Michael Jackson

Musician Douglas Borsatti cranks out a wonderful and unique cover version of the King of Pop’s 1982 uber-hit on his squeezebox. If Michael Jackson performed while strolling the streets of Paris wearing a beret, we imagine this is what his music might have sounded like.

Back in 1995, Michael Jackson asked someone at Sony Music to explain how Compact Discs were manufactured, so they put together this factory tour video just for him, while producing his album History. It’s a fun time capsule, and a perfectly awkward corporate video.

(PG-13: Language) Zveki put together this fantastic mashup of music from Phil Collins, Michael Jackson, and The Weeknd. The track blends together Starboy, In the Air Tonight, and They Don’t Care About Us, resulting in They Don’t Care About the Starboy in the Air.

Every time we hear the Bottle Boys perform a tune, we think it’s the calliope on a New Orleans riverboat. Here, they turn in an impressive cover version of Michael Jackson’s 1982 pop juggernaut, Beat It, performed on a variety of bottles and plastic pipes.

Musician Alexandr Misko performs a wonderful fingerstyle guitar arrangement of the King of Pop’s massive hit, infusing new life into the 1982 track. His covers of The Cranberries’ Zombie and System of a Down’s Chop Suey! are equally sublime. (Thanks Nathan!)

Musician Brian King Joseph (aka “Brian’s Violin“) delivers a wonderfully different sort of tribute to the King of Pop on his electric violin, with this fantastic and passionate performance of the 1982 classic Human Nature.

Our arm is sore from just watching musician Patrick Mathis turn the crank on this vintage instrument called a Barrel Organ. But what makes it more compelling is the track being played – Michael Jackson’s Smooth Criminal. His Miles Davis is pretty awesome too.

Bamboo flautist (we just like that word) Yoshimi Tsujimoto is accompanied by two talented koto players for a truly unique rendition of Michael Jackson’s 1987 classic Smooth Criminal, with a traditional Japanese flair.

Guitarist Miguel Rivera turns in an incredible acoustic rendition of Michael Jackson’s classic Beat It, finessing out wondrous rhythms and crazy harmonics along the way. You can download his originals over on Bandcamp.

The incredibly talented a Capella vocalists of Pentatonix present a medley of hit songs spanning Michael Jackson’s expansive career, from I Want You Back to Thriller to You Are Not Alone.

(Spoilers) Mashup maker Simonb02 saw an opportunity at the end of the amazing Hardhome episode of Game of Thrones – and decided to set the epic battle sequence to the tune of Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Also, this.

The Piano Guys mash up the sounds of Johann Sebastian Bach with the Jackson 5’s I Want You Back – which is now permanently intertwined in our minds with Dancing Baby Groot – who should now be wearing a powdered wig.

Anthony Vincent went all out for the Halloween episode of Ten Second Songs, dressing up as zombie Michael Jackson and singing the King of Pop’s Thriller in a variety of voices, from Oingo Boingo to Scary Spice.

Dancers Ricardo Walker and Poppin John show off their incredible control as they perform to a dubstep remix of Michael Jackson’s Beat It. But instead of a dance battle breaking out, it’s a seamless collaboration between the two.

Musician Kawehi records unique cover versions of popular songs and original tracks by combining electronic loops with her soothing vocals. Here, she covers one of Michael Jackson’s classics. Be sure to check out her YouTube channel.

Michael Jackson may be gone, but his musical legacy will outlive all of us. In tribute to the 25th anniversary of his hit album Bad, the OSU Marching Band paid their respects to the King of Pop during their halftime against Iowa.

We can’t imagine how much work it took Annette Jung to recreate the opening scene from Michael Jackson’s Thriller music video using only LEGO bricks, but it’s pretty damned awesome. Now we want the whole video. For now, just watch this.

Marquese “Nonstop” Scott pays homage to Michael Jackson by applying his mind-boggling style to Thriller. We might be able to outrun a Nonstop zombie. Then again we’re not sure what his moonwalk’s top speed is.

Guitarist Sam Westphalen is wearing a hole in his acoustic six-string as he plays a rousing percussive rendition of Michael Jackson’s Black or White. More here. We’re particularly taken by White Wedding. Previously: U Can’t Touch This.

Erock returns with another rockin’ arrangement, this time shredding The King of Pop’s classics Smooth Criminal and Beat It on his electric guitar. We’re betting he couldn’t play as fast wearing a sequined glove though.

By pitch-shifting Pharrell’s vocals, YouTuber Maim Ixed envisions an alternate reality where Michael Jackson was still with us and teams up with Daft Punk and Nile Rogers for what could have been the best collaboration of his career.

Artist Diet Wiegman creates sculptures that just look like random assemblages of junk – that is until they’re illuminated from just the right angle. See more of his works here.

An lineup of vocalists and performers from reggae groups like Black Uhuru and Steel Pulse cover Michael Jackson’s entire Thriller album, reggae style. Check out more tracks over on YouTube.

If Billboard had a separate chart for YouTube pop stars, Mike Tompkins would be one of the mainstays on it. His beatbox skills, production and – let’s face it – charm are on par with his singing.

Part of Thomas Pavitte’s Transformation Series, a complex two-part connect the dots that to gradually form both a portrait of the King of Pop as a child and as an adult. Printed on A2 or A3 art paper.