Bad

OK, here we go. Noncing Jackson's - Bad I'm not in the best place to listen to this. It's friday night and I'm usually balls deep in techno or jungle by this point... I'm familiar with the singles but don't think I've ever listened to this through. The title track sounds a lot like the Ghostbusters theme, which I didn't recall before. Nor the dreadful synth riffs about 2:45 in. Ahhh, the signature wooooos as well. Shamone motherfucker. eeeheeeeee The way you make me feel. God this sounds dated, what year is it? 1987. Pulp released their second album in 1987. Cocker and Jackson became the best of friends many years later. Speed Demon. I've never heard this before I don't think. Ffs I've just realised that this album is gonna destroy my "mainstream" stats for the week on last.fm. All these tracks sound very similar, think it's the bassline that is just about the same in all of them so far. Wooo ahhhhhhh Liberian Girl is fucking terrible. Though at least it sounds markedly different to the first three tracks. ooooohhhhh We're Just Good Friends, you're ignorant. eeehhhhheeeeee eh hu oh he eeeee. Jesus fucking wept. I thought I might enjoy this album. He's an all time great pop star, I expected it to be toe tapping at least. This is a total chore. OOoowwwwww. The tracks just don't go anywhere. It's really dull and repetitive. According to the review Plex pulls though, this is meant to be deeper into hard rock and hard dance. Really? REALLY? I dunno about the rock side but I clearly have a different definition of hard dance. Though this could definitely benefit of a fucking big donk on it. There was a great techno remix of Billie Jean that chugs away for 11 minutes by Bushwacka. I could listen to that on repeat over having this on. Another Part Of Me has come and gone. Man in the Mirror I remember hearing before. "This wind is blowing my mind"...... ok. Yeah I mean I can see how this one did ok. But really it's drivel. I've just remembered this is quoted in Lego batman "If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, and make a change oooooo" KEY CHANGE. That key change is the highlight of the album so far. SHAMONE. At least this track doesn't end fading out too. I just want to lay next to you for a while You look so beautiful tonight Your eyes are so lovely Your mouth is so sweet A lot of people misunderstand me That's because they don't know me at all I just want to touch you And hold you I need you, God I need you I love you so much FUCK OFF!! I wanna put it out there, I fucking love Off The Wall. It's brilliant. This is hot garbage. Why is it on this list, what qualifies it over countless others? Cos he was massive? They could have swapped in a Toots and the Maytals album instead of this. No Toots but we get second rate Jacko. Who they rope in to do the guitar on Dirty Diana? This is probably my favourite so far. Maybe I've just been ground down and desperate to think I've not completely wasted this time. Weren't Duran Duran around at this time? At some point this has made me thing of View to a Kill. I don't know any other Duran Duran tracks other than that like. Smooth Criminal, this is a classic innit? I mean after some of the dross on this album I'm thirsty for something that isn't terrible. THe sound of school discos when I was 9 will have to do. The last track is fitting called Leave Me Alone. I could make more jibes, but really by this point I just want to be left alone. ooooOOOOOhhhhhhoooOOOOOO I've tried, I really have. I don't like it. It's not just it's music that doesn't interest me, it's music I don't like and I'm struggling to find pretty much any enjoyment out of. Joe Smooth's Promised Land came out in 1987. Brothers, sisters, one day we will be free. From fighting, violence, people crying in the streets. I'm not surprised people were crying in the streets when Jackson was number 1 in the album charts with this. 1/5

what is the moral stance on listening to a bad persons' music and enjoying it? should we have separation of artist and art? I think the answer to this is: if the artist commits the crime in the here and now and you are aware of it you should stop supporting them as they will receive the benefits of your support but in this case a) michael jackson isn't receiving anything from my listens b) when he recorded this album hopefully he wasn't up to any nasty behaviour in answer to that - brilliant album - man in the mirror was the blowing in the wind of the 80s. Most of the songs to this day hold up very well and don't sound corny (minus i just cant stop loving you). some of the most iconic basslines

The downside to a success like Thriller is that it's nearly impossible to follow, but Michael Jackson approached Bad much the same way he approached Thriller -- take the basic formula of the predecessor, expand it slightly, and move it outward. This meant that he moved deeper into hard rock, deeper into schmaltzy adult contemporary, deeper into hard dance -- essentially taking each portion of Thriller to an extreme, while increasing the quotient of immaculate studiocraft. He wound up with a sleeker, slicker Thriller, which isn't a bad thing, but it's not a rousing success, either. For one thing, the material just isn't as good. Look at the singles: only three can stand alongside album tracks from its predecessor ("Bad," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "I Just Can't Stop Loving You"), another is simply OK ("Smooth Criminal"), with the other two showcasing Jackson at his worst (the saccharine "Man in the Mirror," the misogynistic "Dirty Diana"). Then, there are the album tracks themselves, something that virtually didn't exist on Thriller but bog down Bad not just because they're bad, but because they reveal that Jackson's state of the art is not hip. And they constitute a near-fatal dead spot on the record -- songs three through six, from "Speed Demon" to "Another Part of Me," a sequence that's utterly faceless, lacking memorable hooks and melodies, even when Stevie Wonder steps in for "Just Good Friends," relying on nothing but studiocraft. Part of the joy of Off the Wall and Thriller was that craft was enhanced with tremendous songs, performances, and fresh, vivacious beats. For this dreadful stretch, everything is mechanical, and while the album rebounds with songs that prove mechanical can be tolerable if delivered with hooks and panache, it still makes Bad feel like an artifact of its time instead a piece of music that transcends it.

Best album by a child molester!!

It’s Bad, really really Bad!

Incredible, era defining album. Music that everyone enjoys and knows the words to. The production is crisp and beautifully crafted, every synthetic sound is perfectly constructed. One or two duff tracks but only because of the direct comparison. Would happily go to 'the cancelled disco' to listen to this again. Favourite track: Man in the Mirror

Ugh.. I was highly suspicious of this as a 12yo when it came out, there was clearly something wrong with him, the music was cheesy and the whole energy was very "off". Really lame style, so far from the intended "tough" look, it all seemed very embarrassing, and made me wonder why nobody told him that it sucked. All of the songs on here (maybe not Smooth Criminal; EDIT - yes this is still crap) are lightweight, over-produced '80s fluff with trite lyrics, glib instrumentation, and those histrionic squeaky sham-wow vocals on top. I was a big fan of Thriller (at the time) and the drop in quality to this dross was immense. My mum's awful second husband chose The Way You Make Me Feel as their wedding dance, in doing so trying to emulate the super-crass video. I cringe to this day Later on, as documented in Leaving Neverland, it became clear that Michael committed to his supposed fiddling activities in earnest during this period (Bad world tour). The music sounds so much worse in this context. Note, *Finding Neverland* is a different beast Another random anecdote: I have actually seen Michael Jackson in the "flesh"! I'm proud to say I was in the room when Jarvis stormed the stage to interrupt his Earth Song atrocity at the '96 Brit awards. Quite a weird one that. I also happened to be at UCLA on the day he died there. Sorry Jacko, I'm bad luck for ya' Just terrible, well-deserving of the 1* on offer

Somewhere, Michael Jackson evolved from the exuberant, multi-talented child through confident and charismatic disco superstar into a disfigured, drug addicted, child molesting ambition monster. And I rate this album as the point at which that final stage started to rear its ugly head and become publicly visible. It is always an interesting question of when an artist's personal behaviour makes it impossible to accept the art. And Michael Jackson is a really interesting case, because the 12-year-old who sang those early Jackson 5 singles is not the same person as the 50-year-old man who died, drug addicted, mangled by plastic surgery and reclusive, twisted by an abusive parent, fame, money and ambition. I absolutely believe the accusations of child sexual abuse, although I know many people struggle with that. By the time Bad was released, there were enough stories of Jackson's behaviour that much of his album just doesn't ring true. I don't believe that Jackson was capable of having a normal romantic relationship, so all the love songs seem fake. I don't believe that his care for children was entirely altruistic, which makes those songs very uncomfortable. I find his singing of dealing with "the man in the mirror" sadly ironic, because Michael Jackson clearly could not accept himself as he was. And that's the first big strike against this album; pop music needs to be credible, you have to believe the singer, and I just don't. I also hate the way this record sounds. The crispy digital perfection is just soulless and abrasive sounded to my ears. It has dated like warm milk, and the middling tunes are peppered with Jackson's idiosyncratic vocal affectations (shamone, heeeheee) that get more annoying with time. Everything is so cleaned and polished and quantized that smooths off every rough edge and any semblance of swing. There is none of the disco strut and swagger that was all over Off the Wall and (to a lesser degree) on Thriller (which I also think is a middling record). I know there were 9 singles from the record, including 5 US number ones, but ubiquity is not the same as worth. The songs just aren't that great. Jackson had ambitions to be the biggest act in the world, and he arguably accomplished his goals for a period around the release of this record, but at such personal cost that it eventually killed him. And not without causing significant collateral damage to many people in the orbit of his fame. Two stars is the best I can muster.

