Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
Encyclopedia
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" is a song by American songwriter and recording artist Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...

. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" was released on May 8, 1983, by Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...

 as the fourth single from Jackson's sixth studio album Thriller
Thriller (album)
Thriller is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was released on November 30, 1982, by Epic Records as the follow-up to Jackson's critically and commercially successful 1979 album Off the Wall...

in 1982. It is the first song on Thriller. The song was written, composed and co-produced by Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...

.

The song's lyrics pertain to strangers spreading rumors to begin or start an argument for no good reason. Musically, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" has a cross-cultural disco theme, similar to Jackson's material from his previous album Off the Wall
Off the Wall (album)
Off the Wall is the fifth studio album by the American recording artist Michael Jackson, released August 10, 1979 on Epic Records, after Jackson's critically well received film performance in The Wiz. While working on that project, Jackson and Quincy Jones had become friends, and Jones agreed to...

in 1979. The song's rhythm arrangement consists of interweaving drum-machine patterns, while the horn arrangement is brassy and precise. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" has been covered and sampled by multiple recording artists since its release. Aside from Thriller, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" appears on multiple compilation and greatest hits albums by Jackson.

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" was generally well received by contemporary music critics. The song was also commercially successful, charting within the top 20 and top 30 in multiple countries. The song became Jackson's fifth consecutive top ten single in the United States on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

, peaking within the top ten at number five. The song re-entered charts in 2008 after the release of Thriller 25
Thriller 25
Thriller 25 is a 25th anniversary special edition reissue of the Michael Jackson album Thriller, the world's best selling album. The prospect of a "second chapter" to Thriller was first publicly discussed on Access Hollywood in late 2006. Jackson said he would discuss the idea with collaborator...

. Following Jackson's death in June 2009, the song re-entered music charts worldwide, mainly due to digital download sales. 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
The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...

 and as a solo artist.

As part of the release of Thriller 25, a remix of "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", entitled "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008", was recorded with Akon
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam, better known as simply Akon , is a Senegalese American R&B recording artist and songwriter.According to Forbes, Akon grossed $21 million in 2010, $20 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2008. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first...

, and released as the second single from the album. The song was commercially successful, mainly charting within the top ten in six countries, as well as the top 20 in several territories worldwide and top 40 in Canada. The song 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.

Background

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" was written, composed, and co-produced by Michael Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...

. It was originally written for his sister La Toya Jackson
La Toya Jackson
La Toya Yvonne Jackson is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, television personality, actress, businesswoman, philanthropist, activist and former model. She is the fifth child of the Jackson family...

 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 Off the Wall
Off the Wall (album)
Off the Wall is the fifth studio album by the American recording artist Michael Jackson, released August 10, 1979 on Epic Records, after Jackson's critically well received film performance in The Wiz. While working on that project, Jackson and Quincy Jones had become friends, and Jones agreed to...

 album, but was later re-recorded in fall 1982, in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" was one of the four songs that Jackson received writing credits on for his sixth studio album Thriller
Thriller (album)
Thriller is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was released on November 30, 1982, by Epic Records as the follow-up to Jackson's critically and commercially successful 1979 album Off the Wall...

in 1982. The song was released by Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...

 as the fourth single from the album. Unlike Thrillers previous singles, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" did not have a film or a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...

 released to promote it.

Aside from
Thriller, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" has been featured 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 complication album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I in 1995 as well as the 25th anniversary edition of Thriller, entitled Thriller 25
Thriller 25
Thriller 25 is a 25th anniversary special edition reissue of the Michael Jackson album Thriller, the world's best selling album. The prospect of a "second chapter" to Thriller was first publicly discussed on Access Hollywood in late 2006. Jackson said he would discuss the idea with collaborator...

, and the greatest hits album King of Pop
King of Pop (album)
-Austria:On July 20, the Austrian version of the double disc compilation was announced; it was released on Jackson's birthday. The pool list fans got to choose from contained 100 tracks...

; both albums were released in 2008. The song is also featured on the greatest hits album The Essential Michael Jackson
The Essential Michael Jackson
-U.S. version:-Limited Edition 3.0 bonus disc:-Charts:-Year-end charts:-Certifications:-See also:* List of number-one albums of 2009 * List of number-one albums of 2009 * List of number-one albums from the 2000s...

and the compilation album This Is It.

