When Michael Didn't Help

The following are song that despite having Michael Jackson on them during the 1980's, really underperformed, just proving that having the top star of the 80's on your record doesn't guarantee success.  I'm going in order of surprise.

"Save Me" (#71, 1980) -- English singer songwriter Dave Mason, most famous for "We Just Disagree" and in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a founding member of Traffic, released this song in 1980 at the peak of "Off the Wall."  The song almost defines yacht rock...but then you hear MJ coming in the background, just where you'd expect Michael McDonald!  Didn't work....surprising that MJ was on it, but not surprised at the low charting. 

"Get It" (#80, 1988) -- American icon Stevie Wonder had had an incredible run of pop chart success that ran out of gas in 1987.  The lead single from Characters, "Skeletons" only made #19 (following 10 years of lead singles all making the top 10, many #1).  Following this funky song with a ballad, "You Will Know" completely missed the top 40.  So, for round three, he pulled out the duet with MJ.  perfectly servicable, middle of the road song, but it was too late.

"Heartbreak Hotel" (#22, 1981) -- this song by the Jacksons came hot on the heels of Michael's breakthrough with "Off the Wall" in 1979.  By the end of 1980, he'd scored 4 top 10's from that album, yet the late 1980's Jackson album "Triumph" scored only 2 top 40 hits, both of which missed the top 10.  "Lovely one" was a bit formulaic, but "Heartbreak Hotel" was very interesting and reminiscent of the title track to "Thriller" which would be recorded only 2 years later, though charting top 5 in 1984 due to the album's long run.  Fun fact: when MJ bought the rights to Elvis' catalog, he retroactively (and awkwardly) re-named the song "This Place Hotel"

"Eaten Alive" (#77, 1985)  I'm calling this Diana Ross song bombing a surprise, even though her career was on the downturn by this point in the 80's after a white-hot start.  She had had a top 10 hit earlier in the year (granted, a commemoration ballad for Marvin Gaye in "Missing You"), and this was the lead single, produced by Michael Jackson with him on background vocals.  I thought it was an awesome record at the time and could not believe with their combined star power that it stalled at #77.  The follow-up, the midtempo "Chain Reaction" didn't do much better in the U.S. but was a #1 in the UK!