225 albums, c'est ce qu'il aura fallu attendre avant qu'enfin, le jour de gloire arrive. Oui, les rumeurs sont vraies. Comme vous l'avez probablement entendu a la pause café de votre lieu de travail, ou encore au detour d'une conversation dans les transports en commun, j'ai enfin attribué la note de 5/5. Après des tonnes d'albums absolument moyens (Sinatra), absolument surcotés (Pink Floyd), absolument désastreux voir dangereux (Frank Zappa et son zoo de macaques), la lumière est venue de l'artiste ayant bercé mon enfance. En effet, alors que mon camarade d'écoute robtertiaire dû passer ses jeunes années à écouter exclusivement The Crusaders, j'ai pour ma part eu la chance d'être éduqué par les performances artistiques sensationnelles de Michael. A noter que rob n'a vraiment pas eu une enfance facile, puisque dû à cette Crusaders dépendance, robdû rentrer dans une classe spécialisée dans notre lycée (ndlr: CLIS), afin de remettre à niveau sa culture musicale. Merci Michael en tout cas

Obviously Micheal Jackson is an icon but after listening to this album I can see why and the impact he’s had on society. Great album

I solid album of mj bangers. Have a hard time enjoying the music of a pedophile .

This album... is bad. It just reeks of the sounds of its era. Only two good songs are Bad and Smooth Criminal. The added background of his child rape allegations stand out in the many songs about forbidden love and changing for the better. He’s a talented song writer, but this is where he began to fall out of relevancy.

Pedo

i can't fucking stand this small boy fingering nonce. i equally can't stand the fact that people want to brush it under the carpet so they can still listen to his music. this album is bad and it should be fucked into the bin along with the other pedo musicians that are no longer acceptable to listen to. wacko jacko is in no way better than ian watkins, the bad one, not H from steps. fucking nonce.

I can’t believe how many people hate this album on here

yes hes a pedo which ruins this album. unfortunately tho the sounds and such are very fun. nvm just hit liberian girl. kill this fucking album

Can't decide what to rate this - it's impossible to listen to this completely without judgement/prejudice, but I did my best. The songwriting and the singing are of course outstanding. The production is incredibly dated. The cringe level is pretty high on this one when you think about it. Man in the mirror was the surprise standout for me.

If you want to change something in the world you should start with yourself.

GOAT pop album

Motherfucking Michael Jackson.

The beginning of him becoming a parody of himself. There's more gasping than actual singing. That said, when he's good, he's very good, and he has the most distinctive voice and style. My biggest problem with this album is that he is trying SO hard to gain the same rep as the emerging gangsta rappers of the time. It just made him look ridiculous. The songs that were released for radio play are actually pretty good songs on their own. The fillers aren't anything of note. Is it a good album? Yes. Is there any of the tracks that, for nostalgia's sake, I'd listen to all the way through? Nope.

Album title = review

I’m no MJ fan, and this is not his best work, but there’s a reason everyone has been trying to be the next Michael Jackson. The man is a true showman and knows his way around a tune.

Goddamn, Quincy Jones could make some hits, man. Half of this album is bangers. I actually thought the title track was the weakest offering. The King of Pop isn't someone I listen to with any regularity, but this is very good. Big time problematic legal troubles aside, MJ's musical talent is undeniable. 4/5

Michael Jackson, Here's the basic facts son, He was born black, He died white, And in the middle he fiddled with kids. It's hard to get away from the paedophilia accusations, Jackson's own childhood exploitation and abuse and just how many people facilitated these things for a slice of money and or reflected fame. However, for me, it's even harder to get away from the nostalgia this album brings. Bad came out when I was 6 years old and was one of the first albums I ever owned (along with Pump Up the Jam by Technotronic and Get Even by Brother Beyond - my childhood music taste was shite). When I read the reviews before listening again, I found myself agreeing with the more negative ones, but listening to this album again transported me back to a simpler time when I'd get this tape out of my Thomas the Tank Engine tape box, put it in my ghetto blaster (super bass on) and enjoy an untainted Jacko's music in my Superman wallpaper covered bedroom. The slower songs, Liberian Girl and I Just Can't Stop Loving You, are exactly that. But the rest of the album is good fun, even if Jackson can't pronounce basic words like come on or Annie. I expect if I was hearing this for the first time as an adult, I'd be much harsher on the album, but I just can't help but enjoy it.

The hits hit big, and the not-hits fall way flat, holding it back from a perfect album That being said, to rate this anything below a 4 would be very unsmooth criminal

Excited to see this pop up! fun listening to MJ outside the context of weddings speed demon = animusic vibes feel like the songs that are popular are popular for a reason. Not many of the other tracks are standing out that much to me. man in the mirror best track by far

*Not* bad. It's good. Very good.

*Just going to focus on the music* I've never listened to a Michael Jackson album front to back, only really hearing the singles, and usually not my choice. It's fine. The stand out songs were the singles. 3/5

Surprisingly Mid. I was hyped to have an MJ album come up on this, but wasn't really into Bad.

