Reviews (page 10 of 14)
Contains some of the most iconic songs of MJ’s career… and some others. I’m not overly keen on Speed Demon and the collabs on this album are a miss for me, but the key finds on this listen are Another Part of Me, Dirty Diana, and rediscovering just how GOOD the bass line on Smooth Criminal is. Overall immediate thoughts: good album, not quite up to Thriller standards and MJ starts to sound like a bit of a parody of himself here.
Sehr starker Beginn, allerdings kann das Album das Niveau nicht auf diesem Level halten. Irgendwann wartet man nur noch auf Smooth Criminal
Mais c'est très midi Michael Jackson en fait.
Bad - 4 The way you make me feel - 5 Speed demon - 1 Liberian girl - 1 Just good friends - 2 Another part of me - 1 Man in the mirror - 3 I just can't stop loving you - 1 Dirty diana - 4 Smooth criminal - 5 Leave me alone - 2
I remember listening to this on cassette, must have heard a few hundred times. Not a bad album with some pretty good songs
Of all the controversial artists out there I always give pause when an MJ song comes on. Why? Because buggering small children is sick. That HUGE issue aside, this album and MJ was a big part of my life growing up. His music was everywhere, this album included. This album was VERY produced but The Way You Make Me Feel is still a top tier MJ song. Fun album (sodomizer aside).
Much prefer Thiller & Off The Wall, i feel like the 80's production is MJ's signature but i much prefer the 70s sound of his earlier stuff.
It’s fine. Pop from my childhood.
It’s alright. It’s stylish, it has some great songs, some of which I feel like dancing to but that’s it. I wouldn’t have any of these songs on my playlist, maybe it’s just not my thing
Mid other than the legendary songs
Scandal(s) noted. Dang, I guess I’m still working through which side of the fence I’ll end up on regarding this artist’s art versus allegations regarding the artist as a person. There’s some catchy songs on here but honestly I don’t feel great listening to them. The present day theme of rich jerks doing whatever they want and creating problems for other people doesn’t help this album.
All the hits here hit, but some of the lesser known (to me) are pretty good too. But not at the level of his other stuff.
The hits range from good to great. I did not care for the filler.
Hard to look past his reputation and enjoy the music
Good
Enjoyed the big hits in a familiar, nostalgic way but the rest annoyed me. The vocal affectations and 80s production haven’t aged well.
It's a great album, you can't deny it, everyone knows these songs. Buuut the kiddy fiddling allegations.. No convictions but no smoke without fire? Let's meet halfway at 3.
This album is almost forty years old, yet it feels newer than that. Must be the high energy level of the songs. “Smooth Criminal” and “The Way You Make Me Feel” are the best tracks in my opinion. The rest of the tracks are well done but are forgettable. I guess I was in the minority having never joined the Michael Jackson bandwagon.
Michael was known as the king of pop for a reason. The production and instrumentation on the album hasn’t aged super well but Michael’s performances shine through. Great album but not his best, although it does contain my favorite song of his “Smooth Criminal 6/10 Favorite Tracks- “”The Way You Make Me Feel” “Man in the Mirror” “Smooth Criminal”
I remember when this album came out definitely nowhere near the popularity of thriller, but still has a couple good songs
good onessssss
Once again, my moral dilemma fading away as I realised this album is much more mid than it's best tracks suggest it might be.
Something about this doesn’t click for me. It feels a bit like a pastiche, but it’s not outright bad. Just compared to Thriller, or especially his earlier stuff it lacks a certain soul.
Strange to come back to this album, which I owned when it came out and listened to a lot and never really loved, so many years later. I'm trying to listen with fresh ears, but it doesn't sound fresh. This is a muscular album with a lot of strong, loud beats. Most of the songs are very dance-floor friendly. But a lot of that muscular feeling comes from later 80s sounds that feel really dated now: reverb-heavy drum machines, synth bass, and brassy keyboards. In fact, there's a lot here that epitomizes Top 40 music of the time: massively hyped, big bold sounds, mostly synths, and a couple of dreamy ballads. Michael Jackson's singing is still unique, but he's leaning so hard into his gasps and affects that he sounds impersonal much of the time. A bigger problems is that a lot of the songs just aren't that good. The Way You Make Me Feel is a standout dance track, and Another Part of Me and Just Good Friends have strong grooves. But many of the rest are uninspired. It feels like Jackson is trying really hard to prove that he's still the king of pop. Trying too hard
I have heard. half of these songs on the radio. I don't hate it, but I don't like it. Background music?
fave song: smooth criminal
I found the middle part of the album pretty boring tbh. The good songs are REALLY good tho. Honestly, idk if the middle part of the album is actually boring or I'm not paying attention. But it'd have my attention if it was good tbf. I like Thriller more anyway.
I can't say that i like this album as for me the songs seem a bit repetitive and some, forgettable. The ones that I liked were Dirty Diana (even tho I like The Weeknd's version better=))) ), Smooth criminal and maybe leave me alone. I don't fuck that much with Michael Jackson and the synths and all but I can see how he as an artist was influential for future artists and music in general.
Ok so you can see why the big hits were big hits at the time. Big sounding songs that eclipsed a lot of similar stuff released around the time. The filler songs weren’t great but less of them due to the number of big hits on this one. Not music I’d ever listen to but can see why it has its place in pop history.
Spotty! Moments of brilliance, stretches of tepid meh.
Fine I skipped a little through it I don't really vibe with MJ but it's some of the better music you might be forced to listen to in your daily life.
Its filled with classics, are they objectively good music probably not. do I like some of the songs because its been drilled into my head since a young age? yes.Do I dislike the others because they're crap? yes.Shame he died, Sorry Jackie shouldn't have taken that propofol.
A few really good songs but also some total skips. But the album is also a bit all over the place thematically.
ranking: Smooth Criminal The Way You Make Me Feel Bad Leave Me Alone Just Good Friends Man in the Mirror Another Part of Me Dirty Diana Speed Demon I Just Can't Stop Loving You Liberian Girl
Believe it or not, but this is my first time sitting down and listening to a full MJ record. His music has never resonated with me. Bad, as an album, is concise and stacked with memorable moments. Michael Jackson was most defined by his hit songs. In the album format, his style gets tiresome. People will praise this album for the 4-5 hits, but fail to realize that’s under half of the runtime. The rest of the album is padded out by semi-decent pop songs that have their merit. Not a masterpiece, but it is an undeniable classic.
Brings back memories
I mean it's a classic 80's pop album isn't it, but... you know.... meh! I just watched the video for The Way You Make Me Feel and I'd like to know why that woman is not running away screaming!
Not as good as Thriller
Classic
I've never been a huge Michael Jackson fan, but this is a solid album. Dirty Diana and Smooth Criminal are my favorite songs. I don't know that I would add any of these to my regular rotation, but enjoyed listening to this album for the first time in many years.
The singles/hits (which I have of course heard before) were catchy, but the rest of the album was nothing special. Not awful, just meh.
Review - Not bad. Synths are really good, some v good songs, also some filler. Rating - 6.5/10 Need to hear? YES
This album is certifiably insane. It’s all so manufactured and punchy and the vocal exclamations make me uncomfortable. It’s as if an alien or AI made a pop album. Dirty Diana is a Prince rip off. 2.5 stars
он легенда , но стиль его музыки ваще не мой 😔🙏🏻 но я оч люблю dirty diana !!! и мне немного понрав leave me alone
The singles are bangers but wasn't mad about the other tracks. I thought the production in general was a bit annoying
I’m not mad, I recognise that this is very good at what it does. He’s an engaging and talented singer who benefits from the most carefully polished and well-produced studio work of the 80’s. Crack sessions and musicians and excellent song writing means this is a great pop album. Just not something I’d ever choose to listen to
While not bad I personally don't really care for Michael Jackson's style of music
It’s no thriller. And in looking back on it, I’m not sure why everyone thought this album was such a triumph when it came out.
