"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" is a song by American singer

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...

recorded for his sixth studio album ''

Thriller Thriller may refer to: * Thriller (genre), a broad genre of literature, film and television ** Thriller film, a film genre under the general thriller genre Comics * ''Thriller'' (DC Comics), a comic book series published 1983–84 by DC Comics i ...

'' (1982). It is the opening track of the album and was released as its fourth single on May 8, 1983, by

Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was founded predominantly as a jazz and classical mu ...

. It was written by Jackson and produced by Jackson and

Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...

. The lyrics pertain to strangers spreading rumors to start an argument for no good reason. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" evokes the disco sound of Jackson's previous studio album, ''

Off the Wall ''Off the Wall'' is the fifth studio album by American singer Michael Jackson, released on August 10, 1979, by Epic Records. It was Jackson's first album released through Epic Records, the label he recorded under until his death in 2009, and t ...

'', released in 1979. The song is characterized by a complex rhythm arrangement and a distinctive horn arrangement. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" became Jackson's fourth consecutive top 10 single from ''Thriller'' on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at number five. The song also topped the charts in Canada as well as the Netherlands and charted within the top 20 and top 30 in several countries. It was generally well received by contemporary music critics. As part of the release of ''

Thriller 25 ''Thriller 25'' is the 25th anniversary edition reissue of American singer Michael Jackson's sixth studio album '' Thriller'' (1982). The original album has sold 70 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling album of all time. ''Thrill ...

'', a remix of "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin", entitled "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008 with Akon", was recorded with

Akon Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam (; born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon, is a Senegalese-American singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of " Locked Up" (featuring Styles P ...

, and released as the second single from the album. The remix was commercially successful, mainly charting within the top 10 in six countries, as well as the top 20 in several territories worldwide and top 40 in Canada. It was more successful internationally than in the United States, having peaked on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number 81, which was the song's lowest charting position. Unlike previous singles from ''Thriller'', "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" did not have a music video to accompany it but was performed by Jackson on world concert tours as both a member of

The Jacksons The Jackson 5 (sometimes stylized as the Jackson 5ive, also known as the Jacksons) are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most o ...

and as a solo artist. Following Jackson's death in June 2009, the song re-entered music charts worldwide. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" has been covered and sampled by multiple recording artists since its release, notably by Rihanna in her 2007 song " Don't Stop the Music", who was sued as a result. Aside from ''Thriller'', the song appears on multiple compilation and greatest hits albums by Jackson.

Background

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" was written, composed and co-produced by Michael Jackson, and produced by

. It was originally written for his sister

La Toya Jackson La Toya Yvonne Jackson (born May 29, 1956) is an American singer and television personality. The fifth child and middle daughter of the Jackson family, Jackson first gained recognition on the family's variety television series, ''The Jacksons'', ...

about her troubled relationship with her sisters-in-law, but Michael ended up recording the song, and La Toya sometimes performs the song at her concerts. The song was originally recorded in 1978 for the inclusion on the ''

'' album, but was later re-recorded in fall 1982, in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, California. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" was one of the four songs that Jackson received writing credits on for his sixth studio album ''

'' in 1982. The song was released by

as the fourth single from the album. Unlike ''Thriller''s previous singles, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" did not have a film or a

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...

released to promote it. Aside from ''Thriller'', "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" has appeared on multiple compilation and greatest hits albums by Jackson since the song's release. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" appeared on the first disc of Jackson's two-disc compilation album '' HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I'' in 1995 as well as the 25th anniversary edition of ''Thriller'', entitled ''

'', and the greatest hits album '' King of Pop''; both albums were released in 2008. The song is also included on the box set collection released in 2004, '' The Ultimate Collection'', the greatest hits album ''

The Essential Michael Jackson ''The Essential Michael Jackson'' is a greatest hits compilation album by American singer Michael Jackson. It was released on July 19, 2005, by Sony Music's catalog division Legacy Recordings as part of ''The Essential'' series. The two-disc com ...

'', the compilation album '' This Is It'', and the special box set '' The Collection'' released days after Jackson's death. Some versions of the 1995 ''

Earth Song "Earth Song" is a song written and performed by American singer and songwriter Michael Jackson for his ninth studio album, '' HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I'' (1995). It was released on November 27, 1995, by Epic Records as the third ...

