Why was there no Michael Jackson music in Vice?

[BunMVO]

I’ve realized recently that there is no MJ music in Miami Vice, and I wonder why. I think some of his music would have fit very well. It’s also interesting to note that Michael Jackson was arguably the biggest thing in music during those years. Has anyone noticed this or know why they never featured any of his songs?

[James]

But that's probably way, because he was so huge. Too mainstream I suppose. Maybe licensing costed too much even back then when music licensing wasn't a huge thing, or maybe they didn't see him as a good fit for Miami Vice because they didn't really go for that super mainstream chart topper pop music. In the beginning they had some pretty big hits, but no chart toppers and not really pop. More New Wave, Rock, a few dance/disco songs for club scenes. I guess you would call their music selections somewhat "alternative". 

I personally am glad they didn't use any MJ songs. Besides the fact that I cannot stand most of his music, I don't think it would've been a good fit for Miami Vice. Although it worked in GTA Vice City... If ANY episode, they should've used MJ in The Prodigal Son, I can picture Rico in a New York club dancing to Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'.  But that should be all for MJ in MV. 

[Tom]

James Said it all. I just want to add that MJ music was actually on VICE - even him singing- but not as lead singer!

FUN FACT: He was one of the background vocals on Rockwell’s “Somebody’s watching me” in the pilot. If I recall correctly he even (co)produced that song. Read the album notes for reference.

 

[Bren10]

There were a lot of artists you think would be obvious choices but didn't make it.  There was no Prince, Madonna, or Springsteen either (am I right?).  Prince wrote Glamorous Life but that was it I think.

[Tom]

vor 2 Stunden schrieb Bren10:

There were a lot of artists you think would be obvious choices but didn't make it.  There was no Prince, Madonna, or Springsteen either (am I right?).  Prince wrote Glamorous Life but that was it I think.

Madonna‘s „The gambler“ was used (in The Fix).

[Bren10]

I definitely forgot that one.  I'll have to revisit that ep.  That is one I don't watch often.  Bill Russell doesn't help that either.

[jpaul1]

personnally i never liked Michael Jackson. he was a great person, with a beautiful inside. but his artistic career was a choice made by his father. i never liked his music

[Bren10]

Well Duran Duran wasn't used and I thought they would've been a shoo-in.  They even wore clothes like DJ.  And I'm not counting The Power Station or Andy Taylor as DD.

[BunMVO]

I'm very shocked at the amount of animosity some of you guys have towards Michael Jackson. I love his music and I think it would have fallen in perfectly with Vice's music. To each his own.

[BunMVO]

5 hours ago, Bren10 said:

Well Duran Duran wasn't used and I thought they would've been a shoo-in.  They even wore clothes like DJ.  And I'm not counting The Power Station or Andy Taylor as DD.

Wasn't his wardrobe partially inspired by one of Duran Duran's music videos? Hungry Like the Wolf, I want to say? I heard that somewhere once.

[Vicefan7777]

Personally I enjoy MJs music.  I can think of numerous hits that would have fit in with Vice episodes.  But I think James is on to something when he wrote Vice was more into New Wave music. 

[Dadrian]

Also, I would think that after the success of the Thriller album in 1982, any MJ song would be expensive to use if label would even grant permission at all. 

[BunMVO]

2 hours ago, Dadrian said:

Also, I would think that after the success of the Thriller album in 1982, any MJ song would be expensive to use if label would even grant permission at all. 

Yeah, that’s always what I’ve suspected. That probably explains why they used so many obscure songs.

[Daytona74]

vor 12 Stunden schrieb pmconroy:

Wasn't his wardrobe partially inspired by one of Duran Duran's music videos? Hungry Like the Wolf, I want to say? I heard that somewhere once.

 

You read that a lot on the Internet. But when you look at the Hungry Like The Wolf video, it's really got more of an Indiana Jones feel to it than it has pastel suits.

I think it was really more the video to "Rio" that inspired the fashion on Miami Vice:

 

Like I said in another thread... this video came out in 1982/83, but if it had come out just two years later, everybody would have said that Duran Duran ripped off Miami Vice...

On the topic of Michael Jackson  - being that he was in the prime of his career as a global superstar at the time, his songs probably would have been too expensive to license.

Also, maybe Michael Mann just didn't care for Michael Jackson's music. Michael Mann did have an influence on the selection of music that was on an episode. And he said in an interview once that he was of the generation where you were either a Rolling Stones or a Beatles fan, and that he himself was much more into the Stones. Which is also why especially during the first season, the music is much more rock oriented than ordinary pop music, and it's also why you have such songs as Baba O'Riley at the beginning of Out Where The Buses Don't Run.

You can almost say that the clearest sign that Michael Mann was no longer in charge in season 3 was that the first S3 episode opened with John Lennon's "Imagine" right at the beginning of the teaser. This never would have happened under Michael Mann.

