Bad

Sorry - No nonces. Pass. Got any Rolf Harris Albums? How about Gary Glitter?

Awesome

Предыдущий альбом Майкла Джексона Thriller звучит ближе и роднее, но здесь аранжировки и музыка доведена до очень качественного уровня, соул-музыка в старом понимании отсутствует. Полностью выработался стиль Майкла. Сначала не оценил до конца, но сейчас осознаю, что звучит очень круто и стильно, альбом более цельный. Музыка 80-ых как есть.

I'm torn on this one. It really isn't music I'd be interested in listening to, but much of this album has a certain life to it that lifts it beyond the generic. So even though it's not my style, and I'd never choose to listen to it, I somehow admire it enough to give it 3 stars.

foi o primeiro álbum do MJ que eu escutei e po, infelizmente não é tão bom... fora bad e smooth criminal, achei chato btw os gritim do michael são intankáveis

pedrada, hein. o mano não é rei do pop atoa não rapaziada. bom album, só musicona, mas acho o Thriller melhor simplesmente pela sequência thriller>beat it>billie jean. PORTANTO, 4 estrelas.

Hits pero una colección de singles más que nada

Great album but it’s showing its age with the drum effects.

Obviously an All Timer.

Childmolester

Cool

Interesting album! Definitely a time period piece not necessarily with the times on some of these songs. Questionable lyricism but still a bop of an album!

80s coke party dance tunes.... good in the sense of influential. I don't care for the dated production sound. Not the worst album to listen to and I see why people like it. Favorites - the way you make me feel, Liberian girl, dirty Diana

3 out of 5. Just as fun as Thriller but with maybe a slightly weaker first half.

Notable tracks: Smooth Criminal, Bad, Man in the Mirror, Dirty Diana, The Way You Make Me Feel, I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Leave Me Alone

The old saying of love the art, not the artist comes to mind here. I have a huge soft spot for this one, as it was one of the first non-kid music albums I loved while growing up. It's still great. If you weren't around when this was released, it might be hard to describe how this album took over pop culture for a while. Nine singles, seven of which made the top 20 on Billboard. Don't forget about the driving force behind MJ's best albums - Quincy Jones. I think this was their final collaboration, and it shows, as the quality dropped off in MJ's later albums. Stevie Wonder makes an appearance here too, which is never a bad thing.

Great album! Ofc theres the classics but even the lesser known ones are good

How do you follow up one of the biggest albums of all time? The music on this is pretty solid. Pretty inescapable when it came out.

not the same heights as Thriller but its pretty hit-packed and undeniable

Okay. While there are few fun hits on here. The lyrical storytelling and musical experimentation didn't feel super astounding to me. Pretty average, some good pop, but not one that I will likely find myself returning to regularly.

Can’t do this

Lots of fun stuff on here, but honestly it's the beginning of Michael Jackson jumping the shark, so it's just hard to feel good about it. He already is starting to look like a white woman on the cover 😒

Great album, year I was born, defo remember it a lot from my youth. Never got to see him as he cancelled the Germany gig we went to see

When I was in 5th grade, I had this album on cassette and listened to it non-stop. Obviously tastes change in 30+ years so it should not have surprised me that I didn't love it nearly as much this time around but I didn't really feel it now. Bad is a good song fundamentally but the production sounds pretty dated now. The Way You Make Me Feel still brings it but the rest of what was the A side are duds. Man in the Mirror is a classic but I could and did stop I Just Can't Stop Loving You. So, like, half bangers, half duds, I still get why it's heralded as an all-timer but just didn't do it for me.

Better produced than his earlier solo albums. There are some great songs on here, but maybe I just don't love MJ all that much.

The man was just making hit after hit. It feels dumb to say but I think the big singles being SO good kind of makes the full album experience worse, because the non-singles, while still fun, just can't compete. Luckily half the damn album is hit singles though.

Album 530 of 1001 Michael Jackson - Bad (1987) Rating : 4 / 5 Not really one I'm going to grab and put on but I can give it the props it deserves. 5 Number One hits. Best selling album for two years. It is kind of iconic. I'll give it that.

I generally dislike pop music. But I've loved Thriller my whole life. I didn't like this album when it came out. I didn't really care so I never gave it much thought. Listening now, I think it's because Q turned the rhythm section over to synths and sequencers and that creates a flat, lifeless sound. Billie Jean has the simplest/straitest drum part maybe ever recorded. But that drum performance is AMAZING and it infuses an urgency into the entire track. Compare the feeling of that to anything here. Y A W N

Classic.

Favourites: Man in the Mirror, Smooth Criminal

I've listened to this SO MANY TIMES as a youngling. Pure 5. Bless you Mike!

Favs: Bad, Liberian Girl, Man In the Mirror, Smooth Criminal Least Fav: I Just Can't Stop Loving You

One of my earliest music related memories is not liking Michael Jackson. A friend of mine in primary school was really into his music. And I just didn’t get it. He was loving it so much. And it just didn’t move me at all. Still doesn’t.

Is it morally okay to like Michael Jackson's music? Don't care, I despise it. I'll never understand why people like this so much.

Classic. Full of bangers. "Just Leave Me Alone" is underrated.

This wasn't great, but it wasn't Bad...

Some MJ super hits here. But I was actually surpised that there a handful of tracks I'd never heard before. There's more nostalgia in these songs than any real love of the music. But still fun to listen to.

Classic MJ.

It's got a couple jams you've heard about twenty million times before. The rest is whatever.

MJ doesn’t really make albums, just collections of singles that range from greatest pop song of all time to completely irrelevant unlistenable. For me this album has a couple of the former (the way you make me feel, bad) and at least one of the latter (Liberian girl) and a lot in between. When he hits, there’s no one in pop history that hits like Mike but there were more skips than I expected. 3.4

3.0 Couple of MJ bangers, and a few more shitty fillers. As time passes the weirder the stuff gets

hate to be that guy but i genuinely think this is a 5…

Pre-listening thoughts: ya know I cannot believe I’ve never heard a Michael Jackson album in full. I have high expectations! Post/during listening thoughts: listening to all these songs I’ve heard before in the context of this album makes me enjoy them more. Bad is such an energetic album opener and now I’m seated! Speed Demon is good but feels like it’s missing something production wise. I am not a fan of Adult Contemporary as a genre so Liberian Girl is… yeah. WHY IS STEVIE WONDER NOT CREDITED ON JUST GOOD FRIENDS ON SPOTIFY?!?! Yall all wanna call Man in the Mirror corny but it’s SO GOOD. This is good like there are really solid tracks on here but in terms of Michael’s strongest work, this isn’t quiteeee up there for me. Good amount of hits, some mid. 8.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: not as a full body of work but some songs for sure Fav tracks: Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Just Good Friends, Man in the Mirror, Dirty Diana, Smooth Criminal, Leave Me Alone Least fav tracks: Liberian Girl, I Just Can’t Stop Loving You

Smooth Criminal is the only saving grace in this album. Off the Wall and Thriller capped his career.

Great!

Solid album, aged well to me

Feels like giving this 4 stars would be just for name recognition. The way you make me feel is a great dance song...smooth criminal makes you move as well. But Dirty Diana? Never need to hear this again. Just a strange album for the most part of you remove the few great songs. Lacked the passion and grooves of the songs I already mentioned. The album as a whole was just ok.

As an 80’s kid my relationship with MJ’s music is different than younger gen’s - rightfully so. Bad is 3 parts insanely incredible and 2 parts weird. The videos were innovative but Michael comes off predatory instead of sexy. No excuses, things were different then. We don’t want to go back, but that doesn’t change how things like this were perceived and embraced at the time. Smooth Criminal video is probably the last huge video premier-the choreography is top tier. Man in the Mirror has become iconic and still can bring me to tears. Leave me Alone video was supposed to make fun of all the tabloid stuff but really just reinforced how weird Michael was. We just accepted the music and talent and ignored the strangeness.

I don’t give 5’s often, but when I do, I give them to MJ.

Amazing!! Nothing more to say.

King of pop for sure. Tons of respect for that. Maybe I was in too shitty a mood when listening, but mostly didn’t enjoy.

Für mich ist es das zweit beste Album vor Thriller von Michael Jackson. Es ist so sagenhaft geworden, dass man es gar nicht fassen kann. Eine fantastische Weiterentwicklung zu Thriller, was man sich damals nicht vorstellen könnte. Aber es ist passiert. Michael Jackson ist das Genie der Popmusik und hat alle möglichen Stilrichtungen trotzdem drauf, weil sie auch auf diesem Meisterwerk mit eingebracht werden. Es ist eine zeitlose Produktion, die einem immer wieder aufs neue Hören Begeisterung hinterlässt. Egal welches Lied, es ist grandios.