'' CD single included the ''

Brothers in Rhythm Brothers in Rhythm are a British electronic music group comprising Dave Seaman, Steve Anderson and Alan Bremner. The group was originally a duo comprising Seaman and Anderson, with Bremner joining later in 1999. They have remixed and/or produc ...

Mix'' and ''Tommy D's Main Mix'' as B-sides. The song was also remixed to the ''

Immortal Immortality is the ability to live forever, or eternal life. Immortal or Immortality may also refer to: Film * ''The Immortals'' (1995 film), an American crime film * ''Immortality'', an alternate title for the 1998 British film '' The Wisdom of ...

'' album in 2011. The demo version of the song was also released in ''This Is It'' (2009).

Composition

post-disco Post-disco (also called boogie, synth-funk, or electro-funk) is a term to describe an aftermath in popular music history circa 1979–1985, imprecisely beginning with an unprecedented backlash against disco music in the United States, leading to ...

and

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the mid ...

song, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" was viewed as a nod to the disco sound of Jackson's material on his previous studio album, ''

'', released in 1979. Arranged by Jackson himself and played by

percussionist A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...

Paulinho da Costa, the song's rhythm was regarded as a "complex interweaving of drum-machine patterns and work", while the horn section, arranged by

Jerry Hey Jerry Hey (born 1950) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, horn arranger, string arranger, orchestrator and session musician who has played on hundreds of commercial recordings, including Michael Jackson's '' Thriller'', ''Rock with You'', ...

, was described as both "brassy and precise". ''

Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...

'' commented that the song was a "complicated tapestry of colliding hooks and pop references." The song's lyrics, "Too high to get over, too low to get under", has strong similarities to

Funkadelic Funkadelic was an American funk rock band formed in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1968 and active until 1982. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, pioneered the funk music culture of the 1970s.John, Bush. Funkadeli ...

's opening

salvo A salvo is the simultaneous discharge of artillery or firearms including the firing of guns either to hit a target or to perform a salute. As a tactic in warfare, the intent is to cripple an enemy in one blow and prevent them from fighting b ...

for "

One Nation Under a Groove ''One Nation Under a Groove'' is the tenth studio album by American funk rock band Funkadelic, released on September 22, 1978 on Warner Bros. Records. Recording sessions took place at United Sound Studio in Detroit, Michigan, with one song reco ...

". The lyrics pertain to the media and press, as well as gossip and people trying to start arguments or problems for no reason, which he states in the lyrics, "Someone's always tryin' to start my baby crying," and then goes to a more "quasi paranoia" yield in the "near-bitterness" chorus, 'You're a vegetable, you're a vegetable/ You're just a buffet, you're a vegetable/ They'll eat off you, you're a vegetable.'" In "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin", Jackson's vocal range spans from E₃ to A₅. Played in the key of

E major E major (or the key of E) is a major scale based on E, consisting of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. Its key signature has four sharps. Its relative minor is C-sharp minor and its parallel minor is E minor. Its enharmonic equivalen ...

, the song is moderately bright with a tempo of 122

beats per minute Beat, beats or beating may refer to: Common uses * Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area ** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols ** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men * Battery ...

. It has a basic sequence of D/E–E–D/E–E as its chord progression. The coda at the end of the song, which comes directly from Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango's 1972 disco song " Soul Makossa", is "Mama-say mama-sah ma-ma-coo-sah".

Makossa Makossa is a Cameroonian style of urban music. Like much other late 20th century music of Sub-Saharan Africa, it uses strong electric bass rhythms and prominent brass. In the 1980s makossa had a wave of mainstream success across Africa and to a ...

is a Cameroonian music genre and dance. Dibango sued Jackson and, in 1986, settled out of court for one million French francs, agreeing thereby to waive future rights to this recording but not future use of the material.

Critical reception

Christopher Connelly, a writer for ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its cov ...

'', described "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" as being ''Thriller''s "most combative track". Connelly noted that in the "hyperactive" song, Jackson's "emotions are so raw that the song nearly goes out of control". He further commented that the song has a "tune that's almost as exciting as seeing Jackson motivate himself across a concert stage – and a lot more unpredictable". Remarking that while the song's lyrics "won't keep

Elvis Costello Declan Patrick MacManus OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in 2020, and has twice been nomi ...

awake nights", they "do show that Jackson has progressed past the hey-let's-hustle sentiments that dominated ''Off the Wall''". He added that Jackson's "raw ability and conviction make material like 'Baby Be Mine' and 'Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' into first-class cuts". ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' called the song a "smash," specifically praising the "danceable groove...superb arrangement and strange but ultimately uplifting lyrics."

Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, oc ...

, a writer for AllMusic, listed "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin", along with "

Beat It "Beat It" is a song by American singer Michael Jackson from his sixth studio album, ''Thriller (Michael Jackson album), Thriller'' (1982). It was written by Jackson and produced by Jackson and Quincy Jones. Jones encouraged Jackson to include a ...

", "

Billie Jean "Billie Jean" is a song by American singer Michael Jackson, released by Epic Records on January 2, 1983, as the second single from his sixth studio album, '' Thriller'' (1982). It was written and composed by Jackson and produced by Jackson and ...

", and "

Human Nature Human nature is a concept that denotes the fundamental dispositions and characteristics—including ways of thinking, feeling, and acting—that humans are said to have naturally. The term is often used to denote the essence of humankind, or w ...

", as being the best songs from ''Thriller''. He also described the song as the "freshest funk on the album". Eric Herderson, a writer for ''Slant Magazine'', commented that with "three quick rimshots", he felt that "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" was like a "court fanfare".

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...

, a music critic, commented that he'd "expect to bear more" of ''Thriller''s "Wanna Be Startin' Something" and "Thriller" on the "dancefloor" rather than in his "living room". "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" received one

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

nomination; it was nominated for "Best R&B Song" at the 1984 Grammy Awards, but lost to "Billie Jean," another of Jackson's singles from ''Thriller.'' ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...

'' ranked this song No. 2 on its list of "The 200 Best Songs of the 1980s", saying that "if you're going to become the biggest star in the world, it helps to make the biggest song".

Chart performance

In 1983, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" had a good chart performance worldwide. The song entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart top ten positions on July 2, 1983, at number nine, having moved up six places from the song's previous week. On July 16, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" charted at number five, which was the song's peak position on the chart. The song's peak position made "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" ''Thriller''s fourth consecutive single to peak within the top ten on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It was more commercially successful than ''Thriller''s follow-up single "Human Nature" on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, with the song peaking on the chart at number seven. The song also peaked within the top ten, at number five, on the Black Singles Chart. Internationally, the song was commercially successful, mainly charting within the top 20 and top 30 on music charts. In the United Kingdom, on June 11, 1983, the song entered the chart's top 40 positions at number 38. The following week, the song moved up 24 positions to number 14, and on June 25, the song peaked within the top ten at number eight. The song remained on the charts for a total of nine weeks in 1983. In New Zealand, on July 24, 1983, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" entered the charts at number 47. The following week, the song peaked at number 35, which was its peak position, and remained in the top 50 of the chart for three weeks. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" entered the Dutch charts on July 9, 1983, charting within the top five at number four. The following week, the song charted at number three, which was its peak position, for three consecutive weeks. The song charted within the top ten for several weeks, and remained in the top 20 for ten weeks in 1983. In 2008, after the release of ''Thriller 25'' the song re-entered music charts worldwide. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" entered the Italian music charts on February 21, 2008, charting at number 14; it remained on the chart for only one week. The song entered the Danish music charts on February 28, charting within the top 30 at number 29. The following week, it peaked at number 22. In Switzerland, the song entered the top 50 at number 47 on February 24, 2008. The following week, the song peaked at number 30. After a total of six weeks on the chart the song, fell out of the top 100, and after four weeks re-entered the chart at number 83, before falling off the chart again. Following Jackson's death in June 2009, his music experienced a surge in popularity. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" re-entered the United Kingdom charts on July 4, 2009, and peaked at number 57 the following week. On July 12, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" re-entered Switzerland music charts for the second time. The song charted at number 37, which was its peak position, and remained on the charts for three weeks, before charting out of the top 100 positions.