2.8 - Thriller was the first album I ever purchased when I was 5 and I remember staying up to watch MJ perform on "Solid Gold." So I was surprised at how viscerally I disliked this album. The tough guy personna on "Bad" sounds phony - MJ was an obviously broken man and his campy biker jacket is no longer fooling me. "Liberian Girl" sounds pious in a "have-pity-for-the-poors" kind of way. Same with "Man in the Mirror." He laments about seeing "kids in the street with not enough to eat" as if he actually observed poverty from anywhere besides his limousine window. "Dirty Diana" paints MJ as the victim of a gold-digging groupie. What could possibly make the most famous pop star in history feel like a victim in that situation? I'm not going to write off all of this record, though. "The Way You Make Me Feel" is still a jam, even though we all know MJ wasn't aroused by anyone with "high heels on." And Stevie Wonder sounds awesome on "Just Good Friends." In the end, this album doesn't pass my sniff test and I'm only too happy to forget about it.

Has this aged really poorly? Because I was going into this thinking I liked Bad the single and I’m coming away from it thinking it just sounds cheesy and…blegh. Like my actual reaction is a strong negative. OH NO IS THIS ALBUM REALLY BAD! Earlier this week I pulled Purple Rain, an album that is older but holds up so much better. The instrumentation on this album feel like something that would play at the zoo while the singers are telling me about giraffes or something. The hee hees and shamons are filling me with disdain. I legitimately think I hate this. SPEED DEEEMON. This is embarrassing. I know that pop music isn’t supposed to necessarily be a lyrical showcase but damn, “you changed my world, just like in the movies” what movie Michael. How did this happen? Please explain. The synth on Just Good Friends kinda sounds like a Sega Genesis which is cool as fuck. The song kinda sucks, but that was fun for a second. This is the worst album I’ve listened to on this so far and I’m baffled by that, I legitimately think I like Thriller. But this is just awful. Man in the Mirror is catchy but is also so corny and lame. Smooth Criminal is so fucking good, why is it on this piece of shit album. Michael, I will leave you alone. 1/5, king of pop my ass.

FAT

For one night only Blues Deluxe Although probably not the first MJ album I think of, it’s arguably his best for me, and another (and final) whopper of a production from Quincy Jones. MJ has become something of a guilty pleasure, but his talent is undeniable. Full of awesome cameos, even having Martin Scorsese direct his Bad music video. Smooth Criminal Dirty Diana Liberian Girl The Way You Make Me Feel

I love Michael Jackson, but this is the first time hearing this whole album.

En écoutant cet album, j'ai revu tout mon onglet History défiler devant mes yeux : les Costello, les Morrissey, les albums punk, les Portishead, les Byrds, les Frank Zappa, les Goldfrapp... et je compris dès lors que tout ce chemin parcouru et ces heures sombres faisaient aujourd'hui sens. Vous savez d'ailleurs probablement que la chanson Liberian Girl tournait en boucle dans mon mp3 la semaine au terme de laquelle je me suis fait remercier de mon premier cabinet d'avocats (j'ai évoqué ce moment dans ma critique de l'album Are You Experienced de Jimi Hendrix, souvenez-vous). Je voulais revenir sur cet épisode que j'ai, certains s'en sont rendus compte, quelque peu enjolivé. En réalité, la rupture de mon contrat se fit en deux temps : un premier entretien avec l'une de mes deux tutrices (c'est précisément cet épisode que je narre à merveille dans ma critique de Hendrix) lors duquel celle-ci m'annonça que j'étais sur la sellette (et non directement viré comme j'ai pu l'écrire) et un deuxième entretien avec un autre avocat du cabinet une semaine plus tard (nous l'appellerons ici Saddam Hussein) lors duquel on m'annonça mon éviction. Ce jeudi-là, vers 15h30, j'entendis une voix provenant de l'étage inférieur m'annoncer que Saddam Hussein voulait me voir. Je descendis les escaliers muni de mon enceinte JBL et toquai à la porte de Saddam Hussein. « Saddam Hussein ! C'est moi, Robassembléeplénière. — Entre, Robassembléeplénière. » Je m'assis en face de lui et vis au même instant sur son bureau deux papiers similaires contenant un texte bref suivi d'un espace probablement prévu à l'effet d'une signature. « Qu'est-ce que cela peut bien vouloir dire, Saddam ? — Hmm... comment t'expliquer... je peux me connecter ? — Euh, oui tu peux. — C'est laquelle ? — JBL Flip 5. — D'accord. — C'est bon t'es connecté. — Monte le son et écoute bien. — Berk. — Tu reconnais ? — Bien sûr, c'est Rid of Me de PJ Harvey, ma chanson détestée par excellence. — Et tu comprends pourquoi je l'ai mise ? — Non, Saddam Hussein. — Réfléchis bien. — Quoi ?! Vous vous débarrassez de moi ?! » Je réunis mes affaires et partis du cabinet quelques minutes plus tard, sans me retourner.

