Michael Jackson, 8-Bit Style

The world of music lost one of its most iconic stars today, Michael Jackson.

It’s a cliche, but Jackson lives on in his music, not just in its original form but in thousands of permutations.

The world of 8-bit Michael Jackson covers, is a little strange, or maybe a lot strange, depending on your perspective. But, even in video game style arrangements, Jackson’s best songs are still insanely catchy.

Here are just a few examples…….

Billie Jean C64 Edition 8-bit

8-bit Beat It

Thriller – 8bit Cover by Superpowerless

Note: This post has been updated to focus on Jackson’s music. People universally hated the original post.

45 thoughts on “Michael Jackson, 8-Bit Style

  1. I am a big fan of this site,daily viewer, but, i think the title used on this Michael Jackson article is disrespectful.

  2. That's ashame. He had some good music. More and more people are dying young.

    May Michael Jackson rest in peace despite some of the negative things said about him.

  3. agreed – love the site, but i can't believe how crass this post is. have some respect, man. no matter what you think of him, somebody died.

  4. I´m also a daily viewer of this site, and also found the comments disrespectful. AFAIK MJ was found not-guilty on his "young boys relationship" charges.
    Stupid, really stupid comments in a very unappropriate moment.

  5. Collin, pushakey, ace, Disappointed, Juno6 – point taken

    You have to respect Jackson's talents, his accomplishments and his hits.

    You have to reject, or at least question, though, the way Jackson chose to live his life. This is especially true of Jackson's choice to sleep with young boys, even after a decade of child molestation charges.

    Calling that lifestyle a freak show isn't respectful – but making a habit of bedding with young boys when you're in your forties is not a respectable lifestyle.

  6. Collin, pushakey, ace, Disappointed, Juno6 – point taken

    You have to respect Jackson's talents, his accomplishments and his hits.

    You have to reject, or at least question, though, the way Jackson chose to live his life. This is especially true of Jackson's choice to sleep with young boys, even after a decade of child molestation charges.

    Calling that lifestyle a freak show isn't respectful – but making a habit of bedding with young boys when you're in your forties and have your own children is not a respectable lifestyle.

  7. Collin, pushakey, ace, Disappointed, Juno6 – point taken

    You have to respect Jackson's talents, his accomplishments and his hits.

    You have to reject, or at least question, though, the way Jackson chose to live his life. This is especially true of Jackson's choice to sleep with young boys, even after a decade of child molestation charges.

    Calling Jackson's lifestyle a freak show isn't respectful – but making a habit of bedding with young boys when you're in your forties is not a respectable lifestyle.

  8. Collin, pushakey, ace, Disappointed, Juno6 – point taken

    You have to respect Jackson's talents, his accomplishments and his hits.

    You have to reject, or at least question, though, the way Jackson chose to live his life. This is especially true of Jackson's choice to sleep with young boys, even after a decade of child molestation charges.

    Calling Jackson's lifestyle a freak show isn't respectful – but making a habit of bedding with young boys when you're in your forties is not a respectable lifestyle.

  9. Collin, pushakey, ace, Disappointed, Juno6 – point taken

    You have to respect Jackson's talents, his accomplishments and his hits.

    You have to reject, or at least question, though, the way Jackson chose to live his life. This is especially true of Jackson's choice to sleep with young boys, even after a decade of child molestation charges.

    Calling Jackson's lifestyle a freak show isn't respectful – but a lifestyle that involves habitually bedding with young children that are not your own is not respectable.

  10. Collin, pushakey, ace, Disappointed, Juno6 – point taken

    You have to respect Jackson's talents, his accomplishments and his hits.

    You have to reject, or at least question, though, the way Jackson chose to live his life. This is especially true of Jackson's choice to sleep with young boys, even after a decade of child molestation charges.

    Calling Jackson's lifestyle a freak show isn't respectful – but a lifestyle that involves habitually bedding with young children is not respectable.

  11. Collin, pushakey, ace, Disappointed, Juno6 – point taken

    You have to respect Jackson's talents, his accomplishments and his hits.

    You have to reject, or at least question, though, the way Jackson chose to live his life. This is especially true of Jackson's choice to sleep with young boys, even after a decade of child molestation charges.

    Calling Jackson's lifestyle a freak show isn't respectful – but a lifestyle that involves habitually bedding with young children is not respectable.

  12. Collin, pushakey, ace, Disappointed, Juno6 – I understand your viewpoint, but mine is different.

    You have to respect Jackson's talents, his accomplishments and his hits.

    You have to reject, or at least question, though, the way Jackson chose to live his life. This is especially true of Jackson's choice to sleep with young boys, even after a decade of child molestation charges.

    Calling Jackson's lifestyle a freak show isn't respectful – but a lifestyle that involves habitually bedding with young children is not respectable.

  13. Collin, pushakey, ace, Disappointed, Juno6 – Thanks for your comments. My perspective is different than yours.

    You have to respect Jackson's talents, his accomplishments and his hits.

