Bad

Full of bangers. An all time Pop music album.

Wow. Such a fun album! Made me really think of tame impala. Love his callbacks and variety of sounds

I feel like ‘Bad’ is every bit as good as ‘Thriller’ or ‘Off The Wall’.

insane they allowed I just cant stop loving you on this christ

Objectively Bad, two thumbs up.

Excellent album with some incredible songs.

It's maybe becoming a more mainstream view... but I think as a whole album, Bad is better than either Thriller or Off The Wall

not bad

Good Michael Jackson album, bad has some of the greatest pop songs ever released on it, Bad’s peaks can go toe-to-toe with any album their are definitely some duds and some tracks that overstay their welcome abit (Speed Demon, Liberian girl.) Best Songs: Bad, Smooth Criminal, Man in the Mirror, Dirty Diana Worst Songs: Another part of me, Liberian Girl 7/10

Classic

7.5/10

Yh hit after hit lots of fun

The hits on here are some of the all time best pop songs, but there are just a few too many ballads on this album. I feel like the ballads were always Jacksons weakest element. I think they are better on this album then Thriller, but I still wouldn't choose to listen to them. High 4.

Perfect pop album. Excellent production and great songs.

synthpop was never the same

All time classic

Dirty DIYAHNA!

Like on the other two MJ albums, there are a few fantastic stand-out tracks and the rest is filler. Certainly not the worst filler, but very forgettable nonetheless. Still, the few really good tracks are great enough as to carry the whole album.

Surprised there are a few mediocre songs on this one, because the rest of the album is golden.

Lendário

Samalla albumilla täyshittejä kuten Smooth Criminal ja huteja niin kuin Liberian Girl.

Has some filler tracks, but at least the singles really slap

The hits are hits for a reason. The rest are, well, Liberian Girl Man in the Mirror is better than I remember, and Smooth Criminal and Dirty Diana are standouts for me. It’s not a no-skips record but I’m here for the drama of it all

I was listening to a podcast that mentioned how different pop albums were constructed in this era. They needed to have hits upon hits upon hits, with little room for filler. I've never heard Bad in full but I knew almost the entire album because it is just so packed full of hits. In a way though, Bad perhaps don't work so strongly as an album. It seems better to dip into for the individual singles, when the need arises. Like today, it's definitely a Smooth Criminal day.

Enjoyed it, had some really strong songs. Probably would listen again if I wanted to listen to something different than usual

4/5, nie wypada mniej, angażujący popularnych, ok w aucie, może być do pracy, nie z dziećmi w tle

heehee

Welp, he was a genius. Such a polished sound. Really glad this popped up for me today.

clássico né

ummmm it preddy good more than the other ones even

I wanted to say something pithy like, *Bad* was Michael Jackson's last good album... Truth is I probably have *Dangerous* at a low 4, *Blood on the Dance Floor* (which is half remix half new material) at a mid 3½, and even *Invincible* at a slight 3½ or high 3... The only real falter I have during his Epic run is the CD of new stuff that it's included with HIStory part 1 (which even about a third of that I do kind of like) But as for this album I still find that most of 9 singles (including "Leave Me Alone") I still really enjoy listening to, even like the title track. Is Michael Jackson acting like a badass is a little bit too much to take? Yes, I made fun of it back then too. But I always liked the song. The only single I didn't like was "Liberian Girl", and that one was not released in the US. "Man in the Mirror", although I would not put that my upper echelon of Michael Jackson tunes, it's still a far cry better than some of the schmaltzy crappy stuff he would put out later such as "Childhood" and "Earth Song" or even "We Are The World" a few years earlier. I think one thing that does make this album suffer is that unlike *Off the Wall or *Thriller* which each had a song or two that were kind of buried which didn't live up to the rest, this one puts them all right in the row right at the end of side one. "Speed Demon", "Liberian Girl", and "Just Good Friends". The good thing about this album is that it ends with two of best songs of the album, including "Dirty Diana" which features a guitar work of Billy Idol's guitarist Steve Stevens, the best song on the album. Overall this is still a pretty great listen even though it doesn't anywhere come near the highs of the previous two (8.67) ★★★★

Almost a 5 but I just can't help comparing to Off the Wall

Amazing album, obviously Michael is one of the most famous musicians for a reason, but some of the songs just aren't what I am into.

El gran problema de algunos discos de Michael Jackson es la cantidad de relleno que tienen (sobre todo en los 90). Aquí, aún habiendo un par de canciones que no dan la talla sigue siendo un gran álbum. Además, está Man in the Mirror, que es mi tema favorito de Michael. 4/5

It's a pop classic. It's Bad.

If thriller is a 5, this is 4-4.5 at most. There’s no denying the hits are massive! The misses on the other hand😬

Very very good, funky and fun. Not as good as off the wall but still nice album. There was a clear reason why MJ was as big as he was.

*1987. *5 out of 11 tracks are massive hits. Hard to argue with that. RATING - 8.5/10

It's so hard to separate the art from the deluded paedophile traumatised by childhood pop fame and an echo chamber of people who agree with him to gain access to his power and money. To the extent that they let their children be close to him, build him his own fairground and have I'll advised pets. But once you do, it's quite a good album of funky pop numbers.

Very good album - don’t like listening to him anymore though 8/10

Wow this album had a ton of hits! Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Man in the Mirror, Dirty Diana, Smooth Criminal!? We're at 4 stars already, buddy. The rest of the album has a lot of meh filler, and tbh The Way You Make Me Feel kinda sucks. But 4 stars for the HITS. Side note I can't listen to Bad and not think of Fat by Weird Al. "Your butt is wiiiiiiiide..." Love that Weird Al made not one but two MJ songs about being fat. Now that I'm on this tangent, can we get a Weird Al album on this list please???

