Final Michael Jackson album This Is It hits the shelves

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A new album of Michael Jackson's music was released today, kicking off a week of celebrations of the late singer's life.

Jackson died in June aged 50, just weeks before his 50-date comeback concerts, also titled This Is It, were due to start in London.

The two-disc record, titled This Is It, contains songs included in a documentary film of the same name about the singer, which will have simultaneous premieres around the world later this week.

Gallery: Michael Jackson exhibition at the O2

The first album disc boasts the original album masters of some of Jackson's biggest hits, arranged in the same sequence as they appear in the film.

The second disc contains previously-unreleased versions of some of the artist's classic tracks and a "touching" spoken word poem titled Planet Earth.

Accompanying the album is a 36-page booklet featuring photos of Jackson from his last rehearsal.

The public appetite for Jackson's back catalogue has seen many of the singer's best-known hits rocket back up the charts following his death.

A song from the new album, also titled This Is It, received its first airplay earlier this month, and it later emerged that the tune was originally written in 1983 by the star and singer Paul Anka.

Meanwhile, members of the media will get a glimpse today of an exhibition of Jackson's personal memorabilia, which goes on show for the first time in London later this week.

The star's Rolls-Royce, an original Jackson Five contract and a signature white glove will be among the collection.

The three-month event will take place at the 02 Bubble, in the same complex as the 02 Arena, where Jackson's This Is It concerts would have taken place.

It will open to the public on Wednesday, just hours after Jackson's This Is It film - the documentary of the singer's final months as he rehearsed for his string of comeback gigs - premieres.

Gallery: Michael Jackson exhibition at the O2

Kenny Ortega, the choreographer of Jackson's ill-fated shows, said the singer had envisaged having a representation of Victoria Falls on stage during his concerts.

He told the BBC: "What Michael wanted was the Victoria Falls in 3-D pouring over the stage - with him in front of it, singing!"

Here is the complete tracklisting to the new This Is It album:
Disc 1
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
Jam
They Don't Care About Us
Human Nature
Smooth Criminal
The Way You Make Me Feel
Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)
I Just Can't Stop Loving You
Thriller
Beat It
Black Or White
Earth Song
Billie Jean
Man In The Mirror
This Is It
This Is It (Orchestra Version)

Disc 2
She's Out Of My Life (Demo)
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (Demo)
Beat It (Demo)
Planet Earth (Poem)

 

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