I normally don't like MJ, but after a start-to-finish listen man this is awesome. Best Song: Man in the Mirror Rating: 8.5/10 (Great) Stars: 4/5

I love pop music and there is a reason that Michael Jackson has been the blueprint for several decades now. This album isn't quite as good as Thriller but it's better than a very large swath of other 80s pop.

has some bops on it

This album was Bad!

Альбом понравился далеко не весь еще переслушаю некоторые песни, но это никак не отменяет его крутость приятность и культовость

Damn, what a talented performer! (Weird to not hear the lyrics to "Fat" though, LOL)

I really liked it. Very unfortunate that MJ was Just Good Friends with kids

A quick note on the controversy. The man is dead. I assume his children are the beneficiaries of his estate, and they have done nothing wrong. Bad - Machine gun vocals snap and crackle. Drums are whip-cracks. Acknowledging that his very non-threateningness made the psuedomacho palatable. Maybe even delicious. Silly but scrumptious. The Way You Make Me Feel - Elasticity. Rubber band stretch and SnapBack. Perfect dosage of sax. His voice… Curtis, Wilson, Chubby, Berry, Sam, of course JB. A heavenly, mythic concoction of Soul in his blood. And not just. Speed Demon - A rare new to me track. Sounds like a s/t number. To a racing movie. Musically this could be the Hong Kong Cavaliers lol. Liberian Girl - This dark 80s drum sequencer electro groove synth shit puts me on wobbly roller skates in a dark rink with the funk of teenage sexuality in the air and an unnamed tension in my chest. Just Good Friends- Realizing I don’t know this record nearly as well as Thriller. The school dance music from a John Hughes film. Bouncy clavinet solo is great. Harmonies, too. Big movie vibe. I like this one. “My baby loves me but she never shows she cares.” Anthem. Another Part of Me - Positivity gangsta. Somehow all the silliness slides right off. I’m not saying it’s functional as a rallying cry, but his earnestness (from trauma) saves it from parody. Man in the Mirror- How much introspection is a beaten-raw kid thrust into a lifelong surreality carnival really capable of? Could have MJ really seen the mirror clearly? Chorus is perfect. I Just Can’t Stop Loving You - Casiotone Nation. Dirty Diana - Big Mean Girl uses and abuses me, soft and vulnerable beta artist man. (“Take your weight off me” is…telling.) Oh and she’s a gold digger, too. But fuckin A this song ROCKS. Is that Slash? I bet Beyonce could turn this around lyrically and ride this rock to another Grammy. Genuinely dope track. Smooth Criminal- Something about the way he whispers. The chorus is sort of minor key and weird-cool. The overlapping “are you ok”s. It’s short of sinister, but noir as fuck. Guitar and synth spikes interplay is awesome. Possibly my favorite MJ single. Leave Me Alone - Go ‘way, girl, I’m SENSITIVE. Fun beat. Keytar? Not quite Thriller, but chock full o’ hits.

He’s the king of pop for a reason. Who knew a child raised to be a music star since adolescence would become the biggest music star on the planet. As such this album, like most of his discography, is nothing but banger after banger. The greatest praise I can give this album is the production and synth programming. In contrast with the more polished production on Off The Wall and Thriller, this album relishes in darker sounds throughout. And MJ isn’t holding back vocally either, songs like Dirty Diana and Leave Me Alone feature scathing performances from the singer. Being the last album to feature the production of Quincy Jones, I feel it’s the pinnacle of the two’s collaboration; and while I like Off The Wall the best, I think this might be the better album.

1 star for the artist

Lot of bops but feel kinda gross. 4 star music 1 star vibes

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5. An excellent MJ album with some high highs - but the lows are pretty low. The King of Pop for sure.

cool, feel good album. amazing vocal composition, very good production, overall peak pop-music. great album and Michael's second best.

this is another one of these pretty brilliant pop albums, again, regrettable about the artist. really enjoyed this, the production is so distinctive and songs like 'the way you make me feel' just feel like pure joy and remind me of my childhood in a big way weirdly (i was born in 2001)

So, another Michael Jackson album - feels like it has been a while. Taking a step back from his transgressions, I'm going to try and review purely the music. I think the production really stands up to the test of time and remains fresh. Listening to some of these tracks sat outside in the summer sun was quite the pleasure. Leave Me Alone, Dirty Diana, and Smooth Criminal stood out the most, all right at the end. Potentially an end album run stronger than any I can recall since Heaven 17's Penthouse and Pavement. Albums like this are pretty generation-defining. Even a suspicious man can produce some magic every now and then. Dang - I mentioned his behaviour. On reflection, it does go on a bit - suffers the same problem as Prince and a lot of 80's pop/dance and too many songs fade out.