#332. There's three quite good songs on here, but the rest of it is pretty meh, honestly. Just generic 'we have to make enough to fill a whole album' kind of stuff. 3/5: acceptable Song added to playlist: Smooth Criminal I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link

Bad is consistently amazing throughout its entirety. It's outstanding. Compared to an album like Thriller, which is held up by its singles, and the huge dance choreography and music video of thriller itself.

xd mj

Came out when I was 9 or 10 years old so my rating is heavy on nostalgia. This album has one of my favorite MJ songs on it in "Man in the Mirror".

Michael's got a great voice. And the hits are great. But I otherwise thought it was pretty forgettable. Maybe my expectations were too high

It has moments of greatness, but isn't great. Certainly it's no "Thriller" and not even an "Off The Wall".

Better than I remembered! Would be better ending on Smooth Criminal over Leave Me Alone tho

Don’t know if I’ll revisit but really well produced album. The instruments were way too loud though and Michael’s voice was a lil low. Content wise: great album. Favorite song: Dirty Diana

I really enjoyed this one. It's just fast, fun, and super well-produced. The teamup with Stevie Wonder on "Just Good Friends" is amazing. I'd never heard that one before (I've heard most of the hit singles on here, and boy does it have a lot of them), but that's the highlight of the CD. Jackson already has an amazing voice (or did at this time), but pairing him with Stevie, who also has an amazing voice (but very different) is just a winner. And everything is just perfectly put together - wonderful backing vocals on most tracks (esp. "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Smooth Criminal"), funky rhythms, nice horns for color (if at times synth), and impeccable sound quality. There's some stinkers on here. "Liberian Girl" is regrettable. Few albums are flawless. I probably should've given "Thriller" a 5 as well, they're both great. But I liked this one better.

Man in the mirror is my favourite example of the truck drivers gear shift. 5 stars

An unrelenting hit parade - 5/5 (I enjoy that some of the synths sound like they are from Sonic the Hedgehog, as if we were all psychologically trained to love this by our youth)

Might be a hair better than Thriller… don’t @me

One of the first records I bought as a kid. Haven't heard it in years. Not as cheesy as I thought it would be even though title track is cringe. So be good songs sounds very 80s. 6/10

Such a mix... greats like Smooth Criminal, Way You Make Me Feel, & Leave Me Alone... and then some awful awful tunes... Speed Demon?? Ugh...

Almost as good as Thriller 87/100

Amazing album will finish tomorrow

Discazo muy mítico. Con un estilo marcado único y una voz de otro mundo, la mezcla de pop-rock-funky es una pasada, da ganas de bailar y muchas de las canciones son reconocibles y con identidad propia. De los que uno escucharía una y mil veces

Abgesehen von den bekannten Liedern habe ich von diesem Album eigentlich nichts gekannt. Und das wohl aus gutem Grund. Die Musik hat mich beim Zugfahren jetzt nicht gestört, aber wäre auch nicht meine erste Wahl gewesen.

The king of pop keeps his crown.

When I see the album cover for Bad, I always think of the album cover for Weird Al's "Even Worse." Gives me a chuckle. For years I thought "Liberian Girl" was "Librarian Girl," which probably makes very little sense to me now. There were quite a few hits on this album, which is to be expected since Michael Jackson did nothing but write/sing hit songs. I have always been a Michael Jackson casual more than anything else, so the less ubiquitous tracks like Liberian Girl and Just Good Friends aren't necessarily my cup of tea. In fact, (hot take here) the album is very backloaded with tracks 7-11 all being really good songs...or at least tolerable songs. Take Michael Jackson's name off the album and tracks 3-6 are all fairly mediocre pop songs. Speed Demon is a stupid song. There is no way around that. Just Good Friends is notable because Stevie Wonder is on the track. Even on the good songs on the album suffer from Jackson's need to make the vocal grunts that make it sound like he is choking. It's pretty overused. I have always appreciated Jackson's work but never totally enjoyed it because it always felt hollow in some ways to me. Thriller was an album by Michael Jackson and this just seems like a Michael Jackson album where he is playing the role. This album deserves a place on the list because The Way You Make Me Feel, Dirty Diana, Leave Me Alone and Smooth Criminal are really great songs.

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.

Amazing Smooth Criminal is my favourite Liberian Girl is solid

Great, but is it better than Off the Wall?

Great!

Excellent album, tons of hit songs that I can listen to over and over. The less popular songs are pretty good too. I was in grade school when this came out and it was very popular everyone was trying to moonwalk and be like Michael. It has a real influence on popular culture, it was a fun time.

Some Iconic tunes but honestly most of the album felt like filler.

There are a handful of great, classic songs on here. It’s hard to follow up Thriller, though. But that’s not this album’s fault.

This has some classics on it, but they aren't what I was remembering them to be. Sounds really dated and some are just /// Bad.

holy bassline. unfortunately this is not the peak of michael jackson, and he has a few albums i prefer. not to say this is bad (lol), but it isnt a track for track perfect album like thriller or off the wall is for me.

So the hits are A+ killer pop tunes. It’s no wonder that Bad and Smooth Criminal are *still* jams to this day. The rest of the album though. It sounds like they recorded a the world's most incredible EP and then stuffed it with enough filler to charge full LP price. Some outstanding bass synths but also a lot of very 1987 synths. Crazy that it’s only two years out from Pretty Hate Machine and three years from Violator completely upending what everyone thought synth/sampler based music could sound like.

I don't know what is so magical about this album, I can't put my finger on exactly what it is, but this album is perfection. I literally looped it for 3 more plays it was that good. Every single song fucks. The instrumentals are amazing and so in-tune with the 80's. The vocals are obviously amazing. There's really no need for a long-winded review here. This album is as good as it gets for pop. I could listen to it over and over and not get tired of it. Perfection - nonce or not.

Little Michael does it again Bad is aggressively 80's, absurdly catchy and unfortunately, a tad underwhelming with only a FEW select songs. Michael is similar to James Cameron in that they are both extremely talented creators who surround themselves with equally competent staff and crew to help make their productions the most polished pieces they can make. This shine can obfuscate the flaws of a bad film in Cameron's case, but when you are dealing with something as segmented as an album it doesn't quite work. Some of these songs are not necessarily 'Bad', but stick out like a sore thumb while sitting next to some of the most genre defining tracks of the era. This shouldn't take away from how incredible the highs of this album are. It has nearly all of my favourite MJ tracks in one place, each of which lift to the equivalent of a 9/10, but prevent me from being able to say it is perfect album. I don't even know what to discuss about the things I liked in this album (I feel like it is all self-evident). Some of these songs are Michael operating at 100%. A lot of it is similarly in-your-face as Thriller. The amount of synth in this album feels like a very rich meal, where it is so plentiful that you will enjoy it at first but might be a little sick by the end if you don't have the stomach for it (I thankfully did). On top of having some of my favourite MJ tracks in songs like Bad, Smooth Criminal and Dirty Diana (those starfuckers got a crazy ass song after them huh) I feel like each of these work better as songs than Thriller does. Where these are all great songs with equally incredible music videos (the synchronised dance in Smooth Criminal goes unnecessarily hard) I always felt like there was a piece missing when you didn't experience Thriller with the music video included. I don't know what the fuck they were thinking with Speed Demon, I enjoy the instrumentals on this one but feel taken aback by the lyrics. A really dumb song even by pop music standards that feels like it was born from the brain trust of 'badass' Michael Jackson iconography (remember at the end of the Black or White music video where he is screaming in the rain then just animorphs into a panther?) Liberian Girl is a similar situation, where parts of the song individually are really fucking good but I can't see myself wanting to listen to it. Another case where it would be better as just an instrumental track. The backup singers towards the end salvage it a little bit too.