Favourites: Bad, Speed Demon, Liberian Girl, Just Good Friends, Another Part of Me, Dirty Diana, Smooth Criminal

love michael jackson and this album is full of hits, but a handful of meh songs too. 4/5 for me

Heard almost every single song from it before but never listened to the album from start to finish. Usually I dislike late 80s pop because towards the end of the decade it began to sound like a parody of itself. But that's not the case here, oh no. The production on this album is insane and polished as hell. And it's MJ, come on. Of course it's a good album 4/5

Pure nostalgia!

Not as consistent as Thriller but still filled with massive hits

Coming off the monster hit album, Thriller, MJ shows why he is the King of pop with this record. Bad is certainly not bad, it's great. Loaded with smash hits and some decent, slower support tracks...not really a bad song. Time to break out "Moonwalker" for a viewing. 4.23 stars for not doggin' me around.

Where do you start? MJ was coming off the success of Thriller and managed to follow it up with one of the greatest albums of all time. It's crazy to think that any album could produce 9 singles, but Quincy Jones put together another insane lineup that is well deserving of the 6 Grammy awards and other accolades. The album is killer from top to bottom, even the 2 non-singles aren't bad songs. Overall it is an incredible example of MJ's ability to carry a tune and put on a performance and really solidified him as the King of Pop. I love nearly everything about this album, and so much of it is immortalized in the tie-in Moonwalker film. The music videos, the production work, the ensemble dance segments, everything about it hits in the best way. Despite Thriller's lasting impact and I find Bad to be MJ at his best. 4.44

Solid pop album. 4 stars.

BEST SONGS: - Liberian Girl - I Just Can´t Stop Loving You - Dirty Diana

Still a banger.

Classic

Great pop album. Some all time classics. A few songs I didn’t love which leads to the 4. But the highs are so high on this album

Shoulda called this album Good because it’s not bad at all. How many people have made that joke since 1987?! Let me be the billionth. But for real, banger city. (4.5 stars)

The third and final collaboration between Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones. In retrospect, this was really the winning combination, wasn't it? Not that Jackson wasn't already famous, but that trilogy of albums are really the past where he turned into an international superstar and it's hard to not notice that Jones was there for this period. We can also see in retrospect that this was the period when Jackson seems to have started really suffering in his mental health. Undoubtedly, that all began in his childhood, but like many others, adjusting to explosion fame seemed to have been pretty damaging to him. Ok, clearly mental health is not an excuse for his alleged crimes. But let's remember that there was a time before that, when he was still an inspiration to many and (arguably) the most famous person in the world. But "Bad" is the point when he started to seclude himself from the limelight, when he got a pet monkey, when he changed the color of his skin. It's also the time when the fear of following up "Thriller" was simply paralyzing. Say what you will about the guy, he definitely succeeded with "Bad". He clearly wasn't fooling anyone with the tough guy persona, but he still made some extremely catchy pop music. It set a record for producing five number one songs and a sixth one in the top 10. It's one of the best selling albums of all time and it's gloriously 80s (some of the backing tracks sound like they could have been music from Sonic the Hedgehog games and I mean that as a compliment). "Thriller" might be the better album, but "Bad" firmly established the world's biggest pop star. Temporarily at least before the disturbing downfall. If you can separate the art from the artist, this album will remain a classic.

The heheing can get to much sometimes but the basslines are phat the grooves are undeniable

DIRT DIANA 🤤, and everything else was solid

if only he didn’t touch kids

The heheing can get to much sometimes but the basslines are phat the grooves are undeniable

There is no doubt Michael Jackson was an immensely talented artist. Bad and Thriller are the number 5 and number 1 best selling albums of all time. Bad by itself is practically a greatest hits album. People called him the King of Pop for good reason. Unfortunately, he was also immensely weird. Whether that was entirely his fault or if it was due to his father and the other parasites that clung to him throughout his life, who knows. Looking back the 38 years since this album came out it is very difficult to separate the talent from the weird. Bad did inspire Weird Al's Fat. Yo, Ding Dong, Man, Ding Dong, Ding Dong, Yo! So it isn't all bad.

The slow songs are pretty annoying but many songs are quite good

A classic. Many iconic tracks.

Classics.

jichael mackson

I liked it, pretty good, but got boring sometimes, best I can do is 4.

Is a great album

The title track isn't my fave... but the rest of the album is bangin'

Pretty good

Classic blast from the past

Some absolute bangers on this album. Bad, The Way you Make me feel, Man in the Mirror, Smooth Criminal etc. I wonder how this was received back in the day, especially 5 years after Thriller. Thriller is obviously the better album, but this is still the King of Pop at the height of his powers, so it must have been a treat for people who waited for its release.

So many hits on this record. It will be hard to go back to given what MJ did. Also, not quite as classic / time-tested as Thriller.

Will Moore if you have this a 3 your fucking weird

What was this guy thinking when he named his album AND title “bad”? Who the fucks gonna buy that? Apparently everybody. Understandably as well, I don’t think I’ve ever listened to MJ in album form but I’m not fucking complaining, Jesus Christ.

I think this is the first time I've actively listened to MJ. Pretty good bops overall. Felt like I had heard half of the songs via osmosis. Got the impression that the album is carried by the classic hits everybody knows. Nevertheless, the overall experience averaged out to something I could see myself adding to a suitably bop-y playlist.

Snare/drum noise in this album is just so iconic. Solid album and a fun listen from front to back.

Undeniable star power here, and a good follow-up to Thriller. The big hits still go hard, and my (cover) band plays "The Way You Make Me Feel". But.. once you step off the hit train, things flatten out. Some filler vibes, some odd choices; both keeping this from a 5. Spins: 3 Playlist Additions: - Bad - The Way You Make Me Feel - Man In The Mirror - I Just Can't Stop Loving You - Smooth Criminal

Smooth (criminal) and deliciously groovy.

