August 29th BONUS Birthday Episode - Celebrating Michael Jackson in 2025

In this special bonus episode of Reading Michael Jackson, join me for a fun, lighthearted discussion centered around celebrating all things MJ on his special day! Starting with a review of where Michael stands in 2025 in terms of global popularity and relevance, continuing with a DJ-esque exploration of some of my favorite (lesser known) MJ songs, continuing with interview and book recommendations, and a brief personal reflection on my fandom 4 years later, this episode has a little bit of everything. So tune in today if you would like to celebrate Michael Jackson's 67th birthday and revel in all the things that make him such a force in the world to this day!There are many sources and songs references in this episode. For a partial list, see below: Understanding the TikTok ‘Man in the Mirror’ Trendhttps://screenrant.com/michael-jackson-man-in-the-mirror-social-media-trend-reason/Chartmasters study conveying Michael’s global artistry: https://chartmasters.org/the-60-most-global-artists-of-all-time/Some of Forbes’ Hugh Mcintyre’s latest coverage of Michael’s chart success: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2025/08/18/michael-jacksons-classic-reaches-a-new-peak-on-multiple-charts/?ctpv=searchpageMichael Jackson Diane Collins interview (1983) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVZCmZRuUXg&t=870sMichael Jackson Jesse Jackson (2005) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6kg2CCschI&t=825sI can’t Help It (demo) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5Qm9pd4xAkHuman Nature - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElN_4vUvTPsMonkey Business - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpL0gzU2giwCheater - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGcWrDyHPWoI’m So Blue - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhZT7uEPjaEDays in Glousterschire - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLQ92T1b1gA&t=5sBeautiful Girl - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pLgP7z7rA0If You Don’t Love Me - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXmeyOI5cQ8As always, if you have any questions or comments, please email me at [email protected].