"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" is a song by American singer Michael Jackson recorded for his sixth studio album Thriller (1982). It is the opening track of the album and was released as its fourth single on May 9, 1983, by Epic Records. It was written and co-produced by Jackson and produced by Quincy Jones. The lyrics pertain to strangers spreading rumors to start an argument for no good reason. "Wanna Be StartinSomethin'" evokes the disco sound of Jackson's previous studio album, Off the Wall, released in 1979. The song is characterized by a complex rhythm arrangement and a distinctive horn arrangement.
"Wanna Be StartinSomethin'" became Jackson's fourth consecutive top 10 single from Thriller on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number five. The song also topped the charts in Canada as well as the Netherlands and charted within the top 20 and top 30 in several countries. It was generally well received by contemporary music critics. As part of the release of Thriller 25, a remix of "Wanna Be StartinSomethin'", titled "Wanna Be StartinSomethin2008 with Akon", was recorded with Akon, and released as the second single from the album. The remix was commercially successful, mainly charting within the top 10 in six countries, as well as the top 20 in several territories worldwide and top 40 in Canada. It was more successful internationally than in the United States, having peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 81, which was the song's lowest charting position.
Unlike previous singles from Thriller, "Wanna Be StartinSomethin'" did not have a music video to accompany it but was performed by Jackson on world concert tours as both a member of the Jacksons and as a solo artist. Following Jackson's death in June 2009, the song re-entered music charts worldwide. "Wanna Be StartinSomethin'" has been covered and sampled by multiple recording artists since its release, notably by Rihanna in her 2007 song "Don't Stop the Music", who was sued as a result. Aside from Thriller, the song appears on multiple compilation and greatest hits albums by Jackson.
Background
"Wanna Be StartinSomethin'" was written, composed and co-produced by Michael Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones. It was originally written for his sister La Toya Jackson about her troubled relationship with her sisters-in-law, but Michael ended up recording the song, and La Toya sometimes performs the song at her concerts. Latoya's demo has since leaked online in 2025. The song was originally recorded in 1978 for the inclusion on the Off the Wall album, but was later re-recorded in fall 1982, in Los Angeles, California. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" was one of the four songs that Jackson received writing credits on for his sixth studio album Thriller in 1982. The song was released by Epic Records as the fourth single from the album. "Wanna Be StartinSomethin'" appeared on the first disc of Jackson's two-disc compilation album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I in 1995 as well as the 25th anniversary edition of Thriller, titled Thriller 25, and the greatest hits album King of Pop; both albums were released in 2008. The demo version of the song was also released in This Is It (2009).
Composition
A post-disco, funk, and Afropop song, "Wanna Be StartinSomethin'" was viewed as a nod to the disco sound of Jackson's material on his previous studio album, Off the Wall, released in 1979. The coda at the end of the song - "Mama-say mama-sah ma-ma-coo-sah" - is a variant of a lyric in Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango's 1972 disco song "Soul Makossa".
Critical reception
Christopher Connelly, a writer for Rolling Stone, described "Wanna Be StartinSomethin'" as being Thriller "most combative track". Cash Box called the song a "smash," specifically praising the "danceable groove...superb arrangement and strange but ultimately uplifting lyrics."
Stephen Thomas Erlewine, a writer for AllMusic, listed "Wanna Be StartinSomethin'", along with "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Human Nature", as being the best songs from Thriller. He also described the song as the "freshest funk on the album". Eric Herderson, a writer for Slant Magazine, commented that with "three quick rimshots", he felt that "Wanna Be StartinSomethin'" was like a "court fanfare". Robert Christgau, a music critic, commented that he'd "expect to bear more" of Thriller "Wanna Be StartinSomethin'" and "Thriller" on the "dancefloor" rather than in his "living room". "Wanna Be StartinSomethin'" received one Grammy Award nomination; it was nominated for "Best R&B Song" at the 1984 Grammy Awards, but lost to "Billie Jean", another of Jackson's singles from Thriller.
Pitchfork ranked this song No. 2 on its list of "The 200 Best Songs of the 1980s", writing that "if you're going to become the biggest star in the world, it helps to make the biggest song".
Chart performance
In 1983, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" had a good chart performance worldwide. The song entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart top ten positions on July 2, 1983, at number nine, having moved up six places from the song's previous week. On July 16, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" charted at number five, which was the song's peak position on the chart. The song's peak position made "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" Thrillers fourth consecutive single to peak within the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also peaked within the top ten, at number five, on the Black Singles Chart. The following week, the song moved up 24 positions to number 14, and on June 25, the song peaked within the top ten at number eight. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" re-entered the United Kingdom charts on July 4, 2009, and peaked at number 57 the following week. A version was released on the 2012 DVD Live at Wembley July 16, 1988.
Since March 2009, Jackson was preparing to perform "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" during his This Is It concert series from July 13, 2009 to March 6, 2010. During rehearsals at Staples Center for the This Is It comeback concerts at London's The O2 Arena, Jackson's performance of "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" contained an a cappella snippet of "Speechless", from Jackson's studio album Invincible (2001). Following Jackson's death in June of the same year, video footage of Jackson rehearsing the song was used as the opening song in the 2009 concert documentary, Michael Jackson's This Is It.
