Michael Jackson's First-Ever Studio Recording to Be Released Digitally

The King of Pop recorded "Big Boy" with the Jackson 5 in 1967

Michael Jackson announces plans for Summer residency at the O2 Arena at a press conference held at the O2 Arena on March 5, 2009 in London, England.
Michael Jackson. Photo:

MJ Kim/Getty

Fifty six years after Michael Jackson had his first-ever recording session, the song will be released digitally for fans to enjoy.

"Big Boy," which was recorded by The Jackson 5 at One-derful studios, marked the first time Michael's voice was put on tape. Now, it's set for digital release on Thursday and fans can purchase it as a part of a limited-edition release, Billboard reports.

“As a passionate MJ fan myself, I was instantly thrilled about introducing this significant piece of music history to the world and expanding the narrative of Jackson 5’s early days,” anotherblock CEO and co-founder Michel D Traore told the outlet. “We engaged in numerous lengthy discussions about the recording, its meaning, history, and the optimal way to tell the story. In total, it took us about six months to piece everything together.”

“For certain songs, and this one in particular, it’s evident that they deserve a special home where they won’t get lost in the mass of hundreds of thousands of songs released on the same day,” Traore continued. “Our digital vinyls are a product for the digital age, providing us with the opportunity to imbue them with a unique story. In addition to telling the story on our platform, we have crafted an in-depth editorial piece for this release that will be available alongside the recording. It presents a deep dive into the early days of The Jackson 5, complete with original photos.”

For $25, fans can purchase "Big Boy (One-derful Version)," which is accessible through anotherblock's player, images of master tape and agreements, downloadable song stems and a digital vinyl B-side including "Michael the Lover" and "My Girl" with their stems.

Pop singer Michael Jackson poses for a portrait wearing a Mickey Mouse t-shirt in June 1971 in Los Angeles, California.
Michael Jackson.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

Meanwhile, the limited edition available for $100 includes everything in the aforementioned package, along with newly designed artwork and nine additional songs and stems from the Steeltown sessions in 1967 including, “Big Boy (Steeltown Version),” “We Don’t Have to Be Over 21 (To Fall in Love),” “You’ve Changed,” “Tracks of My Tears,” “Lonely Heart,” “Saturday Night at the Movies,” “Stormy Monday” and “Under the Boardwalk.”

The packages will be available worldwide for four days, beginning Thursday at noon ET on anotherblock. A portion of the sale revenue will go to Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit serving Lake County, Indiana, where his hometown is located.

A later version of "Big Boy" was re-recorded in a separate session released as The Jackson 5's first single by Steeltown Records in January 1968.

In August, Michael's kids celebrated him on what would've been his 65th birthday. Together, they visited Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino where Cirque du Soleil’s show Michael Jackson ONE show is performed. PEOPLE confirmed that the famous siblings greeted fans inside of the casino and shared their favorite memories of the global superstar. 

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