# Michael Jackson: Songs You Didn't Know He Wrote
Michael Jackson wrote a lot more songs than you realize. For this list, we’ll be looking at songs the King of Pop wrote for other artists - not including tracks that he is featured on. Our countdown of songs you didn't know were written by Michael Jackson includes “This Had to Be” (1980) by The Brothers Johnson, “State of Shock” (1984) by Mick Jagger, “Joy” (1994) by Blackstreet, “Eaten Alive” (1985) by Diana Ross, and more! Let us know which writing credit surprised you the most in the comments below!
## 10. "This Had to Be" (1980) - The Brothers Johnson
## 9. "Muscles" (1982) - Diana Ross
## 8. "State of Shock" (1984) - Mick Jagger
## 7. "Eaten Alive" (1985) - Diana Ross
## 6. "Centipede" (1984) - Rebbie Jackson
## 5. "Nite Line" (1984) - Quincy Jones
## 4. "We Are the World" (1985) - USA for Africa
## 3. "Joy" (1994) - Blackstreet
## 2. "Do the Bartman" (1990) - The Simpsons
## 1. "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" (1987) - Michael Jackson
These hidden gems showcase the King of Pop's incredible talent and versatility as a songwriter. Which writing credit surprised you the most? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Michael Jackson wrote a lot more songs than you realize. For this list, we’ll be looking at songs the King of Pop wrote for other artists - not including tracks that he is featured on. Our countdown of songs you didn't know were written by Michael Jackson includes “This Had to Be” (1980) by The Brothers Johnson, “State of Shock” (1984) by Mick Jagger, “Joy” (1994) by Blackstreet, “Eaten Alive” (1985) by Diana Ross, and more! Let us know which writing credit surprised you the most in the comments below!
## 10. "This Had to Be" (1980) - The Brothers Johnson
## 9. "Muscles" (1982) - Diana Ross
## 8. "State of Shock" (1984) - Mick Jagger
## 7. "Eaten Alive" (1985) - Diana Ross
## 6. "Centipede" (1984) - Rebbie Jackson
## 5. "Nite Line" (1984) - Quincy Jones
## 4. "We Are the World" (1985) - USA for Africa
## 3. "Joy" (1994) - Blackstreet
## 2. "Do the Bartman" (1990) - The Simpsons
## 1. "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" (1987) - Michael Jackson
These hidden gems showcase the King of Pop's incredible talent and versatility as a songwriter. Which writing credit surprised you the most? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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MusicTranscript
00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 10 songs you didn't
00:08know were written by Michael Jackson.
00:14For this list we'll be looking at songs the King of Pop wrote for other artists, not
00:18including tracks that he has featured on.
00:20Let us know which writing credits surprised you the most in the comments below.
00:43The Grammy and Tony Award winning singer is best known for her role in Dreamgirls on Broadway.
00:51Holiday became a household name when she belted The Beautiful and I'm Telling You I'm Not
00:57Going in that hit musical.
00:59She began her studio career with a bang and quickly was accompanied by some heavy star
01:03power.
01:11Her second studio album opens with a whimsical song about longing for love, written by none
01:16other than Michael Jackson.
01:26The song and the album were not massive successes, though it's pretty tough to compete with the
01:31everlasting impact of her debut single, which has only ever been rivaled by the powerful
01:36pipes of Jennifer Hudson.
01:42Don't Forget The Day, this legendary R&B group debuted.
01:49Known for their 90s hits such as No Diggity, Blackstreet staked their claim to fame with
01:55the self-titled album release in 1994.
01:58The platinum record includes the ballad Joy, written by Michael and originally intended
02:03to be featured on his Dangerous album.
02:10According to Levi Little, Michael's version was sped up and more upbeat than the song
02:14we know today.
02:16With the help of the group's founder and producer, Teddy Riley, Blackstreet flipped
02:20the single as their own.
02:27Joy slid on to the Billboard Hot 100 charts, peaking at 43.
02:40Number 8.
02:41All Right Now, Ralph Tresvant After success and new addition, Ralph Tresvant
02:47debuted his self-titled solo album in 1990.
02:50The CD included the single, All Right Now, written by Michael Jackson.
03:01Not only can you hear Jackson's influence stylistically, many often compare the two
03:06singers' vocals.
03:08Jackson inspired Tresvant way before his solo career, as the group allegedly chose their
03:12name to signify a new addition of the Jackson 5.
03:23The album went double platinum, but Tresvant's solo career was not as well received as projects
03:29from other former band members Bobby Brown and Bell Biv DeVoe.
03:34After Tresvant released another studio album, New Edition reunited as a group in the mid-90s.
03:38Number 7.
03:47Love Never Felt So Good, Johnny Mathis We know what you're thinking.
03:53But isn't this actually a Michael Jackson song?
03:56Yes and no.