Live performances

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' " was one of the songs released as a single without an accompanying video. It nonetheless has attained a popularity rivaling its sister compositions on the album, and became Jackson's song of choice for opening live concerts, although not being as strictly associated with a specific dance routine as those others has arguably allowed for more flexibility in performances and staging. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin", along with "

" and "

", was also used on every set list of Jackson's tours, from the Victory Tour in 1984, right the way through to the HIStory Tour in 1997. Unlike most of the other songs performed live, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" was never lip-synced during any of Jackson's tours. The song was first performed by Jackson as both a member of

as well as a solo artist during world concert tours. It was performed by Jackson during the Jacksons final world concert series, including the Victory Tour in 1984, for which it was the tour's opening song. Similar to the Victory Tour, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" was the

Bad World Tour Bad was the first solo concert tour by American singer Michael Jackson, launched in support of his seventh studio album ''Bad (album), Bad'' (1987). Sponsored by Pepsi and spanning 16 months, the tour included 123 concerts for over 4.4 million ...

opening song on both tour legs. The concert series lasted from 1987 to 1989. A version was released on the 2012 DVD ''

Live at Wembley July 16, 1988 ''Live at Wembley July 16, 1988'' is a live concert DVD by American recording artist Michael Jackson released on September 18, 2012. It was included with the '' Bad 25'' reissue, as well as by itself. This is the third Jackson tour stop released o ...

''. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" was also performed during Jackson's

Dangerous World Tour The Dangerous World Tour was the second world concert tour by American singer Michael Jackson to promote his eighth studio album '' Dangerous.'' The tour was sponsored by Pepsi-Cola. All profits were donated to various charities including Jack ...

from June 1992 to November 1993. The next, and what would be the last performance of the song, was during Jackson's world concert tour,

HIStory World Tour The ''HIS''tory World Tour was the third and final worldwide solo concert tour by American singer and recording artist Michael Jackson, covering Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania and North America. The tour included a total of 82 concerts spanning ...

, from 1996 to 1997. Since March 2009, Jackson was preparing to perform "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" during his This Is It concert series from July 13, 2009 to March 6, 2010. During rehearsals at

Staples Center Crypto.com Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. The arena opened on October 17, 1999; it was ...

for the This Is It comeback concerts in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major s ...

The O2 Arena The O2 Arena, commonly known as the O2 (stylised as The O2 arena), is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the centre of the O2 entertainment complex on the Greenwich Peninsula in southeast London. It opened in its present form in 2007. It has the s ...

, Jackson's performance of "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" contained an

a cappella ''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without Musical instrument, instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differ ...

snippet of "Speechless", from Jackson's studio album '' Invincible'' (2001). Following Jackson's death in June of the same year, video footage of Jackson rehearsing the song was used as the opening song in the 2009 concert documentary, ''

Michael Jackson's This Is It ''Michael Jackson's This Is It'' is a 2009 American documentary–concert film about Michael Jackson's rehearsals and preparation for the concert series of the same name scheduled to start on July 13, 2009, at the O2 Arena, but cancelled du ...

''.

Manu Dibango controversy

After Barbadian pop singer Rihanna sampled the song in her 2007 hit single " Don't Stop the Music", she and Jackson were both sued in February 2009 by Cameroonian musician Manu Dibango, who claimed that both songs stole the "mama-say mama-sa mama-coo-sa" hook from his 1972 single " Soul Makossa" without permission. According to

Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse (AFP) is a French international news agency headquartered in Paris, France. Founded in 1835 as Havas, it is the world's oldest news agency. AFP has regional headquarters in Nicosia, Montevideo, Hong Kong and Washington, D. ...

, Jackson admitted earlier that he had borrowed the line for "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin and had eventually settled financially with Dibango. However, when Rihanna asked only Jackson's permission to sample the line in 2007, Jackson allegedly approved the request without contacting Dibango beforehand. Dibango's attorneys brought the case before a court in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

, demanding

€ The euro sign () is the currency sign used for the euro, the official currency of the eurozone and unilaterally adopted by Kosovo and Montenegro. The design was presented to the public by the European Commission on 12 December 1996. It consists o ...

500,000 in damages and for

Sony BMG Sony BMG Music Entertainment was an American record company owned as a 50–50 joint venture between Sony Corporation of America and Bertelsmann. The venture's successor, the revived Sony Music, is wholly owned by Sony, following their buyout ...