It’s a classic, but Thriller needs to be on the list first.

I've always found Quincy Jones' production to have a really great eerie quality that lends itself well to Michael Jackson's banshee voice.

Holy smokes, I don't think I appreciated the range and power of Michael Jackson. So good that modern popstars build their careers by emulating him.

Good Micheal album. Was familiar with a lot of the songs on this album, good listen to anyone who enjoys his music.

Classic

hee hee

banger album probably deserves a 5 objectively but not massively my kinda thing

They call him the king of pop for a reason A lot of bangers Interesting instrumentation and arrangements coupled with immaculate production and Michael Jacksons one of a kind voice However there are some tracks that didn't quiet hit the mark, and because of that it isn't a 5. Also he touched kiddies and there are one too many hee hees

Always gopd

I only know the hits, never listened to an MJ album fully through. The hits really hit — Smooth Criminal & Man in the Mirror are highlights and so good. Also never heard Liberian Girl and really liked it.

Fun. My parents listened to this music

8/10

I understand MJ's personal behavior ruining some of the magic but this album still slaps. I much prefer Off the Wall and Thriller but this album is great too. The only song I didn't like was Liberian Girl. Just Good Friends also was whatever. Bad, Man in the Mirror, Dirty Diana and Smooth Criminal are just MJ at his best and I still think there hasn't been anyone that has come close to using all of these sounds without feeling like an imitation. The Weeknd has come close with his variety and visuals but they do different things.

Nice

Was erring on the side of a 3, but some bangers just carried it through. But there's definitely quite a bit of filler here, like Speed Demon. Some of the Bad 25 outtakes should've been swapped in - Don't Be Messing Round is comfortably one of the best songs on the album if it makes the cut.

Smooth Criminal is probably the highlight of this album, followed by The Way You Make Me Feel. The rest? Good but not great.

Michael is on his A-game! First listen from front to back. Great pop album

While not all the songs on this album stood the test of time, the ones that did I think will remain in the public consciousness for a really long time. Those otherwise I think add good context for the general sound of the generation of pop.

Can't really rate it lower with it being such a big one. Huge school disco album

The good stuff is phenomenal but the remainder is merely ok. Really could’ve done without the wet duet also. He really did know what he was doing here. 4.5

Who’s bad? Not this album

The big hits are still good. The rest was shite

Couple of songs I haven't heard before. Quite enjoyable overall

A pop album being this good is ridiculous.

Good album full of hits. High 4/5

Although not as good as Thriller, the hits from this album are still bops. Man in the Mirror is a personal favorite.

Una producción impecable, un gran regreso después del éxito de Thriller, pero no con las suficientes melodías pegajosas que su antecesor. ¡"Man In The Mirror" es un temazo sin embargo!

Bad bad really really bad

Why do the bass lines on this album rip so hard? 😭

Album has some great highs, and some so so lows. Not quite the masterpiece that is Thriller, but solid overall. 4/5

3.5 for me - the hits are great, the rest is just eh

Slight step down from Thriller, but a damn good album

Some real dated ‘80s production on this but Michael’s performance is so stellar that it can’t help but lift the entire project. There is some filler on this album. Standouts are “Bad,” “Dirty Diana” (in my MJ top 5,) and “Smooth Criminal.”

Dad- 7 Mom- 7.5 Mike- NA Lori- 6 Michael- 9 Miles- NA Cole- NA Avg- 7.38

* Off the Wall * Bad * Thriller

Buoyant, fun. Crisp and sharp production. Lots of MJ songs I remember but couldn’t place – was listening to Bowie Just Dance before and I could see how they are from the same decade. Speed Demon is fun and kitschy. Obviously lots of iconic tracks – Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Man in the Mirror, Smooth Criminal – but some (especially tracks 4-6) more or less start to blur together to me - sonically and content-wise. I like Dirty Diana. I can’t see myself coming back to this album too frequently but glad to give it a go.

3.5 tbh

This thing has a ton of hits my god

In my opinion this was Jackson’s best album. It was a time when music was so big and he was so famous and the videos were mini oovies. Man in the mirror is the standout for me, but pretty much every song was a single. I don’t think ithe production has aged that well , and obviously neither has Jackson.

This gets a 4 for me. You can't deny the MJ effect on popular music and this album just is riddled with big hits. Even the non-hits maintain the same feel and production for me. Overall a good album.

Michael Jackson is one of the hardest artists to judge solely based on his discography - not only because his albums are very distinct in sound and style, but because it's impossible to not compare them to one another. "Bad" has the unfortunate fate to be released after the best-selling album of all time, so it automatically raises the question: would Michael Jackson be able to surpass Michael Jackson? By my personal analysis, it's a tough call. Thriller is legendary, but I'm inclined to believe that Bad might be the better album as a whole. No, its hits are not stronger, nor are the numbers more expressive, but it all fits together super well and gives the feeling of wholeness better than Thriller did. On the other hand, though, I feel like the low points here are maybe worse than Thriller's? Man, how do I even compare "Speed Demon" to "The Girl is Mine"? Also, Jackson seems bolder here, more experimental both artistically and musically. To me, this is the album that defines Michael Jackson as a more-than-human artist - a mysterious being, with exotic clothing, dancing and behavior and with an increasing ambiguity regarding the concepts of race and gender. So, is "Bad" a five-star album? Not really. "Speed Demon" and "Just Good Friends" stand out as definitely weak that don't measure up to the rest of the record. I would give it 4,5 stars, but since I can't, it's fair to give it a 4. Good work, Mike. 9/10

Could not believe how much I enjoyed some MJ. Solid Album

This album starts so nice but the middle of it is so-so what justify not 5 stars and also from my point of view Michael did better album than this one !

