Freddie Mercury on Michael Jackson: Friendship, Music, and the Unreleased Tracks That Might Have Changed Pop History

In the early 1980s, two of music’s most iconic figures—Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson—briefly crossed creative paths. The lead singer of Queen and the soon-to-be King of Pop formed a surprising friendship rooted in mutual admiration, one that sparked a short-lived but intriguing musical collaboration.

“He used to come see us at the Forum in LA,” Mercury recalled. “He kept coming back, and eventually we started talking.” Despite the age gap—Mercury was 37 at the time and Jackson only 25—the Queen frontman was struck by how long Michael had already been in the industry. “It was quite frightening,” he said. “You think someone at 25 is just starting out, but not Michael.”

Their chemistry led to studio sessions, and they worked on several songs together, including three known tracks: “State of Shock,” “Victory,” and “There Must Be More to Life Than This.” The collaboration came just before Jackson’s Thriller exploded into a cultural phenomenon, forever shifting his trajectory.

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“We went over to his house and did three or four demos,” Mercury shared. “But they were never finished.” The artists were soon pulled in different directions—Jackson with Thriller, Mercury with Queen—and the sessions were put on hold. “He had things to do, I had things to do,” Mercury said. “We haven’t seen each other for three or four months.”

One of the more notable outcomes was “State of Shock,” which Mercury started but didn’t finish due to scheduling conflicts. “He wanted me to finish it, but I was in Munich working with Queen,” he explained. Jackson asked if Mick Jagger could complete the song instead, and Mercury agreed. “Mick did my vocals,” he noted. “Timing is everything.”

“Victory” was another track born from their sessions. Though it was never released, Jackson later used the title for The Jacksons’ 1984 album. Mercury saw it as a symbolic remnant of their work. “That track is frozen,” he mused. “It’s just waiting until the two of us get together and finish it.”

The third song, “There Must Be More to Life Than This,” was originally a Mercury solo piece intended for a Queen album. Although it wasn’t used, he brought it to their sessions. “The way he sang it was so beautiful,” said Mercury, “I had to take a different approach to it. More orchestration, more emotion.”

Mercury even hinted that one of the songs might have ended up on Thriller if things had gone differently. “Can you imagine that? I blew it,” he admitted. “I think one of the tracks would have been on Thriller if I’d finished it.”

When asked about their unlikely collaboration, Mercury acknowledged their differences. “You’re right—we seemed poles apart. Maybe that’s the attraction,” he reflected. “In those days, he would go out to dinner and socialize. But now he stays home.”

Freddie observed Jackson’s increasing isolation with a mix of curiosity and concern. “He says anything he wants, he just buys. But that’s not me. I’d be bored to death,” Mercury said. “I need to go out every night. I hate staying in one room for too long.”

Despite their differences, the respect between them remained strong. “Songs are songs,” Mercury said. “As long as our friendship carries on, we can write all kinds of music.”

Though the world never heard the full results of their collaboration during their lifetimes, the possibility still lingers in music history—a tantalizing “what if” between two giants at the height of their powers.