EMI EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At the time of its break-up in 201 ...

and

Warner Music Warner Music Group Corp. ( d.b.a. Warner Music Group, commonly abbreviated as WMG) is an American multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the " big three" recording companies and t ...

to be "barred from receiving 'mama-say mama-sa'-related income until the matter is resolved". Dibango lost the case in Paris, after it turned out that Universal Music had updated its database and added Dibango into the list of those credited for Rihanna's song.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album ''

''. *Michael Jackson: lead and backing vocals, songwriting *

Greg Phillinganes Gregory Arthur Phillinganes (born May 12, 1956) is an American keyboardist, singer-songwriter, and musical director based in Los Angeles, California. A prolific session musician, Phillinganes has contributed the role of keyboards to numerous alb ...

Rhodes Rhodes (; el, Ρόδος , translit=Ródos ) is the largest and the historical capital of the Dodecanese islands of Greece. Administratively, the island forms a separate municipality within the Rhodes (regional unit), Rhodes regional unit, w ...

, synthesizer *

Michael Boddicker Michael Lehmann Boddicker (born January 19, 1953) is an American film composer and session musician, specializing in electronic music. He is a three times National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (N.A.R.A.S.) Most Valuable Player "Synthes ...

and Bill Wolfer: synthesizers * David Williams: guitar * Louis Johnson: bass * Paulinho da Costa: percussion *

, Gary Grant: trumpets,

flugelhorn The flugelhorn (), also spelled fluegelhorn, flugel horn, or flügelhorn, is a brass instrument that resembles the trumpet and cornet but has a wider, more conical bore. Like trumpets and cornets, most flugelhorns are pitched in B, though some a ...

s *

Larry Williams Larry Williams (born Lawrence Eugene Williams, a.k.a. Lawrence Edward Williams; May 10, 1935 – January 7, 1980) was an American rhythm and blues and rock and roll singer, songwriter, producer, and pianist from New Orleans, Louisiana. Williams ...

: saxophone, flute * Bill Reichenbach: trombone *Michael Jackson, Nelson Hayes and Steven Ray: bathroom stomp board *Vocal arrangement by Michael Jackson *Rhythm arrangement by Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones *Horn arrangement by Jerry Hey and Michael Jackson *Background vocals: Julia Waters, Maxine Waters,

Oren Waters Oren Waters is an American vocalist best known for his work with the backup singing group The Waters, his siblings: Luther, Maxine and Julia. As an ensemble, Waters has been a part of 260 gold and over 100 platinum albums with artists ranging fro ...

James Ingram James Edward Ingram (February 16, 1952 – January 29, 2019) was an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He was a two-time Grammy Award-winner and a two-time Academy Award nominee for Best Original Song. After beginning his career ...

, Bunny Hull and Becky Lopez *Produced by Quincy Jones *Co-produced by Michael Jackson

Track listing

;United States 7" version #"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" (single version) – 4:19 #"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" (instrumental) – 4:19 ;United States 12" version #"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" (12" version) – 6:31 #"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" (instrumental) – 6:31 ;United Kingdom 7" version #"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" (single version) – 4:19 #"

Rock with You "Rock with You" was written by Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones. It was first offered to Karen Carpenter, while she was working on her first solo album, but she turned it down. It was released on November 3, 1979, by Epic Records as ...

" (live with

) – 3:58 ;Europe 12" version #"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" (12" version) – 6:31 #"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" (instrumental) – 6:31 #"

" (live with

) – 3:58

Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" was re-recorded for the 2008 re-issue of ''

'', entitled ''

''. The song was titled on the CD sleeve as "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008 with

". Recorded in November 2007, the 2008 version was remixed, co-written and co-produced by Akon. The single of that song was the last one released during Jackson's lifetime. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" received mixed reviews from contemporary music critics, with critics having felt that while the 2008 version was good, it was not better than the original, but was better than other re-issues on ''Thriller 25''. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic commented that "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" was turned into a "moody piano murk". He further commented that while the song is not great, "it is better than Fergie parroting the lyrics of 'Beat It' back to a recorded Jackson, and it's better than

will.i.am William James Adams Jr. (born March 15, 1975), known professionally as will.i.am (pronounced "Will-I-am"), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is the founding and lead member of the musical group Black Eyed Peas. ...

turning 'The Girl Is Mine' into a hapless dance number". Rob Sheffield, a writer for ''Rolling Stone'', commented that "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" is "actually kind of great" and praised the song's composition. The song was released by Epic Records and