Bad - Total banger, one of Michael's best, instrumentals are better than most of the rest of the album. Layered keyboards and a brass section, I couldn't ask for anymore. The Way You Make Me Feel - Another Total banger, one of Michael's best. More excellent thumping bass and synth, some trumpet peppered in. Speed Demon - this one is okay, I didn't really Juve with the vocals or lyrics. The instrumentals wouldn't be out of place in a middling arcade machine racing game. Liberian Girl - Vocals and songwriting are quite nice. Instrumentals were quite unique to the rest of the album and sounded pretty good. Just Good Friend - banger. Good overall. Another Part of Me - instrumentals going very hard, nice guitar bits shining through. Underrated track, I enjoy it a lot. Man in the Mirror - Another total banger, one of Michael's best. The choir part was a great addition. Very catchy song, and the instrumentals were on point I just Can't Stop loving you - a smooth and cozy one. Dirty Diana - this song is not good. Michael could not salvage it. Smooth Criminal - iconic, takes a bit to get going and the second half is a lot better. Leave me Alone - This track sounds great. It's a bop with some awesome hooks. HEE HEE WOOOHOOO AWWWW This album must be where all the synth and drum sample sounds in my school music class keyboard came from

as much as i hate the term GOAT, this is one of the few releases that truly earns it. not only is it a stellar album by itself, but it also contains some of the biggest singles of all time. i don't think i have to go in-depth on what makes this album so good, its MJ at it's peak and everyone knows what smooth criminal and thriller sound like.

I was very excited for another BANGER from little Michael but I can’t help but feel a bit disappointed with this one after hearing thriller first. The highs of this one like Bad, Way you make me feel, and smooth criminal still stick out as absolute slappers, but some of the tracks that fill out this album range from forgettable to bad, with the highlight of what the fuck is this being “Liberian Girl”, or as I like to call it, “How to contract new and interesting diseases”. It would be interesting to plot how insane Michael was, and how fucked up he looked against the quality of his albums. Should have stopped with the surgeries after thriller.

I'm bad, I'm bad. Oh fuck I'm bad, so fucking bad. I'm bad bad. I'm a baddy little bad bad, bad boy. Ooh I'm a fucking bad boy who's so naughty bad. Bad bad bad. Mmm little baddy bad naughty bad boy. Fucking bad as fucking shit bad boy. Stinking fucking bad boy ughh, so fucking bad. Bad bad bad. I'm bad.

Didn't click for me nearly as much as Thriller, still a good album with some bangers Didn't really like some of the mixing felt that his voice was way too quiet on some tracks but that might be the version I listened too. Took a few listens for some tracks like Dirty Diana and the way you make me feel, to click and even after having it click, still weren't great imo. Not really a single bad track per se, just lots of alright to good tracks and only a couple which stuck out as great. 7/10

Really liked it but not my favourite MJ album. That said this one is by no means bad and goes hard on a few songs, better BELIEVE I'm howling Man in the mirror ASKING HIM TO CHANGE HIS WAYS. Great time. 4/5.

Absolutely wild to me that there was a 5 year album gap between this and Thriller with NO drop in quality whatsoever from the King of Pop. Bad is a classic, lots of memories of watching this on MTV while my parents could still afford to pay for Austar. The Way You Make Me Feel opens with a few well-deserved 'hehe's and is just as funky now on my 100th+ listen as it was the first time I heard this at a blue light disco. Speed Demon has some absolutely wild synth/bass work so whoever led the production on this song between MJ and Quincy Jones deserves a medal. I'm also a huge fan of putting car noises into songs. This song goes really fuckin hard. This whole album is full of extremely well-produced, well-written, and masterfully performed music. When your albums hits include songs like 'Bad' and 'Man In The Mirror' and your "filler" is songs like 'Just Good Friends' and 'SPEED DEMON' you know this is an undeniable 5/5. I prefer side 1 to side 2, but it's hard to say that when side 2 ends with the musical atomic bomb that is Smooth Criminal. It was said about Thriller when we reviewed it a couple of weeks ago, but I totally understand MJ Truthers after listening to this whole album. The video footage of people passing out at an MJ concert is no longer ridiculous to me.

Some bangers obviously but some very 80s production value. Not ahead of its time but very good. 3.5

Damn. Still makes me what to move. At the time this album was released I was certain it was terrible. I wanted it to be. But, time melts many prejudices and listening to it again today, 37 years later, I like 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

Iconic as fuck, What even else is there to say about it? It's Bad by Michael Fucking Jackson. You should know the best hits even if you weren't doing this album marathon.

This album is always a fun listen, regardless of what you think of Michael Jackson. Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Man In The Mirror, Dirty Diana, and Smooth Criminal are all-time greats. You can go almost anywhere and hear them being played and at the same time 75% of the people will be at least bobbing their heads or singing along in some fashion. Now they're are some misses on this album, which would be the only thing holding it back. From Speed Demon to Another Part of Me is a rough 4 song stretch, and the only reason I can't give this album a 5.

The minute the webpage opened, I knew I was in for a treat. The better question to ask is "Who doesn't love Bad by Michael Jackson?"

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I was always convinced that I dont like Michael Jacksons music. That also made it easy to not listen to a child molester. I am convinced that as long a criminal is profiting from the art and that he gets away with the crimes because they are famous you should not consume the art. That said I also decided to listen to every album during this project, knowing that musicians are going to come up, I wouldn't listen to normally. I have to admit I really enjoyed this album. It's fun and innovative. I wouldn't buy it which is my 5star criteria but it's a high 4 star album.

4/5

A timeless classic with a few incredible successes, including one of my favourite Man in the mirror. Other minor songs might have not aged that well, but the album as a whole is consistent. 7/10

I'll always like Smooth Criminal, but the rest of Jackson's stuff has never really hooked me. It's a fine listen, but it never really drew me in.

Yes, some of these aren't great, but, it is still a good album!!

A tight album with plenty of hits. I prefer Thriller over this one but you can't go wrong here either.

Better than his sister's album.

Bad - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Way You Make Me Feel - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Speed Demon - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Liberian Girl - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Just Good Friends - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Another Part of Me - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Man in the Mirror - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I Just Can't Stop Loving You - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Dirty Diana - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Smooth Criminal - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Leave Me Alone - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Total - 48/55 Percentage - 87% Rating - 4.35

It's pretty clear to me why I didn't know some of the songs. This could've been a 5 star if they had left off track 3 till 6 (including). Other songs are very good.

Hmm. I like Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, and Smooth Criminal, but most of the other songs on this album are quite weak (and I've always hated Man in the Mirror). Michael can do better (well, not anymore).

4.5/5 This album is not bad at all. The first side has a consistent quality and vibe but doesn't often reach the highs expected of the King of Pop, and sounds quite dated at times. However, the second side is fantastic, with some real gems, but it still cannot lift the album to another level. Bad 4.5/5 The Way You Make Me Feel 4/5 Speed Demon 4/5 Liberian Girl 4.5/5 Just Good Friends 4/5 (LEAST FAV) Another Part of Me 4.5/5 Man in the Mirror 5/5 I Just Can't Stop Loving You 5/5 Dirty Diana 5/5 (FAV) Smooth Criminal 5/5

Growing up Michael Jackson was along with The Beatles was the first music I got into. No matter what you think of him as a person or what he supposedly did it didn't do there is no mistaking he was a music legend. Onto this album it's the follow up to the biggest selling album of all time and in my opinion i prefer it to Thriller don't get me wrong both are great but I've always preferred Bad. So many great track with the title track & The way you make me feel among them but Man in the Mirror and Smooth Criminal are highlights along with my personal favourite Dirty Diana

Contrary to it's name, Bad is not a bad album, in fact its a really darn good one. This one had quite a lot of energy just like Off The Wall did but this one feels like it just has a little bit more magic than that one. The Sega Genesis sounding guitars and bass were also great and gave this album a whole lot of personality. Jackson's vocals also were great here too. It was also cool how this album could go from a somber soul album, to a dance banger, all the way to a rock-out style. Not every song here was great but the songs that were really were. This is definitely one of Michael Jackson's best works. Best Song: Smooth Criminal Worst Song: The Way You Make Me Feel