Michael Jackson proves once again that he was still the reigning King of Pop. With Quincy Jones producing once again, it's just incredible how fun and nostalgic this album still is after almost 40 years. It can sometimes be difficult to separate the art from the artist, but dammit this album just jams so hard its really difficult to deny how fantastic it was in 1987. The worst tracks here that are a bit rough to get through are "Bad" (dated) and "Liberian Girl" (just fucking weird). Standout songs are: "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Just Good Friends," "Another Part of Me," "Man In the Mirror," "Dirty Diana," and "Smooth Criminal."

I feel like it took me listening to the whole thing to really appreciate the synth funk 80s style. Was inspired by how simple and muddy these mixes are. They have this sort of power. 4/5 1987 BTSLJAMIDSL - "Bad" is so weirdly mixed. Way lighter vocal, so repetitive and hypnotizing (more than I remember). So tight. I think I listened to the Weird Al "fat" before I ever seriously listened to this song lol. Solid. Drums are such chaos and so pounding. - "The Way You Make me Feel". Wow, another one with big drum machine vibes. Sort of reminds me of mk.gee is that insane. It's pretty muddy and drum machine-ee. Horns are so nice and bright. - "Speed Demon" wtf is that effect with the slap. So percussive! Wow yeah just did a little reading about the synths, damn they just used like every synth lol. - "Liberian Girl" what. this is a completely different vibe. Still slapppy bass. Michael sounds so different on this one? So soft. - "Just Good Friends" idk, this style is starting to feel a bit fatiguing - "Another Part of Me" a bit more fun! - "Man in the Mirror" tbh, it was awesome listening to the original so closely, I've heard so many covers over the years. The vocal is so much more powerful than I remember. I also think the tempo is *perfect* - "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" This feels like such an afterthought, my attention span is so not used to listening to full albums. - "Dirty Diana" - cool effect! Tbh I liked this one more than expected, particularly the guitar. - "Smooth Criminal" - I feel like the whole album has been leading to this. I feel like this is clearly the best display of the hard synth funk style. It's beautiful. - "Leave me alone" - this is actually more cool than I remember it being. - Quincy Jones, who produced this, is a legend: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quincy_Jones

Probably the most critic baiting album title ever. Actually I always found weird Al yankovic’s parody cover ‘even worse’ funny. Yes MJ is problematic. Yes this isn’t as good as thriller which wasn’t as good an album as off the wall. But there’s groove funk and pop. He was king of pop for a reason. Even his third best album is great.

4 - some bangers but it’s missing a lot in the filler tracks

No. 196/1001 Bad 5/5 The Way You Make Me Feel 4/5 Speed Demon 4/5 Liberian Girl 4/5 Just Good Friends 4/5 Another Part Of Me 4/5 Man in the Mirror 5/5 I Just Can't Stop Loving You 4/5 Dirty Diana 5/5 Smooth Criminal 5/5 Leave Me Alone 4/5 Average: 4,36 Another great pop record by MJ. In my opinion more densly packed than Thriller (still also great). Absolute highlight for me is Dirty Diana.

Such iconic music, so classically MJ. So sad he’s gone so soon.

Bad is a great record with a bunch of classic pop hits, but not MJs best overall album. Much like Thriller, this album feels a lot like a collection of hits more than a cohesive album, I mean, 8 of 11 songs charted as singles in the US alone with 5 of them reaching #1! Maybe when the album came out it felt more cohesive but with time and it's overall legacy started feeling more like a greatest hits. Still a fun listen tho

Like him or not; his music is really good.

Not like to say about this other than it all-time classic. Whether it’s your preferred type of music or not, hard to argue the Quality throughout the Is top notch

Like the other MJ albums, this one is chock full of classic singles and completely forgettable album tracks, but the singles are so good it makes the whole thing incredible.

Classic MJ hits

Michael Jackson has been called "the King of pop" for a reason. Hiis catalog and depth speak for themselves long after his untimely death. I think if he had been alive today the music industry would be a bit different, that is how influencial he was. Thiis is not my favorite album of his, (probably Thriller), but it is well rounded and has some nice moments.