Absolute classic. Only hits

The King of Pop at the height of his abilities. Not quite as groundbreaking as Thriller, but more consistently good.* * Every Michael Jackson album gets an asterisk hung on the review in acknowledgment that it is difficult if not impossible to separate the man’s genius from his probable crimes.

Always good

The King of Pop for a reason. It's actually wild how consistently he was dropping bangers. Just massive hit after massive hit and they still sound great. Favorites: Bad, Liberian Girl, Another Part of Me, Dirty Diana, Smooth Criminal

Good album, very 80s

Gol he’s good. This is one solid album.

It's fucking good.

It's very difficult to separate this album from the fact that it was tasked with following the best-selling album of all time, a feat it didn't quite live up to. You can hear them trying on every song and this makes up for a very bombastic, very entertaining record, and of course this was still Jackson and Quincy Jones operating at the peak of their collaborative powers. The move towards New Jack Swing made sense at the time, as it was the new emergent sound, but in hindsight that aspect is what makes this sound more dated than Thriller and Off the Wall. Not that those albums didn't sound "of their time" (they did) but because genres like Disco and Synth Funk have had resurgences in the years since. This is still very good, though. Key tracks: Bad The Way You Make Me Feel Man in the Mirror Dirty Diana Smooth Criminal

Phenomenal album, Michael Jackson’s 3rd best besides Thriller and Off The Wall

Pretty great album. I took off one star cause reasons…

4/5 Kovaa kamaa. Muutamia hutiraitoja lukuunottamatta (mm Speed Demon) loistava lätty enkä ihmettele lainkaan, että miksi tätä on myyty niin paljon aikanaan.

i got off the wall, thriller and this in order and it feels like a perfect bell curve

Not the peak of Michael's prowess as the King of Pop, but this album definitely has some bangers. I think the top songs for me were Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Man In The Mirror, Dirty Diana, and Smooth Criminal. Other than Liberian Girl, which was a dreadful song to listen to, I thought everything else was alright. I think this solidly lands as a 4.

Most of my exposure to Michael Jackson was through my freshman year roommate, Herman, who in the immediate wake of the King of Pop's untimely death went on an all-hits tribute journey. I distinctly remember him blasting Can't Stop Til' I Get Enough and Man in the Mirror those first weeks ad nauseam. Otherwise, my only full length tours have come at the direction of this list. Bad, the second on this list is 8 years later in his career from Off the Wall after Jackson had established himself as the King of Pop via mega-hit Thriller. The production here is full of all the trappings of 80s cheese, with the tinny synth horns, pulsing basslines, and an overall feeling of plasticity that I cannot quite quantify. Speed Demon is the first new one for me. NGL I love the goofy ass synth'd bass. Also gotta say, I really like Liberian Girl. Just works for me. Man in the Mirror is a great song. Just has an infectious quality about it that is hard to deny. Unsure if that comes from the structure of the song, the performance, or if it is something built over time and exposure. Solid enough album. Not a lot of bad to say. Ultimately this is somewhere around a high 3 and low 4 for me. Going the latter, because why not.

Some absolute groove by Michael. This was chock full of his hits. From some slow pop songs to high energy guitar solos this album kind of had it all. Dirty Diana was a song I have never heard but was an absolute jam.

A freakin classic

Kaxigt

Very fun album. Plenty of instantly recognizable hits that layer in plenty of complexity for a pop album. A lot of the less well-known tracks do start to feel samey, but a good all-around listen. Top tracks: Bad, Man in the Mirror, Smooth Criminal

'And the whole world has to answer right now.' Truth b/c it's impossible not to answer to this guy, as much as you'd like to throw cold water on his career output. He's not only a once-in-a-lifetime talent. W/ the help of the highest level of production (Quincy), he's also the creator of tracks that are reminders of his context while simultaneously giving us groove-attacks as if he's the newest hit on the scene. It's just incredibly difficult to date him. The specifics of this record: more than half of the songs are utterly fantastic ('Bad,' 'The Way You Make Me Feel,' 'Just Good Friends,' 'Another Part of Me,' 'Man in the Mirror,' 'Smooth Criminal'), three are good but not great, and two are duds: 'Speed Demon' and 'Liberian Girl.'

So many great singles came from this album.

Måste med viss motvillighet erkänna att det faktiskt är riktiga bangers ngl

one of my favorite mj eras i think

Not Mike Jackson at his best but a good effort nonetheless

A talented young man then the sideshow became the show after this record. Good record

This album is great!! I would listen to it again!!

Made me want to dance 8/10

Speed Demon is goated and the best song on this album, don't care what anyone says

Classic My least listened to album of his from that era The synths are on point on this one Liberian Girl is still a standout to me

Bad, Smooth Criminal, The Way You Make Me Feel, Man in the Mirror. Album is loaded with hits.

Great album. I grew up listening to Michael Jackson.

I have left my body and returned to high school. Then "Liberian Girl" left me alone in a parking lot in a part of town I've never visited. (I do not recognise this and it's not a fave) Still, enough incredible music to make this a good listen.

Speed Demon has some sick bass lines. Some classic bangers on here like Bad, TWYMMF, Man in the Mirror, Smooth Criminal. Drummer is also great. Not particularly my style of music but enjoyed this album.

Insatiably horny. Some stellar singles, but the rest really feels like filler. 3 seems harsh, 4 seems generous.

Michael has always been an ear worm for me. But I also might be biased as we share a surname :p 4 stars

Ca reste bien, le son a vieilli pas forcément bien, le coté éléctro 80

Iconic record, though the second half doesn't have the same force as the first.