Composition

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" was viewed as being a freewheeling, cross-cultural disco song, that shows similarities to Jackson's material on his previous studio album, Off the Wall
Off the Wall (album)
Off the Wall is the fifth studio album by the American recording artist Michael Jackson, released August 10, 1979 on Epic Records, after Jackson's critically well received film performance in The Wiz. While working on that project, Jackson and Quincy Jones had become friends, and Jones agreed to...

in 1979. The song's rhythm arrangement (which was arranged by Jackson himself) is a complex interweaving of drum-machine patterns and work by percussionist
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...

 Paulinho da Costa
Paulinho Da Costa
Paulinho da Costa is a Brazilian percussionist born in Rio de Janeiro, considered one of the most recorded musicians of modern times. Playing over two hundred percussion instruments, he has participated in thousands of recording sessions, Grammy Award-winning albums, hit songs, soundtracks, radio...

, while the horn arrangement, by Jerry Hey
Jerry Hey
Jerry Hey is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, horn arranger, string arranger, orchestrator and session musician who has played on hundreds of commercial recordings, including Thriller and the distinctive flugelhorn solo on Dan Fogelberg's hit Longer....

, is brassy and precise.
Slant Magazine 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
Funkadelic was an American band most prominent during the 1970s. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...

's opening salvo
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.Troops armed with muzzleloaders required time in which to refill their arms with gun powder and shot...

 for "One Nation Under a Groove
One Nation Under a Groove
In Europe, the Bonus-EP was replaced by a bonus 12" 45rpm mini-album containing the 3 EP tracks on one side and an extended version of "One Nation Under a Groove" on the other.-Personnel:Funkadelic Main Invasion Force :...

".

The song's 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/They'll eat off you, you're a vegetable.'" In "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", Jackson's vocal range spans from G#3 to E5. The song is played in the key of E Major. The song is moderately bright and its metronome is 120 beats per minute
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...

. The song has a basic sequence of D/E–E–D/E–E as its chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...

. The coda at the end of the song comes directly from Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango
Manu Dibango
-External links:*...

's 1972 disco song "Soul Makossa
Soul Makossa
"Soul Makossa" is a 1972 single by Cameroonian makossa saxophonist Manu Dibango. It is often cited as one of the first disco records. In 1972 David Mancuso found a copy in a Brooklyn West Indian record store and often played it at his Loft parties. The response was so positive that the few copies...

". The coda is "Mama-say mama-sah ma-ma-coo-sah". Makossa
Makossa
Makossa is a type of music that is most popular in urban areas in Cameroon. It is similar to soukous, except that it includes strong bass rhythm and a prominent horn section. Makossa, which means " dance" in Duala, originated from a type of Duala dance called kossa, with significant influences...

 is a Cameroonian music genre and dance. Dibango sued Jackon and 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

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" has received generally positive reviews from contemporary music critics. Christopher Connelly, a writer for Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...

, described "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" as being Thrillers "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
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...

 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", citing "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", as well as other of Thrillers songs, "into first-class cuts".

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...

, a writer for Allmusic, listed "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", along with "Beat It
Beat It
"Beat It" is a song written and performed by American recording artist Michael Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones . It is the third single from the singer's sixth solo album, Thriller . Eddie Van Halen was hired to add the song's distinctive overdriven guitar solo, but was prevented by his...

", "Billie Jean
Billie Jean
"Billie Jean" is a dance-pop/R&B song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was written, composed, and co-produced by Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones from the singer's sixth album, Thriller . Originally disliked by Jones, the track was almost removed from the album after he and...

" and "Human Nature
Human Nature (Michael Jackson song)
"Human Nature" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was written and composed by Steve Porcaro and John Bettis, and produced by Quincy Jones. It is the fifth single from the singer's sixth solo album, Thriller . Initially, Porcaro had recorded a rough demo of the song on a...

", as being the best songs from
Thriller. 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 Christgau
Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...

, a music critic, commented that he'd "expect to bear more" of
Thrillers "Wanna Be Startin' Something" and "Thriller" on the "dancefloor" rather than in his "living room". "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" received one Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...

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

Chart performance

In 1983, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" had a good chart performance worldwide. The song entered the
Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

 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'"
Thrillers fourth consecutive single to peak within the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" was more commercially successful than Thrillers 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 Billboard R&B Singles Chart
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...