I had a conversation very recently with my mom about whether Prince was better than Michael Jackson. That doesn’t exactly apply to this review very much. But as I’ve gotten older, Michael has become much less of a mystifying figure as I’ve realized he wasn’t someone born with insane musical prowess. But no doubt he was someone who knew how to put on a performance and write good songs. Everything about him really is timeless. People still go back to that first time he did the moonwalk. Because he really changed the way everyone looked at stardom. And his music has that same irreplaceable quality. It’s remarkable how many songs of his I’ve subconsciously heard in my life without ever seeking them out. I damn near knew the entirety of Thriller before a full listen. And Bad is no different. I think this should still be regarded as a classic. It isn’t on the same level as Thriller. That album is just too close to having almost nothing wrong with it for it to be competed with. And I can’t imagine trying to make a proper follow-up to such a record. But Michael and his contemporaries did a damn fine job. It’s also really important to properly recognize the latter of those two. While he could write good lyrics and sing insanely well, Quincy Jones and the beyond star-studded list of musicians working on the actual music here are what’s really fueling the fire. Michael is not credited for any instrumentation here. Nor was he on Off the Wall or Thriller. Surprisingly he was actually given a lot of the arrangement credits on those records. But here it seems he had very little to do with the music. Thankfully it’s still good, so no complaints from me. This dips even farther into the 80s pipeline. Which I’m not opposed to. But there are a few songs, like I Just Can’t Stop Loving You, and yes, even Man in the Mirror, where it’s a little too much for me. But I comparison to some of the music I’ve heard from that era, this is very tolerable, and still a solid release from one of modern music’s biggest stars. Rating: 7/10

Classic. A very good albums, lots of great songs on it. Very boppy. Enjoyable

Começo ótimo, com músicas empolgantes e com o grande hit que dá nome ao álbum. O meio às vezes é fraco, e às vezes terrível. As músicas são genéricas e melosas demais pra um álbum chamado "Bad". Liberian Girl inclusive é uma das piores músicas do Michael Jackson que já ouvi. Agora, as últimas 3 músicas são sensacionais. Todas tem a pegada que o álbum inteiro deveria ter. Um andamento legal, um tom mais agressivo, mais rebelde. Se o álbum conseguisse manter a empolgação do começo até chegar no final, seria um álbum perfeito.

Pure pop perfection.

1 Star. No joy. Overplayed. 2 death. Never liked this music. Sorry Michael, you deserve more respect.

I feel like this has not aged as well as Off the Wall and Thriller. Some good songs but a lot of it lacks the feeling of earlier albums.

Not my thing

Classic MJ. Great talent. RIP.

I hope Off the Wall and Thriller make this list also. Otherwise huge oversight. Production of Bad is slick and song choice is more diverse than Off the Wall or Thriller but not better. However my favorite track is Dirty Diana, which is a continuation of his rock cross-over he started with Beat it.

i was 9 years old when this came out and we used to watch mtv pretty regularly so the hits on this one i've heard a million times i don't remember ever connecting much to the songs on this one except for man in the mirror that one reminds me of the optimism that i felt as a kid and the desire to help the less fortunate in the world.

A good album****

Straight bangers. And I’m not talking about he did to those kids

Hit after hit. He’s weird as fuck but boy can he sing

What to do about Michael Jackson? No doubt that he was a flawed genius and a superstar the modern equivalent on the scale of Taylor Swift. But all the pedophile allegations do hang heavy. If I was able to leave that aside and just look at his music, he was never an artist that I personally took to at all. Like everyone else I enjoyed his videos. Not the musical value but they were to some extent groundbreaking and a bit of a do not miss thing when they were released. Equally I enjoyed Jarvis Cocker’s protest at The Brits over the pomposity of it all. Back to this album. I know just about every track on it and would not be bothered if I never heard them again. Come to think of it they are rarely played since his death so maybe there is something in the allegations or it’s the woke world we live in? As I am familiar with the album I have not played it today as I do not want MJ corrupting my Roon algorithm. Don’t like the music but as he was a genius in his own field I give it an extra star than it deserves and in recognition that millions of people love this album. 2/5 27/7/24

Hits

I dunno just plain enjoyable, not surprising duh ^_^ lots of familiar classics.

already rated this! fantastic singles, decent to good filler, production definitely aged more noticeably compared to other MJ classics but i like the sound of it

It’s definitely a classic and you can’t deny MJ’s impact in music and dance, although he was a pretty broken and awful human by the end. Some of the songs have aged badly or were never any good in the first place, but there are some real winners here that still make me dance and sing along. For those, I give this a 4.

I was torn on a 4 or a 5 for this album because most of the tracklist are banger singles you just can't really say anything bad about. But the rest is just boring filler and doesn't elevate the record to a 5 for me.

Definitely an all time classic pop album. But by the time I was 12 years old I rarely intended to pop. But this album def got the girls on the dance floor in college. So I give it a 4.

The title track was supposed to be a Michael vs. Prince duet, but Prince bailed after asking who exactly was meant to sing the line “Your butt is mine.” Smooth Criminal, a fav, is the standout for me—and I applaud MJ for keeping it in despite Quincy’s insistence it didn’t fit, which is surprising. There are other hits here, then the slower numbers that feel like sensitive filler I don't need. Fortunately, Smooth Criminal does enough heavy lifting on its own.

Here’s the deal. I decided NOT to listen to this. Sure when some of the hits come on in a bar or background they feel good. But I remember this album is also full of nonsense filler. So subtracting one star for the fact I didn’t feel like actually listening to the album.

Have to show this record its due propers. Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Man In The Mirror, Dirty Diana, and Smooth Criminal all could virtually be standards at this point, and even the tier 2 songs like Liberian Girl, Another Part of Me, and Leave Me Alone are elevated. Even the sound effects (both from the producers, and from MJ's little yelps) are all 100% associated with this album.

Bruh…. Cmon. This is undeniable. What can I even say about it that hasn’t already said. The only thing I can think of is that it still holds up in 2024, that longevity is gahdamn legendary

After all these yearss. oit's stilll briliiant

Genuinely didn’t want to finish this, and not because it’s bad but because I honestly just don’t care about Michael Jackson that much? Like yes I can appreciate that he is incredibly talented but like I just get over it so quickly. I’m not someone that can just listen to Michael Jackson long term. Sigh.

I was pretty excited when I saw this was today’s album and then I listened and was disappointed. Added a couple of the big hits to my faves list and the rest of the tracks really didn’t do it for me.

Better than I was expecting, with big hits and some decent other tracks I wasn’t familiar with. I suspect on this and other MJ albums of this era, that a big chunk of what made these great was Quincy Jones production.

The song “bad” has never worked for me because, while it seems like MJ was bad, he was not this tough guy. And upon listening to this album, several other songs don’t work in the same way. I cannot see MJ as a bad boy or casa nova. The album sounds dated but I do have to give it to “the way you make me feel.” That still slaps. And “smooth criminal.” So probably a 2.5, rounding down for how I feel about MJ these days.

The long-anticipated follow-up to Thriller. While Bad is still a funk-driven dance-pop album, it was a clear attempt for a cooler, edgier style. While Jackson's high points on this album are still incredible, his other songs like I Just Can't Stop Loving You and Speed Demon are easily forgettable. Thriller is definitely the better album, but Bad isn't exactly disappointing. It both opens and closes with strong songs, and I enjoyed Man in the Mirror despite its corniness. It's also unabashedly '80s. Thriller seems timeless, while Bad is stuck in time. You take the good with the Bad! Hahahahahahaha

Solid album. Bangers but not perfect

Already knew half of these bangers and enjoyed the rest! He really was hee-heeing his little heart out lol

Classic! Good to listen to the full album, funky, unique.

This is a long way outside my genre wheelhouse, and everyone has residuals feelings about Jackson, but there are some super tracks on here and the quality and talent is simply undeniable. Good album.

Some songs I did not know!?

So many good songs on this album. I especially enjoyed the duet with Stevie Wonder, Just Good Friends, one I've never heard before.

Pretty good, liked bad

Alright, first Michael Jackson album on this journey. I’ve already heard the title track, "Dirty Diana", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror" and "Smooth Criminal" before. Surprisingly, that's only half the singles. After listening to the album as a whole, it’s apparent that Michael wanted to take certain elements from Thriller that worked and turn them up a notch - more rock, more R&B, more dance, and make the lyrics more about world issues while still including the romantic songs. It’s ambitious and for what it’s worth the album is mostly good in what it sets out to do, as there are a lot of pop bangers which is why most of this album got the single treatment. The ones that didn’t become a single simply don’t work effectively - “Speed Demon” for its lyrics about going fast can’t get out of the mid-tempo range, and “We’re Good Friends” doesn’t leave much of an impression even with Stevie Wonder on board. The other problem that does hold Bad back is the dated sound. You can tell it’s late 80s cheese with the digital synthesizers that fill up the room. I can tolerate it to an extent, but it does make the project feel fixed to a time. Still overall, Bad is a solid album and a noble attempt at trying to follow up Thriller. Give it a chance.

Has some big hits as high points but not going to praise this or anything, it's fine.

