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Michael Jackson - Bad (Epic Records)
Released: August 31st, 1987
This past week was Michael Jackson's birthday. Born in 1958, MJ would have been 59 years old today. It was also the birthday of one his best albums, Bad. With an original release date from 1987, Bad is 30 years old and is still as lively and energetic as it was back then.
The King of Pop was already dominating charts at this point and was being played on every single radio imaginable. His addicting grooves, danceable beats and unique falsetto allowed him to standout among all popular-music peers. Bad won two Grammys, sold 30+ million copies and sat on the charts for 154 weeks.
Michael Jackson was not only the king of popular music, but was arguably one of the best to ever do it, regardless of genre.
Tracklist:
1. Bad
2. The Way You Make Me Feel
3. Speed Demon
4. Liberian Girl
5. Just Good Friends
6. Another Part of Me
7. Man In the Mirror
8. I Just Can't Stop Loving You (Feat. Siedah Garrett)
9. Dirty Diana
10. Smooth Criminal
11. Leave Me Alone [Bonus Track]
Click HERE to listen to the full album
The title track "Bad" kicks off this album. Shuffling hi-hats along with a very mysterious bass line lead the way. The atmospheric synths sound similar to that of a helicopter surrounding a building; you can hear the fluttering melody throughout. The lyrics declare Jackson as 'BAD'. Even on the album cover, he wears his studded leather jacket to intimidate and scare the viewer. But it's hard to think anything bad could come from this awesome pop-track. The chorus is simple and catchy. The background vocals he adds are soft and pretty, adding a nice layer to the overall mix. The extra synthesizers are breathing and shine through on multiple sections. This is a perfect start to a perfect album.
My favorite on the album is the second song "The Way You Make Me Feel". From the opening growl of a lion, the bass line and percussion completely control the song. "The Way You Make Me Feel" has that classic 80's vibe and bounce, but Michael's character over top creates a whole new element. The addition of horns, auxiliary percussion and a callback chorus create an extremely infectious track.
"Speed Demon" includes a rippling bass line during the chorus and an even steadier line during the verses. With help from a guitar section, car-sound samples and MJ's vocal chops, this song his a hidden gem. I also love the ghost-sounding synth that enters near the latter half of the track.
Th other highlights from this album include "Man In the Mirror", "Dirty Diana" and "Smooth Criminal".
The glistening synths and gun-shot snares on "Man In the Mirror" support Jackson as he croons lyrics about personal and world change. He expands his vocals and even adds a full choir on the best chorus album.
"Dirty Diana" contains these shredding guitar licks along side bright synth-work. The bass and drums chug along as the guitar solos and riffs control this pop-rock slow jam. Michael's vocals are very impassioned and spirited, just like multiple tracks on this record, he screams in the chorus "DIRTY DIANA!".
The closer "Smooth Criminal" is another song that contains a driving bass line and drum section. Right from the beginning of the track, the bass and drums are right upfront, hard hitting and electric. Another memorable chorus appears... "Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?"
All throughout Bad, Michael Jackson exemplifies why he's the best at what he does. Each chorus on this album is extremely catchy, groovy and danceable. The instrumental melodies are still being constantly hummed to this day. His 80's music aesthetic and craftsmanship has highly influenced so many artists across multiple genres. MJ's dancing and on stage performance was different and unique, but it shocked the world in the best way possible. It is only right that Michael Jackson should be remembered as the King of Pop.
The title track "Bad" kicks off this album. Shuffling hi-hats along with a very mysterious bass line lead the way. The atmospheric synths sound similar to that of a helicopter surrounding a building; you can hear the fluttering melody throughout. The lyrics declare Jackson as 'BAD'. Even on the album cover, he wears his studded leather jacket to intimidate and scare the viewer. But it's hard to think anything bad could come from this awesome pop-track. The chorus is simple and catchy. The background vocals he adds are soft and pretty, adding a nice layer to the overall mix. The extra synthesizers are breathing and shine through on multiple sections. This is a perfect start to a perfect album.
My favorite on the album is the second song "The Way You Make Me Feel". From the opening growl of a lion, the bass line and percussion completely control the song. "The Way You Make Me Feel" has that classic 80's vibe and bounce, but Michael's character over top creates a whole new element. The addition of horns, auxiliary percussion and a callback chorus create an extremely infectious track.
"Speed Demon" includes a rippling bass line during the chorus and an even steadier line during the verses. With help from a guitar section, car-sound samples and MJ's vocal chops, this song his a hidden gem. I also love the ghost-sounding synth that enters near the latter half of the track.
Th other highlights from this album include "Man In the Mirror", "Dirty Diana" and "Smooth Criminal".
The glistening synths and gun-shot snares on "Man In the Mirror" support Jackson as he croons lyrics about personal and world change. He expands his vocals and even adds a full choir on the best chorus album.
"Dirty Diana" contains these shredding guitar licks along side bright synth-work. The bass and drums chug along as the guitar solos and riffs control this pop-rock slow jam. Michael's vocals are very impassioned and spirited, just like multiple tracks on this record, he screams in the chorus "DIRTY DIANA!".
The closer "Smooth Criminal" is another song that contains a driving bass line and drum section. Right from the beginning of the track, the bass and drums are right upfront, hard hitting and electric. Another memorable chorus appears... "Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?"
All throughout Bad, Michael Jackson exemplifies why he's the best at what he does. Each chorus on this album is extremely catchy, groovy and danceable. The instrumental melodies are still being constantly hummed to this day. His 80's music aesthetic and craftsmanship has highly influenced so many artists across multiple genres. MJ's dancing and on stage performance was different and unique, but it shocked the world in the best way possible. It is only right that Michael Jackson should be remembered as the King of Pop.
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