. 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. The song remained in the top 50 of the chart for three weeks. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" entered 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 Italian music charts on February 21, 2008, charting at number 14; the song remained on the chart for only one week. The song entered Danish music charts on February 28, charting within the top 30 at number 29. The following week the song charted at number 22, where it peaked. 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 reentered the chart at number 83, before falling off the chart again. Following Jackson's death
Death of Michael Jackson
On June 25, 2009, American singer Michael Jackson died of acute propofol intoxication after he suffered a respiratory arrest at his home in the Holmby Hills neighborhood in Los Angeles. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, said he found Jackson in his room, not breathing, but with a faint pulse,...

 in June 2009, his music experienced a surge in popularity. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" re-entered the United Kingdom charts on July 4, 2009, at number 72. The following week the song charted at 51 and the next week it charted outside the top 100 positions. 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. The song remained on the charts for three weeks, before charting out of the top 100 positions.

Live performances

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" was performed by Jackson as both a member of The Jacksons
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...

 as well as a solo artist during world concert tours. The song, as well as other songs from Thriller, were performed by Jackson during The Jacksons final world concert series, Victory Tour in 1984, the song was the tours opening song. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" was performed during all of Jackson's concert tours as a solo artist. Similar to the Victory Tour, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" was the Bad World Tour
Bad World Tour
The Bad World Tour was the first solo concert tour by American megasuperstar Michael Jackson that visited Japan, Australia, the United States and Europe. Sponsored by Pepsi and spanning 16 months, the tour included 123 concerts to 4.4 million fans across 15 countries...

 opening song on both tour legs. The concert series lasted from 1987 to 1989.

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" was also performed during Jackson's Dangerous World Tour
Dangerous World Tour
The Dangerous World Tour was the second worldwide concert tour by American megasuperstar Michael Jackson. The tour, sponsored by Pepsi-Cola, included 69 performances to an audience of 3.5 million. All profits were donated to various charities including Jackson's own "Heal the World Foundation". The...

 from June 1992 to November 1993. The Dangerous World Tour was supposed to last longer, but was cancelled due to Jackson's health concerns, as well as the stress from the child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to...

 accusations made against him. The next, and what would be the last performance of the song, was during Jackson's world concert tour, HIStory World Tour
HIStory World Tour
The HIStory World Tour was the third and final worldwide solo concert tour by American megasuperstar Michael Jackson, covering Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania and North America. The tour included a total of 82 concerts and was attended by approximately 4.5 million fans, beating his previous Bad Tour...

, from 1996 to 1997.

Since March 2009, Jackson was preparing to perform "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" during his This Is It
This Is It (Michael Jackson concerts)
This Is It was a planned series of fifty concerts by Michael Jackson to be held at The O2 Arena in London. They were scheduled to begin in July 2009 and continue through to March 2010. However, with all concerts sold out, Jackson died less than three weeks before the first concert date...

 concert series from 2009 to 2010. During rehearsals for the This Is It concerts, Jackson's performance of "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" contained a capella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...

 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 featured in the 2009 concert documentary, Michael Jackson's This Is It
Michael Jackson's This Is It
Michael Jackson's This Is It is a 2009 American documentary–concert film directed by Kenny Ortega that documents Michael Jackson's rehearsals and preparation for the concert series of the same name scheduled to start on July 13, 2009, but canceled due to his death eighteen days prior on June 25. It...

. The video footage was also featured on the film's DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....

.

Personnel

  • Written and composed, lead vocals by Michael Jackson
  • Produced by Quincy Jones
  • Co-Produced by Michael Jackson
  • Greg Phillinganes: Rhodes, synthesizer
  • Michael Boddicker and Bill Wolfer: Synthesizer
  • David Williams: Guitar
  • Louis Johnson: Bass
  • Paulinho Da Costa: Percussion
  • Jerry Hey, Gary Grant: Trumpets, flugelhorns

  • Larry Williams: Saxophone, flute
  • Bill Reichenbach: Trombone
  • Michael Jackson, Nelson Hayes & 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, James Ingram, Michael Jackson, Bunny Hull, Becky Lopez
  • Samples Manu Dibango
    Manu Dibango
    -External links:*...

    's 1972 Soul Makossa
    Soul Makossa
    "Soul Makossa" is a 1972 single by Cameroonian makossa saxophonist Manu Dibango. It is often cited as one of the first disco records. In 1972 David Mancuso found a copy in a Brooklyn West Indian record store and often played it at his Loft parties. The response was so positive that the few copies...