Considered a classic for a reason. I was surprised when I found out it took him 5 years to follow-up on Thriller, but the time in between the two paid off. It sounds like it's from the 80's, but with this album that doesn't bother me as much as other albums I've heard from that time period. Incredible production and singing from front-to-back.

How do you follow up one of the best pop records of all time? With maybe the second best pop music record of all time. The dude was a messed up guy with a tragic backstory himself, but Bad cannot be denied.

Endless enjoyment!

4/5

Has some well known songs, but overall found the album a little stale. Not as fun as other MJ albums. 3/5 Probably won’t listen again

So dated. And reminds me why I have never owned an MJ album. Smooth Criminal gains this collection of nonsense an extra star. I mean, Speed Demon ... really? And Liberian Girl ... feel queasy just thinking about it 🤮

Almost every track was a single and they were played to death. I barely needed to listen to the album to confirm that I don't like it!

Not a bad listen but definitely some questionable tracks that have aged badly. Thriller is just better tbh. Although PYT from that one also aged badly.. (cough cough Leaving Neverland) Maybe MJ has just aged badly in general 😬 That aside I did really enjoy some tracks so he’s managed to snatch a 3. Favourites: Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Man In The Mirror, Smooth Criminal

Shamone! Some bangers in here and some filler. Thought the drums and guitar work was solid, particularly on the faster tracks. I don’t have very strong feelings about this album, it’s just ‘good’.

It's a classic album that I'm really surprised to realize that I hadn't listened all the way through before today....

I remember getting this album on release and it being a great album. Sadly it hasn't aged too well, perhaps ruined by South Park's MJ overusing the vocalisations who knows? I was pleased to revisit it but I probably won't return anytime soon. 3.75

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

The third of four on the magical Off the Wall - Thriller - Bad - Dangerous run from Michael Jackson. How to follow up from Thriller, the greatest selling album of all time? Mr Jackson wanted to sell 100,000,000 copies of Bad (Thriller sold 72m) but never reached such a level with this. And if I'm honest, although it's a very solid album, I think it's the weakest on this incredible four album run. This album did encourage me to go on a Michael Jackson marathon and boy was that a wonderful journey. Very interesting to see all the other names and characters that were involved in the development of this album and music videos (Martin Scorsese directed the video for the song Bad, which was supposed to be a duet with Prince!). Also being reminded of how important dance was to MJ by watching some of the music videos associated to the album (or short films, as he liked to call them). 4.2 stars. Liberian girl may have been my favourite revelation from this listen.

Klassikko ja ihan syystä.

It’s not bad. Minus 2 stars for questionable personal history.

Better than expected, but I prefer the other two Quincy produced albums.

Pretty ok, Dirty Diana is probably the song I enjoyed the most on this album. I hadn't listened to much MJ in a very long time (not that I ever really did).

Pretty sick beats. Probably worth 4 or 5 stars. But I couldn't stop wondering whether the dude was a kiddy diddler.

There's a impressive sense of balance to this album as a whole and within each song. I generally find a lot of 80s pop music to go a little too hard to the point of being overwhelming. Throw in some uninspired instrumentals, and it's really a recipe for a couple good singles and an unsubtle album. Bad really seems to me to use a small set of sounds for the entire album, but with it they create these fresh, fun, and dynamic songs that flow very well together. There's a obviously a lot that can be said about MJ's vocal prowess, but in short, it's great. The bass lines drive almost every song with incredible smoothness. The album has a nice natural lull after the first few songs that relaxes the mind back from the bombastic start, before it launches back into it for the ending. Overall, I can really see why people like MJ, and more than that, I myself really like this album already. I listened to it three times through today, and each time I felt like new aspects of the music just leapt out to me. That's a rare experience easily worth granting a five for.

Two outstanding tracks, two pretty good ones and the rest felt like filler or at least really underwhelming to me. By this point Jackson was more of a cultural phenomenon than a musical one, maybe.

Is it just me or MJ just isn't as good as people say? I mean, I like a couple of songs, but this album, except a few hits, is quite bad (pun intended).

This album is waaaaay to clean and produced. It's okay to be pop, but that goes to a point I just can't stand.

King of pop! Smooth Criminal is the best song !

Forgot how good this is. Worth relistening

No I’m not listening to MJ, at least not a whole album.

I feel like this album progressed the opposite way Thriller did. On Thriller, a great majority of the tracks were so great, so iconic, so timeless, the one or two skippable tracks were completely overshadowed. A majority of great with a minority of "meh". But with Bad, I feel like it's the opposite. There definitely are a small amount of songs that are Michael Jackson's best work on here (Smooth Criminal, Bad, and I've always loved Dirty Diana). But the majority of the songs here are the skips, rather than the icons. Still some good times on here and in no way a bad album. But when you're following up one of the most impactful albums in popular music history, and you'd rather just skip a majority of the tracks, it's hard to want to come back to most of them.

monstro dos montros

I try to keep these reviews focused only on the album and the artist and the music they made and not bring in any kind of personal issues they may have had. It's not always easy. That said, as far as the music goes, this album has a lot to offer. It's soooo 80s. It's a really interesting record as a follow up to Thriller, lots in common but it definitely goes in a different, more 80s direction. I've always really liked the title track and The Way You Make Me Feel. That's a great way to open a record. I think the problem that this album has is that it's almost so over-produced and saturated with 'new technology' that his voice sort of gets swallowed by it all a bit. Not that you can't hear the vocals or anything, but just that he had such an amazing voice (one of the best ever, really) but it sounds a little artificial or like it's going through too many effects filters and takes away from how naturally strong it is. Not for the whole album but definitely in parts. Not as bad as Autotune, thankfully, but I felt myself thinking "that's too bad" a few times. All in all I think this is a really strong record, definitely more modern sounding that what he did before it. I think I like Thriller better though. I'd rate this one at like a 3.9/5.

Good department store music

Love that I got to listen to this a week or two after Thriller. I think that Thriller is a more concise experience, but MJ is the king of pop for a clear reason. I’ve heard the song Bad too many times to enjoy it, but the rest of what’s offered here is still great. This album has a bit more variety compared to Thriller. Great album. Standouts: The Way You Make Me Feel, Speed Demon, Another Part of Me, Man in the Mirror, Dirty Diana, Smooth Criminal, and Leave Me Alone.

Horrible person but this is a great album. This is my favorite MJ album so far. I like it more than Thriller or Off the Wall. Favorite track Dirty Diana.

mj

3.27

Mixed bag. 4 winners, 2 more strong, 5 mediocre songs filled in. That it was a big album for its day makes me want to give it a 4, and I would have if there were 2-3 fewer of the fillers which just dilute its overall strength too much.

this is good but kinda boring to me

A classic 80s pop album. Has some of my favorite MJ songs, and some songs were a first time listen that I instantly enjoyed.

Soulsville and Do Your Thing are too slow

Mixed feelings about this album. You have some great tracks like "Bad", "Man in the Mirror", "Dirty Diana", and the massive "Smooth Criminal", but the rest of the album I can live without.

There are some incredible highs on this album, with the opening two tracks and Smooth Criminal being the obvious standouts, although do I think that about the latter because of the video? Maybe that is baked into the MJ experience, though. However, the ballads don’t do much for me and I think this is not on the level of Thriller.

Overproduced decent pop album. By this time I find his vocal tics/clichés a bit annoying. Som filled bit plenty of hits. Not got me.

MJ ain’t really my cup of tea, but it’s hard to deny that this album is objectively great in its lane. HEE-HEE!! The strongest cuts are those where he branches out in to more developed verse structures rather than simply repeating hooks. Most of the backing tracks have some flair to them and develop in an interesting way. The electric guitar does some heavy lifting, and I mean that in a good way. Listened to: walking through Prospect Park. Favorite tracks: Liberian Girl, Another Part of Me, Dirty Diana, Smooth Criminal

very catchy, good filler but the egregious use of fm synth ages it compared to something like thriller or off the wall. it sounds very mid to late 80s. smooth criminal fucking slaps tho

2024-06-24...

The parts of Bad that I love, I really love. And the parts of Bad that I don't love, I really don't love. Productions like The Way You Make Me Feel, Another Part of Me, Man in the Mirror, and Smooth Criminal are pretty irresistible. I dare you to try not moving your body to any of those jams. Good luck. The other half of Bad is, as the kids are saying these days, pretty mid. It's not that any of it is bad (literal). It's just that in comparison to that parts that are BAD (like Michael Jackson), the tracks that are on cruise control just sound super-boring. For better or worse, by the time Michael Jackson made Bad, he knew how to make a Michael Jackson production. In my opinion, the Michael Jackson albums that came after Bad were lesser versions of a similar formula. But Bad itself is pretty hard not to like.

