"The Essential" de Michael Jackson est un cd de compilation contenant 38 grands succès du chanteur. Il couvre une grande période de production de Michael, depuis sa participation au groupe des "Jackson 5".

Le succès de cette compilation fût mitigé. Deux ans plus tôt, avait déjà paru une autre compilation des succès de Michael Jackson : "Number Ones". Les ventes ont toutefois atteint un niveau surprenant de 1 700 000 albums, ce qui est surprenant compte tenu du fait que la promotion de la compilation fut minime aux États-Unis. Une réédition de l’album se fit en 2008, avec en bonus un 3e cd contenant plusieurs succès de l’artiste.

Date de sortie de l’album : 18 Juin 2005
Producteur : Epic Records
Étiquette (Label) : Epic Records

Titres contenus sur cet album :

Version 2005 (CD 1 et 2) :

1."I Want You Back" (The Jackson 5), "ABC" (The Jackson 5), "The Love You Save" - (The Jackson 5), "Got to Be There", "Rockin' Robin", "Ben", "Blame It on The Boogie" (The Jacksons), "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" (The Jacksons), "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough", "Off the Wall", "Rock with You", She's Out of My Life", "Can You Feel It" (The Jacksons), "The Girl Is Mine" (En duo avec Paul McCartney), "Billie Jean", "Beat It", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", "Human Nature", "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)", "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" (En duo avec Siedah Garrett), "Thriller"

2."Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", "Dirty Diana", "Another Part of Me", "Smooth Criminal", "Leave Me Alone", "Black or White", "Remember the Time", "In the Closet", "Who Is It", "Heal the World", "Will You Be There", "You Are Not Alone", "Earth Song", "They Don't Care About Us", "You Rock My World"

Version Américaine (2005, CD 1 et 2) :

1."I Want You Back" (The Jackson 5), "ABC" (The Jackson 5), "The Love You Save" - (The Jackson 5), "Got to Be There", "Rockin' Robin", "Ben", "Enjoy Yourself" (The Jacksons), "Blame It on The Boogie" (The Jacksons), "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" (The Jacksons), "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough", "Off the Wall", "Rock with You", "She's Out of My Life", "Can You Feel It" (The Jacksons), "The Girl Is Mine" (With Paul McCartney), "Billie Jean", "Beat It", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", "Human Nature", "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)", "Thriller"

2."Bad", "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Leave Me Alone", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", "Dirty Diana", "Another Part of Me", "Smooth Criminal", "Black or White", "Heal the World", "Remember the Time", "In the Closet", "Who Is It", "Will You Be There", "Dangerous", "You Are Not Alone", "You Rock My World"

Réédition 3.0 (2008, CD 1 et 2) :

En plus des deux cd de l’édition américaine de 2005, est ajouté un troisième cd :

1."Can't Get Outta The Rain", "Say, Say, Say", "Jam", "They Don't Care About Us", "Blood On The Dance Floor", "Stranger In Moscow", "Butterflies", "One More Chance"