[Bren10]

The Stones thing actually surprises me.  I would've thought Mann would be much more into the experimentalism and atmosphere of the Beatles.  They were more forward-thinking and modern (at the time) as well.

[Waqas]

I asked the same question, why not MJ's songs? I think MJ was too big those days and using his songs was expensive but imagine his song Dirty Diana on Crockett smoking, walking on the beach as Burnett.!! 

[Daytona74]

vor 2 Stunden schrieb Bren10:

The Stones thing actually surprises me.  I would've thought Mann would be much more into the experimentalism and atmosphere of the Beatles.  They were more forward-thinking and modern (at the time) as well.

 

I think Michael Mann actually said in that interview that "Miami Vice was the Stones, not the Beatles".

Can't find that particular interview on youtube right now, it was on there a while back... 

[Bren10]

Well the pilot did open with Miss You.  But I took that as an indicator of what came before, and what we'd be moving away from with the series.  Much the same way as the opening in NY with Tubbs represented what the cop show had always been with all the earth tones, red brick and red lighting and dimness.  And then-bam we're in Miami with all sun and color and it's a new ball game.  If he meant that MV was essentially the same thing (a cop show) but dressed up in new clothes and updated, then I can understand that.  That correlates with the Stones doing the same thing musically and just updating themselves to keep up with trends.  I've also read Mann saying that MV was more about images and emotion than plot and logic and the Stones I think were more vicerally satisfying so I can see that too.

Edited September 29, 2018 by Bren10

[BunMVO]

5 hours ago, Bren10 said:

Well the pilot did open with Miss You.  But I took that as an indicator of what came before, and what we'd be moving away from with the series.  Much the same way as the opening in NY with Tubbs represented what the cop show had always been with all the earth tones, red brick and red lighting and dimness.  And then-bam we're in Miami with all sun and color and it's a new ball game.  If he meant that MV was essentially the same thing (a cop show) but dressed up in new clothes and updated, then I can understand that.  That correlates with the Stones doing the same thing musically and just updating themselves to keep up with trends.  I've also read Mann saying that MV was more about images and emotion than plot and logic and the Stones I think were more vicerally satisfying so I can see that too.

Interesting point you have. I just went and rewatched the first part of the pilot and I guess I never made that connection. But wow, you're right. The earth tones are very much present in the beginning along with the dark, lifeless lighting and the old NY cop show feel. And Miss You is very much a '70s-sounding song, and it sounds... "earth-toney", if that makes sense.

Then as soon as the intro starts, it's a new, exciting, stimulating, tropical environment. Really a beautiful change from the previous concrete jungle. I also love how the intro music transitions into the first scene, and as soon as you see Sonny's feet, you're like, wow, this guy is just plain cool! And the camera pans up to his face. It's must have been so new and refreshing to see in 1984 when it first came out.

Also, to add to that first point, I realized that Gregory Sierra was basically an extension of that. He was always in a stuffy suit with a plaid undershirt and yes, often wore BROWN ties, which is a forbidden color in the color scheme. And he had that balding head too, and the cigar. He basically was the embodiment of the old, tired police chief archetype. Maybe his death was symbolic in a way. Or maybe I'm just reading too much into it.

[Bren10]

That's a good point about Lou dying.  It obviously wasn't planned from the start but I considered it a matter of fate for the show.  If Sierra had stuck around he would have had to seriously  alter his character and delivery over time.

[Den Taylor]

That's a really eerie notion to think of Sierra staying on as the Lt. And no Castillo. That just doesn't feel right. I agree that he kinda represented the "old days" guy.

[Den Taylor]

Also, I agree with the notion that MJ wouldn't really have been a fit. There's a song though that I think could have worked. It's from the Bad album. Don't mind the silly video (which actually has a few funny moments) - it's from the MJ movie "Moonwalk". The rabbit guy is actually MJ.
A chase scene is exactly what I have in mind for this song. Or maybe some bad guys just speeding around (like the Punks in Nobody Lives Forever).
 

 

Edited October 12, 2018 by Den Taylor

[Matt5]

And no Frank Sinatra.

 

[Tony D.]

On 10/11/2018 at 8:31 PM, Den Taylor said:

Also, I agree with the notion that MJ wouldn't really have been a fit. There's a song though that I think could have worked. It's from the Bad album. Don't mind the silly video (which actually has a few funny moments) - it's from the MJ movie "Moonwalk". The rabbit guy is actually MJ.
A chase scene is exactly what I have in mind for this song. Or maybe some bad guys just speeding around (like the Punks in Nobody Lives Forever).
 

 

I agree that certain parts of this song would be good for a high speed chase in Miami Vice. 

[Tony D.]

7 hours ago, Matt5 said:

And no Frank Sinatra.

 

I love Frank Sinatra! He's my favorite singer and was called "The singer of the century!" I don't think his style of music would go with the Miami Vice vibe. Maybe his recording of New York, New York would fit with the time Crockett was walking the streets of the city. It would have made me very happy!