It's getting 3 stars bc I know it's realistically good, I like what I'm hearing. I am also, however, on the second day of a hangover and Spotify will only supply me with the hour and seven minute version of this album. I just want the original, why is Spotify so shit? Deeply, deeply shit. Anyway, I only listened to the first half. Sorry, Michael, maybe I'll come back and reassess. Also, the whole pedophilia thing, yk.

I had never actually listened to this on in its entirety even though i knew most of the songs. Gonna give this one a 4, but it's probably more like a 4.5

I think he made some iconic tracks

I like Thriller better.

I haven't listened to an entire MJ album in along time. He was such a talented musician. The music was layered and interesting. While I didn't like all the songs the ones I did were fantastic

Bad is not bad for a style of music I typically don't like. Its elevated dance music. Not a huge MJ fan either but appreciate his popularity. The driving beat, like hammering on a trash can, and the incessant falsetto get tedious. 2.5

Liked this one better than off the wall

Masterpiece that needs its own category

Say what you will about his music, but boy oh boy did the man ever know how to accurately title an album.

Another MJ album with several massive songs, but another that I haven’t ever listened straight through. There are a few filler songs that aren’t the best, and many tracks are a bit synth-heavy for me, but that just shows the album’s age. It’s easy to see how people could get caught up in the sensation and name Jackson the king of pop - each track is fun, phenomenally produced, and buried in layers of tremendous musicality. He, and the team behind him, are certainly masters of their craft. 4.25/5

No.

damn! i knew nearly every song on here but had never listened to the album in full. all killer, no filler. 4.5

It’s difficult to rate something knowing all the allegations and stories towards the artist but damn this is a GOAT album. And when it comes to music, I can’t help myself but massively appreciate Michael Jackson. Pop, funk and songs with well articulated messages (e.g. Man in the Mirror) and bangers like Liberian Girl makes this an S-tier experience. I was looking forward to this.

What can I say... Complete piece of art.

Misleading title, the album is actually good.

Truly killer album. Only weak track is "Speed Demon." Great balance too. Slow jams like "Liberian Girl," a simple paean to a woman from a complex nation are complemented by darker, upbeat numbers "Dirty Diana," and "Smooth Criminal," motivational confessionals like "Man in the Mirror," catchy, upbeat tunes like "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Another Part of Me," and "Just Good Friends," the latter of which most clearly provides more clues into Michael's unconventional and mysterious sexuality. After Thriller owned the early 80s, Mike gave up the throne to Prince and Madonna in the mid, only to reclaim it with this album. I do love the juxtaposition of Mike claiming how bad he is with the sweet vocal harmonies decrying "really really bad." Really hammers the point home;) Let's not forget the 18 minute video where MJ squares off against Wesley Snipes!

singles are good, but whats all the rest of this like

This was really cheesy and not in a good way. I'm only familiar with the singles on this one, and even of those, Smooth Criminal is the only one I'd say is any good.

Was dirty Diana about the princess

Actually enjoyed more than thriller. Nice to hear more than what you just hear all the time.

Really fun listen. 'Bad' and 'The Way You Make Me Feel' are a crazy way to start any album, but the rest of the work more than meets the expectations. 'Dirty Diana' is not a song I hear discuss enough.

Classic MJ!

The 80’s synths and and drum machines are impossible to get past. It sounds so dated and and cheesy. The sound and production of this record is so deeply ensconced In the dated gimmicks of that decade that it is impossible to listen to the songs and the songwriting objectively. King of Pop? King of Krap.

Bad is worse than Thriller. There's like two songs I like. Smooth Criminal is a bop.

it's michael jackson i mean come on 4 or 5 >:) definitely a 5, even the ones i haven't heard are bangers

-.- o_o :/ c_c ;/

BAD

I remember back when this came out, it was so big as to be inescapable. I also remember most of us thinking of it as a joke - this effeminate man trying to act hard. With that said it's time to put old preconceived notions, and the knowledge of what Michael would later become behind, and listen to the album on its own merits. So, although horribly dated, this is a good pop album. The whole "Bad" character still comes off as disingenuous and silly though.

Say what you will about the man himself, but Michael Jackson could write some songs! The album as whole doesn't really feel like a cohesive piece though, more like a collection of singles, even if they are awesome singles. Bad, Man in the Mirror and Smooth Criminal are amazing but there is too much filler and not really a theme or feeling like the songs weren't just put on an album in the order in which they were written.

30% great; 30% meh; 40% uncomfortable

There are some standout tracks but it's even more banal, overproduced and disappointing than when it first came out.

It's Michael Jackson. What else needs to be said. I don't think that it has aged particularly well. 80's pop, with all the electronics and Jacksonisms that you would expect. The singles from the albums are still really good (Bad, Man in the Mirror, Smooth Criminal), but the rest just don't seem to do much for me.

This was worse than I remembered. Super plastic-sounding 80s sounds, and really much weaker songs than on 'Thriller'. Let's be honest the James Brown style vocal tics have just grown beyond parody at this point. Like remember that bit on 'Don't stop til you get enough' where he goes "ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh!" just before that little pause and then the main riff comes in. That was cool, this just sounds like someone who got their happy sack caught in their zip (or in someone elses). I'm surprised this wasn't regarded as quite an anticlimax at the time as it seems a real step down in quality, especially compared to Janet Jackson's albums of this era, much better songs, far superior production. Is it bad 'Bad'? Well it is a bit pants. Heeeeee!

Six of the 11 songs are absolute 5's. The rest teeter on 3's.

This thing is like all hits damn

Fun

Fine

Better than thriller.

I am actually surprised that every single song from this album was a hit. As I knew all of the songs and enjoyed listening to them all, there is no other way - I have to give this album 5 stars. I really didn't want to as I am not really a huge Michael Jackson fan, but it's okay, it's a great album.

star knocked off for a couple of terrible filler type tracks

Going back to some of my earliest childhood memories, I vividly remember my babysitter playing this album in the late ‘80s. Today was the first time I’ve listened to it since then. Not that I have a clear memory of it in the first place, but overall, I can’t say I’ve ever been a big Michael Jackson fan. Obviously, he has standout classics, and in this case, “Smooth Criminal” is my favorite track. Other than that, the album isn’t bad but doesn’t offer much else that would make me want to revisit it. There’s really nothing more to add, because this is one of those albums that has been thoroughly discussed, and anything I could say has probably already been said a hundred times before.

Tras el exitazo de Thriller Jackson decidió seguir por el mismo camino, dotando ahora a sus canciones de algo más de rock duro y AOR de calidad. Es el caso de tres de los grandes temas incluidos en el disco y extraídos como sencillos: "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel"(mi tema favorito de este disco) y "I Just Can't Stop Loving You". También me gusta "Smooth Criminal" (seguramente influido por el videoclip que acompañó a su lanzamiento). Para mi gusto, el resto del disco no llega a la altura de sus predecesores.

I was 18 when this came out and into thrash meta. So I looked on the noncing King of Pop with disdain. In later years I've realised just how talented he was. Off the Wall is incredible. So in the spirit of this enterprise I did listen to this as an album. It's horrible. The electronic sound is plastic and grating. The bass is especially awful. The songs are surprisngly poor quality too. Bad could be a decent pop song but Michael's affected vocals ruin it, IMO. Smooth Criminal is the best song on here, but we've all heard better covers of it. I think it can still be done better, it's a top song. Dirty Diana is the only song that stands up, for me. If we remove the not insignificant issue of his personal life, it's still just a 2-3 star album. The songs are average (apart from Liberian Girl which should be wiped from the face of the earth and would remove stars from any album). And the production, weirdly, is incredibly dated. It's sad to look back and think he only got worse from this point on.

Well, I think it's going to be the weakest 5 so far on this list. It feels bad, pun intended, to give it anything lower than five, with songs like Smooth Criminal and Man in the Mirror. But at the same time it feels like this album, and whole career of MJ is a bit overrated. His singles and hits were phenomenal, the rest pretty average. I'm not a fan of his music, but I have to respect him for those few songs, and of course for the cultural impact around the world.

Cancelled king

Not my style, and I'm over MJ.

Sadly, I've never been much of a Michael Jackson fan, so I fear this album is largely wasted on me. But it's hard to deny the reign of the undisputed King of Pop, and it's also hard to imagine that there are many of his albums other than Thriller as classic and complete as this one. I just wish he hadn't spent so much of his amazing career trying to sound and act like a manly man (on stage and in front of the camera, at least). But what an amazing performer and dancer!