Me parece un álbum buenisimo, clásico y atemporal, me gustan sobre todo los bajos que maneja y las voces que acompañan la canción, algo característico de MJ, mi canción favorita fue Man In the Mirror
Erster Eindruck: michael jackson Lieblingssong: „dirty diana“!! (Lieblingszeile:) Overall Rating: 6/10 Andere Anmerkungen: bisschen weird zu hören wenn er nh kindervergewaltiger war
Not bad hahhahhahahah no it’s actually alright. I didn’t think Michael Jackson would be my thing but I got some enjoyment out of this album, particularly at the start. I do think bad loses its charm towards the end, along with Jackson’s constant ad-lib screams. And the production has aged impressively badly - I actually thought it was released in the early 70s from the sound of this thing. Maybe that’s the point. I don’t really care
3,5*
Not a big fan of MJ, but never disappointing when his songs come on. Overall, very good album with a lot of catchy songs. Tough call on rating. I'll say 3.5 - round down for the Epstein and kiddy stuff....
This thing really sent out some shockwaves in the pop scene. What would the world have been without it???
ok, classic MJ which is not my favourite but it's definitely good
Would be 4* but -1 for noncing
Not a bad album, but kinda repetitive. Some fire songs, but not a fan of MJ. Bad is still awesome though, so energy inducing. I'd say a solid 6.5/10.
Favorite track: Smooth Criminal
accidentally listened to this on shuffle and i feel like a failure
Some good bops on this record but man he really does not sell love songs at all. Maybe it’s because of my pre-existing bias about, yknow, but it just feels like a slog. The rest is pretty good though
I'm torn, because the hits on this album are some of favorites from Michael Jackson (Dirty Diana, Smooth Criminal). I hate help but be in awe of his range in vocals, the catchiness of his music, his visual performances like the lean move in Smooth Criminal (who dances and sings these days outside of kpop???), and the INFLUENCE of the music - I can hear a lot of the Weeknd in some of these tracks. But as I ponder about and fear how generative AI music is taking the soul out of music, I realize I cannot fully separate the art from the artist. Maybe troubled souls create amazing music, or maybe the output from troubled souls should not be celebrated. I'm a solid 3.5 here rounded down with these points in mind. Some of the tracks kind of annoyed me (Liberian girl, I Just Can't Stop Loving You), but that said, with his music, influence, vocals, MJ deserved the king of pop title.
My snobbishness about Michael Jackson prevented me from appreciating him until I was like 20 years old. But then I got over myself and really like some of his works as singles. A full MJ album is a different proposition. We'll see. Listening notes: -Weird Al really has done some damage to Bad as a track. -These tracks have so much going on. There are like 6 or seven discernible tracks running on Bad and I find it a bit distracting. -Okay outside of the huge hits this tracks are extremely forgettable. -Not exactly a bad album, but doesn't really leave me wanting more. Review: Meh. Smooth Criminal will always be iconic, but this album really feels pretty cliche otherwise.
They don't call him the King of Pop for nothing. I think there's only like on or two songs on this album that I hadn't heard before. Every other one is a classic that I've heard a million times and they still hold up.
Rating this against all of these other albums, it’s probably a 3-4. But ranking against MJ’s own albums I’d say it’s a 2-3. Thriller was way better and he certainly has more exciting stuff. That being said, the man knew how to entertain…
Some classic jams on this one like smooth criminal. These are the kinds of songs you can hear time and again and they stay fresh and fun!
Some classics, other than that its ok
This was fun and there are definitely some bangers on here. I'm personally not a huge fan of all the synth and fake sounds in 80s music, so I think this turns me off a bit here. But I'd def add some of these sounds to a dance playlist.
das album ist halt lwk voll schlecht. es hat nur drei gute songs und würde von mir eig nur 2 sterne bekommen. dirty diana ist aber so gut, dass es 3 bekommt.
Michael Jackson is too talented for me to give this less than a 3. There's some good stuff here.
Rating: 7/10 Michael's post-Thriller album that he and Quincy put together was surprisingly just...fine? Outside of the big hits there wasn't very much for me to love. It's more like reaching some pretty decent heights with Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, and Smooth Criminal, none of which come close to Thriller's best songs in my opinion, with some average lows scattered through the rest of the album. I did like Dirty Diana though, I think that's a pretty good song.
I never fully understood the MJ hype. Some good songs here, such as Dirty Diana, but overall the album just isn't for me. 6 Rockmans out of 10 Lizard Wizards
I feel this album hasnt aged incredibly well, though there are some timeless classics throughout. I think this album suffers from trting to keep up with the fashions of 1987, when it should have gone for a more timeless approach. This is mainly to do with Bad vs Smooth Criminal; I feel the album would have bettter stood the test of time if the look of the album went with a smooth criminal look, 1920s gangster as opposed to the 80s thug look, which michael jackson does not pull off. Liberian Girl and Speed Demon are trash, Man in the Mirror is excellent and Bad is mid.
It'd be so easy to just give this a one-word review: "Bad". But I'll rise above the temptation. I've already said before that I was never a fan of Jacko, even before the abuse stories came out. 80s pop just grinds my gears, and he was the undisputed king of it. The 80s in general were a weird time, where being "bad" simply meant wearing studded leather jackets and repeatedly telling everyone how bad you were. By this stage, Jacko was so famous and so insulated from normal life that he was completely unaware of how cringey some of his songwriting actually was. Let's try to be objective about it all though. The title track "Bad" IS a good song. Cheesy, nonsense, and deeply cringey, sure, but it's grand. "The Way You Make Me Feel" has all the hallmarks of an awful 80s song: processed beats, processed bass, layers of synth. But the melody does a lot of heavy lifting and ultimately saves it. On the other hand, tracks like "Just Good Friends", "Another Part of Me" and "Speed Demon" lean fully into the 80s excess, with "Speed Demon" throwing in some absolutely unhinged keytar for good measure. "Liberian Girl" is peak late-80s Jacko cringe. It's hard to listen to without shuddering in pure cringe. But the second half of the album is hard for even the biggest Jacko haters to argue with. "Man in the Mirror" is cheesy, yes, but it's undeniably catchy and shows off the strengths of his voice, with plenty of "shamons" and "hee-hees" thrown in for good measure. "Dirty Diana" and "I Just Can’t Stop Loving You" keep things going, before "Smooth Criminal", which is genuinely a unique and interesting song. "Leave Me Alone" is a very solid way to end the album too. So is it Bad? In the way Michael Jackson meant it - badass, tough, cool? No. In the true sense of the word, in terms of quality? Begrudgingly, I also have to say no. It doesn't deserve the untouchable pedestal it's often put on, but there are enough strong songs here to test even the most committed Jacko hater.
Good singles and I guess the Stevie Wonder cameo was good. 3/5 I find it funny that Leave Me Alone and Dirty Diana are like roadmaps to the weeknd 30 odd years before Abel started to do music. We are free from MJ.
6/10
12/19/25 - Great album! I very much enjoyed listening to it and will definitely listen to it again. It was light and fun. I don't enjoy some of the more 80's sound (like the song "Just Good Friends) but overall there were a few tracks that stood out to me, particularly "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Smooth Criminal", and "Liberian Girl".
Full of classics, but not my go to listening.
How do we listen to Michael Jackson at this point? This album feels to me like the watershed moment, at which the quality (or at least the average quality) of the music has waned enough that the reasons to come back to his work have curdled. That said, some of the beats, baselines and changes here are terrific, and I found myself enjoying such fundamentally silly songs as Speedy Demon and Just Good Friends because of the elastic funk production and Jackson's sometimes irresistible way of blendng lead and backing vocals. There's still a good album here from a singular performer, but the combination of a background of biographical ickiness, the incessant vocal ticks that have begun to lapse into self-parody, and the sickliness of some of the cartoonish elements of the production and songwriting make me happy enough to consign this to the depths of history, along with the remaining years of Jackson's output.