Track listing

United States 7" version
  1. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (Single Version) – 4:19
  2. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (Instrumental) – 4:19


United States 12" version
  1. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (12" Version) – 6:31
  2. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (Instrumental) – 6:31


United Kingdom 7" version
  1. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (Single Version) – 4:19
  2. "Rock with You" (live with The Jacksons
    The Jackson 5
    The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...

    )
    – 3:58


Europe 12" version
  1. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (12" Version) – 6:31
  2. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (Instrumental) – 6:31
  3. "Rock with You" (live with The Jacksons
    The Jackson 5
    The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...

    )
    – 3:58


Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", was re-recorded for the 2008 re-issue of Thriller
Thriller (album)
Thriller is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was released on November 30, 1982, by Epic Records as the follow-up to Jackson's critically and commercially successful 1979 album Off the Wall...

, entitled Thriller 25
Thriller 25
Thriller 25 is a 25th anniversary special edition reissue of the Michael Jackson album Thriller, the world's best selling album. The prospect of a "second chapter" to Thriller was first publicly discussed on Access Hollywood in late 2006. Jackson said he would discuss the idea with collaborator...

, similar to "Beat It 2008", the song was titled on the CD sleeve as "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008 with Akon
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam, better known as simply Akon , is a Senegalese American R&B recording artist and songwriter.According to Forbes, Akon grossed $21 million in 2010, $20 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2008. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first...

". Recorded in 2007, the 2008 version features remix elements and additional vocals from Akon. The 2008 version was written and produced by Akon. "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. It was also the last single released during Jackson's lifetime. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, a writer for 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
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...

 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
Legacy Recordings is Sony Music Entertainment's catalog division. It was founded in 1990 by CBS Records under the leadership of Jerry Shulman, Richard Bauer, Gary Pacheco and Amy Herot to handle reissues of recordings from the vast catalogues of Columbia Records, Epic Records and associated...

 in January 2008, as the second single from the re-issue album. The song 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 and number four in New Zealand. The song also charted at 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. The song also charted at number 20 in Italy. "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 Pop charts at 48, as well as 47 on the Pop Hot 100 Airplay. Other charting positions include 47 on the Billboard Hot Digital Songs and the Hot Canadian Digital Singles Chart at 33.
A music video was also shown on some channels to help promote the single and album; it featured a montage of previous Michael Jackson music videos and concert footage, and also clips of Akon singing his parts.

Track listing

  • CD single
  1. Radio Edit – 3:51
  2. Johnny Vicious Club – Radio Edit – 3:36
  3. Johnny Vicious Full Club Remix – 9:03

Remix credits

  • Written and produced by Michael Jackson, Aliaune "Akon" Thiam, Giorgio Tuinfort
  • Lead vocals
    Lead vocalist
    The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...

     by Aliaune "Akon" Thiam (except the 2nd Verse)
  • Background vocals by Michael Jackson (lead vocals on 2nd Verse)
  • Mixed by Mark "Evil" Goodchild
  • Recorded in November 2007

Cover versions and uses in pop culture

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" has been covered and sampled by multiple recording artists since its release.
  • Jackson's elder sister, La Toya
    La Toya Jackson
    La Toya Yvonne Jackson is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, television personality, actress, businesswoman, philanthropist, activist and former model. She is the fifth child of the Jackson family...

    , has frequently covered the song. She used it to open her set at 1993's Sopot Song Festival
    Sopot International Song Festival
    The Sopot International Song Festival is an international song contest held in Sopot, Poland. It was the biggest Polish music festival altogether with the National Festival of Polish Song in Opole, and one of the biggest annual song contest in Europe...

    , on MDR
    Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk
    Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk is the public broadcaster for the federal states of Thuringia, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt...

     in the 1990s, and on the sixth season of the United Kingdom television show Celebrity Big Brother
    Celebrity Big Brother 2009 (UK)
    Celebrity Big Brother 2009 was the sixth series of Celebrity Big Brother. It began on 2 January 2009 and ran for 22 days until 23 January 2009. It was broadcast on Channel 4. The launch show was watched by approximately 6.4 million people...

    in 2009.