Weaker than thriller and off the wall but still some bangers

Ok so 15 year old me really liked this album. Listening today has brought back emotions, memories, and the feelings of anticipation that your world is about to open up. You only grow up once and this album came out right as that was happening for me - first job, first GF, new friends and high school, paying attention to world events. This was a fun listen in this regard. But Weird Al has long since ruined Bad (I only hear fat). The shamones, checoos, and heehees just sound silly (Way Make me feel). The use of MJs own backing vocals is annoyingly noticeable - songs with guests / contrast are stronger. Speed demon and Liberian Girl are throwaway. Just Good Friends feels like Miami vice. Another Part of Me takes me back to a magical day at Disneyland - holding hands walking out of Capn EO. Man in the Mirror evokes memories of watching the video in our living room and feelings of hope I could make a difference in the world. Dirty Diana still bangs and is bright spot. Smooth Criminal also fun but the repeated 'Annie are you oks' now is noticeably tedious. In the end, the album is just a little too tight, too perfect, too polished to make me want to listen again. Off the Wall and Thriller remain better. 3/5

Michael Jackson’s breathy vocals are so corny to me. Man in the mirror is a song that I absolutely hate. Smooth criminal is the best song on the record. This is no thriller but can’t deny the cultural impact of this guy at the time. He was huge. But I still like weird Al’s version as Fat. Ham on ham on ham on whole wheat. All right.

obviously the singles are classics but this was middle of the road for me 3/5

Thought I would enjoy this more than I did... In many respects, it DEFINITELY seemed dated for sure, and the similarity among the songs (i.e. limited diversity) was also quite noticeable... No doubt there are a few excellent songs on here, and below are my are my ranks - "Smooth Criminal" - 7-stars "Man In the Mirror - 6-stars "Dirty Diana" - 5-stars "Bad" - 5-stars "The Way You Make Me Feel - 4-stars The rest however, are completely forgettable... I'm sure that MJ will have some albums on this list that warrant a 5, but the best I can do for "Bad" is to give it a 3... Also - I HIGHLY recommend the Top Rated review for the "Bad" album, as it was incredibly well done, and made my day it was so damn funny... It starts out - "...OK - here we go..." : ) Enjoy!!!

Great stuff

The hits on this carry pretty hard. A good MJ album but, in my opinion, this is where he started falling out of his great artistic era.

Just proves you can fool a lot of people some of the time.

I listened to this album as I was reading, as opposed to the other albums. I personally don't enjoy MJ's voice. Maybe its cause I didn't grow up with MJ. But this album didn't really do it for me.

The King of Paedos

It was, indeed, bad.

80's gated toms and cheesy synths ruin everything, they can go fuck off

Y’all can’t convince me to listen to this child molester - seems like a waste of time

Nope. Michael Jackson has to be the single most overrated artist of the 80s.

😘

AHHHHH! perfect album, I enjoyed EVERY SINGLE SECOND listening to it. love you MJ

This is a very produced album, but it has some incredible songs. The most incredible thing about this album is how it has stood the test of time.

Michael peaked on this album. And the King of pop peaking, is a 5.

These are classic songs that have stood the test of time. This community seems to be more about indie rock, but there was a reason Michael Jackson was the King of Pop. People also may rate based on personal allegations, but the music stands apart. You can’t deny the impact he had on the music industry. Truly an icon.