I forgot that “Dirty Diana” existed
Bad- classic The way you make me feel - Little boring Speed Demon - Slow, no fun chorus Liberian Girl - cool, background music a lot of repetitions Man in the mirror - simply great, party song Dirty Diana - hottt
I liked man in the mirror and dirty diana and smooth criminal. The other songs were all good as well. I think its veryyyy 80s. little bit of a headache but in a good way. A lot going on also in a good way.
Still enjoy the singles immensely. Some songs feel very dated. Enjoy some songs that aren't singles
Dude tried really hard to make an album bigger and better than Thriller, but I don’t think he succeeded. Not bad though (pun intended).
Chouette, encore un chanteur problématique ! Musicalement ? Pas spécialement mon truc, mais j’en attendais un peu plus, je crois, même si certains passages accrochent bien l’oreille. On verra bien s’ils ont mis encore un album ce MJ dans la liste.
I remember feeling like I outgrew Michael Jackson waiting for this album to be released in the 80's. Turns out I was right. The singles are still good. The rest is forgettable.
5 hits + filler
Man in the Mirror and Smooth Criminal may have that nostalgia factor, but other than that the album was, while not literally bad, at least uneventful.
I thought this would be much h better. But very disappointing. Singles ok rest really uninspiring and a waste of money and talent. Not even great pop. Check out the videos before you die but skip the album
Heavy on the hee hee
Not bad!
A few select hits that I knew. I’m surprised at how bad the non-hit songs were
oh god this was the right album for the wrongest of times. late 80s pop had some cool sounds floating around, but most of the time the dull and syrupy floated to the surface. look at all those cool freestyle artists who would break out with a big single that had none of the fun of their other work. but despite the sappy and poorly produced weak spots, Bad is, well, not Bad at all. Dirty Diana is a banger, and when Smooth Criminal comes on it feels like submitting the final assignment of the semester and being FREE!!! deserves to be one of the 1001? i wouldn't mind if this was left off in favor of Dangerous, (which would be easily his best if some fat was trimmed Hot Take i know) but i think there's plenty of room for 4 albums by the king of pop himself
Hittien varjoon jää muu levy 3/5
Onhan nuo megahitit erinomaisia, mutta aika paljon unohdettavia biisejä myös. 3/5
3/5 - a lot of bangers but also a lot I just don't care about
While I recognize the creative talents of MJ, if the truth be known, I may have as much Jackson 5 in my collection as I do Michael Jackson as I believe THRILLER is his only album I own.
Man, I loved this when I was 9. Still got some bangers.
Classic early Michael Jackson
Dirty Diana and Smooth Criminal are bona fide number 1s but looking at this from an album perspective, it felt kind of flat so scoring it appropriately..
6/10 Still entertaining, smooth criminal is great 11-17-2025
I know a guy who listens to this album almost every day, and because of him the amount of hee-hee's I've heard in my life is way higher than I'd like it to be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcM-nR7lE40
My ex was into this guy's music. I absolutely get why he was popular, though I am not sure I can exactly understand how popular he actually was since I wasnt around back then. That said, it isn't for me.
This was my first time listening to this album. It was good, but not as good as Off The Wall. But still, Smooth Criminal is one of my all time favorite Michael Jackson songs and I am not ashamed to say that I liked the song Liberian Girl. I’d like to think that had I come of age in the 80s I would’ve rocked a cool leather jacket like Michael’s, but I think my style would be more Molly Ringwald in breakfast club or 16 candles. But even that’s being generous. Had I grown up in the 80s I probably would have looked more like the girl from the Goonies. Not Brand’s girlfriend. Definitely the weird one with bad hair and glasses. But anyway, this album was a fun listen.
I enjoy it but I do find it hard to separate the music from the person...
Smooth Criminal + 10. Me gustó, no me volvió loco 6/10
This feels like a crime, but...honestly it was just OK.
This album is so entrenched in the minds of anyone who was around in the late eighties that it is tough to assess it. I never loved Michael Jackson, too slick, too poppy, too many mannerisms, too much of 80's synth (which has not aged well). I love the Motown sound Off The Wall more, and the Jackson Five even more. Yet, it can't be denied that this album is full of pop perfection and showcases good musicianship. Does it belong in the list? Yes 5/5. Will I listen to this by choice? Mostly no, except for one or two songs (Dirty Diana, maybe Man in the Mirror if it didn't have the cringy singing mannerisms, maybe Smooth Criminal). Let me be guilty of a harsh 3.
Uwu
Man in the Mirror amd Smooth Criminal are imo two of the best Pop Songs, nothing like that seems to be written anymore…(old man yells at cloud). One full album of MJ is a tad much though to digest at once. Still a classic obviously, but not my personal favourite.
Some all time greats on this one, I knew more than i didn't which will be a rarity for me on an album.
I don't listen to MJ much, but I enjoyed the throwback more than I expected. Definitely a different style of music to what's made these days, but with some absolute classics. The album wasn't as long as I thought either. That said, wouldn't be my favourite overall and is a middle of the road for me.
I've never been the biggest Michael Jackson fan so take that into consideration with this review. This album did nothing to win me over to MJ's side. It did, however, reaffirm my complete and sincere love and respect for Quincy Jones. Goodness, what that man gave for music is immeasurable! All (possibly valid) criticism of MJ aside, the production of this album is top tier. The mix, the deceptively complex arrangements, the studio performances are all top rate. That and the musicians who appear on this album are all amazing. I was pleasantly surprised by several guests that appear. (Steve Stevens, Dan Huff, Siedah Garrett, Jimmy Smith!, most of Toto, so many more) They alone were worth the listen.
A few skips, only tuned into for the popular tracks. 7/10.
In 1987, people probably hadn’t realised just how bad Michael Jackson truly was (like really, really bad), but they must have noticed that he was hitting a creative dead end. There are some fun tracks but as an album, Bad is pretty patchy, and his vocal mannerisms are starting to slip into self-parody territory.
Massive hits in this album, where the rest of the songs didnt age as well. Too many early 80’s arrangements, Quincy Jones was giving it all, clearly, but it feels like everything sounds pretty much the same.
Amazing production (like always with MJ’s albums) and some good songs, but it’s a bit too soft and doesn’t have the punch of others.
Good album. The problem is comparing it with Thriller :).
Overrated
Nije thriller ali nije ni invicible😃
Listening to this I recalled what a big album it was in the 80’s . It contains a lot of well known songs by Jackson, largely due to the fact about half were released as singles. It definitely had the kitchen sink thrown at it regarding the latest technology in the 80’s, which perhaps explains is success at the time, but also makes it sound dated now
Can’t tell if it’s funny or sad that the album cover is MJ’s vision of a “bad boy.” The music is pretty good. This is not as tight as Thriller for sure, and he’s not as suited to this weird rock-ish sound as he was to disco and R&B, but he could still pump out classics on an off day. Should we still be listening to him? I really don’t know. He’s dead anyway—it’s God’s job to judge him now. Best song: Dirty Diana
I mean..... heres the thing. The lead single "Bad" is absolute dogshit. That said some of ol Mikeys best work is on this.
After thriller, thé only way was down
My least favourite of the trio of Quincy Jones produced MJ albums and missing Rod Temperton's songwriting influence. Perhaps too many vocal tics. As such, 3/5. Might scrape 4 on the right day.
Iconic Artist with a troubled history. Bad is one his best two albums, with Thriller being his best.
5.5/10 Michael Jackson at his most annoying but there are bangers on here as well Highlights: Smooth Criminal Leave Me Alone The Way You Make Me Feel
Is it sacrilege to say MJ is just ok ?
“Smooth Criminal” is kinda cool, and it’s plain to see why so many other pop stars tried to copy his style. But overall there are too many, “hee hees,” and “hoo hoos,” for my taste.
It's fine pop music from the 80's. Nothing really stands out for me as "amazing", though. Eee-hee and shamone.
A little edgier than his prior work, but nonetheless maintains the pop/funk he’s known for. Despite Liberian Girl being a TOUGH listen, I’d put it this record above Thriller.