Bangers! Still not really my thing, but undoubtably good.

Meh.

Great album! “Man in the Mirror’ is, I think, my favorite Michael song; “Smooth Criminal” is genius (and maybe confessional?); “Bad” is…well, bad. This was huge when it landed and is still pretty great.

I remember how massive this album was when it was released. It was everywhere. I didn’t appreciate at the time that it was the follow up to thriller so the anticipation must have been massive. In classic Jackson style he co-opted the emerging style (new Jack) and made a pretty great album. The singles are powerhouses. I remember singing dirty Diana over and over as a 9 year old. The last great Michael album.

Good

Again choosing to ignore what I know about the artist and just focusing on the music this album feels like a collection of the greatest pop songs ever made. 4.5/5

Michael recorded this the day after Len Houmous stole one of his women! It led to Len’s comeback ‘(not as) Bad (as us, now, are you?). 4.2

amazing singles, the rest is pretty good i guess lol

listened to again it's great

Listen to the words of the pedophile: change your ways 👍

like a 3.8/5

Ganz nett

The hits are great of course. The other songs are fine but sound a lot like other 80s pop and don't stand out on their own. Thriller is a tough act to follow but this album does a commendable job. 7.5/10 (3.75/5)

Can’t deny that he earned his name as the King of Pop. Great album.

I'm realizing that when I listened to this album as a kid, it was mostly the back half which is VERY strong. The first half is not super good and the song Bad is pretty dumb--catchy, but dumb. I guess it's more a mission statement song like Born in the USA, but it's pretty cringy. I love every song in the second half and Smooth Criminal is buried? I was prepared to say 3.5 and 3, but seeing as this is the most songwriting MJ had done to this point I'm bumping up to:

A begrudging 4. The hits are pretty good, everything else was meh. Also, he loves "Liberian Girl" so much but can't even give her a name? Was a bit cringe :/ 4/5

Michael Jackson fans will enjoy this album. I forget how many good songs were on it. Overall a solid pop album. Smooth Criminal is by far the best track.

Delicia, el rey del pop

"Bad"? more like... "Good"! i'll be here all week, people. in all seriousness, coming into "Bad", i thought i'd be let down by the spaces between "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Smooth Criminal", but all the tracks have this wonderful 80's sheen to it that only Quincy Jones could bring. Mikey does it for me here too, always putting out an insane new noise or hook for you to get your brain fixated on for a few hours after the track ends. "Bad"'s biggest crime is those tracks just not meeting the standards of the mega-hits, which basically exist as perfect songs next to good ones. some songs are "Smooth Criminal", and some songs are "Just Good Friends" ft. Stevie Wonder. not much you can do about it.

Quincy Jones and MJ working together = WOW

This is another great album from the King of Pop, his legal troubles aside and if you believe that he was monster or not, just focusing on the music, this is a fantastic follow up to Thriller, while not nearly as good this still has some major hits of MJ's, Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, The Man in the Mirror, Smooth Criminal?? These are solid mega hits that would be on any best of compilation, and how many artists have that many songs that hold up after so long? This is a great album!

Det är ju inte Thriller! Sämre låtar förutom Man in the Mirror och Smooth Criminal. Det är klara femmor, men resten är inte minnesvärt alls. Produktionen som är spännande och oväntat rå lyfter det till en stark fyra.

Never listened to this album before but knew most of the exciellent tracks.

4/5. Solid classic

perfect

realized theres a sorta primordial mix of Order and Chaos in mj's music that possibly sits near the center of his pop music throne,,,obviously everything is very lavish and labored over and produced and u get those ridiculously tight grooves etc etc but theres still room for space found in it, for exclamations or vocal vamps or instrumentally stretched legs. nice observation to get out of this but i dont have as much to say about this record in specific lol its good! by necessity a lil less Timeless than the likes of off the wall or thriller , in particular because of ofc how important the contemporary Wider Perception of mj was to the whole conception, but its got as many classics as it needs and its nice to hear them with some deliberacy on headphones in an album context instead of as cultural white noise. didnt even realize how good man in the mirror was my whole life. there better be some janet records on this list too tho...

4.5. close to being perfect!

I feel like Michael Jackson and Prince are both in the same category for me as artists where every song is either a complete banger or basically a total dud. Like everyone has some variation in song quality on their albums, but how do you go from "The Way You Make Me Feel" (banger) to "Speed Demon" (bad) back-to-back? I think the median song for both of these people is meh, but then there's just these absolutely iconic singles. It really makes it hard to rate. Anyway, the point is that I would basically never actively choose to put this on, but I still have to admit there's some good stuff on here. It's not quite Thriller quality, but it's a good output among a genre of music that's kind of bad. A few too many "woo-hoos" for my liking though. Favorite song: Smooth Criminal Other: Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Man in the Mirror, I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Dirty Diana, Leave Me Alone 2/20/25

King of pop. Production hasn’t aged the best. Dirty Diana was a sleeper banger

Crazy energy. Great harmonies. That snare needs to be retired

Classic and excellent pop album! Def some gems within. But nowhere near the sublime quality of the all time perfection of Thriller or even Off the Wall.

I feel like I can't objectively review this album because it's just so nostalgic. But yeah, it's pretty much a hit. Solid music, what more can I say

Ganske bra og nostalgisk. Bassen minne tidvis om gambling-minispillene i Mario 64 på DS

its michael jackson, its good obviously. ngl i didn't remember this album sounding so dated. not thats a bad thing its charming actually. but use of drum machines is so obvious and the weird cheap synth instruments sound so bad and fake. what up with the weird industrial clap sound on the way you make me feel, it feels so out of place but i love it. some of these instrumentals give me like 16-bit era vgm vibe. makes sense considering he worked on the music in sonic the hedgehog 3 (fun fact i guess)

Oh, those 80s synth and drum sounds. MJ was a masterful entertainer, though, no denying it, and these are classic pop songs.