I wanted to like this so much more than I did--I'm not a big Michael Jackson fan though I love a few of songs, just not the ones on this album (though Man in the Mirror is great)

- just good friends - man in the mirror

Dit viel me toch wat tegen. Dit was best goede muziek, toch? Maar nu vallen de jarentachtigkeyboards wel erg op, en ik kan niet wennen aan 's mans kung-fu-achtige piepjes (of wat het maar moge voorstellen). Bovendien heb ik hier geen jeugdsentiment aan overgehouden, omdat ik destijds (ook al) niet echt bezig was met de vraag welke muziek op dat moment nou eigenlijk populair was. Hoe dan ook, ondanks de beperkingen kun je niet ontkennen dat het allemaal wel goed gedaan is, goed geproduceerd ook. En baanbrekend: dit zette de trend, anderen waren volgers.

Als kleuter ging ik er al goed voor zitten als er op tv een nummer van MJ voorbij kwam. Ik kon die hits van Thriller achter elkaar zien. Toen ik 7 was, kwam Bad uit. Ook die nummers wilde elke keer weer horen en zien. Dus tipten mijn ouders mij dat ik ook een bandje ervan kon kopen. Wellicht ook, zodat ik het lekker op mijn kamer luisterde in plaats van in de huiskamer op de tv. Zo werd Bad het eerste album dat ik kocht. Ik heb het ontzettend vaak afgespeeld. Niet alleen omdat het eerst het enige bandje was dat ik had. Want ruim 35 jaar later kan ik het nog steeds met plezier opzetten. Michael doet alles wat bij anderen de muziek zou verpesten. Met name de valse lucht en rare kreten zijn opvallend. Toch weet hij dit zo te doen dat het niet stoort, maar zelfs versterkt. Samen met zijn muzikale handtekeningen zorgt dit ervoor dat hij een volledig eigen geluid heeft. En dat weet hij dan nog op allerlei manieren te versterken eens te versterken. Muzikaal met bijvoorbeeld soms zijn krachtige intro’s. Maar hij versterkt de muziek ook door visueel spektakel. Want dat is bij hem nauwelijks los te knippen. Zijn dansen en clips zijn misschien nog wel creatiever dan zijn muziek. Bad begint met de hit Bad. Een voorbeeld van een nummer met zo’n sterk begin. Dan kan het eigenlijk al niet meer mis. Een lekker MJ-ritme erbij, vol geluid, een sterk refrein, variatie in de zang en ergens nog een goed intermezzo. Zo zet hij gelijk zijn handtekening. En dan is Bad niet eens het fijnste nummer. Het volume ging pas omhoog bij Dirty Diana. Dit had muzikaal zo’n kracht dat dat gewoon niet anders kon. En dan volgt daarna nog eens Smooth Criminal. (Als kind zong ik altijd “Annie, Are you Walking”. Ik kan kan dat nog steeds niet meer on-horen). Dirty Diana en Smooth Crinimal hebben beide nog eens een sterker intro, een sterker ritme, een voller geluid, een sterkere afwisseling en een sterker intermezzo. Zo krijgt hij het voor elkaar dat hij de knaller Bad gewoon als opwarmertje voor zijn album kan gebruiken. En dan ben je gewoon terecht de King of Pop. 5 sterren, maar op afstand van vele andere platen met die score.

De OG (qua muziek dan, want hier was de verbouwing al ingezet) van het album van gisteren en dit hoort natuurlijk wél in de 1001. MJ, of meer zijn platenlabel waarschijnlijk, stond erom bekend om het succes volledig uit te melken en zo ongeveer alle tracks als single uit te brengen. Ze zijn denk ik niet allemaal even succesvol, want ze hebben niet allemaal het collectieve geheugen bereikt, maar toch klinkt alles erg herkenbaar. Vooraf dacht ik bij sommige titels "dit nummer ken ik niet", maar dan wordt het afgespeeld en dan denk je "oh ja, deze". Er zit lekker tempo in, het zit vol met funky geluidjes en gilletjes, zoals dat hoort en alleen MJ dat mag. En er wordt uitvoerig gebruik gemaakt van de gated reverb, oftewel afgetopte drums op maximaal geluid. Ik vind denk ik ssriller het betere album, maar dit zou ik ook makkelijk nog een keer op zetten voor een prima 4.

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.

MJ is top tier talent. Everything about this album is great. The singles are incredible and so are the other songs. The bass riffs in this record are insane. As a matter of fact, the music in this is underappreciated and underrated. I saw a video of Michael Jackson beat boxing the music to a song he was writing to a bass player and then the bass player was recreating it on his bass... That's so cool. Knowing that MJ orchestrated the music (I'm assuming here, as per that video I saw) makes me appreciate him even more. There are quips that MJ does, that I can see people disliking... But I love it. Every Hee Hee, jamoan, or what sounds like a hiccup after some lines, and scream he does, I think is great. Kind of funny... But he definitely makes his music his own. And due to how talented he is, very hard to recreate. I'm pretty sure he has perfect pitch. And his vocal control is unreal. Again, there is and only will be one Michael Jackson. I listened to the 2012 remaster - which is a double album with bonus songs. 2 songs, sung in French. Each song is different lyrics, but same vocal melody and music. The last three songs are a discgrace. Remixes by Afro jack, Nero, and one of the biggest shit stains to music: Pitbull. Each of those artists should be ashamed of themselves and be embarrassed of how they desecrated those songs. I won't judge those songs in this review.

Nah, I know it was massive but it’s far from his best. Speed Demon and Liberian Girl are kind of embarrassing tbh

A fan of Michael Jackson. I like his Thriller Album better than “Bad.”

It was the 80s. Thriller was the best selling album of all time (and it STILL is, 40y later!), selling 32 million copies in its first full year (it's >70M now). Everyone wanted that red jacket. Every kid was practicing the moonwalk & trading Michael Jackson stickers. MTV was playing the title video twice an hour to keep up with demand. So how do you top Thriller? Well, it turns out you don't. But it still sold 25M copies in under 5 years, which is no mean feat (and still in the top 5 for all-time sales). And there are plenty of songs that still hold up today. Sure, "Bad" seems a bit cheesy now, and some of the synth sounds are quite dated (particularly the synth guitar 16th notes on Speed Demon) -- not to mention the "hey, let's cat-call & follow this woman walking alone through a 'sketchy' neighborhood at night" music video for "The Way You Make Me Feel." But Michael Jackson's 2nd best is still WAY better than most bands could ever even dream of achieving.

2,5

arcydzielo

Arguably the worst (least excellent) of Jackson’s 3 albums featured in the book, but still miles ahead of almost anything anyone else was releasing in ’87, and in the late 80’s in general. At its best ‘Bad’ is as good as, and arguably better than anything on ‘Thriller’ and ‘Off The Wall’. It’s just that these two albums shade it for overall consistency. Still, ‘Bad’ is a blast, and 5 U.S. number ones, as well as sales of 40+ million copies worldwide can’t be wrong.

It's MJ, of course it's gonna be 5 stars.

I was surprised by how much I disliked the tracks that weren't recognizable bangers. But the good songs are REAL good

Pop masterpiece of the late 80's. Not as good as Thriller, but still awesome. Actually, this is probably a 4.5, but I will round up.

Es el Dios (digo, Rey) del pop. Sus discos estaban muy bien pulidos, con una línea bien definida y canciones detalladas en todos los aspectos. Cada ritmo, cada melodia, cada sonido tiene un propósito. Usa todas las tecnologías que tenía en el momento para obtener el efecto que espera. Un disco excelente.

wacko jacko, but great

Jackson used to be a bit of a joke, a sexless man child pretending to be bad. But now I know he really was bad, the aggressive attack of the music makes more sense. Does that make me bad?

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

Uno de los héroes de mi niñez. Recuerdo mis intentos de hacer sus coreografías y de cantar frente al espejo, sintiéndome un popstar. Michael Jackson sin duda me marcó pero oculté mi fascinación por él por vergüenza ante mis compañeros de la escuela, sintiéndome que era un gusto menor, pero con el tiempo reivindico y entiendo como fundamental en los sonidos posteriores de los '80 y los '90. No había escuchado éste disco pero obviamente sí sus singles. Viaje hermoso al pasado.