Way more hee hees than expected (doing my best to separate art from artist here)
The hits don't fly as high as Off the Wall and the filler doesn't fill as much either. Normally I'm a fan of obvious eighties production quirks but it got a little old as the album went along. Still a toe tapper but there are other places in Michael's mansion I'd rather spend my time.
very important album gets you dancing favs: bad, the way u make me feel and man in the mirror (very basic)
Definitely not my favorite work by MJ or Quincy, but there’s a lot of powerful vocal performances and a strong hit/filler ratio. “Man In the Mirror” might be my favorite 80s track by MJ.
Some of the tracks are brilliant, they are. It just leaves me a bit cold, dirty Diana is sick as owt like
First time actually listening to the entire album. First impressions are it sounds bad. Not really, way more interesting sounding than I remember as a kid. The artificial of the keyboards and the beats do become grating as it goes on. 3.5 rounded down Heard before? Yes the many singles Owned: No 17/1001, 17/68 (25%) Will I get? No
Bad is meh, The Way You Make Me Feel is ABSOLUTE FIRE, Speed Demon isn't that good, Liberian Girl is catchy but not my fave, Just Good Friends is actually good (Stevie is the best), Another Part of Me is meh like Bad but better, and I couldn't finish the rest of the album (because it was boring and I'm not a fan of MJ).
i doubt anyone would have a bad time with this album, it’s very 80s but still a lot of fun regardless. the song bad also slaps way harder than i remember
The impossible follow up. Certainly well-made smooth criminals a great song. Probably belongs on the list, but thriller may have been sufficient although if you’re gonna put nine Bowie albums on here an extra Michael or two doesn’t hurt. As far as Dirty Diana. No. Just No.
Weird how most albums from the 70’s still sound amazing but a lot from the 80’s sounds dated. Unfortunately this album falls in the latter category, I don’t like a lot of 80’s music much for that reason alone. All the music sounds cheesy and corny and this album is full to the brim with cheese. If I look past the 80’s production, the songs are alright. I enjoyed it but the sounds made me suffer from vicarious embarrassment haha
2.8
3, not my favorite MJ. I already knew the hits but had never listened to the whole album. Unfortunately, I think the 2 best songs are the first two.
Waar je bij voorgaande MJ albums nog wel veel wortels zag in zwarte muziektradities, lijken die bij 'Bad' enigszins ontworteld te worden. Tuurlijk is 'Thriller' zijn eerste echte pop-album, maar 'Bad' is mijn inziens veel meer geconformeerd aan de mainstream radiomuziek van de 80s. Funk, disco, en soul invloeden lijken gereduceerd tot minieme details. Daarmee verdwijnt ook direct mijn enige beetje interesse in de man. 'Bad' en 'Man in the Mirror' zijn wel echt retegoede popkrakers, maar de rest van dit album vind ik overhyped, en op z'n best 'prima opvulling'. Lang niet zo spannend als 'Thriller', en verrassingen zoals de rock-getinte 'Dirty Diana' zijn schaars. 6,5/10 Highlights: Bad Man In The Mirror Dirty Diana
I liked Thriller, I loved Off the wall, I'm not sure about this one :(
Some undeniable bangers here. Some sick cuts I never heard before as well so I’m glad I’ve finally heard this. All that said there are also several absolute stinkers. Liberian Girl should be the 7th song on a Police album not the fourth song on one of the most acclaimed artist of all time’s record. Man in the Mirror starts the outro no joke 2.5 minutes into a 5 minute song. Embarrassing that I’ve heard Fat by Weird Al and the AAF cover of Smooth Criminal far more times than the originals.
Bad was MJ. I hadn’t thought of him in years. Nice trip down memory lane listening to this album. Gone way too soon.
3+ When he's good, he's good. Lots of mid filler here though
3.5 stars
Just never been a big MJ fan. This album didn't really change that. Some good songs though.
3.5/5
What if The Last Starfighter were real? You know, that movie where the Rylan Star League puts a Starfighter video game on earth to recruit new gunners. Alex beats the game then is whisked out to space to fight the Ko-Dan Empire. Also, so as not to arouse too much suspicion, the Rylans leave behind an android clone of Alex who looks the same but acts weird. Yes, what if that were real? But, instead of a Starfighter simulator, it were pop music? Maybe that happened to Michael Jackson. After Thriller came out, the Rylan Space League abducted the King of Pop to battle the Ko-Dan Empire with song. Meanwhile, Michael's doppelgänger acted weird. God, I hope that's what happened to Michael Jackson.
ah.... how do you follow up thriller?? if it were me, i would've stopped while i was ahead. bad isn't /bad/ per se, but aside from the hits (bad, the way you make me feel, man in the mirror, smooth criminal) this album lacks the perfect track run of thriller - which - i can't begrudge anyone for not being able to meet such lofty standards. of the non-hits on here, i was surprised to like speed demon as much as i did, but the rest were forgettable... ... unlike smooth criminal, which i will have stuck in my head for the rest of the week. highlights - bad, the way you make me feel, speed demon, man in the mirror, smooth criminal
Tough to rate because it’s so deeply nostalgic and made me look up the next aerobics class openings, but it’s impossible to forget that he’s an awful person. And a few tracks are true duds. Man in the Mirror is painfully ironic.
A well deserved place, he is one of the legends that left a lasting imprint on the musical but also just pop culture scene. I don’t know, but just like Taylor Swift I am aware there is a special aura about this persona, but it never really resonated with me. Maybe it is because I was indoctrinated by the media and that shifted my perspective of him forever, maybe he just isn’t my cup of tea… but it is undeniable that he was a person with an interesting background and a great professional record. Torn between a 4 and a 3.. but I will go with my subjective feeling and rate it a 3.
Away from contriversy about what he did otr didnt do and looking at this as an album stand alone so to speak .Some of the singles still have a decent beat. They are i agree cheesy and dated but for nostelgia they do hit the spot. Nice basslines nice beats his voice although not the best fits well. However some of it is pure dross away from the singles Liberian girl for example is woeful.
Not my favorite MJ album, but still some good songs on there.
I think about all the teenage girls who waited for this album to drop and then listened to it for the first time with their best judies...... group listening parties are so missing from the culture rn
Pop in the best way
This has always been my least favorite mj album, and relistening to it it feels a bit rushed in a lot of places. Its a very sparce album which seems like a crazy word to use for Michael Jackson the perfectionist, but he clearly understands pop music of the era. The good songs work. Its funny to listen to dirty Diana and it feels so much like a sequel to Billie Jean and it just ended up a bit flat coming from him... I don't know. Its a good album but not a great one like thriller or the one after this. Plus the added drama of his life, just left me a bit unfulfilled.
I haven't listened to much michael jackson before, and now i'm left thinking, what's the big deal. It's just like any other 80s pop album
Lots of classics. See how JT is influenced by it.
Despite being full of classics, I dont love this album. No shade to Quincys work, the arrangements and musicianship (including the vocals) are top tier, but the production is just too polished. I also can't believe MJ really does so much hehe and shmon stuff. Certainly unique and innovative at the time, but now it sounds gimmicky and disruptive. Maybe that's because of how much it's been parodied in popular culture... but either way it's difficult to listen to a vicious pedophile abuser sing a song like Man in the Mirror. Separating the artist from the art, there are an incredible amount of timeless pop anthems on here, I just don't give a fuck about them.