Legacy Recordings Legacy Recordings is an American record label that is a division of Sony Music. Formed in 1990 after Sony's acquisition of CBS Records, Legacy originally handled the archives of Sony Music-owned labels Columbia Records and Epic Records. In ...

on March 21, 2008. It was commercially a modest success internationally, charting within the top 20 in several countries, as well charting within the top ten in four territories. The song charted at number three in Sweden, number four in New Zealand, number eight in Australia and number ten in France. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" charted at number 15 in Belgium's Flanders and Wallonia charts. and also charted at number 20 in Italy. In the US, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" peaked at number 81 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, giving the song its lowest charting position. The song also charted on the Pop charts at number 48, as well as number 47 on the Pop Hot 100 Airplay. Other charting positions include number 47 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Digital Songs and the Hot Canadian Digital Singles Chart at number 33. It also peaked at number 2 on the Dance Club Songs chart. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" also reached number 19 on the year-end chart of Dance Club Play Song. A music video to promote the single and album consisted of a montage of previous Michael Jackson music videos and concert footage, and also clips of Akon singing his parts.

Charts

Track listing

*CD single #"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" Radio Edit – 3:51 #"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" Johnny Vicious Club – Radio Edit – 3:36 #"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" Johnny Vicious Full Club Remix – 9:03

Remix credits

*Written and produced by Michael Jackson, Aliaune "Akon" Thiam, Giorgio Tuinfort *

Lead vocals The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of th ...

by Aliaune "Akon" Thiam and Michael Jackson (on second verse) *Background vocals by Michael Jackson *Mixed by Mark "Evil" Goodchild *Recorded in November 2007

Cover versions and uses in popular culture

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" has been covered and sampled by multiple recording artists since its release. *Jackson's elder sister

has frequently covered the song. She used it to open her set at 1993's Sopot Song Festival, on MDR in the 1990s, and on the sixth season of the United Kingdom television show ''

Celebrity Big Brother ''Big Brother VIP'', is an adaptation of the '' Big Brother'' reality television series. It is the celebrity version of its parent franchise ''Big Brother'', the celebrity version airs in several countries, however, the housemates or houseguest ...

'' in 2009. *

Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...

performed "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" as the opening selection throughout her Greatest Love World Tour in 1986, which ran from July to December. In February 2010, she again performed the song, along with Jackson's "

The Way You Make Me Feel "The Way You Make Me Feel" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was released by Epic Records on November 9, 1987, as the third single from his seventh studio album, '' Bad''. It was written and composed by Jackson, and pro ...

", during her

Nothing but Love World Tour The Nothing but Love World Tour was the ninth and final concert tour by American recording artist, Whitney Houston. It was her first major tour in almost a decade and was used to promote her seventh studio album '' I Look to You'' released in 200 ...

. *One week after Jackson's death,

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...

used that song as part of a medley of Jackson's songs as a tribute, during her second leg of her

Sticky & Sweet Tour The Sticky & Sweet Tour was the eighth concert tour by American singer Madonna, to promote her eleventh studio album, ''Hard Candy'' (2008). It was Madonna's first major venture under a new ten-year 360 deal with Live Nation. Following a serie ...

in July 2009. A dancer impersonated Jackson, performing his signature moves, like spinning, moonwalking and gyrating. *''

Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...

'' used it as the opening song in its "

Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name "Michael" * Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian and ...

" episode (2012). This cover debuted and peaked at number 78 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, number 46 on the Digital Songs chart and number 88 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart at the week of February 18, 2012. Darren Criss performed the song. * Ashaye covered the song as part of his single "Michael Jackson Melody" in 1983.

References

{{Authority control 1982 songs 1983 singles 2008 singles Akon songs Dutch Top 40 number-one singles Epic Records singles La Toya Jackson songs Michael Jackson songs Songs involved in plagiarism controversies Post-disco songs RPM Top Singles number-one singles Sampling controversies Song recordings produced by Akon Song recordings produced by Michael Jackson Song recordings produced by Quincy Jones Songs written by Akon Songs written by Michael Jackson Songs about the media

Background

Composition

Critical reception

Chart performance

Live performances

Manu Dibango controversy

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Personnel

Track listing

Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008

Charts

Track listing

Remix credits

Cover versions and uses in popular culture

See also

References