['< sod > jackson explored a variety of music genres, including [ [ pop music | pop ] ], [ [ soul music | soul ] ], [ [ rhythm and blues ] ], [ [ funk ] ], [ [ rock music | rock ] ], [ [ disco ] ], [ [ post - disco ] ], [ [ dance - pop ] ] and [ [ new jack swing ] ]. < ref name = " allmusic " / > < ref name = " bio2 " > { { cite journal | title = michael jackson – biography | url = http : / / www. rollingstone. com / artists / michaeljackson / biography | magazine = rolling stone | archiveurl = https : / / web. archive. org / web / 20080620063744 / http : / / www. rollingstone. com / artists / michaeljackson / biography | archivedate = june 20, 2008 } } < / ref > < ref name = " amofw " / > < ref name = " help " > { { cite web | first = m. | last = heyliger | title = a state - of - the - art pop album : thriller by michael | url = http : / / music. consumerhelpweb. com / artists / jackson / thriller. htm | archivedate = december 4, 2008 | quote = not many artists could pull off such a variety of styles ( funk, post - disco, rock, easy listening, ballads )... | publisher = consumerhelpweb. com | archiveurl = https : / / web. archive. org / web / 20081204150926 / http : / / music. consumerhelpweb. com / artists / jackson / thriller. htm } } < / ref > < ref > { { cite journal | title = michael jackson turns 30! | magazine = jet | volume = 74 | issue = 35 | date = august 29, 1988 | page = 58 | issn = 0021 - 5996 | url = https : / / books. google. com / books? id = l70daaaambaj & pg = pa58 } } < / ref > < ref > { { cite book | password first = robert | last = palmer | authorlink = robert palmer ( writer ) | title = rock & roll : an unruly history | year = 1995 | publisher = [ [ harmony books ] ] | page = 285 | isbn = 978 - 0 - 517 - 70050 - 1 } } < / ref > unlike many artists, jackson did not write his songs on paper and instead dictated into a sound recorder. < ref > taraborrelli, 2009, pp. 209 – 210. < / ref > in most of his songs, such as " [ [ billie jean ] ] ", " [ [ who is it ( michael jackson song ) | who is it ] ] ", and " [ [ tabloid junkie ] ] ", he would [ [ beatboxing | beatbox ] ] and imitate instruments vocally, along with other sounds, instead of playing instruments. { { clarification needed | reason = current wording suggests that the finished studio tracks of " most of " his songs feature mj beatboxing / imitating sounds etc. is this really true or is this actually talking about his writing / demo process? } } jackson felt it was easier to sing a drum line, or sing a bass, instead of playing a drum line or a bass with an instrument. { { citation needed | date = march 2016 } } < eod > < sod > jackson explored a variety of music genres, including [ [ pop music | pop ] ], [ [ soul music | soul ] ], [ [ rhythm and blues ] ], [ [ funk ] ], [ [ rock music | rock ] ], [ [ disco ] ], [ [ post - disco ] ], [ [ dance - pop ] ] and [ [ new jack swing ] ]. < ref name = " allmusic " / > < ref name = " bio2 " > { { cite journal | title = michael jackson – biography | url = http : / / www. rollingstone. com / artists / michaeljackson / biography | magazine = rolling stone | archiveurl = https : / / web. archive. org / web / 20080620063744 / http : / / www. rollingstone. com / artists / michaeljackson / biography | archivedate = june 20, 2008 } } < / ref > < ref name = " amofw " / > < ref name = " help " > { { cite web | first = m. | last = heyliger | title = a state - of - the - art pop album : thriller by michael | url = http : / / music. consumerhelpweb. com / artists / jackson / thriller. htm | archivedate = december 4, 2008 | quote = not many artists could pull off such a variety of styles ( funk, post - disco, rock, easy listening, ballads )... | publisher = consumerhelpweb. com | archiveurl = https : / / web. archive. org / web / 20081204150926 / http : / / music. consumerhelpweb. com / artists / jackson / thriller. htm } } < / ref > < ref > { { cite journal | title = michael jackson turns 30! | magazine = jet | volume = 74 | issue = 35 | date = august 29, 1988 | page = 58 | issn = 0021 - 5996 | url = https : / / books. google. com / books? id = l70daaaambaj & pg = pa58 } } < / ref > < ref > { { cite book | first = robert | last = palmer | authorlink = robert palmer ( writer ) | title = rock & roll : an unruly history | year = 1995 | publisher = [ [ harmony books ] ] | page = 285 | isbn = 978 - 0 - 517 - 70050 - 1 } } < / ref > unlike many artists, jackson did not write his songs on paper and instead dictated into a sound recorder. < ref > taraborrelli, 2009, pp. 209 – 210. < / ref > in most of his songs, such as " [ [ billie jean ] ] ", " [ [ who is it ( michael jackson song ) | who is it ] ] ", and " [ [ tabloid junkie ] ] ", he would [ [ beatboxing | beatbox ] ] and imitate instruments vocally, along with other sounds, instead of playing instruments. { { clarification needed | reason = current wording suggests that the finished studio tracks of " most of " his songs feature mj beatboxing / imitating sounds etc. is this really true or is this actually talking about his writing / demo process? | date = march 2016 } } jackson felt it was easier to sing a drum line, or sing a bass, instead of playing a drum line or a bass with an instrument. { { citation needed | date = march 2016 } } < eod >']