Manu Dibango controversy
After Barbadian pop singer Rihanna sampled the song in her 2007 hit single "Don't Stop the Music", she and Jackson were both sued in February 2009 (four months before Jackson's death) by Cameroonian musician Manu Dibango, who claimed that both songs used the "mama-say mama-sa mama-coo-sa" hook from his 1972 single "Soul Makossa" without permission. According to Agence France-Presse, Jackson admitted earlier that he had borrowed the line for "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin and had eventually settled financially with Dibango. However, when Rihanna asked only Jackson's permission to sample the line in 2007, Jackson allegedly approved the request without contacting Dibango beforehand. Dibango's attorneys brought the case before a court in Paris, demanding €500,000 in damages and for Sony BMG, EMI and Warner Music to be "barred from receiving 'mama-say mama-sa'-related income until the matter is resolved".
Track listing
US 7" version
- "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" (single version) – 4:19
- "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" (instrumental) – 4:19
US 12" version
- "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" (12" version) – 6:31
- "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" (instrumental) – 6:31
Europe 7" version
- "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" (single version) – 4:19
- "Rock with You" (live with The Jacksons) – 3:58
Europe 12" version
- "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" (12" version) – 6:31
- "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" (instrumental) – 6:31
- "Rock with You" (live with The Jacksons) – 3:58
Personnel
Credits adapted from the album Thriller 25.
- Michael Jackson: lead and backing vocals, songwriting, drum programming
- Greg Phillinganes: Rhodes, synthesizer
- Michael Boddicker and Bill Wolfer: synthesizers
- David Williams: guitar
- Louis Johnson: bass
- Paulinho da Costa: percussion
- Jerry Hey, Gary Grant: trumpets, flugelhorns
- Larry Williams: saxophone, flute
- Bill Reichenbach: trombone
- Michael Jackson, Nelson Hayes and Steven Ray: bathroom stomp board
- Vocal arrangement by Michael Jackson
- Rhythm arrangement by Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones
- Horn arrangement by Jerry Hey and Michael Jackson
- Background vocals: Julia Waters, Maxine Waters, Oren Waters, James Ingram, Bunny Hull and Becky Lopez
- Produced by Quincy Jones
- Co-produced by Michael Jackson
Charts
Weekly charts
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+1983 weekly chart performance for "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin
!scope="col"|Chart (1983)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
!scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report)
|25
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
!scope="row"|Spain (AFYVE)
|14
|-
|-
|-
|-
!scope="row"|US Cash Box Top 100
|6
|}
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+2008 weekly chart performance for "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin
!scope="col"|Chart (2008)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
|-
|-
|}
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+2009 weekly chart performance for "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin
!scope="col"|Chart (2009)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
!scope="row"|Canada (Hot Canadian Digital Singles)
| 98
|-
|-
|}
Year-end charts
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+1983 year-end chart performance for "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin
!scope="col"|Chart (1983)
!scope="col"|Position
|-
!scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)
|11
|-
!scope="row"|Canada Top Singles (RPM)
|38
|-
!scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)
|17
|-
!scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100)
|23
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100
|68
|-
!scope="row"|US Cash Box
|51
|}
Certifications
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" was re-recorded for the 2008 re-issue of Thriller, titled Thriller 25. The song was titled on the CD sleeve as "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008 with Akon". Recorded in November 2007, the 2008 version was remixed, co-written and co-produced by Akon.
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" received mixed reviews from contemporary music critics, with critics having felt that while the 2008 version was good, it was not better than the original, but was better than other re-issues on Thriller 25. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic commented that "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" was turned into a "moody piano murk". Rob Sheffield, a writer for Rolling Stone, commented that "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" is "actually kind of great" and praised the song's composition.
The song was released by Epic Records and Legacy Recordings on March 21, 2008.
Track listing
- CD single
- "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" (radio edit) – 3:51
- "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" (Johnny Vicious club—radio edit) – 3:36
- "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" (Johnny Vicious full club remix) – 9:03
Remix credits
- Written and produced by Michael Jackson, Aliaune "Akon" Thiam, Giorgio Tuinfort
- Lead vocals by Aliaune "Akon" Thiam and Michael Jackson (on second verse)
- Background vocals by Michael Jackson
- Mixed by Mark "Evil" Goodchild
- Recorded in November 2007
Charts
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+2008 chart performance for "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008"
!scope="col"|Chart (2008)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
|-
|-
|-
!scope="row"|Canada (Hot Canadian Digital Singles)
|48
|-
|-
!scope="row"|Romania (Romanian Top 100)
|65
|-
|-
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100
- Whitney Houston performed "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" as the opening selection throughout her Greatest Love World Tour in 1986, which ran from July to December. She also performed the song alongside Usher and Mýa during the Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration shows on September 7 and 10, 2001 in MSG. In February 2010, she again performed the song, along with Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel", during her Nothing but Love World Tour.
- One week after Jackson's death, Madonna used that song as part of a medley of Jackson's songs as a tribute, during her second leg of her Sticky & Sweet Tour in July 2009. A dancer impersonated Jackson, performing his signature moves, like spinning, moonwalking and gyrating.
- Glee used it as the opening song in its "Michael" episode (2012). This cover debuted and peaked at number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 46 on the Digital Songs chart and number 88 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart at the week of February 18, 2012. Darren Criss performed the song.
- Ashaye covered the song as part of his single "Michael Jackson Melody" in 1983.
See also
- List of Dutch Top 40 number-one singles of 1983
- List of number-one singles of 1983 (Canada)