Classic album. MJ 🐐

Very good album. Different styles throughout. Catchy. Stand out song - The way you make me feel

"Smooth Criminal" is possibly MJ's best song.

These are some of his classics, so it's hard to say it's not great.

Great album

This era of pop can be very hit or miss for me, but this is overall another good album from MJ, not much worse than Thriller imo.

This only gets a four because he made thriller and that is a five, this is slightly worse then thriller so four is right.

The hits are great and the rest of the album felt like filler.

Good Album

123

Hee hee! There are some great songs on this album! I knew half of them - and them songs alone would have been a very easy 5 star Sadly the other half of the album were just filler. Liberian Girl in particular absolutely killed the vibe Smooth Criminal will now be stuck in my head for the next 3-5 business days 4 ⭐️

Pretty solid! Pretty funky!

Songs run longer than needed Easy 4 tho

Still iconic, but only MJ’s third-best album…

Best MJ album

Classic Michael Jackson is great. This album has so many classic songs from him. Since I have listened to him a lot before I don't have much more to add, the reflections from listening to the daily album kind of looses its point when I already have a clear picture and feeling about the album. All that being said I'm gonna lean back, close my eyes and listen to man in the mirror again.

O disco tem musicas muito boas mas sofre do mal do hype das tecnologias digitais nos anos 80, que acaba prejudicando a sonoridade do álbum. Existem timbres ótimos aqui, mas há momentos onde o exagero do digital faz tudo soar meio esquisito e plástico, que quando comparado a outros discos anteriores e posteriores do MJ soam menos interessantes

love it

Le roi d’la pop (heeeuurf) revient avec un album du calibre de Thriller, sans atteindre celui d’Off the Wall. Shoutout à la bassline de Speed Demon, tu m’as émBRANLER

This album really just sounds like the 1980s with the elements of horns and synthesizers regularly shown. Michael Jackson does a great job utilizing these elements wirh his voice to create catchy melodies. Sometimes these melodies get a bit repetitive but generally his ad libs and use of tension keep the listener hooked.

Poco se puede decir, es el puto Michael Jackson. Como en los discos que salieron previamente, la calidad de sus canciones siempre es alta y el disco no aburre, pero no llega a conectar del todo conmigo para que sean favoritos. Pero un gran tiempo. Canción destacada: Smooth Criminal

Always thought this was better than Thriller, and it is. But wow i didn't remember the ballads being this boring... There's nothing to say about the uptempo songs, an absolutely masterclass in doing pop music, they're all textbook definition of a "banger".

I just had Off the Wall 12 days ago so I was a little surprised to see another Michael Jackson album so soon. Again, obviously a classic. I’m not a huge MJ fan but I can’t deny the singles are all 10/10 all-time greats.

3.75

This is a pretty classic pop album. Its got the synth-y new wave pop sound, with some really cool funk and soul. I think it might be safe to say that no one has really made dance music as good as Michael Jackson. Its kind of perfect for dance groove. I think back half of the album is stronger than the front half, but overall, its still really fun and good. Its fun to kind of hear those motown influences. In a lot of ways, he's doing Gospel music. Especially with songs like Man in the Mirror.

First time listening all the way through. "Man in the Mirror" is one of my all-time faves, and it was good to hear "Just another part of me" and "Just can't stop loving you" again, as they don't turn up as regularly in modern pop culture. This music spans the consciousness of generations too, so it was fun to listen with my middle schooler and talk about just how popular this guy was back in the day.

Great hits! Very 80s. Dude is a smooth criminal.

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

MJ's a bad boy now! Maybe that's what people were saying back in 1987, I cannot confirm nor deny that as I wasn't alive then. However, just like "Thriller" a few years prior, this was (and still is) one of those instantly recognizable pop albums that seems to transcend age & time. Just singles galore here. That's to be expected from the King of Pop, right? It's clear that a point was made to curate a newer sound here. Digital synthesizers are used throughout to create a fiercer (or badder!) pop/dance sound here in just about every track. One could argue that it very much sounds of its time, but I don't necessarily see that as a bad thing. Tracks such as the titular "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", and "Smooth Criminal" are each iconic in their own right. I will admit that I hadn't heard tracks 3-6 prior to today, and the album takes a noticeable dip there. Starts and finishes strong, however. The shadow that "Thriller" creates over an artist is inescapable, and I will admit that the bangers to track ratio is better there. "Bad" has a noticeable "edge" when compared to MJ's previous works and gave us many of his greatest hits, despite a slight lull in the middle tracks. MJ would continue to morph his pop sound in the ensuing years, but would never quite reach the heights he did with Quincy Jones on production during this stretch, in my opinion.

good but not my fav MJ album, gotta be off the wall

This is one where “you had to be there.” I grew up when Michael Jackson was putting out music, and we all knew he was a strange guy (of course, not to the extent of being a criminal) and it didn’t matter because his music was just that good! Bad is an incredible, era defining album. Music that everyone enjoys and knows the words to. The production is crisp and beautifully crafted, every synthetic sound is perfectly constructed. The only reason I don’t think it is a 5 is because I’m saving that rating for Thriller. 4.5⭐️

Not my cup of tea, but a lot of classic tracks.

Pretty good. Dome real smashes, but also some stinkers

This was one of the first albums I remember as a child. My mum and dad had the LP and I used to play it loads. I had forgotten most of the songs, but it wasn't as good as I remember it being.

So many great hits. Understandable why this album is on the list.