    You have to reject, or at least question, though, the way Jackson chose to live his life. This is especially true of Jackson's choice to sleep with young boys, even after a decade of child molestation charges.

    Calling Jackson's lifestyle a freak show isn't respectful – but a lifestyle that involves habitually bedding with young children is not respectable.

  14. Collin, pushakey, ace, Disappointed, Juno6 – Thanks for your comments. My perspective is different than yours.

    You have to respect Jackson's talents, his accomplishments and his hits.

    You have to reject, or at least question, though, the way Jackson chose to live his life. This is especially true of Jackson's choice to sleep with young boys, even after a decade of child molestation charges.

    Calling Jackson's lifestyle a freak show isn't respectful – but a lifestyle that involves habitually bedding with young children is not respectable.

  15. Collin, pushakey, ace, Disappointed, Juno6 – Thanks for your comments.

    My take is that you have to respect Jackson's talents, his accomplishments and his hits.

    You have to reject, or at least question, though, the way Jackson chose to live his life. This is especially true of Jackson's choice to sleep with young boys, even after a decade of child molestation charges.

    Calling Jackson's lifestyle a freak show isn't respectful – but a lifestyle that involves habitually bedding with young children is not respectable.

  16. Collin, pushakey, ace, Disappointed, Juno6 – Thanks for your comments.

    My take is that you have to respect Jackson's talents, his accomplishments and his hits.

    You have to reject, or at least question, though, the way Jackson chose to live his life. This is especially true of Jackson's choice to sleep with young boys, even after a decade of child molestation charges.

    Calling Jackson's lifestyle a freak show isn't respectful – but a lifestyle that involves habitually bedding with young children is not respectable.

  17. Collin, pushakey, ace, Disappointed, Juno6 – Thanks for your comments.

    My take is that you have to respect Jackson's talents, his accomplishments and his hits.

    You have to reject, or at least question, though, the way Jackson chose to live his life. This is especially true of Jackson's choice to sleep with young boys, even after a decade of child molestation charges.

    Calling Jackson's lifestyle a freak show isn't respectful – but a lifestyle that involves habitually bedding with young children is not respectable.

  18. Jeez dude, find some class.
    Perhaps look in your sock drawer where your own talents have risen to and remain.

    I think I'll find another blog to frequent.
    I didn't know the author of this one had his head so far up his rear.

  19. Synthhead, I wonder who are you to tell us that we have to reject MJ´s way of life… As I told you earlier, the court said he was not guilty and that´s what matters. If you ever happen to have billions of dollars, you´ll find people accusing you of anything to have a piece of your cake.
    As anonymous said, I´ll also find another blog to frequent.

    1. Do you really think that a 40-year old guy with kids of his own should be sleeping with other young boys?

      That's just sick shit.

  20. Just file it under "Tuff".

    What's wrong with this tribute? Three whole videos more than the average sexual predator gets and that's disrespectful? "You have the records if you want to reminisce." Sony will sell them to you.

    Wonder how much they'll get for the Glove?

  21. Diddler, or not, he had talent for sure, although i'm not sure, musically, how much he wrote, and how much the studio designed. But the guy had the moves. An 8-bit tribute was more then appropriate to the man who's high falsetto croons were barraged into our heads over the years, to the point of nausea. Pffft! ~ As if anyone really believed he was going to play all those live shows. But now those tickets will be worth a mint on ebay. I know it's a pipedream, but i hope the eighties dies with him.

  22. My God, look at all the wispy celebrity hoopla! I think a big troupe of overweight drag queens should do "Thriller" at his funeral and then collapse in a big heap halfway through, breathless. He was notably talented, but the freak show has overshadowed it for so long, I just wanna glue a picture of his face over Farah's on my old Charlie's Angel poster.

  23. Whatever it is about Michael Jackson, it gets attention and makes people react. That's the sign of a great entertainer, even a controversial one. (Drama has always been a fundamental part of human storytelling, and most can't help but be moved in various ways by conflict.)

    There's also a character in Plants vs. Zombies which resembles MJ.

    [youtube e5o9KC5P04M http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5o9KC5P04M youtube]

  24. Whatever it is about Michael Jackson, it gets attention and makes people react. That's the sign of a great entertainer, even a controversial one. (Drama has always been a fundamental part of human storytelling, and most can't help but be moved in various ways by conflict.)

    There's also a character in Plants vs. Zombies which resembles MJ.

    [youtube e5o9KC5P04M http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5o9KC5P04M youtube]

  25. Whatever it is about Michael Jackson, it gets attention and makes people react. That's the sign of a great entertainer, even a controversial one. (Drama has always been a fundamental part of human storytelling, and most can't help but be moved in various ways by conflict.)

    There's also a character in Plants vs. Zombies which resembles MJ.

    [youtube e5o9KC5P04M http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5o9KC5P04M youtube]

  26. Whatever it is about Michael Jackson, it gets attention and makes people react. That's the sign of a great entertainer, even a controversial one. (Drama has always been a fundamental part of human storytelling, and most can't help but be moved in various ways by conflict.)

    There's also a character in Plants vs. Zombies which resembles MJ.