Younger listeners might not realize that Thriller and Bad were ground-breaking achievements in Pop because they introduced the concept of "dropping the visuals" as we now call it being a cultural event. MTV had music videos, but they were largely ads for the song or just featured a visual representation of the band doing their thing. Michael changed the game with Billie Jean, creating an iconic visual moment (steps lighting up) that the song forevermore could evoke. Thriller was just another funky song until the Thriller short film was created with actors, costuming, lighting design, the works. It had a theatrical release overseas and was a major event for MTV, and it spawned one of, if not the, first viral dance video. This guy was creating memes (the Smooth Criminal gangster lean, moonwalk, and more) while crafting a Pop persona, his own mythology that anyone could enjoy and get into. His ability to keep an album in rotation on MTV and the radio waves alike was unprecedented, and it revolved around this use of the visual media that we now all take for granted. Madonna, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, and especially Taylor Swift have all taken pages from this playbook over the years, so to say that he created the modern Pop template would not be an exaggeration. Why this is relevant: Bad is not a particularly great album on its own. It was never meant to be. It generated five #1 hits (because that's what most pop albums were, a collection of singles) and fueled a live show and series of music videos that created iconic moments in pop culture history, but the songs themselves weren't really that special. When you listen to the stuff in isolation, and especially without knowing the bigger picture of what happened before and since these achievements, you don't get the full impression of how it contributed to history and why it has a place on this list of 1001 albums. With all that said, many of these songs don't hold up so well, and I don't award points for outsized cultural impact alone. This was a remarkable moment and achievement in music production, most of which had nothing to do with the music itself.
good!
I understand the popularity, and enjoy some of the songs, but not really for me.
Der er godt nok mange store hits på denne her. tror der er 5 kæmpe store singler så man har jo nærmest allerede lyttet til det. Det var opfølgeren til thriller som var meget quincy jones, hvor det her nærmest kun er michael jackson som har skrevet osv. Det har et mere råt udtryk. Der er sgu ikke så meget at tilføje, det er jo the King of pop så selvfølgelig skal det være på listen?? men med det sagt så er jeg sgu ikke så meget på lyden af 80'erne og jeg har det på samme måde med det her, men jeg synes det var fedt at høre det fulde album. og så er dirty diana nok en af mine favorit MJ sange. Musikvideoer var også her de fik deres helt store gennembrud eller viste at de kunne være mere også. Martin scorsese har instrueret nogle af dem??
The Way You Make Me Feel is my favorite MJ song, but aside from that and a few of the classics, there isn't too much here. 6/10
never thought i would be saying this, but the singles are so good that the middle of this album is just fine.
Colder in tone than Off The Wall and Thriller, but just as polished and slick. There are some classics on here, but it’s so dated. The one I like best of his big three, but not sure it’s a must hear before you die.
3.5 stars, very 80s sound
Not Bad. Aber ebe doch Bad. Aber ned s Schlecht-Bad. Meh de Name Bad. Jetzt hetti lust uf es Bad. Nämlich es Romantischs mit viel Roseblätter und Cherzeliecht. I dem Moment wär am Michi sis überromantische Album passend. Sust Findis doch chli zwenig Michael-Action. (Ussert einzelni wie Bad (s Lied, ned s Album, ned s Bade und ned s englische Wort für schlecht) oder Dirty Diana. Für 4 hee-hee's langes leider doch ned, defür für 3 Tschemounen
De namensvetter isch eifach nöd so min vibe. Scho ikonisch, aber au vill z fest ghyped. Ich gib dem bürstli 3 sternlis und guet isch. Zu mal ich mal nüm wiiter nahforsche zu kinderskandals
sali michi grundsätzlich hesch da uf dem album scho paar bangers platziert, also bad würdis jetzt scho nöd nänne aber irgendwie fallts mer au schwer dich hützutag unironisch z'lose (ussert bi «the way you make me feel») daher schwank ich zwüsched 3 und 4 zechespitze und jawohl boys you guessed wrong: es gid 3
I knew that I will get Michael Jackson at some point. I will try to separate art from the artist here because we know that he has bad reputation for what he did. I feel conflicted to write about this but I find it would be honest to clarify that. So what I think about it? I like how it starts with song Bad which I liked. Overall album sounds more or less with a tune of the 80s pop music where there's a lot of songs about love, heartbreak and whatever you want. It has a lot of stuff that I like musically. And I understand it's part of history. Tbf I prefer George Michael. Fav tracks Bad The Way You Make Me Feel Liberian Girl Smooth Criminal 3/5
Very dated and cheesy sounding and not the best songs. 3 stars
Not Bad. Just cheesy. The album cover designer should have not scrawled the word ‘Bad’ with red spray paint but the word ‘Cheesy’ instead. Or better yet write it out with a tube of squirty cheese. The album itself is filled with good songs but it’s backed mainly by digital keyboards and dance beats with a fiercely squelchy cheese undercurrent that has all aged much worse than anything off of Thriller or Off The Wall. On top of that you have a few outright clunkers like Speed Demon and Just Good Friends with Stevie Wonder which is a true diabolical cheesy abyss. Back half of the album is fairly fine though with standouts such as Man In The Mirror and Smooth Criminal even though that was done better by Alien Ant Farm. (Philadelphia) Light 3.5 stars.
2.75
Never listened to the whole album before, hardly needed to given how many of the hits have been high rotation, forever. While I recognise the quality, I prefer Off the Wall and Thriller.
Classic
Didn’t love it…always felt that Michael Jackson calling himself “bad” was a bit ridiculous.
Frank really fucked up my MJ listening experience. Was it really a Liberian... boy? Blocking all that out - I like Off The Wall and Thriller, everything else I could do without. That said, some of these songs rip. Smooth Criminal.... i don't care how many b.... nevermind. It's a great song!
Nothing close to Thriller in my opinion, but it still finds a good amount of uniqueness. Smooth Criminal is a fantastic song that pops off this album. The other hits are fine, but sound overdone at this point.
The highs are high and the lows are low. Can't say I enjoyed anything but the hits - Man In the Mirror by far the highlight. I'm kind of ashamed to say I was a little bummed to see an MJ - itching to go back to the messy chaos of Jim and the Doors. I had to look up what Liberian Girl was about. Like, surely there's a reason he chose this very specific country none of us ever think about. He must know someone from Liberia. Nope - just a song about an "exotic woman" and he thought Liberia fit the bill. Ted - I'm a little bummed Dirty Diana wasn't your first dance.
A mix of good songs and songs that aren't good enough to overcome the 80's production. Most of them are good though! "Man in the Mirror" is my favorite Jackson song not named "Billie Jean," "Smooth Criminal" has those sinister verses and big climaxes, and "Dirty Diana" has some great guitar. There are three other #1 hits on this album, but of those I really only care for "The Way You Make Me Feel." The rest of the songs suffer more from the percussive synths that are all over this. "Speed Demon," is the worst example, it sounds so clunky. Compare that to "Man in the Mirror" and the smoother sound. The vocals are great throughout, but they can't change the fact it doesn't always sound as full and lush as dance pop should. Worth a listen for the best singles, but there's not much more to it than that.
This is a good album, another one I've never sat and listened to from front to back, yet still know most of the songs. Smooth Criminal is a standout for me, and while I prefer Thriller for having a little more of an edge, I really liked this album. I'm rating it a 3, but it really should be a 3.5.
52/1001 Michael Jackson - Bad Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❎ I'm lukewarm when it comes to Michael Jackson at the best of times and this album hasn't changed my opinion. The singles from it range from OK to great and the rest is just there. Never got the hype, never will.
As an album it's definitely better than I expected. Just all around good fun, except Liberian Girl. That song is terrible. I didn't realise how many hits came out of this album, Bad, Man in the Mirror, Smooth Criminal, etc. They're definitely the best songs, who would've thought, but they're definitely hits for a reason, although The Way You Make Me Feel just feels uncomfortable with the context of MJ being a CP. That about describes the whole album, great songs that are made uncomfortable because of who made it.
Its Micheal Jackson, what do I say
Classic - i had never actually listened to the album all the way through. I'm impressed with just how many monumentally successful songs are on this album.
It's safe to say that following up a masterpiece like Thriller would be a challenge for anyone, including Michael Jackson. Put whatever thoughts you have about the person and focus on the music, this is a good album. It's a GOOD follow up to one of the best albums ever made. Is it as good? Not even close. But it's loaded with bangers and I was happy to hear the Bad 25 version with the second disc being loaded with outtakes and demos that became real songs (Al Capone becoming Smooth Criminal for example). So after listening and re-rating all the tunes (I initially rated the entire album a long time ago, and my music ear is a lot better now than then), I came up with a 3.25 / 5 stars. Not many tracks really came up as amazing 5 star tracks that I need to hear all the time, unlike Thriller which has several 5 star tracks. It's just the consequence of a follow up album. 3.25 seems about right.