Whatever you can say about about Michael Jackson the person it's hard to claim this is a bad album. Suffered from having to follow up Thriller but still a great album

If it wasn’t for the atrocious ballad track, this could have been a 5-star pop classic, but that song just drags the album down.

Fav song: Speed Demon/Man In The Mirror The vocal stacks on Liberian Girl are sooooo amazing for the time period. Michael Jackson’s sound is SO iconic - in part due to the production from Quincy Jones. I felt like some of the more ballad style tracks pulled the momentum of this album as a whole work of art though. But man. The singles on this album are insanely powerful and well written.

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. Still a fun listen tho

The thing I love most about Michael Jackson is his discipline. His songs are so tight and controlled. He is, indeed, bad. My favorite tune from him, not on this album, Billy Jean.

A bit too iconic and prolific with some of the hits on this album to rate below 4. I'd give it a high 3, rounded up. Some pretty solid tunes among the more popular hits that I already knew. lots of hee hee

this album is bad 👍

The michael

A must have. Great Hits

Minus a star for Speed Demon through Another Part of Me. Those are terrible to meh at best. The rest are generally amazing.

Not bad.

For some reason I can’t imagine listening some of these songs just for fun, maybe because they are also well known and overplayed. The album itself was fine, the hits were good and most of the other songs were decent.

All time great pop album, lots of classic songs, no real complaints

A belter. The new Michael Jackson - very different from Off the Wall and Thriller, which were more R&B-ish. This is more pop, it works, and it works very well!

There are some classic MJ tracks to found here. It’s not Thriller, but it’s got some solid production and bangers for sure.

Not his best but still good Jacko

Undeniable pop greatness. Not as many highs or as consistent as Thriller so I'll give it a 4 just for some texture but could easily be a 5.

Just a classic innit

Great hits :)

3.5

Alright, I’m going to be separating art from artist for this project. I’ve already done it! I’ve liked music by some pretty awful people! And Michael simply released some of the most popular music of all time during this era! It should be listened to and appreciated on its own! And of course it’s great! Probably not as good as Thriller. You could point out some points where it’s probably over-produced, and like any star who gets to indulge himself, the numbers start to get long and indulgent. And there’s some songs that simply aren’t as strong in the middle…..but then you get to “Dirty Diana,” and yeah, I could be convinced that’s the greatest song of all time.

Great album, several bangers, and not overly long. What can I say, Michael Jackson knows how to make a good pop song. He's not enough to my taste to get a 5 star rating though

There's some absolute belters on this album isn't there. Genuinely breathtaking. Brought me back to being a kid and discovering music in the early 90s. In recent years had a hard time listening for obvious conflicting reasons, but you can't deny it. This is solid.

a classic Glee did Smooth Criminal better not a bad song

I have very mixed feelings about this album. On one hand there are some excellent songs, “the Way You Make Me Feel” is incredibly catchy, the vocal melodies are delightful, and the whole song is written so exceptionally well. “Smooth Criminal” is a classic by every definition(ignoring the fact that Alien Ant Farm covered it and did a way better job). Michael Jackson was such an incredibly talented artist, there’s a reason he was literally the most popular musician on the planet at one point. But on the other hand most of this record just feels really dated. A lot of brutally 80’s synths and drum samples that were rightfully left in that decade. It just feels old, and not in any sort of timeless way. The singles stand out, the rest of the album suffers, I think. I’m glad I had an excuse to dig this record out of my collection of LP’s. 3.5*

There are some songs that have been so incredibly popular for your entire life that you kinda take them for granted and fail to hear them for what they are. There are several such songs on ‘Bad’, which I hadn’t realized until listening to it today. What struck me the most about this record, including the super-smash hits I already knew, was that it is incredibly funky. There are a lot of unexpected and truly delightful grooves here, especially from the keyboards. Also unexpected and delightful was the vocal feature from Stevie Wonder. I had never heard “Speed Demon” or “Liberian Girl” before and really enjoyed them. I thought “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” and “Dirty Diana” were kind of meh, but as a whole I found this to be a really enjoyable listen. It’s easy to understand why the entire world lost their minds for MJ. 8/10

Such an important album. I mean: 35 million copies sold, etc. On one hand some of these songs are so overplayed that I didn't have a huge desire to hear them again. On the other hand, I'm impressed that while other 80's album now sound stale (e.g. the beats on that recent Prince album), this album still sounds reasonably fresh. That's commendable.

A great album, no doubt, but I genuinely hate the synth bass sound that dominates the album. As a bass player I'm definitely biased though. The lyrics kinda suck too. Dirty Diana come across as a pretty misogynistic song, and MJ generally just sounds like a massive sook throughout the whole album. Still, can't rate it lower than 4 stars with a clear conscience.

While it doesn't reach the consistent smash-hit-rate excellence of Thriller nor the sheer fun factor of Off The Wall, Bad's heights on tracks like "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Smooth Criminal" are notable.

classic album, banger after banger.

Great pop singer. Great music. Died way to young.

Shamone! Doesn't quite hit the heights of Thriller for me, but a decent album. Slightly too soppy for me to give the full 5 stars

Liberian Girl should have just been recorded directly onto a cassette tape to be handed to the Liberian girl in question. That aside, it's incredible how many banger singles are on this album and they do a lot of work to hold up the little bit of filler.

if you have to follow up “thriller,” you could do worse than “bad.” banger.

MJ completes his transition from disco-inspired beats to rock-tinged pop, replacing much of his live instrumentation with guitar, drum machines and synthesizers. Tracks 3-6 really bog down the record as a whole. It’s odd to say that a collaboration between MJ and Stevie Wonder resulted in a filler track, but that’s exactly what happened with Just Good Friends. Luckily, the top and bottom of the album are filled with true all-time great bangers.