04:03Michael wrote the song during a collaboration session with Paul Anka back in the 80s.
04:08The hit was written for and recorded by Johnny Mathis for his 56th studio album.
04:19While Mathis' version never reached much acclaim, the single sparked re-interest after Michael's
04:24original demo was leaked.
04:26The song was re-released posthumously in addition to an alternate duet version with Justin Timberlake
04:31in 2014.
04:33The single was downloaded nearly 100,000 times within just two days of its release.
04:41Number 6.
04:42Nighttime Lover, LaToya Jackson Talent most certainly runs in the family.
04:49LaToya, the middle child of the Jackson clan, released her eponymous debut solo album to
04:54kick off the 80s.
05:01Thanks to her brother's pen, Nighttime Lover was released as the second single for the
05:06album.
05:12You might find it a little odd that a song so intimate was shared between siblings.
05:16But it wasn't originally intended for big sis.
05:29Michael actually wrote the song, then titled Fire Is The Feeling, for the queen of disco
05:34herself, Donna Summer.
05:35Despite a funky beat and Michael's backing vocals, the song was ultimately outperformed
05:40by her premiere single, If You Feel The Funk.
05:52Number 5.
05:53This Had To Be, The Brothers Johnson Cue the synth.
05:58The Brothers Johnson dominated the disco and R&B charts in the early 80s under the guidance
06:02of legendary music producer Quincy Jones.
06:11The brothers collaborated with Michael for This Had To Be on their fourth studio album.
06:16While the song wasn't necessarily a hit, the album soared to the top of the R&B charts
06:21and into the top five for pop albums.
06:27The late Louis Johnson, otherwise known as Thunder Thumbs, kept a close working relationship
06:32with Jackson.
06:33After his work in the funk duo, Louis was most known for his bass playing on the groundbreaking
06:38Thriller album.
06:40His technique was so unique that he is credited as one of the grandfathers of slap bass playing.
06:52Number 4.
06:53What's Your Game, MDLT Willis.
06:57This one-hit wonder comes from Joe Jackson's short-lived label, Ivory Tower International
07:01Records Inc.
07:02MDLT Willis, signifying the initials of four singing sisters, was a girl group brought
07:15to life by Michael's father.
07:17Being under the wing of the Jackson family, it only makes sense that they would lend some
07:20of their talent over to ensure success.
07:27The single's writing credits go to the Jackson 5, making it one of Michael's earliest credits,
07:33as he was only 16 years old when the song was released.
07:36The song peaked at 89 on the Billboard 100 before the group was disbanded.
07:45The label produced one other single, How Can I Be Sure, for the youngest Jackson brother,
07:50Randy.
07:51Number 3.
07:52State of Shock, Mick Jagger.
08:01Michael and Freddie Mercury of Queen had reportedly been trying to record a song together for
08:05quite some time, but the opportunity never presented itself.
08:09The two powerhouses had allegedly recorded three songs together.
08:13There Must Be More to Life Than This was posthumously released in 2014, while Victory remains unavailable
08:19to the public.
08:20However, the final song, State of Shock, was reworked into a joint effort between the Jacksons
08:26and the Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger.
08:34The collaborator struck gold as the 1984 hit soared to the top of the charts around the
08:39world.
08:40Like Jackson, Jagger solidified his place in music and pop culture with his signature
08:44sound and presence.
08:50Even with his selectivity towards collaborating, the two legends shocked the world with an
08:55unforgettable single.
09:02Number 2.
09:03Do The Bartman, The Simpsons Cast.
09:06From nominations to animation, the king of pop did it all.
09:10Michael was reportedly a big fan of The Simpsons.
09:17He wrote this song, which follows Bart Simpson in yet another act of rebellion.
09:21This time he's shaking up a stale school concert.
09:28Apparently he petitioned to write for the show, and even ended up writing another song,
09:33Happy Birthday Lisa, for an episode focused on an MJ impersonator.
09:37However, Michael only provided the speaking role for the impersonator, while another actor
09:41sang due to contractual obligations.
09:44Do The Bartman was such a success, it was even nominated at the 1991 MTV VMAs for Best
09:50Special Effects in a Video.
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10:13Number 1.
10:14Eaten Alive, Diana Ross In a friendship between two superstars spanning
10:19more than 40 years, there's bound to be a major collaboration or two.
10:31The Supreme singer helped catapult the Jacksons into stardom, marketing their debut as Diana
10:35Ross Presents The Jackson 5 in the late 60s.
10:39The pair worked together several times on songs like Ross' hit Muscles, and even performed
10:44together on stage.
10:46Jackson co-wrote and provided co-vocals on Eaten Alive for Ross' 16th studio album.
10:55The album itself was widely regarded as a critical failure, however the title track
11:00made its way to the top 10 on the R&B charts.
11:03Throughout their careers, the two remained friends and spoke very highly of one another's
11:06successes.