First listen of the 1001 albums, first listen to this album. It's a classic, but overall it's a bit underwhelming. Does show signs of the times (some horrible synth and bass sounds there). Still, holds up better than other albums of the era. Somewhere in the middle I guess.
5 Love Michael Jackson’s music but I hate how he diddles kids so I am not sure how I feel. Neutral score.
Formulaic
MJ proves once again that he’s the King of Pop. Strong threefer to start the album and another one to finish it, does have a dip between Speed Demon and Man in the Mirror, but all good. L = (3.5*s) It’s Good , it’s good, not Bad, not Bad! J = (3.2*s) Before this listen, I don’t think I’ve ever heard this entire album. And I don’t think they ever stopped doggin’ him around. Looking forward to seeing Moonwalker, which I’m now sure I’ve never seen.
25% iconic 75% bland
At first I thought, how is the total rating so low, when it has Smooth Criminal, Bad, Dirty Diana, & The Way You Make Me Feel? But then I remembered I hate Man in the Mirror, and boy there's a lot of filler on this. Comes out to a 3 for me too.
Starts and ends strong, middle is a bit weak.
Unfortunately much overplayed, so even though the songs are good, it's hard to appreciate them as they should.
Even without the allegations l, I was never a huge Michael Jackson fan , and this hasn't changed my mind.
Not the type of pop I like but damn, I was singing along with way too many of these songs...
lowk nostalgic
classic, knew some of the hits already. not my favorite flavor of pop
Ok but kind of got bored during the weaker parts, nowhere near as good as his others on the list
I don’t think I’d ever listened to a full Michael Jackson record before. Couple of all timer songs on here too. Maybe not my favourite genre or anything but the sheer confidence of this record is so impressive
A few really great songs on here - Dirty Diana, Smooth Criminal, The Way You Make Me Feel. But some of the others just feel pretty uninteresting to me. Plus the questionable at best artist. Sigh.
Nonce music
3/5
Not my thing, but great album
I feel like Michael Jackson is an interesting person in both good and bad ways and this album is a reflection of that.
man in the mirror is such a good song. hard listen knowing what a pos he was tho..
It falls off after the first two songs. but picks up near the end. Worse than Thriller, but still ok.
IDk not as good as any of his albums I've heard so far, I think its just quite outdated mostly, with the beats, which he was kind of doing better in the late 70s on Off the Wall, I think quite a lot of the synth-funk stuff doesn't groove as hard as with real instruments, just feels too rigid. I also think the adlibs get a bit stale, maybe he should have thought of a few new ones or something. Its not that bad though, I like the title song a lot more than I thought I did. I do like the ambient synth pads in the intros to Liberian Girl and smooth criminal, kinda wish they were implemented in the actual songs. Favourite songs: bad, just good friends, another part of me, smooth criminal, leave me alone. Overall around 5/10
Groovy. His voice sounds like someone is squeezing him like a squeaky toy
A few tracks I enjoyed - mostly the ones I already knew. A few I thought were okay and then some that actively annoyed me. Overall just not really my thing but I will always sing along to those songs I already knew. Fav song: Smooth Criminal - also liked Man in the Mirror (sung this on stage with a school choir when I was younger so it gets nostalgia points) Least fav: Speed Demon
Popularity has ruined it for me.
An uneven album, that ranges from excellent to bland. 3 stars. Would I listen again? No Would I buy this album? No Side One 1 "Bad" - Lyrically the chorus is a bit naff "really, really bad". "Shamone," is a nice nod to Marvis Staples". Musically, it's very good and catchy. "Who's Bad?" - 4 Stars 2 "The Way You Make Me Feel" - More in the vein of 'Off The Wall', and even 'Thriller'. A very good pop song. The best song on the album. - 5 Stars 3 "Speed Demon" - 3 Stars 4 "Liberian Girl" - 3 Stars 5 "Just Good Friends" - 3 Stars Side Two 6 "Another Part of Me" - 3 Stars 7 "Man in the Mirror" - This is all about the chorus, which is very good, and the chorus carries the song. The drums sound awful. - 3 Stars 8 "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" - 2 Stars 9 "Dirty Diana" - A very good song spoilt by a clunky title and chorus. Steve Stevens guitar is immediately recognisable. - 3 Stars 10 "Smooth Criminal" - Now, this is more like it. - 4 Stars 11 "Leave Me Alone" - 4 Stars Total - 37/55 Average - 3.36
Listened to the Thriller cassette tape a bunch when I was young, but first time listening to Bad. The radio hit are still bangers (even if AAF's version of Smooth Criminal is better) but the rest is pretty meh.
Hard to rate this one. I was assuming it would be an automatic 5. But man are there some terrible songs on here.
So bad it is good?
as Album Bad wurde in den Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles aufgenommen. Michael Jackson, ein US-amerikanischer Sänger und Tänzer, arbeitete dafür erneut mit dem Produzenten Quincy Jones zusammen, wie bereits bei den beiden Vorgängeralben. Das Werk erschien 1987 und ist musikalisch dem Pop-Genre zuzuordnen, enthält aber auch Einflüsse aus Rock, Funk und R&B. Zu den stilprägenden Stücken gehören unter anderem „Bad“, „Man in the Mirror“ und „Smooth Criminal“. Diese Songs trugen wesentlich dazu bei, Jacksons musikalisches Profil zu schärfen und sein öffentliches Image weiterzuentwickeln. Besonders auffällig ist dabei der stärker ausgeprägte persönliche und gesellschaftskritische Ton einiger Titel. Bad wirkt in seiner Produktion durchdacht und zielgerichtet. Es zeigt einen Künstler, der nach kommerziellem Erfolg weiterhin musikalisch aktiv gestalten will. Die klare Struktur der Songs und die professionelle Umsetzung geben dem Album eine gewisse Stringenz. Insgesamt hinterlässt Bad den Eindruck einer kontrollierten, aber ambitionierten Veröffentlichung, die Jacksons künstlerische Entwicklung dokumentiert.
I honestly was kinda disappointed by this one, I've always heard this is like one of THE pop rock albums to listen to. Aside from the hits and Dirty Diane, I didn't really remember much of the album afterwards, it felt like it was lacking a certain spark. However the musicianship was brilliant. I think a 3 is fair, I didn't think it was bad, just didn't live up to my expectations, which isn't necessarily it's fault.
Cmon Girl! Weeheee
I graduated from highschool in the 80s. And even at the time, I didn't care too much for the pop superstars, like MJ and Madonna. This album has some fantastic tracks, like Smooth Criminal, but overall, it leaves me with a meh feeling. 3.5/5
Fav: Smooth Criminal Least Fav: Speed Demon Smooth Criminal is up there in the ranks of songs that save an album from being completely average, it’s back must be aching
Bad is good, but not great. The hits are there but they don't hit as hard as the ones on Thriller and neither do the B-sides. "Bad" (the song) is just a poor man's "Beat It". "Smooth Criminal" is fantastic and so is "Dirty Diana". "Man in the Mirror" I have mixed feelings about but overall its a good addition. This is still probably the last solid MJ album but it will never compare to his previous two records. Favorite track: Smooth Criminal 3.5/5
Strangle listening to this in 25, so familiar but really synthetic.
The King of Pop, pretty good
Would have been much better if recorded with real instruments instead of 80s Casio keyboard style sounds.
Not my favourite Jackson era, but it can’t be denied that there’s some bangers on this album. Something sounded a bit off with the production to be on this one in that very cheap hollow way that people really leant into during the 80s. Still, the greatness of songs like Dirty Diana and Smooth Criminal can’t be denied.
Old fun! 3/5 #albumsky #musicsky #albumchallenge
classic
It’s fine. I think MJ made two must-listen albums, Off the Wall and Thriller. On this record I love “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” and I know “Man in the Mirror” is corny as fuck but I still like that one. “Dirty Diana” and “Smooth Criminal” and “Bad” are solid B-songs. But a good half of this album is disposable.
3/5. Difficult to rate a Michael Jackson record in general, but this one had more songs on it that I enjoyed than not. Yes, he's a "bad" (get it?) person but I'm just listening to the music here. Some tracks on here are absolute classics, while the other ones are on the other end and very forgettable. Seeing the track list, I was hoping to like this better than I was expecting but I was a little disappointed. I would say this gets to be an okay album, even though I know many of these songs defined a generation. Even without the baggage of Michael as a person, the album was overall just good, not bad, but also is bad, because that's the album. I'll see myself out. Best Song: Smooth Criminal, Man In The Mirror, Dirty Diana, Bad
I know he's good but his albums just make me sad for his short life
A: Bad, Smooth Criminal B+: Dirty Diana B: Man in the Mirror, The Way You Make Me Feel C: Another Part of Me, Leave Me Alone D: Speed Demon, Just Good Friends F: Liberian Girl, I Just Can't Stop Loving You
Very slick, catchy, and polished, and lots of hits to show for it. It's very produced, and while busy, everything seems very intentional. The instrumentation does suffer at times from feeling incredibly dated, and is sometimes a bit much. The sound of the album is distinct, which can sometimes lead to blurring between the more forgettable filler tracks; still, with a few slower songs, like the seductive 'Liberian Girl' and the soulful 'Man in the Mirror', or even the darker, rockier 'Dirty Diana', there’s some nice variation. Great pop album, with some funk and soul influences. 'Smooth Criminal' is the album at its best: Catchy, sharp, and perfectly produced, with great vocals.
c'est MJ quoi Mais pas ma came de fou
Okay album. Was interesting to learn this was the follow up to thriller. The hits were good, the rest of the album kinda fades into the background. So many HEE HEEs!
I could've given a 4 but there were too many not good tracks. Thriller was way better
Pop, 1987 -> 3
If you told me in 1995 that "Thriller" had two #1 singles and "Bad" had five #1 singles, I would have challenged you to cite your sources, because I would not have believed you. Maybe its just because Thriller was fucking everywhere for years after its release that I assumed it had more #1s, but its interesting to me that something that sold so many albums only had 2 of 7 singles hit #1. Before now, I had never listened to a Michael Jackson LP in its in entirety; because I'd heard the singles so many times, there was simply no need to hear them in an album (and I was sick of them, even if I'd loved them, which I didn't). While this LP had more #1 hits, I don't think they "stuck" as well as the ones on Thriller, and they certainly didn't get MTV play for as many months on end. 9 of the 10 tracks on Bad became singles (to be fair, at least two weren't singles in the US , including the terrible "Liberian Girl": Compare that to thriller's 7 singles from 9 tracks (which also has some clunkers- "The Girl is Mine" has not aged well, either) and the high expectations for this LP (how do you follow up a smash that is literally the best selling record of all time?) and it's hard to view this record without comparing it to Thriller. That said, it gets a three because Speed Demon and Liberian girl are awful, and Dirty Diana is not great, either. But Smooth Criminal has one of the best riffs of all time, even if you aren't a fan of this kind of pop.
I really hope Annie is OK.
Favorites: Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Smooth Criminal A classic album for sure, but I'd be hard-pressed to say that this is my favorite pop record (and far from as great as Thriller is). Still, there's lots to love and admire here. As a follow-up to one of the most instantly beloved pop records of all time, Bad is... Not bad!
Mikke osaa villitä
Was a fun listen with some really iconic tracks, but besides the hits nothing really kind of grabbed me while listening. The hits are straight bangers though, and it’d be hard to listen to an mj album and not be captured by the production, musicality, and the insane vocals. Fav Track: Smooth Criminal
Of its genre (bombastic 1980's pop) it's undoubtedly one of the best. Popular in the extreme, so many tracks that sound familiar and a unique performer. But as an album I looks forward to listening to again....not so much. And that's without discussing MJ the person...
Not as strong as Thriller. Period.
I used to love Michael Jackson, he was one of my favourite artists growing up and I was devastated when he died as I was only about 8. I didn’t know anything about his allegations but I did as I got older and as a result, his music played less in my rotations. Having said that, I still love his music so I was expecting to thoroughly enjoy this album. I liked it but as the album went on, there’s a reason the hits are popular and the rest isn’t. Most of it is kinda mid but it also has some of my favourite MJ songs on it being The Way You Make Me Feel and I Just Can’t Stop Loving You. So a mixed bag really.
2-3 decent songs.
-These are types of albums that make me feel like I should of rated over ones higher b/c it feels criminal (no pun intended) to give it anything below 3 stars but it’s not the same for me as other 3 stars -just feels like an album full of 4ish hits and then background music -dirty Diana might be my favorite, I think it most musicality appealing to me
Solid 80s pop, he's the king, but I didn't vote for him
3 Stars (8/15)
-Bad: synths go hard. I know this song really well. The drums are hypnotizing. I didn't know the meaning behind the song was regarding fighting back against oppressors, specifically Black youth/adults in the sphere of police + societal oppression. The drums make it real good and serve as a strong backbone to this song's overall feel. -The Way You Make Me Feel: very familiar with this song again, MJ was a pretty big deal in my family. The strings, synth, and horns are awesome on this track. Obviously, drums too. It is the feeling of certainty and excitement when you met the one. "my lonely days are gone" is such a sweet line. -Speed Demon: FUCKING BASSSSSSS HOLY SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The buildup towards the end of the song is incredible, love them horns. -Liberian Girl: transition from the last song flows good. I do enjoy the intention to uplift the women of Liberia. Appreciate that he used vocals from South-African singer Letta Mbulu. The instrumental FUCKS. This wasn't originally released in the U.S. which is interesting. I've never heard this song. Not sure if I'm the biggest fan of this one. -Just Good Friends: Stevie Wonder and MJ team up for this track. Again, bass on this album is hitting - on this song, it slaps. I'm not quite sure what's going on lyric-wise... Are they both seeing the same girl without knowing? LOL kinda odd. The guitar's effects sound synthy and fun. Their voices sound good together. -Another Part of Me: the lyrics are very empowering on a humanity unification level. Reminds me of Black or White's message. Positivity in the face of oppression. The instrumental again is impeccable. Big horns and drums before the chorus hit each time. This again resonates in the highly charged political climate that we exist in, we all are experiencing it as one... "You're just another part of me." -Man in the Mirror: To make a difference in the world, you gotta start within. I have heard this one million times, probably one of his best. It is a beautiful message of self-growth and learning to fully accept and love yourself. The drums carry this song. Sweet layered synths add to the reflective lyrics. I will say this song drags on a bit, I don't love how repetitive it is. But that break before the choir & MJ during the chorus is crazy. The emotion of how hard the self-healing journey is. The choir behind his vocals adds fullness. -I Just Can't Stop Loving You: "I'm so proud to say I love you" - this ballad is so sweet. Siedah Garrett's vocals layer like honey on MJ's. The choir in the back sounds angelic, perfectly matching the dreamy lyrics. I enjoy the inclusion of snaps too. Love the piano in this. I love following the Man in the Mirror; once you can love yourself, you can fully love someone else as he talks about in this one. -Dirty Diana: guitar has a nice lead on this, it really adds a rock-star intense feel. The fact that this song is about his disgust for groupies, "Diana," the crowd cheering post-chorus fits well. The drums and strings post-interlude are intense. This has strong storytelling, I can envision this perfectly. Not my favorite and I don't enjoy calling women "dirty" for being sexual, but hey, it was the late 80s and quite frankly, she tries to destroy his love life for her own personal gain, so... -Smooth Criminal: I KNOW THIS SONG LIKE THE BACK OF MY HAND. I wanted to do a cappella tap solo to this. I have seen the music video millions of times. One of my personal favorites. I didn't put together that Annie, are you ok is an allusion to CPR Annie for teaching resuscitation. The bass fucking hits and the drums remind me of gun shots. Horns too. I think there's layered basses which fucks. This was originally made to be a Western musical with MJ as the gunslinger, but then it turned into a gangster scene. -Leave Me Alone: bass carries this song, the drums are intense, sounding like claps. The lyrics are pretty sad as he is being used by someone he loved, and he's at his last straw. The real meaning is targeting the media publishing lies about him, which makes a lot more sense, even though it still would in the context of a deceitful lover. The instrumental interlude is sick. The outro is him pleading whoever to stop begging him, I like his yelling vocals.
Obviously a classic pop album. Some amazing tracks. But it's not Thriller. I enjoyed listening to this again
Extremely uneven - 3 all time greats, pure fun bangers (Bad, Smooth Criminal, The Way You Make me Feel) and then a heaping pile of schmaltzy saccharine bullshit. Noone cares about the ballads, MJ, we're here for the dance hits so cut out the crooning, it's truly awful. The 80s guitar shredding is kind of good and really funny.
In the flood of ’80s pop, this album stands out for being more polished and eclectic, even with its slick, synthetic sound. Like it or not, I ended up absorbing half the tracks and I’ve got to admit, some still hit hard these days (Dirty Diana, Smooth Criminal…).
The hits good, some are great! But the rest is forgettable.
Can’t lie felt a bit icky listening to this in 2025 but I tried to put all that too one side when I listened. This album is not as good as I remember it and some of it is bad… Librarian Girl. Some of it is still great… Smooth Criminal.
Mulla on ollut aukko sivistyksessä, kun en Michael Jacksonin musiikista tiennyt pahemmin mitään. Kyllähän tämän kuunteli ja ajoittain oli ihan menevää jumputusta.
Miikkaelia ajalta jolloin vielä justjust näytti ihmiseltä. Muutos oli jo kyl käynnissä. Rillerin jälkeen paha pistää paremmaks ja ei onnistunu. Tekis mieli antaa 3,5
Hyvä levy vaikka ei nyt thrillerin veroinen. Muutama biisi sai oikein jalan tamppaamaan.
This one falls into a very similar realm to most pop albums where the hits are great and everything else just falls flat. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I have heard some of these songs hundreds of times.
Bad to me is just ok. Has its moments but something about it grinds my gears a bit. The Way You Make Me Feel has always been a great song for me. Top tier song from MJ. Don't care at all for Liberian Girl. I have a love hate relationship with Man In The Mirror. Has its moments. Smooth Criminal is awesome but everyone knows Alien Ant Farms version is >>>>> This was solid enough but really didn't care for some songs. Going high 3 here.
Some obvious bangers, but I prefer Off the Wall and Thriller. I feel like this is the transition where he started... you know...
This is a great pop record and I can't deny how groundbreaking and influential it was but I can't find myself gravitating towards it. I don't think I will seek it out frequently.
There are undeniable hits throughout, but with enough maudlin syrup to drag it down to three stars.
This album is surprisingly aggressive. The mixing on the synth and drums really make it hit. But still Michael's voice shines through in contrast. Man in the mirror was a real stand out for me. I do feel like the value in this album comes from the production. Having said that I'm not sure I fully understand it's inclusion on this list. Solid album, but I think he has other more grand works. This one feels so dated and a product of its time. Still enjoy it. Still not sure how I feel listening to him in the context of his actions.
Going to listen for the first time to this album, I thought I would like it more than I really did, because Michael Jackson's voice and style is one of a kind and incredible, but this album felt a bit dated for me, both for the instrumentation and some of the songs structures, and I'm not talking about 'Bad' or 'Smooth Criminal', which are undeniable bangers, I'm refering to tracks like 'I Just Can't Stop Loving You' or 'Liberian Girl'. The expectations really did me dirty on this one.
Some great songs but some crap on here as well. Doesn’t hold up all that well 30+ years later.
Can appreciate MJ for his impact on the music scene, but it's not one of my favorite genres and styles.
A few good songs, not a big Michael Jackson fan. I decided The Way You Make Me Feel is a banger
Album alone is 4 1/2 stars, but the other stuff we know makes this a 3.
Very interesting to have an album where i've heard half the songs a million times and half maybe never. In the big year 2025, some of this doesn't quite hit for me but there is some amazing Quincy Jones work and synth sounds are crazy sick. I will say that some of the big ones: Smooth Criminal, Bad, TWYMMF, etc. could be taken for granted by me at this stage in the game.
It’s not bad .. but he was.
First 2 tracks were my favorite. Sounds a bit korny hearing all the synth and 80’s like jams.
Paar goede liedjes maar de rest was matig
Better than expected, can’t separate the art from the artist lolz
i like some of the songs buuuuut
Lots of nostalgia for this album. It's a lot poppier than I remember. Thriller felt like pop-rock, but this feels like super light bubblegum pop. The couple of big hits from album are good, but I could have not listened to the rest of the album and been happy. My rating: 3/5.
bad- 6. the chorus is good the way you make me feel- 5 speed demon- 5 Liberian girl- 4 just good friends- 5 another part of me- hee hee. 5 man in the mirror- 4 I just can't stop loving you- 5 dirty diana- 5 smooth criminal- he said the line. this song is not that good. I've heard better Michael Jackson songs that shoulda been more popular. 6 leave me alone- me to Michael Jackson. 5 maybe we should just admit Michael Jackson is a child molesting hack
The reviews seem to be either very good or very bad. Bad, Dirty Diana, Smooth Criminal are all good tracks, but the rest of the album genuinely feels like the B track of Thriller. Plus, he's a nonce.
Мало что могу сказать. Бодрый танцевальный поп. Песня "Саня ты в порядке?" лучшая на альбоме.
Classic.
Minus 2 stars for kid diddling
Great art, terrible person.
3 - 5 songs were very strong and the others didn’t do much for me. The deeper cuts may be a victim to the success of the big singles.
awwww shit
Feel like this album is feeling it's age a bit with some of its sounds, but its still basically one of the best examples of that sound. I do prefer Jackson's harder edge on some songs here, but Dirty Diana and Smooth Criminal are the only songs that I'd really come back to. Very much don't really care for the lighter R&B songs here.
The finale of Smooth Criminal and Dirty Diana is untouchable, but were some weak tracks to get there.
There are two or three decent songs on this (I liked Another Part Of Me), but quite a few one-star efforts too. Jackson's delivery on Man in the Mirror doesn't suit the song at all. Overall, a massive drop off from earlier Jackson material.
Feels really aged in the modern day but it’s still enjoyable through the record.
It's time for the popular question: should we separate the art from the artist? The artist of discussion here was quite bad, and a smooth criminal. However, the artist is also dead, so perhaps it's not worth discussing anymore. With that out of the way, other than his Hit songs, this album was just a typical 1980s Pop Album. Favorite Track: "Smooth Criminal"(but Alien Ant Farm's version is so much better).
Bad and Smooth Criminal are true bangers. The rest, I kind of sleeped on
There are some good songs on here but they're all like 30 seconds too long.
Meh. I mean you really can't deny, he was very good at what he did. I mean so many hits spawn just from this one album. And while I don't mind them. I just don't really care for them either.
I mean, he's the King of Pop. Compare how much fuller this sounds to, say, George Michael - he's got a great voice, he's got great tunes, and he's got energy. Coming off two other pop-ish albums that are much more layered, it still has an 80s flatness. Listen to the hits, which I think are still good (although the title track is flat) and move on with your life, though I can't stop lovin' you took me by surprise. I'd even go so far to say that the back half is stronger. That said, I think it's just Fine, but that might be the fact that this kind of music doesn't resonate with me.
This one is not my favorite of Michael's, I even like Dangerous more than this one I think. But it's still got a few great tracks, especially Another Part Of Me. Less likely to revisit this album compared to his others, but still enjoyable. 3/5
An album that is dragged down by its duds as much as it is uplifted by its hits. Smooth Criminal is an elite pop song, undone by Liberian Girl, Speed Demon, etc...
Синглы еще как-то в порядке, а вот все остальное... Хз , по мне после триллера 5 лет делать это - было не лучшее решение
Classic movie