Every week, James Masterton writes official commentary to accompany the Official UK Top 40 Singles chart. His commentary appears on the dotmusic website, and is also used by "Music Week", the bible of the British music industry.

Below is his commentary about Michael Jackson's entry at No.2 in the UK charts:

YOU ROCK MY WORLD (Michael Jackson)

So let us take a few minutes to consider the story so far. The last time we saw Michael Jackson in the singles chart was in 1997. At the time his career back in America was on rather shaky ground, the History album had not produced either the sales or the smash hit singles everyone was expecting and it was clear that his days of being able to trade on the
reputation of the Thriller album (recorded back in 1982 lest we forget) were numbered. Britain was actually a different story as not only had You Are Not Alone and Earth Song topped the chart in 1995, his Blood On The Dancefloor remix album had turned into a major success, producing yet another Number One hit in the shape of the title track. Wacko Jacko
had potentially rediscovered himself as a club icon and the future looked bright. Then of course he vanished for four years, embedding himself in a quagmire of perfectionism whilst at the same time emerging every so often to set up strange charities, perform one-off concerts and break a few limbs along the way. Jackson the slightly strange celebrity
was back, his music almost an afterthought.

It is against this background that one of the most expensive albums in history is about to be released, its arrival preluded by the first single. After all the hype people were expecting something quite spectacular. What they got in the shape of You Rock My World is nothing out of the ordinary. Sure it is a fine record, one which seems at times to hark back to the days of the Off The Wall Album in the late 1970s. As a retro single it works fine but as an advert for the new, innovative and still relevant Michael Jackson it is actually a bit disappointing. That still didn't stop everyone expecting it to charge to the top of the listings with ease, but as already documented a certain Australian pop star has rubbed his brand new nose in it. Once more a note of moderation must be sounded. I'm reminded of the time in June 1995 when Scream became the long-awaited first single from History. Just like You Rock My World it wasn't as good as everyone was hoping and it only made Number 3 in this country, outsold in the week of release by Pulp's Common People and Robson and Jerome's rendition of Unchained Melody. His next two singles were much better received and both topped the charts.

Hence the headlines about the charts this week should not really be about how Michael Jackson has failed to hit Number One and has instead been humiliated by Kylie Minogue. Instead they should be detailing how this is his 20th solo Top 3 hit, one which proves that the four years in the studio has done his overall appeal no harm at all and one which
suggests that there are far bigger gems lurking in the grooves of the forthcoming new album. Write him off at your peril.

-- James Masterton
Visit DotMusic.com