and even Thriller & Bad, with OTW having 4 of the strongest songs.

 

One of my favorites during that time period.

 

I'm not really fan, but I can't argue with Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad. Especially the latter, which was an incredible album. After this, the albums got much longer and less inspired. Still the odd gem, but mostly tuneless, overlong songs with that clanging drum sound. Never cared for the Jackson 5 at all.

 

I like both, but solo wins by a nose...

 

I'm crazy about almost everything he created, but the music released on Epic Records, both group & solo recordings are favourites of mine.

 

From around 1975/76-80 - group or solo. So, both!

 

Same here pretty much. My favorite MJ is from 75-83, which means both Jacksons and solo.

 

I feel they are Three Different careers. 1) as the youngest person in a young R&B group. 2) As a young group, growing up as an adult act. 3) An artist going solo from a well know group. Like all phases of his career.

 

I can't choose really, they had such good work....

That's a very good movie. Unlike a lot of other biopics like this, it's accurate (as far as musically speaking) and the acting is really good. Totally agree about Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs and Wylie Draper.

 

Andy what is your most listened to MJ/J5/Jacksons song?

 

When it comes to solo MJ on Motown it's Forever, Michael. My favourite Jackson 5 albums are Dancing Machine & Moving Violation. Really like Lookin' Through The Windows & Skywriter too! Moving Violation is the one I play most often though. IMO Michaels highlight on Motown. 1975 was a very good year for him both as a solo act and as a member of the J5.

 

Which nose?

 

I like both, but I choose his solo period.

 

Motown Years of both J5 & Michael solo, not as excited with the post Motown stuff.
My wife likes everything he's done.

Darryl

 

While I also enjoyed much of his later work, I really dug him in his early prodigy stage.

 

I think The Jacksons (blue album) through to Bad is his best stretch. Bad suffers a bit in the production department but the songwriting is still there. The outtake "I'm So Blue" is proof he still had the Motown melodicism in him.

My favorite album overall involving him is The Jacksons' Destiny. It is is a charming album that is just the right length. and despite the presence of two big hits, hasn't been overexposed. Off The Wall is a close second.