Liner Note Author: David Ritz.

Michael Jackson's death in 2009 elevated the already legendary pop icon's status to stratospheric heights. And while he will most likely be remembered for his string of mammoth hit albums in the 1980s, the first phase of his career, as lead singer of the Jackson 5, is often considered just as memorable. THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION highlights the best moments from the group's Motown catalog, and showcases the soulful brilliance of a young Jackson just hitting his stride as a powerhouse entertainer.

Released roughly three days after Michael Jackson's passing, The Definitive Collection is a 19-track collection of highlights from his Motown recordings, including the hits he had with his brothers in the Jackson 5. This emphasizes Michael's solo hits over the Jackson 5's -- there are ten cuts of him alone, nine with his brothers (and one of those is an alternate "minus mix" of "I'll Be There") -- which skews this a little bit toward puppy love over bubblegum, something that may be a little too syrupy for some listeners, but there's no denying that for fans lacking a collection of Michael's earliest hits, this is a useful compilation, gathering "I Want You Back," "ABC," "The Love You Save," "Who's Lovin' You," "Never Can Say Goodbye," "Got to Be There," "Rockin' Robin," "Ben," and "Dancing Machine" in one place. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine