Bad

You know who is bad, me listening to this album. It has some great songs on it, but also some very mediocre songs. I have become more of a Michael Jackson fan the older I have become. 7/10 Top song The way you make me feel

SAVE ME MICHAEL JACKSON. Oh thank god. I've been drowning in slop and mediocrity. I can actually fucking enjoy what's playing in my ears now. Its MJ. Allegations aside he's musically insane. No one did it like him. Or does. Just banger after banger. Insane run truly. I am a speed demon Michael youre so right. I mean great songs nothing much to say. Favourite: Leave Me Alone Least favourite: Liberian Girl

First time listening I liked listening to this album. I dont think I liked it as much as Off The Wall, but it was still good. 7/10 enjoyment ranking

8.5- 5 of 11 songs are timeless hits, middle songs had a bit of a lull with a strong ending. Overall great album

very solid mj album, good stuff

Not my favorite MJ album, but still some heavy hitters to enjoy!

Oh man this is really something that I fw... Bad and The way you make me feel, remind me of childhood movies, but now they hit different, as like a new light shows upon them. The album is very positive energy filled record, with emotion and life in itself, with it's ups and down, a very enjoyable experience. Dirty Diana is my favorite from this one hands down, the slow build-up, emotion and general atmosphere is gud.

Kinda surprised by how many users disliked this album. Don't misunderstand me, I know it's dated. But it was also a groundbreaking pop album. Nearly every song is iconic with Jackson's distinct vocal style.

Barely a 4. Girls convinced me based on number of bangers.

Not bad, not bad at all. And perfect for “Weird Al” Yankovic to parody…

Слишком уж даже отточенный и мощный.

doggo/10

Não é o melhor álbum do Michael, mas é bom.

used to go to sleep to this as a child. excellent music just not my fav MJ era

The hits are so well known from this album, and I really don't remember not knowing these songs. There are only a couple of tracks that I didn't like as much as the others. This album is iconic.

Fond memories of this one and music is still pretty good if a little over produced. Really hard to listen to nowadays, a lot of the lyrics feel like confessions

é engraçado ver essa seção de comentários falando coisas do michael, ai quando vou ver o perfil da pessoa, ela tá lá aclamando david bowie e tantas outras figuras tão polemicas quanto o michael kk risível a hipocrisia né sobre o album, perfeição disco/pós disco como sempre, selo de qualidade de produção lá em cima. é um pouco inferior ao thriller, mas certamente merece um 4 muito bem dado. esse foi artista.

(79/100)

cool, got introduced to michael jackson

Great album. So many hits. Great producing. Whatever you think about Michael Jackson, there's no denying that he was a talented performer.

I didn't listen to this album as part of this, but I've listened to it already a few times. This is a classic album, & you can't necessarily go wrong with the King of Pop. I will take some time to really listen as part of this process though, because it's been some time. I've been listening to thriller and off the wall more.

All the songs you already know are amazing, the ones you haven’t heard before are not

Full of great tracks, however as a whole, just one too many tracks that isn't at the level required for 5 stars

Det første MJ-albumet jeg har lyttet gjennom i voksen album. Dette består som forventet av ekstremt fengende pop-melodier og ikonisk stønnin. Top 3: Dirty Diana, Man in the Mirror, Another Part of Me

He's not tuff bad here, he's down bad. But I can't fault him because 80s pop is my guilty pleasure. The funky drum tracks and the melodies are pretty catchy, but they're not as strong as Thriller. If we're really talking "bad", the ballads are not my kind of thing here. (3.5-4)

Some really great ones, and some that I really do not ever need to hear again lol. But can't go wrong with Michael Jackson.

mostly slaps. not too intense listening. liked it

Every harmony on every song was Michael, wild ability.

Michael frickin Jackson where do I start. How do ppl hate this album??? Yeah personally it’s not for me where I would listen to it everyday BUT that does not negate the fact how talented he is. Yeah he was very good on the children’s skin flute but do we rly count that????? Whatever it was a good album prince still better tho 8.1/10

strooong 8/10

No todas las canciones me gustaron

Kinda liked liberian girl. Smoooth

L: 6 M: 8 F: 7 O: 8

Doesn't really reach the heights of Thriller but the good stuff on here is undeniably good. Smooth Criminal is the hit by a mile of course, but Liberian Girl was an unexpected hit for me.

8/10 While I can see that it has that unmistakable 80s sound that almost everyone else did, this one has smooth criminal.

Maybe controversial but that is a great album.

With the exception of Speed Demon (what were you thinking MJ) this is full of great pop songs. I’m also told that it is pre cancellation. On that basis 4*

Following up Thriller, one of the best albums of the 20th century, is an impossible task but MJ comes close to doing it here. There are some absolute classics on here (Smooth Criminal, The Way You Make Me Feel) and some underrated gems (Speed Demon), and it doesn't feel as bloated as Michael's later albums. But you can start to sense his general weirdness coming out overall ("your butt is mine" still is one of the corniest opening lines), that would soon overtake his career. There's not as much magic on here as Off the Wall or Thriller but mostly it holds up.

Bunch of grooves and Michael’s voice is fantastic

Maicol

Ups and downs, the popular songs overshadow the lesser ones. Yes, it has a generic 80's sound throughout but it's literally the 80's, every pop song sounds the same. Doesn't mean it's not great

There is nothing bad you can say about king of pop! Hee Hee

I used to think it was 'Librarian Girl'... it's not. Also, the 'Speed Demon' video is jokes

Can't in good conscious give this a true listen.

Michael jackson is a must hear, amazing album

Yeeee

A guilty pleasure for sure, this album cranked up makes you wanna dance!

very very good, but a dropoff from thriller. the songs that aren't as well known (in my opinion) have a distinguishable drop in quality

Bad - 5/5 The Way You Make Me Feel - 5/5 Speed Demon - 3/5 Liberian Girl - 3/5 Just Good Friends - 4/5 Another Part of Me - 3/5 Man in the Mirror - 5/5 I Just Can't Stop Loving You - 3/5 Dirty Diana - 5/5 Smooth Criminal - 5/5 Average score: 4.1/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ i like half of the tracks from this album (the more well-known hits in particular), but unfortunately i didn't really care much for most of the others. some of the tracks i gave 3s for are just a little too corny or forgettable for me personally (though Liberian Girl was on the border or being at least a 4) it's still obviously a fairly strong and popular release from MJ, the popular tracks definitely make up for the weaker ones. maybe i'm just a bigger fan of Off The Wall and Thriller

Pretty good. Has my favorite Jackson song on it (“Man In The Mirror”). Would say its a four but with the bigger hits on it (“Man In The Mirror,” “Smooth Criminal”) its a 4.

Huge album with flawless production. A couple of the album tracks are pretty blasé but you can’t argue its importance.

I can't believe how many mega-hits there are in 48 short minutes. "Bad", "The Way you Make Me Feel" "Man in the Mirror" and "Smooth Criminal" on one album?! He really was the King of Pop of his era. This is a 4/5 threshold for me.

I mean come on, its anything BUT bad. it might even be great

4,5/5 ✨, i loved it!!! michael jackson is the goat of pop

Can't say every sound used in this album is my favorite, and there are certainly relics of the 80's pop sound that make this feel outdated. However, the hits are still here, and they'll always be classics. Just fun music that I'll come back to every once in a while, and MJ has such a unique vocal style that makes this so entertaining and really sets this apart. Favorites: Bad, Man in the Mirror, Smooth Criminal

Already listened to this. It’s a good album.

Album itself is great, but I am really struggling with the ‘separate the artist from the art’ thing here when listening.

It isn't. It's actually quite good. Of the ten songs on this album, six are some of the best pop songs ever written, and the other four range from good to average. I think it's obvious which songs are which, and guessing which six I'm referring to is left as an exercise for the reader. If you're unsure, here's a hint: they come in back-to-back pairs. Also if you read my review of Thriller, you'll know what one of them is straight away. This album may not be Thriller, but it's leagues above a lot of the offerings on this list. I think this album has been rated unfairly by the masses for three reasons: 1. It's Michael Jackson - no Michael Jackson album will be "better than I expected". Expectations are high from the get go. 2. It's not Thriller. You know, the best-selling album of all time? The one he released before this one? Yeah, that Thriller. That's a high bar right there. 3. The pedo allegations. Look, I get it, but I'm just not here to rate humans - and even if I was, nothing was ever proven. All in all, I give this a 4 and a hankering to watch Captain EO.

7.5/10 The creepy part is that yesterday I said to my mom that I wanna listen to a Michael Jackson album soon and then this popped up. But again I felt the highs were high and the rest was just alright. Don’t play with man in the mirror RAH. Favs: bad, the way you make me feel, man in the mirror, dirty Diana, smooth criminal

Uno de los mejores álbumes de la historia

Top Songs: Bad The Way You Make Me Feel Man in the Mirror Dirty Diana

Man in the Mirror, Dirty Diana & Smooth Criminal sind für mich okay gealtert. Boah wusste ich treffe auf Arbeit von ihm schwierig

4,1 Highlights: Bad, Smooth Criminal

4/5 This is not my favorite Michael era but Dirty Diana and Smooth Criminal at the end are too good

Nice

Very produced and iconic. But I’m l bit weary of this music.

This is a good album. I remember when it came out and it paled in comparison to thriller. It would be impossible for anyone to make a follow up to thriller. But it is hilarious for mj to write sing and perform a song called bad in the way he did.

Can’t believe the guy who helped write the Sonic 3 soundtrack also made pop music! This one is just hit after hit. I think overall Off The Wall is a better overall album. This one has some weaker tracks. Also, a reminder to listen to The Weeknd’s cover of Dirty Diana because it is fantastic. I think Smooth Criminal might be my favorite MJ song. In conclusion, Prince is better.

Perfectly fun but not the upper echelon of MJ.

I can't deny the appeal of this. Some absolutely classic songs.

4/5

Good but a one and done for me

A frustrating mix of the absolutely brilliant and the merely decent. The highlights (‘Bad’, ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’, ‘Man in the Mirror’, ‘Smooth Criminal’) are possibly some of the best pop tracks ever recorded, with ‘I Just Can’t Stop Loving You’ and ‘Leave Me Alone’ only a notch below, but several more are fine-to-good but not exceptional: ‘Speed Demon’, ‘Just Good Friends’ (despite featuring Stevie Wonder), ‘Another Part of Me’ and ‘Dirty Diana’. Worse is the cringe-inducing ‘Liberian Girl’. As an album, it’s easily strong enough for 4 stars overall, but it’s a definite step down from ‘Thriller’.

Some good songs

Bad opens up Strong with bad and the way you make me feel then it really slows down from songs 3 to 6 but then once you get to men in the mirror there are no more skips. He is the king of pop for a reason I would hike recommend listening to the 25th anniversary edition as the addition to listen to four out of five y’all

A classic. MJ is just too good.

I don't often find myself in the mood to listen to Michael Jackson, so this one took me a while to rate. But on this album he is undoubtedly at the top of his game, and it's very consistent throughout. Hee hee! Favourites: The Way You Make Me Feel Man In The Mirror Smooth Criminal

As much as I admire Stevie Wonder and love the idea of him and Michael Jackson working together, Just Good Friends is why I can't give this full marks. If it had included Leave Me Alone instead (which is only an extra on the cd and - I think - cassette versions), it would have come closer to Thriller and I would have said 5. But as it is ...

Not bad at all, if anything rather good

Hard to argue with five #1 singles plus Fat plus Alien Ant Farm's career. Dirty Diana (track 9) into Smooth Criminal (track 10) is a ridiculous flex of a one-two punch. Some dated synths and the non-hits are not good.

A few of the fillers are cringe, but the hits are still hits. The run of Man in the Mirror, Dirty Diana, and Smooth Criminal have given parody writers and Ryan Reynolds a lifetime of material.

The first album I ever owned and I loved it then. Not so sure now. Its iconically late eighties and it defined the era. It is also rammed full MJ vocal tropes (Shamone) to the point that I found some songs hard to listen due to how much piss has subsequently been extracted over the years in relation to them that it jarred every time MJ squeaked. Dirty Diana/ Smooth Criminal are still great tracks tho and there is not much filler other than Speed Demon.

A bad person, for sure. Man in the Mirror is a great song though.

One of the definitive pop albums

I'm by no means the first person to have this opinion, but I think Bad is basically just a less good Thriller. It's got all the same ingredients (which resulted in some more all-time great MJ tunes), but it's not as tight and the writing/production/performances feel slightly dialed back compared to the previous album. It's not bad (well, I suppose it is Bad), but I'm never going to consciously play it over Thriller unless I've just listened to Thriller and want to hear more of that style without just listening to Thriller a second time. Highlights: Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Speed Demon, Just Good Friends, Man in the Mirror, Smooth Criminal

I liked this. Interesting, not too long, nothing too ambitious. A good listen.

good

Hee hee

A mi si me gusto el álbum, personalmente la voz de Michael me parece muy única y en particular Bad tiene hitazos. Entiendo por donde viene todo el hate que tenia este album, más allá de la música. Pero bueno acá nos piden una reseña del álbum y su música logra lo que comete que es hacerme sentir algo que es lo que busco cuando escucho música. Sube muchos puntos por que esta Dirty Diana que me parece un temón y que encima también era de los favoritos de Lady Di. Esa fue mi humilde opinión, normalmente soy partidaria de no separar a la música del artista, pero en cuanto a Michael nunca tuve un lado muy marcado. Besos Rosa 💋

Tuff Groovy Mj low-key the goat Så under 4 stjerner er kriminelt

I love Michael Jackson. I know a few songs from here, but not all, but it seems to be filled with hits. Should be fun! Bad's a classic. Extremely fun, and full of personality. The Way You Make Me Feel is a sweet, romantic, dance track. It's all but impossible not to feel energized. Love the percussion on Speed Demon. The vocals and the riff at the middle are great too. Very funky. Liberian Girl is good, and a welcome change of pace. Is Just Good Friends a duet? Either way, it's the least exciting so far. The beat don't do much for the song. Another Part of Me is the same case, they feel like filler songs. Man In The Mirror is another slower, emotional song, but this one is much more successful. It grows into a choir chant that is impossible to stay indifferent towards. Also very influential. I Just Can't Stop Loving You is a ballad, better than the first one but not as good as the previous. Still, good. Dirty Diana is the biggest hit here, and for good reason. The beat, the guitar, everything's good. But the stand-out is definately the vocals. Every time the chorus hits it's like he's posessed by passion. Great stuff. Smooth Criminal is my favourite Michael Jackson song. It has everything: a great dance beat, great bass, great guitar, and dramatic vocal performances. He's at his best. The final track is yet another banger, a hidden gem (as I had no notion of it). The album is bookended by strong dance tracks (some of his biggets hits), but some of the slower tracks in the middle fall flat. However, none of those tracks are outright bad, so the record is still immensely enjoyable and, most of all, fun. Deserving of its reputation. Bye

No. 135 cool, feel good album. amazing vocal composition, very good production, overall peak pop-music.

pas au même niveau que thriller bien qu'il y ait quelques classiques, c'est au même niveau que "off the wall" pour moi

trop fort

Ehh I wouldn’t call it that…

Geweldig album 8/10

Think he was trying to tell us something here..

MJ defined pop music and this album exemplifies this. I have to deduct a point for being a nonce though. Fave track: Smooth Criminal

Plenty of MJ bangers to be found here. 3.5/5

Smooth Criminal is a classic!

Michael Jackson followed up the greatest pop album of all time with another really really great pop album. It's not perfect, but there are some amazing tracks all over the runtime here. Let's go through some! "Bad" and "The Way You Make Me Feel" are wonderful little California, summertime jams, excellently produced and crafted. Bet you didn't know the "Bad" music video was directed by Martin Scorsese!!! "Liberian Girl" was a song I had not heard since I was really young, and it still hit just the same. Just the right amount of 80s cheese with absolutely fantastic vocals from MJ. "Another Part of Me" is an underrated little synth-funk jam. "Man in the Mirror" is simply divine. This guy could write emotional ballads like nobody else could around this time. I was stunned to read that horrific bullshit sprawled across this album's page as it's "Top" review and find that someone out there hates this song. THIS ONE?! God that review sucks. For being the supposed "corny" one, "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" unexpectedly might be one of my favorites. The melodies are amazing, the vocal interchanges with Siedah Garrett are beautiful, and it's so deliciously 80s that I can't call it dated, for the simple fact that it still sounds super pleasurable to the ear. "Dirty Diana" was always one I said was overrated, but now I see the light on that one. It's the song the Weeknd created his entire career from (lol) and it's this grimy, dark take on the hair metal craze. Awesome song. And of course there's the classic "Smooth Criminal," one I don't think I like as much as most, but there's no denying how classic that song is. And closer "Leave Me Alone" properly ends things on a powerful (while still funky) note with bravado and seemingly some 4th-wall breaking commentary from Jackson directed at the paparazzi. "Speed Demon" and "Just Good Friends" are definitely filler and don't hit nearly as hard. Not bad songs, just nowhere near as good as the rest of the tracklist. As far as how this record compares to "Thriller," in all departments its predecessor is better, but that does not mean this is not also an excellent record.

It’s the first album I remember ever consciously listening to but I was on the fence about actually returning given how awful a human being MJ was. Like, the first movie I ever remember watching was also Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker, effectively all based around the songs from Bad. Does that make this a concept album? The songs are still incredible compositionally and super formative for me, and I feel like dumping this as a 1 or 2 because of how I feel about MJ also does a huge disrespect to everyone else that worked on this - particularly the excellent Quincy Jones production.

Standouts Bad The Way You Make Me Feel Another Part of Me Man in the Mirror Smooth Criminal

good album of course

ниче так

liberiaaaann gyalllllllll

MJ does it again! A solid 45 minutes of pure dance-pop, synth-funk goodness. Opening your album with the two absolute bangers Bad and The Way You Make Me Feel is so unfair, especially when you go on to close it with mf Smooth Criminal!!!

The hits aren’t my favorite hits of his but most of the album is still awesome regardless.

Well I don't think it's as good a project as Off the Wall or Thriller, but don't get it twisted, it's undeniably a classic. Fill my veins with these synth basslines please!!! Standouts: Bad • The Way You Make Me Feel • Liberian Girl • Another Part of Me • Dirty Diana • Smooth Criminal

Not as good as I remember, on the whole. Four absolute bangers (Another Part Of Me, Man In The Mirror, Smooth Criminal, Leave Me Alone), a few middling entries (Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Speed Demon, Dirty Diana), and some absolute guff (Liberian Girl, Just Good Friends). Regardless how uncomfortable the artist makes _me_ feel, those better songs are all-timers and justify a strong mark by themselves.

140726 18:05 3.5

Fantastic record and obviously a classic. The songs aren't all spectacular, but MJ turns them into something quality at the very least. Thriller and Off The Wall are certainly better, but this is a solid release from an amazing artist (RIP) and amazing producer in Quincy (RIP). Long live the king.

Hee hee 🕺🏻

This is my first album from Michael Jackson in the project. I must stress that statutory rape allegations, while a massive moral stain on his legacy, do not affect the quality of his music. As for the actual music, it's stock 80s pop. You can tell that every song was designed to be a single(because they all were, except "Just Good Friends") l. It's all about catchy beats and big choruses, and Jackson delivers on this premise with aplomb. It's unabashedly mainstream and doesn't even try to hide it, but that's not inherently bad. Admittedly, the focus on soaring choruses and danceable beats does result in repetitive songs, and his infamous vocal noises can be a little off-putting. The fact remains, however, that this album is important, not because of its timelessness, but because it encapsulates its time so well. That's why it's an album to hear before you die. Not because it's a masterpiece that exists outside of time and space, but because it captures the era it was made so well.

I mean come on, who DOENS'T know this album? It's Michael Jackson!

Have heard multiple times in the past, skipped it this time.

Classic MJ. Loved this album as a kid, but listened to the Weird Al version of Bad, “Fat”, a bunch more. As an adult I have to be in the mood for MJ or someone has to request it but I always love it!!

Absolute banger, shame how conflicted I feel listening to prime Michael Jackson now, but it's undeniable how hooky this thing is, and his voice was just so beautiful at the time.

OOOHHH

Surprinsingly many duds, but the bangers are bangers...

140 albums in and I finally got my first Michael Jackson album. I can't imagine, as an artist, trying to follow something up as massive as Thriller but MJ does an amicable job. The hits are massive but unfortunately I found the songs in between the hits to be a mixed bag. A solid 4/5 album. Also shout out to my friend Tyler from elementary school who danced to "Speed Demon" in like the 4th grade. Fun fact: this album was released on my birthday

It isnt his best album in my opinion but its so mutch better than anything in the gerne at the time. I cant give it anything else than a 4

Here is a record that definitely belongs on this list. A piece of music history filled with bangers. Not personally my favourite MJ record, but very close.

Idk it’s was pretty good lol

Overall Rating - 3.82/5 (7.64/10). Where it's good, it's among the best. Where it's bad, it's pretty forgettable. For all of the hype, this is hit-or-miss.

Classic. Half the tracks were monster hits. The other half were new to me. A couple clunkers which kept it from a 5. Still can’t hear Bad without thinking of Weird Al in a giant fat suit.

Pretty good album. 4/5

Better than Coldplay

My vindicated king! The only Bad thing about this album is that it ends.

Great album, but not the best from the King of Pop. Lots of material for those who want to pop analyze MJ through his music. Dirty Diana is an underrated piece about stars being manipulated by their “fans.” Probably not the most common interaction between stars and fans— but maybe gives some insight into how MJ felt, generally, about relationships. A 4.

It's MJ duh

Coincidence? I think not

they sang this on glee

Pop music isn’t my thing, quite honestly. That being said, I know a great record when I hear it and I can appreciate why this was so big at the time and is one of the highest selling records of all time. Timing matters and this was right in the pocket of popular music at that time. A great record.

You have to separate the artist from the art otherwise this is a 1 star album. After later abuse allegations, some listeners reinterpret the album through a darker lens — especially songs about being misunderstood or persecuted. That tension doesn’t erase the album’s craft — but it changes emotional reception for some people.

Respect, richtig gut. Hör's mir nie wieder an.

Gutes unterhaltsames Album, bei dem sich Michael nun zu 100% in die Popmusik verabschiedet hatte.

Banger of an album. I was stunned to see so many of these songs on a single album: huge impact on the world. Added The Way You Make Me Feel to my library, but otherwise no additions.

vocal performance is undeniable. songwriting...somewhat deniable. lyrics in particular frequently leave something to be desired, and the rhythm section tends to recede fully into the realm of a backing track. to be fair, i have the same opinions about a whole lot of pop music.

Goes from some of the best pop ever to peak mediocracy. How do you collaborate with Stevie Wonder and not make a banger I won't downplay it's greatness though

Did anyone catch on good friends the Stevie wonder hidden feature? Yeah man this was fantastic pop and a rnb album that still gives that groove.

My second time listening to this album, as a whole it's better than Thriller. However, I prefer the songs on Thriller, individually. However, my second time listening to this album made me enjoy it more. Song rank from fav to least fav: 1. Liberian girl 2. The way you make me feel 3. Dirty Diana 4. Just good friends 5. Man in the mirror 6. Another part of me - the bridge pushed it up the ranking 7. Just can't stop loving you 8. Bad 9. Leave me alone 10. Smooth criminal - the music video makes it better

This is the King of Pop near the height of his powers but beginning his descent. Plenty of solid hits, but nothing could ever match the culture-defining success of Thriller. The trademark growls, shrieks and "hee hees" leave no doubt that each song is purely Michael Jackson (even if I prefer Alien Ant Farm's version of Smooth Criminal). Appropriate that the album opens with the title track, Bad, as Michael lays claim to the fame; also appropriate that it ends with Leave Me Alone, as the fame and infamy have begun to lay claim to him. Good memories and good listen.

Peak

7.1/10

Best Track - "Bad"

Ha! It was bound to show up eventually. Better than the lame Brazilian crap you've been throwing at me this week! Look at the listener counts!! Holy cow! 500M for the title track, 676M for "The Way You Make Me Feel", 587M for "Man In The Mirror", 206M for "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", 362M for "Dirty Diana", 136M for "Leave Me Alone" and over 1B for "Smooth Criminal" - those are staggering numbers. I "remember the time" when anything he did was pure gold and plastered on the radio and MTV. Iconic. This album is actually loaded with hits, and good stuff that will always be loved. My son is 21 and adores MJ's music so the legacy is there. Hard to say any bad stuff but there are a few stinkers here including "Speed Demon", "Liberian Girl", "Just Good Friends" & "I Just Can't Stop Loving You". Even Quincy Jones can't polish a turd. It's the 'smaller' hits that stick out to me, songs like "Dirty Diana", "Leave Me Alone" & "Another Part Of Me" that blend rock with mainstream pop and really hit. Ridiculously popular album, his last mega-hit release where every song had a shot at the Top 40. No denying his hits, his longevity, his impact on music and other artists. 4.5 stars for the meaty stuff, it's easy to overlook the weaker songs which still all have over 20M listens each, unreal. Looking back on this, it's pretty incredible the success he had with it.

Enjoyed it as a whole more than Thriller. Very strong second half to this one. 3.5.

Feast for the ears Beautiful album Instrumentals are clean and crisp 9/10

Plus/minus on this one. Title track - fantastic. ‘Liberian Girl’ - kinda weird tbh. The good outweighs the….bad.

Creo que es un buen album. pero siento que la mitad del album es medio parecida entre si, y no le senti mucho interes

It's very different in 2026 listening to Michael Jackson giving this image of being a bad boy or a ladies man. I remember listening to this as a kid and it hit really different. Solid album though. The hits are still hits and bring up the full album. The other songs aren't remembered for good reason. They're not horrible but nothing special.

A quintessential album, let alone quintessential Micheal Jackson album. This album combines pop, soul, and RNB. It is a great album! Very catchy, Michael Jackson sounding songs. Very good!

michael's best song is rock with you, and the highs here are still lower than thriller, but this might be his best album front to back? idk. i love sonic the hedgehog

A solid end to the Quincey/MJ collaboration. A steely collection of songs where Michael has never sounded tighter. Love the edge on this thing.

I had heard this before, but only really remembered half the songs. Kind of overlooked in the MJ canon and it sorta feels like there's reason for that. The floor is very good but even though there's some real standout stuff it pales next to some of the greatest top to bottom albums ever made in this discography. Still an MJ album though.

Man in the Mirror is an extreme lowpoint in a great album. Better song than The Girl Is Mine though.

One of the first things I checked out of the library when I was starting to get into music more was Jackson’s Number Ones compilation album. I’ve always been more of a singles guy re:MJ, but I appreciated the album tracks here quite a bit too. Man in the Mirror is extremely corny but it also reminds me of his classic Free Willy banger with the whole choir thing so I still love it. Song(s) added to my 1001 Bangers playlist: Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Liberian Girl, Man in the Mirror, Dirty Diana, Smooth Criminal

not my favorite michael jackson album but it contains a handful of the most undeniable pop bangers ever written

Is this "bad" meaning bad, or "bad" meaning good? Turns out to be the latter. Who knew every MJ bop* was on a single album?? Briefly considered a 5, but half of the songs are just all right, so I guess it's a 4. *except 'Black or White' Highlights: 'The Way You Make Me Feel' (every song in the classic film Center Stage is a precious gem, including this one!!!), 'Man in the Mirror' (reminds me of my college acapella group singing 'Heart of the Matter', another bop), 'I Just Can't Stop Loving You' (very "90s kids movie end credits song that they'd play in the grocery store" vibe), 'Dirty Diana' (admittedly I knew the Weeknd's version first, which I prefer, but this is still pretty good), 'Smooth Criminal' (admittedly I knew the Alien Ant Farm version first, but in a rare happening, I like this better) Lowlights: 'Bad' (I think this may be the maximally bad song on the album, in fact!) Wiki highlight: <<"Bad" was originally planned as a duet between Jackson and Prince, after Jones suggested they record a song together. Prince said in 1997 that he declined because of reservations he had with the opening line of the song: 'Your butt is mine'.>> (understandable)

Kinda Bad

nao me conformo q tem gente que odeia esse aqui pqp

classic

Very dodgy middle but brilliant maximalist pop either side

Solid pop album. Some good hits but a mix of a few that didn't do it for me. Overall a good album, 3.5 for me.

Just a solid album

I listened to this album so much as a kid. My parents had it on all the time. Weird Al's "Fat" is burned into my brain. Trying to focus on the actual music this time, Bad is much more synth heavy and electronic than I remember. Guess I was way closer the the 80s back then than I am today. Like, "Speed Demon" is so wild. It's still fun but not quite the masterpiece I remember it being when I was young. I liked several of the songs that I had kind of glossed over as a kid, and some of the ones I used to love didn't do it for my anymore. Standouts are "The Way You Make Me Feel" "Liberian Girl" and "Smooth Criminal" Overall I'd say Bad sounds a little cheesy today. Still full of classics, but it's definitely aged. A very solid 4/5 for me.

great

A third Michael Jackson album, and I remain conflicted on his impact on music in the eighties and beyond versus his, at the very least, inappropriate behavior towards children. I hate that I have to include that in my review, but I'd like to be fair. Regardless, his music deserves to be on this list. After all, there are only a handful of albums ever that contains hit, after hit, after hit. The album alternates between smooth R&B, funk, and pop with some dynamite vocals. "Leave Me Alone," as the final song, leaves the listener with Jackson's vocal prowess and emotion. "Man In The Mirror" is similar in that regard, as Jackson pleads for a chance to become a better human being. I can't be mad at a song with such a good message. Respect. Bad's release in 1987 coincides with the world music trend in Western music, perhaps most notably and recently by Paul Simon's Graceland and Peter Gabriel's So. Personally, I feel Gabriel was respectful when implementing African aspects, and I hear the same respect in "Liberian Girl," owing obviously to Jackson's African heritage. I was glad to hear a Black American artist using "world music." Anyway, the choice of using an African country that never was dominated or colonized? I appreciate it. I see you, Michael Jackson. Anyway, while I recognize Bad's greatness, I don't think it's quite as strong as Dangerous or Thriller, or at least I have more of an emotional attachment to those albums. And, you know, Quincy Jones and Stevie Wonder.

so good

The King of Pop! While it is dated, the mix between single bops he is well known for, the ballads I enjoy quite nice despite how dated it all seems. Might be the old soul in me, but it is beautiful.

to clear this is a 4.9 but they don't allow it.

really good, absolute classics

Taken just as the album and not the artist - some great tracks that stand the test of time. Some filler but overall a classic

Contrary to the name, not bad at all. One could argue that with all that Michael Jackson did with the kids, that he doesn't deserve to be listed and praised so highly. To those people, I say separate the art from the artist. Michael was a hit maker. While there are many timeless classics on this record, there are quite a few tracks that just don't live up to that mark. This album is nowhere near perfect, but certainly isn't, as the name would suggest, bad. 4/5

What an album! I knew a lot of these songs, but there were a lot of new ones to that I had never heard, but loved! Just such incredible 80s pop but still so timeless. An amazing album. Top Songs: Bad, Smooth Criminal, Leave Me Alone, Another Part of Me

Es imposible tener tantos earworms por tema. Los basslines, la percusión que suena a martillazos, los vocal chops. Absurdamente bueno como siempre. Este disco tiene algunos de mis temas favoritos de MJ como Another Part of Me, Leave Me Alone o Speed Demon. Speed Demon es una sobrada tremenda. El momento coche acelerando con gritos de Michael que rompe en un solo de saxo/synth bufff increíble. Cuantísimas cosas sabía hacer este hombre con su voz. Tanto a nivel rítmico pudiendo marcarse un tema en torno a frases completamente rítmicas como Annie are you okay, a los grititos y adlibs que completan todos los temas y le dan un oomph incomparable, o simplemente cantar bonito vaya. Es cierto que sus baladas me dan un poco más igual, y este disco tiene unas cuantas. Just good friends suena a refrito de otros cinco temas suyos y es de sus temas que se me hacen menos memorables. Man in the Mirror se puede librar por clásico y similar con I Just Can’t Stop Loving You. Liberian Girl más ajustado pero tiene un arpegio raro muy earwormy. Pero vaya que diría que son los puntos bajos del disco que me frenan la experiencia pop perfecta. Empecé queriendo darle un 5 hasta que se me cruzaron esos más flojetes así que me relajo i guess.

Not quite as good as Off The Wall, but still really hits!

It was good!!

.

The album includes some absolute Micheal Jackson classics

Beside the obvious reasons to object to MJ, this is an album of absolute bangers!

Actually had a good time listening to this. Stand-outs - Another Part of Me - Dirty Diana

“You’re a vegetable.”

For the most part, this is really fun. There are some bangers on this album. “Liberian Girl” is corny tosh and “Man In The Mirror”, despite being one of MJ’s most famous songs, is cheesy and overrated. Apart from that, the highlights are “Bad”, “The Way You Make Me Feel”, “Dirty Diana”, “Smooth Criminal” and “Leave Me Alone”. I enjoyed this.

Every song is great and unique but not all were added. Leave me alone is my favorite. Would listen to most on a daily basis but not all

Quite a few songs I like and only a couple I dislike due to his singing. The best album since I’ve started this in my opinion. Overall pretty good 7/10

solid album 77/100

Really enjoyed it, very enjoyable singing style.

Michael was likely a pedophile but for me rating albums is one of the rare occasions where I will allow myself to 'separate the art from the artist' in so much as that as possible. I enjoyed listening to this quite a lot, very typically MJ which is by no means a bad thing, it's what I expected from the album and it's definitely what I got. The more well known songs on the album are for me the better ones though its hard to tell which way around that's working as usual. 'The way you make me feel' and 'Man in the mirror' were probably the highlights for me with 'Liberian girl' being another, less expected good song. Some of the songs were more forgettable but that's more a case of not being familiar with them than of them being bad, I did enjoy the songs largely across the album. The album certainly didn't astound me really but the songs were consistently good and it was an enjoyable listen. 76/100 Score edited 28/01/26

It was good. Solid all the way through - I did prefer the more popular ones. Unfortunately pedophiles can make good music.

idk, im only getting to the first few songs at this point

Smooth :)

a great album

It's a classic, but is it acceptable in this day and age?

Has some absolute classics.

I don’t actually remember listening to this album from start to finish ever. However I know all the singles very well, and there are quite a few. Sadly the filler songs aren’t too good, so I can’t say it’s a perfect record, but I really enjoy listening to most of it. Favourite songs: Bad, Smooth Criminal, Man In The Mirror, Dirty Diana, The Way You Make Me Feel and I Just Can’t Stop Loving You.

Pretty solid, a bit cheesy, but definitely important regardless of the controversy surrounding him. The last track, "Leave Me Alone" stood out with its amazing hook, I'll definitely be coming back to this track in the future. Favorite Song: "Leave Me Alone"

Not a fan myself, but undeniable.

AMOOO the way you make me feel é uma das minhas músicas favoritas do mundo. dirty diana também é uma das melhores dele. já tinha ouvido esse, mas nunca fica velho. meu álbum favorito dele segue sendo o invincible. só não é 5 pq no meio não gosto muito delas.

Great album, featuring many famous songs, very much in the Michael Jackson style, but there are not only upbeat songs, which I love. But overall very disco, great for dancing, fun. No reason to save songs from it when it can be generally listened to as a full piece, since basically all songs are great. Not sure about the rating, just because Michael Jackson is not my usual listen. But objectively I understand why this album is on the list and it's influence

Goated

Great album with some of his best hits

It's a classic for a reason

Hey this is actually pretty good. Are we really sure he was a pedo? I’m thinking that shit was a set up and bs. Real pedos now a days seem to just get away with it and no one’s cares. 4.5/5

Foundational album for me

MJ has two five-star albums, and this isn't one.

No es un artista que yo hubiese escuchado por mi cuenta pero me ha encantado escuchar este álbum. Sentía todo el rato que estaba en una película las canciones son únicas la verdad que cada una te transporta a una escena distinta las veo bastante originales y encima hay algunas famosas que te quedas súper sorprendida al descubrir que están aquí en general en el género de este álbum es pop y aunque pensaba que iba a ser bastante básico, ha estado bastante bien tiene también bastante efectos de sonido y es muy interesante de escuchar y no se hace para nada pesado

Before Listening: I think I’ve heard the majority of songs on this album but I’ve never sat and listened straight through! I like MJ so I anticipate that I’ll enjoy this one. After Listening: Good album! There were only a couple of songs that were so-so for me and the last few songs of the album are so good! Love Dirty Diana!

Singles are bangers.

Мені це альбом десь на 7 з 10, тобто на 3.5. Тумблер "звук 80х" тут викручений на максимум і я не можу сказати, що мені це подобається. Але тут є реально iconic бенгери, тому 3 якось не з руки ставити.

Легендарний альбом, але для мене особисто, мабуть, все ж 4. Бо якщо вже оцінювати Thriller на 5, то Bad я все ж люблю менше.

definitely solid, some nice ones on here, just not my go to kinda thing Will I listen to again: 37%

MJ is great and really enjoyed this. More so than I was expecting. Good vibes, nice and upbeat

Michael Jackson had a way of making music that feels effortlessly cool, a skill that is demonstrated once again on "Bad." The combination of his vocal quirks and pop beats make for an exciting, memorable experience. While I think this album is weaker overall than "Thriller," the high points are just as high. The synthesizers work great with Jackson's style, and the album is loaded with iconic tracks. Favorite tracks: "Man in the Mirror," "Smooth Criminal," "Bad"

It's really good, but I don't think pop is for me.

nice

A very familiar and classic album. The songs are catchy, groovy, fun, and easy to enjoy, and I had a good time listening to it.

Some very underrated bangers on here

Eindruck: HEHEEEE 🗣️🗣️ Rating:7/10 Favourite:Bad/Dirty Diana

Very good bangers

Great album, it starts with a classic, and you find more like it all through it. Man in the mirror, the way you make me feel, just can't as top loving you or smooth criminal... Simply great.

Great album to start out with. How can you can wrong with tracks like "Man in the Mirror" and "Smooth Criminal" on the same album?

Did MJ's music warrant the insane amount of attention it got? No, I don't think so. But the same could be said for many modern day music icons at the well. So putting everything aside, the music on it's own is great in some spots and dated/forgettable in others. Rounding out to an album that's above average but not something that I feel the need to revisit beyond the hits that I'll naturally hear out in public.

iconic album tbh 8/10 favorite song was dirty diana

The third best Michael Jackson album still tops almost all other pop albums of its time, which explains why they called him the king of pop. There’s like 5-6 songs on here that transcend music and are just part of pop culture now. It’s slightly below a 5 rating for me since there’s a song or two that I skip.

What more is there to say about this album that hasn't already been reviewed? An astounding who's who of pop hits; MJ at his most iconic; Quincy Jones's formidable producing power on full display. It's not much for poetry nor philosophical depth, but it's unapologetically not trying to be. (And how about that Scorcese-directed, West-Side-Story-inspired 18-min music video with Wesley Snipes? A whole decade of pop culture distilled.) For a moment, before the sadness of MJ's downward trajectory--abuse and a stunted adulthood begetting more abuse--it feels wholesome to imagine a time when one could admire this young pop king/genius at his peak. 4 stars.

I’d heard a lot of these songs before but never listened to the album all the way through. Good stuff.

Strange, troubled man. Good music though.

Very monotonous, most songs sound the same, but since it's about as good as pop gets, it's. 4/5

Not bad.

Honesty being the first foot forward, this listen was the first listen of an MJ album. It feels a bit strange, mostly because Michael Jackson’s presence has always existed outside of albums. His singles, videos, and public persona were so dominant that one could already know the songs, or at least think they did. It should come as no surprise that the performance of this album is precise, and nearly every track feels engineered by a perfectionist. MJ's vocal ad-lib style and enunciative delivery are on full display here but everything still feels deliberate rather than spontaneous. There's a heavily manufactured element of this album where Michael Jackson is no longer one of us, he is just Michael Jackson, the king of pop doing what kings do in providing spectacle to the rest of us.

Crazy how many hits are on this album. Maybe my favorite of MJs (his best?). There is some amazing bass lines on this record too. Overall, great listen. Highlights: “The Way You Make Me Feel”, “Dirty Diana” and “Smooth Criminal”

Stellar artist but they a couple meh songs

1. Bad 2. Man in the mirror 3. Leave me alone

n tem como n gostar

Great album. Dirty Diana is 🔥 8.1/10

So damn energetic, it's actually impossible not to sing or dance along. I can't unhear the LeBron cover of "Man in the Mirror" tho

Pretty good but for some reason actually listening to it through was tough

Bardzo spójny album, taki dajny do tańczenia. To czy mocniejsze czy luźniejsze zależy od piosenki. Bardzo podobają mi się bity, takie bębnowe

I can see why I quickly became such a world wide sensation. For the 80’s it’s perfect

Quincy and Michael know how to make pop single. The hits off this record are perfection. Smooth Criminal might be my favorite Michael song. I think top to bottom, the album isn’t quite as good as Thriller, but, damn that’s a high bar. I’m not a fan of a couple songs, so I have to give 4.5/5.

The King of Pop at the height of his powers before all the Ickiness kicked in. The bass lines drive all the hits and the synthesizers freeze it into a certain time and place. My rating 3.6

Fun album, but I was surprised for how dated some of the songs sounded in this listen. I listened to this as a kid a lot and obviously that is something I never picked up on. Dirty Diana is by far my top Michael Jackson song ever and I wish more of the album had this sound.

👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿

Funn

This album very well represents Michael Jackson. It is catchy and makes you want to dance. This particular album has some of his biggest hits like The Way You Make Me Feel, Man in the Mirror, and Smooth Criminal. It's a great album. I would listen again.

Real classic

I mean, he's the King of Pop for a reason. 8/10

4 Its a well performed album it is one of the situations where I was not in the mood for this genre but still an album that i believe everyone should listen to once in their life.

Would never seek out anything by MJ myself but its obvious why he's as big as he is. Very catchy!

I think I'ver never heard this one the whole way throught. I love Dirty Diana (underated song) and Smooth Criminal (yeah obviously) already and I thought that besides those ones (and Bad) I wouldn't be engaged by the record, but I'm about halfway through and every song is pretty good. This might be more enjoyable than Thriller AS AN ALBUM if I'm being honest.

the goat

Some classics make this an easy to listen to any time.

It's all great pop. Makes you wanna dance or sing along. Tons of classics.

Undeniably an album. Certainly has songs by Michael Jackson. Overall a strong 4/5 for me. Dirty Diana was a good unknown for me.

Great Micheal Jackson pop with good production, however a few too many songs have bass lines that sound exactly the same, feel a bit copy-pasted. No boring songs, just some weird ones (looking at you Liberian girl), but overall a very interesting and enjoyable album.

Another self recreation from the king of pop. Although a bit over produced at times, a lot of great songs. More aggressive sounds while incorporating new digital technology. Drawing from multiple genres, punk, funk, and rock. Overall great album. My favorite song is Leave Me Alone.

Genuine bop. Like a template for what good pop should be. It's timeless.

Bit of filler but the hits certainly hit

**In-Depth Review: *Bad* (1987) – Michael Jackson** --- ### 🎤 **Overview** Released five years after *Thriller*, *Bad* was Michael Jackson’s third collaboration with producer Quincy Jones. It debuted at a time when Jackson was under immense pressure to match or surpass the astronomical success of *Thriller*. While it didn’t eclipse that record, *Bad* still became a global phenomenon, spawning **five consecutive U.S. #1 singles** and solidifying Jackson’s status as the **King of Pop**. --- ### 🎶 **Music & Production** - **Producer:** Quincy Jones - **Sound:** A shift toward **harder-edged pop**, **funk-rock**, and **synth-driven R&B**. The album embraces **digital production**, with tight drum programming, punchy basslines, and layered synths. - **Standout Elements:** - **“Smooth Criminal”** features a **sharp, staccato bassline** and cinematic strings. - **“Dirty Diana”** is a **rock-infused** track with **Slash** on guitar. - **“Speed Demon”** uses **funk-metal guitar riffs** and fast-paced rhythms. > The production is **tighter and more aggressive** than *Thriller*, but some argue it lacks the **organic groove** of earlier works . --- ### 🖋️ **Lyrics & Themes** - **Themes:** Identity, fame, love, social change, paranoia, and self-reflection. - **Notable Tracks:** - **“Man in the Mirror”** – A **gospel-tinged** anthem about **personal responsibility** and **social change**. - **“Leave Me Alone”** – A **defiant response** to media intrusion and public scrutiny. - **“Bad”** – Explores **masculinity**, **street credibility**, and **peer pressure**. - **“Liberian Girl”** – A **dreamy**, **romanticized** tribute to love and escapism. > Some lyrics, especially in tracks like *“Just Good Friends”* and *“Bad”*, are seen as **overly simplistic** or **cringe-inducing** . --- ### 🌟 **Influence & Legacy** - **Cultural Impact:** *Bad* helped **define late-80s pop** and **music video aesthetics**. The **“Bad”** short film, directed by Martin Scorsese, was a **mini-movie** that influenced the **visual album** format. - **Musical Influence:** Artists like **Beyoncé**, **The Weeknd**, and **Justin Timberlake** have cited *Bad* as a **blueprint for modern pop performance and production**. - **Commercial Success:** Over **35 million copies sold worldwide**, with **9 singles** released from **11 tracks** – a record at the time. --- ### ✅ **Pros** - **Hit density:** 5 #1 singles and multiple classics. - **Genre-blending:** Seamlessly fuses **pop, rock, funk, and R&B**. - **Vocal performance:** Jackson’s **range**, **control**, and **emotional delivery** are top-tier. - **Visual storytelling:** Elevated the **music video** to cinematic art. - **Social commentary:** Songs like *“Man in the Mirror”* and *“Another Part of Me”** offer **uplifting messages**. --- ### ❌ **Cons** - **Overproduction:** Some tracks feel **too polished**, lacking the **raw soul** of *Off the Wall* or *Thriller* . - **Filler tracks:** Songs like *“Speed Demon”* and *“Just Good Friends”* are seen as **weaker** or **dated**. - **Lyrical simplicity:** Lines like “I’m bad, you’re bad, who’s bad?” can feel **juvenile** or **forced**. - **Contextual baggage:** Jackson’s **personal controversies** have **clouded the album’s reception** for some listeners . --- ### 🧠 **Final Thoughts** *Bad* is not *Thriller*, and it was never meant to be. It’s **darker**, **edgier**, and **more ambitious** in its own way. While it suffers from **overproduction** and **lyrical missteps**, it remains a **monumental pop album** that **redefined stardom** and **pushed the boundaries** of what pop music could achieve – both sonically and visually. > **Rating:** 8.5/10 > **Verdict:** A flawed but **essential pillar of pop history**, *Bad* is **bold, influential, and unforgettable** – even if it doesn’t always hit the mark.

3.6/5 B

they call this fella the king of pop for two reasons 1) good at song 2) questionable actions with children like all royal families hard to separate the art from the artist kanye style, tho this fellas dead so maybe that makes it easier? idk

So many classics

That is another classic album. Funny that it was the first time listening to Bad and I could recognise so many of Michael Jackson's songs that used to play in adult pop stations. It is funny that the atmosphere of the album matches the theme but Michael does everything so smooth. You can tell clearly the influence of this album in 00s bubblegum pop as well. 4/5

hee hee

Good Hot take but MJ's talent is otherworldly and insane.

Smooth criminal.

Iconic album. Certainly not Thriller but still some great hits on here. As with most big time albums I try to listen for songs that aren't big that are good, and I enjoyed Another Part of Me and I Just Can't Stop Loving You (maybe these are big songs and I just don't know it). It's interesting to hear this very specific 80s sound, like he still needed to really develop. Thriller was that maturation

Not as good as Thriller, but enough solid songs to bump it up to a 4.

Solid despite not being a big fan of him

I will maintain that The King of Pop and Prince both do not have good albums but have great singles. I did enjoy this a lot more than most Prince albums thought (except maybe Purple Rain). However that's not a very high bar. Pop albums just don't do anything for me. They're so plastic and vapid. Also the constant "hee-hee" and "hoo-hoo" kinda got on my nerves. Otherwise his voice is pretty solid. Imma be generous on this rating.

MJ. Wow! This is a hard one to judge because there are plenty of classics on this album, and sponsored a Weird Al album, so, you know, the pinnacle of musical success. The hard part is in the 1980s there was no escaping these tracks so I am not sure whether the tracks are that good or I am socialized to think they are that good. Regardless Bad, Smooth Criminal, and Man In The Mirror are singalong standards for GenX. My favorite track, though, has always been The Way You Make Me Feel, which is poppy and fun. The hard part is the songs in between don’t carry the same gravitas as the rest of the album and often feel over produced. Stevie Steven’s guitar solo on Dirty Diana is great though I am indifferent about the rest of the song. I may be over rating but I am feel indecisive and conflicted on this one

Random thoughts: * Was Bad self confessional? Hmmm… * I remember thinking that MJ’s tough image made him look like a poser in 1987 and I was only 10. * I owned this on cassette tape. I even found it! * I’m interested how many songs I remember from 38 years ago. * Quincy Jones brought some great bass and synth sounds to this jam. Especially cool on Bad and Speed Demon. Speed Demon was a shot of nostalgia. * Man in the Mirror, also confessional? * I forgot how many hits were on this album. Michael Jackson was still huge when this came out. He ruled the pop airwaves. * why does the line “Annie are you okay” sound so cool. * Leave Me Alone brought back memories of the music video. I am truly a child of MTV.

Bad is Michael Jackson's real masterpiece, not Thriller. every song on this album works. Surely some are more iconic than others, Man in the Mirror, Smooth Criminal and the title song Bad, just to name a few. Those high points might not be as genius as the high points of Thirller, but Bad doesn't have any real stinkers.

Album full of classic hits and feel good bops. Great way to start! Comments on non-classics -Speed Demon only has 38 million plays, probably because the overly aggressive cartoonish slap bass. -Liberian Girl is... something else... - Just Good Friends, BOP - Thanks for showing up Stevie! - Another Part of Me - Meh. Not out of place, but doesn't move anything - Closing run of Man in the Mirror to Leave Me Alone is FANTASTIC

it feels really weird to sit down and listen to a michael jackson album all the way through…and yet it speaks to the level of saturation he reached as an artist (of course) that i already knew the majority of these tracks despite never having actually sought out a single michael jackson song to listen to on purpose in my entire life. it’s so far out of my wheelhouse that i feel like i can’t say anything particularly meaningful or intelligent about it. but i had a decent amount of fun. fav tracks: dirty diana; bad; smooth criminal

This album feels like the point where Michael Jackson achieved his most Michael Jackson-ness, like it’s his final form. *Bad* is what you’d get if you took all of the elements of *Thriller* that distinguished it from contemporary 70s disco/pop and made an entire album of it and only it. Every part feels so drenched in his style and mannerisms and ad libs that at times it’s hard to hear the music for what it is as opposed to hearing it as simply a Michael Jackson song. When people impersonate or spoof him, the results likely sound like this album. I’ll start off by saying there’s not a single song on here that is outright bad (ha ha). The closest to bad is “Man in the Mirror” for its corniness, but even that one is musically complicated and features a good vocal performances. The album’s music overall is pretty interesting albeit extremely 80s; for that reason it doesn’t all age super well but I guess it doesn’t matter if the songs are still good. It’s the epitome of that harsh, late-80s new jack swing style that feels really industrial but also somehow clinically clean and precise. There’s so much detail that when paying attention closely, there’s a decent amount of variation among the songs, but otherwise the overall sound of each could certainly come across as homogenous and repetitive. I don’t think the less famous songs add much to his discography that the mega hits don’t already bring, and a lot of them sound like a combination of the most distinct elements of the other songs. I think it was a strange choice to position something as intense and over the top as “Smooth Criminal” as the penultimate track, only to follow it with the unmemorable, anomalously autobiographical “Leave Me Alone”, which just sounds like an amalgamation of the rest of the songs. For these reasons my reigning favorite from this album (and probably my favorite MJ song) is “Dirty Diana” and this relisten only reaffirmed that; it stands out to me as an innovation on the distinct style that makes those other songs blend together. Its understated intensity is much more compelling to me than its louder, WOO- and grunt-filled counterparts. “Liberian Girl” also stood out to me on this relisten for its integration of African rhythms with his signature style. Where he’s innovating his iconic sound and creating an infectious and energetic new sound is where this album excels, but unfortunately sets up the rest to feel underwhelming. Best tracks: Dirty Diana, Bad, Liberian Girl

Anything by MJ is gonna be great but this one isn’t quite up there with off the wall or thriller for me

7/10

Surprisingly cool. There is a part of me that hears the super-pop production and something about that tells me to reject this.. But then the quality here overcomes that. It's obvious that they have assembled an incredible team of musicians, songwriters, producers, etc. To put this together (including mj.) there is a lot of funk elements, soul, R&B, electronic, almost metal elements.. so lots to love actually. It's hard not to love a record with stevie wonder on. (separating art from artist)

This was great - so many bangers! I’ve never listened to an MJ album end to end and now very keen for the inevitable next one on this list. MJ in his imperial phase is really something to be reckoned with.

Great MJ

E det noen som har skrevet den ordentlig dypdykkanes Michael Jackson-biografien, som ikke sensasjonilsere, men heller ikke gjemme unna alt det ufine? Se, det lurte æ på mens æ hørte på det her albumet.

Can’t go wrong with a bit of MJ

MJ albums slap in their entirety. i feel like the middle of this album lulls a bit, but the end and beginning are absolute fire. its incredible, again, to see an album with 11 songs where 5 are all time CLASSICS for MJ. mad props to this album.

Michael knows how to make an album! There are 4 all-time songs on this one, and he perfect spaces them throughout. The other songs are kinda forgettable though. Bad is definitely not as good as Thriller, but it's not that big of a step down. Probably the best way to follow up the greatest record of all time. This would be a 9/10 if we were on that scale.

Classic Good but not for me

Startet den Bas, Kegt die Tanzschuhe an. Jackson on the Road

I have always generally enjoyed MJ, first time through this. Good album.

Not on par with Thriller, but some big time bangers on this one.

Hard to separate the art from the artist. Fantastic album, but bringing it down a notch because of what he may have done to kids.

Love MJ

Probablement mon album préféré de Michael Jackson!

Not completely my thing, but nevertheless I enjoyed it. Great rhythm.

First listen, a lot of hits, a few sneaky underrated tracks and of course the tear jerker of "Man in the Mirror" which gets bonus points for being performed by myself in a play in 8th grade.

Mostly love songs, catchy choruses Highlight songs Dirty Diana, Bad

This is a challenging one to rate given his, er, proclivities. Score is based purely on the music and its impact. It’s a bit too mechanical and the lyrics are weird, but they’re all catchy and memorable.

Solid album throughout with some big hits.

1. Bad - 10/10 2. The Way You Make Me Feel - 10/10 3. Speed Demon - 7/10 4. Liberian Girl - 9/10 5. Just Good Friends - 7/10 6. Another Part of Me - 9/10 7. Man in the Mirror - 10/10 8. I Just Can’t Stop Loving You - 8/10 9. Dirty Diana - 9/10 10. Smooth Criminal - 10/10 11. Leave Me Alone - 9/10 Album Rating = 9/10