  • Rihanna
    Rihanna
    Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...

     sampled the songs ending chant (which is the Manu Dibango
    Manu Dibango
    -External links:*...

     coda "mama-se, mama-sa, mama-ku-sa") in her single "Don't Stop the Music
    Don't Stop the Music (Rihanna song)
    "Don't Stop the Music" is a dance-pop song performed by Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna from her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad. It was the third single from the album in most of Europe, the second single in Germany and Spain and the fourth single in the rest of the world...

    " from her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad
    Good Girl Gone Bad
    Good Girl Gone Bad is the third studio album by Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna, released May 30, 2007, on Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions for the album took place during October 2006 to April 2007 at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles. Rihanna worked with producers Christopher "Tricky"...

    (2007).

  • One week after Jackson's death, musician Madonna
    Madonna (entertainer)
    Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...

     used that song as part a medley of Jackson's songs as a tribute, during her second leg of her Sticky & Sweet Tour
    Sticky & Sweet Tour
    The Sticky & Sweet Tour was the eighth worldwide concert tour by American singer Madonna to promote her eleventh studio album, Hard Candy. It began in August 2008 and was Madonna's first tour from her new recording and business deal with Live Nation. The tour was announced in February 2008, with...

     in July 2009. Also a dancer impersonating
    Impersonator
    An impersonator is someone who imitates or copies the behavior or actions of another. There are many reasons for someone to be an impersonator, some common ones being as follows:...

     Jackson, performing his signature moves, like spinning, moonwalking
    Moonwalk (dance)
    The moonwalk or backslide is a dance technique that presents the illusion of the dancer being pulled backwards while attempting to walk forward. A popping move, it became most popular around the world after Michael Jackson executed the dance move during a performance of "Billie Jean" on Motown 25:...

     and gyrating.

  • Canadian pop singer Justin Beiber performed this song during his My World Tour
    My World Tour
    The My World Tour is the debut concert tour by Canadian recording artist Justin Bieber. It is Bieber's first concert tour which supports his two-part debut album My World and My World 2.0. The tour was officially announced on March 16, 2010, a week before My World 2.0 was released...

    , around 2010-2011. The back up dancers performed some hip hop dance
    Hip hop dance
    Hip-hop dance refers to dance styles primarily performed to hip-hop music or that have evolved as part of hip-hop culture. It includes a wide range of styles notably breaking, locking, and popping which were created in the 1970s by African Americans and made popular by breaking, locking, and...

     and later Bieber joined them by performing the sidewalk
    Sidewalk
    A sidewalk, or pavement, footpath, footway, and sometimes platform, is a path along the side of a road. A sidewalk may accommodate moderate changes in grade and is normally separated from the vehicular section by a curb...

     and jerkin'
    Jerkin'
    Jerkin or Jerk is a street dance from Los Angeles. Since 2009, jerkin' has gained fans along the West Coast and is gaining popularity on the East Coast....

    .

  • In February 2010, Whitney Houston
    Whitney Houston
    Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...

     performed "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", along with Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel
    The Way You Make Me Feel
    "The Way You Make Me Feel" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. Released by Epic Records in November 1987, it was the third single from Jackson's seventh studio album Bad. Written and composed by Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones , the song is credited as being a pop and R&B...

    ", during her I Look to You Tour.

  • Björk
    Björk
    Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...

     has been known to use an interpolation
    Interpolation
    In the mathematical field of numerical analysis, interpolation is a method of constructing new data points within the range of a discrete set of known data points....

     of the song while performing her own song "I Go Humble" on stage.

  • The "mama-se mama-sa mama-ku-sa" line is used in the first verse of "You See Me" by Childish Gambino

Charts

Chart (1983/2008/2009) Peak
position
Danish Singles Chart
Tracklisten
Tracklisten is a Danish top 40 record chart that is presented every Thursday midnight at .The weekly Danish Singles Chart also known as Track Top-40 combines the 40 best selling tracks from legal music downloads and the sales of music singles on either CD or vinyl...

25
Dutch Top 40
Dutch Top 40
The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting...

1
Italian Singles Chart
Federation of the Italian Music Industry
The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy....

14
New Zealand Singles Chart
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...

35
Swiss Singles Chart
Swiss Music Charts
The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75...

30
UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

8
U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

5
U.S. Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Songs
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...

5
U.S. Billboard Hot Digital Songs
Hot Digital Songs
The Hot Digital Songs chart ranks the best-selling digital singles in the United States, according to Billboard.Beginning in February 2005, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboards music single charts. It was decided to do so mainly because of the dramatic rise in popularity of...

20
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