    [youtube e5o9KC5P04M http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5o9KC5P04M youtube]

  27. Whatever it is about Michael Jackson, it gets attention and makes people react. That's the sign of a great entertainer, even a controversial one. (Drama has always been a fundamental part of human storytelling, and most can't help but be moved in various ways by conflict.)

    There's also a character in Plants vs. Zombies which resembles MJ.

    [youtube e5o9KC5P04M http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5o9KC5P04M youtube]

  28. Whatever it is about Michael Jackson, it gets attention and makes people react. That's the sign of a great entertainer, even a controversial one. (Drama has always been a fundamental part of human storytelling, and most can't help but be moved in various ways by conflict.)

    There's also a character in Plants vs. Zombies which resembles MJ.

    [youtube e5o9KC5P04M http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5o9KC5P04M youtube]

  29. because of the posters lack of respect for art, i will no longer visit this site, and will encourage everyone i know to do the same

  30. Had a sarcastic reply to the can't-speak-ill-of-the-famous-dead morality brigade but decided in favor of just saying a) you folks with the delicate sensibilities might wanna subscribe to a newspaper or something and watch out for this soulless internet machine and b) only the types illustrated above will say they won't read any more in some kind of sanctimonious attempt to make you regret making a pun. pay no attention.

  31. pushakey is missing one vital point: Synthtopia repects art very well and gives everyone a respectable platform, be they clearly serious or wacky-weird. THEY are not failing; some of us are just oddballs, that's all. MJ had The Gift: good composer, great dancer and by most reports, a good "boss" who appreciated others and behaved as a pro. I DO respect all of those things; they're precious and sometimes too rare. However, he also chose to be so weird, he ended up on cartoons as a foil for jokes. Let's bow our heads for his pluses, but let's also not dismiss the fact that he often acted like a fly. One worthy kudo: Michael was never DULL. That's a good reason to lower the flag for a bit. Let's add a note of compassion for his family & friends like the great Liz Taylor and the pending tour whose evaporation is a loss to many people. It all matters.

  32. Sorry but I agree with Synthhead, mega star or not, they guy was a pedophile and got away with it, and that' s NOT to be forgotten.

  33. my comment was about the previous TITLE of this article.I see that it has been changed.thank you to the website for hearing our voiceand changing the title. I respect this site even more for taking immediate action. god bless.

  34. I´ve never said that, but apparently you know a lot more than the judges who spent months investigating the case and found MJ not-guilty. To me, that means he didn´t slept with kids then.
    The only thing that´s easy to proof is that he was one of the most amazing and influential artists of our times, and that´s what should be highlighted.

  35. Funny how you freaks say he was a diddler or pedophile.
    Yet the LAPD could find nothing, the prosecutor had no case and every charge was dropped.
    Another previous attempt at the same extortion ploy led to that particular family being brought up on charges.
    Really, you guys have no clue how people make shit up about stars.
    Luckily none of you will ever even get close to finding out.
    On the other hand, few people will care when you drop dead either.
    Do nothing but whine and you'll remain sitting in your room hitting buttons and dreaming of the big time.
    Make the big time and you'll find lies, accusations, tabloids and TV shows making shit up about you and exaggerating what little they have to fill a time slot.
    You have noticed that no successful musicians have said anything bad.
    Only the jealous whiners who believe the worst about people rag like this.
    Ignorance, stupidity and jealousy all rolled into one, but luckily no one cares if you fools live or die.

  36. And a great big FU to you as well. Since you obviously have a weak relationship with facts, let's just point out that charges were NOT dropped. Whole big trial, on TV, perhaps you missed it in your rush to dismiss everybody else as "freaks" and "fools". The LAPD and prosecutors found enough to bring the matter to trial and proceed through to a judgment. If they found "nothing", as you assert, it wouldn't have gone to trial. And as OJ Simpon can tell you, acquittal doesn't mean he didn't do it.

  37. you are real SUCKER…how could you write it?
    did you see him with these young guys on your own??? huh?
    You're reas loser!!! asshole!!
    "Rest inPeace dear friend of mine,Michael JAckson!!

  38. How could you write shit like this about him?
    World cries for him…Tell me,did you see him with these Y-guys on you own? huh?
    Please guys stop it and let him sleep in peace!!
    Rest in peace dear friend of mine,Michael Jackson!!!

  39. I have spent my entire life helping millions of children across the world. I would never harm a child.
    It is unfortunate that some individuals have seen fit to come forward and make a complaint that is completely false.
    Years ago, I settled with certain individuals because I was concerned about my family and the media
    scrutiny that would have ensued if I fought the matter in court.
    These people wanted to exploit my concern for children by threatening to destroy
    what I believe in and what I do. I have been a vulnerable target for those who want money.

    Michael Jackson

  40. here in chile we used to say…

    theres no ugly babys or brides and no bad guys when they are dead… of course in a really ironic way…

    i think if we want to remember jackson, as an entertainer its great, but we also have to know about his lifestyle…

    its like elvis, also a great entertainer, but also a junkie…

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