History YMMV / Michael

* OvershadowedByControversy: The album is almost exclusively known for the infamous "Cascio tracks", a set of tracks supposedly recorded with Eddie Cascio in 2007. However, both fans of Michael and several of his family members made allegations that Michael did not actually perform on the songs but instead featured a soundalike. The controversy was further exacerbated by Michael's brother Randy claiming that he and other family members were not allowed into the studio where the album was being completed, implying foul play on the part of Sony Music. These allegations would prompt years of class action lawsuits against Sony and ultimately the removal of the songs from distribution in 2022, with an official statement giving the controversy over the tracks as the reason for their removal.

* FanonDiscontinuity: Due to the questioned authenticity of the Cascio tracks, as well as the debate of whether or not it should have even been released in the first place.

* CoveredUp: Jackson's cover of [[Music/SolidStateSurvivor "Behind the Mask"]] is generally much better known than the original instrumental by Music/YellowMagicOrchestra. Interestingly, it wasn't really associated with Jackson for the longest time due to the fact that he did not release it at the time. His keyboardist, Greg Phillinganes, first recorded Jackson's arrangement on his solo album "Pulse" several years after Thriller. Phillinganes then became a member of Music/EricClapton's band, and introduced him to the song, which Clapton loved and thus covered on his album August, with it becoming a sizeable hit as a single. Jackson having been credited on both Phillinganes and Clapton's recordings raised interest in the song, which had faded from public view by the time it was included on ''Michael'', thus that version is better known by younger fans. In a case of ApprovalOfGod, both the original lyricist Chris Mosdell and its original musical composer Ryuichi Sakamoto loved this version. Sakamoto even recorded it with Bernard Fowler on vocals for his Media Bahn Live album in the 80s, and then studio recorded for a single.

* CoveredUp: Jackson's cover of [[Music/SolidStateSurvivor]] "Behind the Mask" is generally much better known than the original instrumental by Music/YellowMagicOrchestra. Interestingly, it wasn't really associated with Jackson for the longest time due to the fact that he did not release it at the time. His keyboardist, Greg Phillinganes, first recorded Jackson's arrangement on his solo album "Pulse" several years after Thriller. Phillinganes then became a member of Music/EricClapton's band, and introduced him to the song, which Clapton loved and thus covered on his album August, with it becoming a sizeable hit as a single. Jackson having been credited on both Phillinganes and Clapton's recordings raised interest in the song, which had faded from public view by the time it was included on ''Michael'', thus that version is better known by younger fans. In a case of ApprovalOfGod, both the original lyricist Chris Mosdell and its original musical composer Ryuichi Sakamoto loved this version. Sakamoto even recorded it with Bernard Fowler on vocals for his Media Bahn Live album in the 80s, and then studio recorded for a single.

* CoveredUp: Jackson's cover of "Behind the Mask" is generally much better known than the original instrumental by Music/YellowMagicOrchestra. Interestingly, it wasn't really associated with Jackson for the longest time due to the fact that he did not release it at the time. His keyboardist, Greg Phillinganes, first recorded Jackson's arrangement on his solo album "Pulse" several years after Thriller. Phillinganes then became a member of Music/EricClapton's band, and introduced him to the song, which Clapton loved and thus covered on his album August, with it becoming a sizeable hit as a single. Jackson having been credited on both Phillinganes and Clapton's recordings raised interest in the song, which had faded from public view by the time it was included on ''Michael'', thus that version is better known by younger fans. In a case of ApprovalOfGod, both the original lyricist Chris Mosdell and its original musical composer Ryuichi Sakamoto loved this version. Sakamoto even recorded it with Bernard Fowler on vocals for his Media Bahn Live album in the 80s, and then studio recorded for a single.

* CoveredUp: Jackson's cover of "Behind the Mask" is generally much better known than the original instrumental by Music/YellowMagicOrchestra. Interestingly, it wasn't really associated with Jackson for the longest time due to the legal issues that barred it from release since its recording in 1982. For a while, the best known version was Music/EricClapton's cover, before the release of ''Michael'' and the publicity surrounding the Jackson cover finally getting a release led to Jackson's version becoming the best-known rendition of the song. In a case of ApprovalOfGod, Sakamoto loved this version and recorded it with Bernard Fowler on vocals for his Media Bahn Live album and then studio recorded for a single.

* InternetBackdraft: Whether you believe the Cascio tracks are legit or not, it's probably best not to ever mention them.

* FunnyMoments:

* InternetBackdraft: Whether you believe the Cascio tracks are legit ir not, it's probably best not to ever mention them.

-->righteousness and peace kiss each other.