Ik kwam 25 juni 2009, na door een staking in urenlange onzekerheid vast te hebben gezeten op een vrij warm Grieks vliegveld, terug van een vakantie in Griekenland en hoorde direct na het landen dat Michael Jackson overleden was. Op de donkere terugweg in de auto (het was een uur of 04:00) stond de radio aan en er werden alleen maar nummers van hem gedraaid. Tot dat moment was Michael Jackson voor mij vooral een soort vreemde karikatuur van Peter Pan die ten onder ging aan z'n eigen roem, waarbij de muziek werd ondergesneeuwd door z'n bizarre acties en voorkomen, maar na die rit besefte ik eigenlijk dat hij toch wel een aantal klassiekers heeft afgeleverd. Een aantal van die tracks staan op dit album. Je hoort dat het late 80's is, maar toch klinkt het wat minder gedateerd dan het werk van bijvoorbeeld Prince, al zal het een nuanceverschilletje zijn. Of ik heb er minder last van omdat dit allemaal al in m'n geheugen is ingeladen. Ik zet dit niet gauw uit mezelf aan, maar als het dan een keer aan staat is het toch wel lekker om bepaalde hits weer een keer te horen: Smoezelige Dianne en Gladde Delinquent (waarvan de Alien Ant Farm versie nog steeds heel vet is) bijvoorbeeld. Als dit album niet in deze lijst had gestaan had de lijst geen bestaansrecht gehad. En dat zeg ik zonder dat ik Michael Jackson fan ben. Het album kakt net voor het midden heel even wat in, maar desondanks ga ik toch 5 sterren geven. Zeker na gisteren.

Oh SHIT. I’ve never listened to this start to finish so let’s fuckin goooo! They call this guy the King Of Pop and I can see why. The album has tons of hits but it’s not an “all killer no filler” record. The real stars of this album were the music videos since MTV was at its peak in the lateish 80’s. The first two tracks were gigantic hits (Bad and The Way You Make Me Feel) but I am less familiar with the next couple tracks, Speed Demon and Liberian Girl. If they didn’t have videos, I definitely never heard them. My initial reaction is ok kinda funky, kinda silly, danceable but kinda meh. Liberian Girl is a corny love song that I didn’t love but it’s cute. Just Good Friends is another dance song which is kind of forgettable. Same with Another Part of Me. Like… it was 1987, so the pop sound makes sense but it’s really nothing particularly great. There’s a reason some of these were singles but most weren’t. If I was older when this came out I’d probably have more nostalgia about it but so far it’s not that impressive. The B side of this is actually WAY more impressive with gigantic hits like Man In The Mirror and Smooth Criminal- its a huge upswing. These songs are just better than the other ones lol. They are less pop nonsense and have a bit more meat? I dunno they just sound like they put more effort in. The last few tracks (minus the slog Can’t Stop Loving You) are MJ at his best IMO. The guy was under pressure to top Thriller and while as a whole the record is meh, the hits were what carries it into the Best Albums of All Time category. And Leave Me Alone is one of the best FUCK YOU songs ever haha. I think this record was definitely meant to appease the fans who waited 5 years after Thriller but it’s a bit boring. The videos were far more memorable than the songs.

Honestly not that great. The non-single tracks reek of filler. Not the Minor Threat 7", either.

More '80s pop I remember hating... great. Going to try to ignore that and give this an honest listen. One thing I did to stay interested was seek out an original mix version of this, learning that many of the songs on it were later remixed and/or replaced by their singles version. Glad I did. They sound like they are more stripped down, with flashier production elements either not yet inserted or left further back in the mix. Vocals also feel more balanced that own their singles where they are much too forward. It has much more of an electro vibe than I remember and I do have a better appreciation for that now vs. when this first came out. Musically I'm digging a lot of what sounds like nods to the original Motown sound. Not sure if that's all Michael or if it's Quincy's influence. Did I just hear Stevie Wonder? OK, I like that too. All in all I can say I have certainly more respect for this album than I previously did, but it's still not something that will ever be in regular rotation for my listening.

C'mon. It's da king...

Like him or not; his music is really good.

Took me back to when I was a kid, listening to this in vjnyl through headphones. Over and over, learning every hee hee and shamoan.... How could I score it any lower?

Great singles, but the rest of the album isn't particularly great.

Pretty strong MJ album held up by some stellar singles. I've heard Bad, Man in the Mirror, Smooth Criminal. Most of it I hadn't but the whole thing is soaked in the Michael Jackson swagger and sounds that make it all feel familiar. Perhaps at this point MJ's sound has staled but putting on this album it seems to tell you over and over again "You are listening to MJ". He's the king of pop and I think the music lives up to the hype.

👑 👑 👑 👑 👑 Did Danforth have TVs? Am I misremembering sitting in Danforth and the Alien Ant Farm cover coming on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDl9ZMfj6aE

I love how you can tell which songs were singles by looking at the spotify play counts. Tracks 3-6 all have "only" double digit million plays vs the triple digit million for everything else. Once you listen to them you know why...they're not very radio friendly or, you know, good. There isn't much to say about this album that hasn't already been said. It's a pop music classic, if you were growing up or an adult in the 80's or 90's you've heard it whether you wanted to or not. I honestly don't know if this sound was invented or perfected by this album or rather, Jackson's army of producers. It does sound pretty dated though, either way. Like a really good midi file, intentionally or not. The computerized sounding basslines which were ultimately played by real bassists are impressive though. The triple slap runs in "Speed Demon" are sick. This didn't pull in the nostalgia like other radio music albums did for me. It's not bad it's just that I've heard most of this before and I don't really need to revisit it.

Classic for a reason. Pop music at it's finest. Well produced catchy hit after hit.

There are some songs on this album that warrant 5 stars but the rest is just meh.

Bad indeed Mr. Jackson, very bad indeed. Is this an overall better album than Thriller? Yeah, probably. Is Michael Jackson a disgusting and horrifying child predator who never faced true justice while he was still alive? Also yeah probably. He can fuck off. His music is good. I don't have a problem separating the art from the artist, but I've always been lukewarm when it comes to Jackson's music.

I will not be intimidated by the likes of this creep and his legacy; Bad is not Good, it’s Fine.

nice MJ

I forgot just how many hits were on this one. Title track, Man in the Mirror, and Smooth Criminal are all classics, with MITM having been my favorite Michael song for a while. The non hits are pretty decent too: there's more that I dislike compared to Thriller, but that album is a small miracle in the density of quality, so I can let it slide. One little thing I wanna mention is that it's kinda humorous that two of the most popular songs on here, Smooth Criminal and Dirty Diana, are songs I prefer covers of to the original. Alien Ant Farm's version of SC whoops so much ass and I'll never apologize for that, and The Weeknd's cover of DD on Echoes OF silence is fantastic. Great listen overall, not my favorite from Mike but it's still fantastic.

Classic. An album with this few duds is incredible.

Shamone-Ah!! 4

Danced my whole way through this amazing album!

I never liked this album. I don’t even care for its hits. Speed demon is silly. I never liked Corey Feldman either and suspect that this album somehow made him worse.

iconic

It's hard to not listen to the song Bad without Weird Al's parody, Fat, slipping into my brain but I liked the album.

I've never been a Michael Jackson fan, but we're listening to this only made my opinion of Michael Jackson even worse. The few songs that I thought I liked were actually worse than I remembered. When thinking of the song "Bad" I can never see Michael Jackson as a bad ass character. Therefore this song oddly reminds me of the Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef where Drake called himself Michael Jackson. I concor both are fake badasses. I'll take Jackson's advice and leave him alone.

One of the best pop albums ever. Period.

Instant classic

Funky album with great pop songs….minus one star because he’s a nonce

This is Michael Jackson. King of Pop.

Oy. Ok, this is where I checked out on Michael Jackson’s music. After Thriller, he got all weird, pulling media stunts. At this point he was super cheesy and his attempts to butch up his image seemed desperate. Yes, this was wildly successful, but I never understood why. It’s still so cheesy, heavy handed and affected. Melodies are basic. Catchy pop, for sure, but so bland, formulaic. He-he-he!

This is one of the best Popmusic records ever! Jackson is on his peak here and everything is just perfect.

Pedoooooooooo

Do NOT look up why Michael Jackson is bad.

STANDOUTS: Bad The Way You Make Me Feel Man in the Mirror I Just Can't Stop Loving You Smooth Criminal OVERALL: 4.5/5

I had no real desire to listen to this album again...

It's pop

paedophiles get ones.

King of pop for a reason