10/10 This album is quite hard to listen to critically. I’ve heard it so many times, particularly as a child, that it’s almost impossible to separate the music from my personal connection with it. But I’ll do my best. This album (as with Thriller before it) is a triumphant combination of songwriting, production and vocal talent. Even listening to this today in a more ‘critical listening’ mode, there were little bits and pieces that sit deep in the mix and just throw continued variation, emphasis and interest that I’d not consciously noticed before. I think this is where Quincy Jones takes very good songwriting and elevates it with his production. And then Michael steps up to the mic and his vocal delivery (uhs, oohs, shamones and all) just smashes it out of the park. He conveys so much emotion, attitude and soul in his vocals, and even his little noises just expand on the production styling of Quincy Jones to keep momentum flowing and make sure things always stay interesting. I think if you were to give this exact same list of songs to another musician / producer combo, you’d probably end up with something far, far more mundane, but they just manage to weave pure gold out of each other and it’s a joy to listen to. Honestly, the only thing that slightly misses the mark on this album is the concept of Michael Jackson being some kind of badass. Songs like Bad and Dirty Diana have big echoes of a nerdy theatre kid thinking he’s a badass because he’s got a lead in West Side Story and gets to hold a knife. But putting that aside, I actually think this is a more consistently high-quality album that the more critically revered Thriller. But it also never quite reaches the heights of that album either. I listened to this through three times trying to find a reason to not give it full marks, but I just couldn’t. Bad - The least threatening man in the world (at least he is if you’re an adult) makes a song about being a tough guy. But it works; this is a great pop song. It probably doesn’t quite hold up as well thematically as an adult as it did when I was younger, but it really is well crafted. The way the different lines just guide you through the different sections is masterful. The Way You Make Me Feel - I have always loved the rhythm of the lead vocal in the verses on this track and how it pulls against the swing on the bass and drums. There’s just a whole load of groove to this and it’s great. Speed Demon - I always used to love this track with its completely mad bass line. I expect it’s a programmed DX-7, but it’s a pretty unhinged thing to just toss under a pop song. It’s still a good effort, but I can see why some people might see this one as a bit of a filler track. Mega 80s vibes. Liberian Girl - Quite a drop in pace for this one and a chance for Michael to show some of his vocal chops in a more exposed way. The guy had so much control. It’s another great pop song. The vocal harmonisations are really pretty, and while the rhythm is pretty stripped back, it still keeps things moving in a very satisfying way. Just Good Friend’s - To my mind, this is one of MJ’s best collaborations, even though it’s one that rarely gets mentioned. It’s so funky. Stevie Wonder (Michael’s 3rd cousin) doesn’t really appear until half way through, but when he does, he comes flying in with this really gritty delivery. Love it. This track really bounces, the synth lines are great and the overlapping vocals just keep kicking. Underrated magic. Another Part Of Me - Another one with a kicking groove. Michael and Quincy just don’t ever let things go stale. Even during a repeating section, there’s always little bits of ear candy, little riffs or lines that just keep up the momentum. I’d hate to manage a pro tools session with this many tracks, but on an analogue desk? Fuck off Quincy. Funky Bass line, quality transitions between verse and chorus, cool horns. Lovely stuff. Man in the Mirror - Home to the greatest key change in history? Quite possibly. It starts slow, but it has SO MUCH momentum and drive. Again, there are so many little bits and pieces in there underneath the main instrumentation. The lead vocal is ridiculously strong and the gospel choir is just gold. An exquisite pop song. I Just Can’t Stop Loving You - This is a more low-key effort. It’s probably the least interesting track on the album. Michael can generally elevate mediocre songs with his vocal delivery, and he does a good job here, but the lyrical content does seem a bit… dubious. Particularly given the, uh, ‘allegations’. Dirty Diana - This is almost like an audio play in places with the use of sound effects and the atmospheric production. Again, the lead vocal is super powerful. I think it’s a great song and something just a bit different from other Michael Jackson tracks up to this point, which makes it a great addition to the album. Quality guitars on this one too. Smooth Criminal - Absolute banger. Love the overlapping vocal lines all over the place, but particularly on the ‘Annie are you ok?’ bit. The instrumental break is so funky. The whole thing just moves. Bass line, that snare slap, the little staccato guitar lines. Fantastic. Leave Me Alone - This is another one that has got such drive and exquisite overlapping vocal lines. Structurally, it’s not necessarily the most interesting of tracks, but the Quincy / Michael combo just dust it with their magic yet again and turn in a very very good track.

Ah Bad by Micheal Jackson, the well anticipated follow up to the biggest selling album of all time Yeah i think its better 5/5

And just like that I’m already 67% done with the king of pop. Of course I like the opening title track, it’s an excellent piece of 80s pop. My favorite Michael Jackson song is “The Way You Make Me Feel”, I’m a like “Liberian Girl”, “Just Good Friends”, “Another Part Of Me” I love “Man In The Mirror”, and I’m a big fan of the remaining tracks. The only one I don’t care for is “Speed Demon”. Ultimately Michael Jackson is the epitome of 80s pop only challenged by one or two other acts of the era, and this is, in my opinion, his finest LP, while not held in as high regard as “Thriller” I think pound for pound it edges “Thriller” out.

So good! Never listened all the way through this album before, but it's so iconic. Loved it!

Of course trying to separate art from artist here but it’s hard. Banger of an album to be fair. Stood the test of time for sure. Specific rating- 4.6 Fav song- man in the mirror Least fav- Liberian girl

Exceptional album, all songs are incredibly enjoyable. From high sounding anthems and legendary songs to the soulful and calm sounds. What a legacy and amazing record this is.

Classic

One of the best pop albums ever

Classic

Ну это Майкл Джексон, здесь без сомнения положительный отзыв. На альбоме два самых громких хита и легендарных хита. Smooth criminal и Bad, поэтому безоговорочно высокая оценка

5/5

The king of pop with an album full of hits.

I feel like it's wrong to like this, but I just love it (said MJ about molesting children)

this is perfect. so much fun. every single song is a pop banger with so much groove and talent and outstanding vocals. legitimately enthralled the entire way

This album is nearly perfect, meaning the name is a lie. Since lying is evil, that makes this album no longer a good album, causing it to live up to its name. Favorite Track: Smooth Criminal

Perfect album... in fact, I didn't remember that it had so many perfect songs: Bad, Dirty Diana, Smooth Criminal, The way you make me feel, Man in the mirror... Come on, how many artists/bands have such a line up album?!? Only rating possible by this criteria has to be 5/5

Classic

An album by MJ that i’d yet to listen to to despite already knowing 75% of the album. Fantastic record, although not his best, its up there in great territory