#82 - Another fantastic album, full of bangers from start to bottom. MJ is solidly one of the best pop musicians and writers ever. At the same time I'm not sure there was a cohesion to the album (other than a playlist of MJ bangers).

Off The Wall and Thriller are the most important albums from Michael Jackson but this was a fun one when it came out of course. Plenty of bops on this album. I think the only thing that pulls it down a notch for me is the late 80’s synth and drum selection. Other than it’s a classic. 4.5

Not much I can say about this other than it was era-defining pop music for good reason. It's chock full of hits, and although I can't possibly listen to it with fresh ears today, for me, it still holds up. I give it four shamones and a hee-hee.

The guy was screwed up eight ways to Sunday psychologically, but man, he could write hit songs and sing. His voice on "Man in the Mirror" is just amazing.

Man in the mirror is one of my all-time favs I only had one glove in work yesterday and now I know why...it was MJ time. Left the kids in cupboard though.

"Bad" is the seventh studio album and the follow-up to "Thriller" by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson. It was third and final collaboration with Quincy Jones. Jackson wanted an edgier image and tried to incorporate musical styles of rock, pop, funk, R&B, dance and soul. His lyrical themes included media bias, paranoia, racial profiling, romance, self improvement and world peace. Jackson wrote all but two of the songs. Commercially, it was a massive success hitting #1 in the US and UK and in 24 countries overall. It was also critically well-received for Jackson's vocals and the polished production. A horn and an electronic bass and drums begin the album on "Bad." Jackson's vocals are low. This is a little edgier. The synth lightens it up a bit. A keyboard jam. Supposedly, it was inspired by an article written about a boy from the ghetto who goes away to school, comes back and is killed. I didn't hear that much of an edge to it. "The Way You Make Me Feel" starts off with a repetitive and hypnotic beat. Lots of shrieks from Jackson. A very catchy chorus and nice horn arrangements. One of Jackson's best songs. One of the two songs Jackson didn't write but he may have put his best performance on is "Man in the Mirror." High synth keys and fingersnaps. Layered vocals leading to gospel choir backing vocals. Jackson's vocals build as he has to make a change from the man he sees. "Dirty Diana" starts dark with the synth and various noises. Steve Stephens on guitar with various slashes and riffs throughout. Diana is a groupie and things happen after the concert ends. It's hard to listen to "Smooth Criminal" and not hear the Alien Ant Farm version. A very catching synth melody and beat. Great guitar by David Williams. Another darker song that works. Annie is attacked by a smooth criminal. Is she OK? Is she walking?One of my favorite Jackson songs. It's hard to imagine an album today releasing 10 of its 11 songs as singles unless your name is Taylor. Well, most of these songs do work. Jackson does cover a fair bit of ground lyrically and stylistically too. Very high production by Jones. There are a few songs stuck in the 80's and some don't work (hey there Stevie Wonder). Great use of the electronic synth for melody and the beats and, also, the horn and vocal arrangements. It may not have the high points of "Thriller" or "Off the Wall," but it's a very solid pop album.

The title is misleading because the album is actually good. Just glad I could seperate the art from the artist.

Not Thriller level, but amazing nonetheless.

Its good that his singing performance is so amazing because I don't think the music behind has aged well. The backing track has a sparse early digital era sound that reminds me of a karaoke backing track or MIDI. It gets a bit more lush towards the end of the album though.

This was my favorite album growing up. I was so obsessed as a kid that I wanted to buy the cassette that I begged my parents for months, years even. Although it has not lost its iconic luster, it’s more musically and lyrically uneven than I recalled. Also the bad boy persona MJ is aiming to embody feels quite dated and borderline embarrassing. To some ears the instrumental palate will sound like a step back more than a step forward. Next to funk, rock-infused poppy and memorable tracks (“Bad”, “The way you make me feel”, “Another part of me”, “Dirty Diana” and “Smooth criminal”, “Leave me alone”) there are some forgettable songs in here. “Speed demon” is simply pop fluff. “Just good friends” is better than people make it to be. It has some refreshing chords between verse and chorus and in the bridge, but it misses an opportunity to do something more especial with Stevie Wonder. There are some bright spots unfairly assessed at the time. “Liberian Girl” has a lovely melody (same thing can be said of the verse “I just can’t stop loving you”). I don’t understand the hate. The verse of has a nice melodic flow. “Man in the mirror” is a jewel. Despite MJ’s vocal excesses it is such a lovely song. I keep coming to it and still feel the same emotions. Same could be said of “The way you make me feel”. Great groove (despite some questionable shallow sexist tropes in the lyrics: “Oh, I'll be workin' from nine to five / To buy you things to keep you by my side.” The 25th anniversary edition has some interesting additional tracks. “Fly Away” would have been a nice substitute to “Speed demon”. There are curious versions in Spanish (translated by no other than master of salsa Ruben Blades) and in French, and even a weird remix of “Bad” with the collaboration of Pitbull.

I had this on 12 inch when I was 9 and listened to it almost constantly. It totally loses its focus after those first two tracks, and his sister Janet's output is far more interesting, but it's so emblematic of that particular time and place, that aesthetic.

The hee-hee is undeniably the greatest gimmick in music history

Gewoon goed. Heel erg 80's. Leuke synthbas partijen

mj really was just that guy

Excellent album

The King of Pop closes out the 80s with one of his best. A true picture of the sound of the times.

very nice

Klasse Album, viele gute Banger drauf. Knapp vor 5 Sterne für mich.

It's "Bad", it's good

If there ever was a case where I have to separate the man from the art, this would be one. This is not a preferred genre for me but there is no denying MJ’s stamp on the music industry. This record is no exception, several mainstream hits here and future influences/sampling. One thing is for sure, I am quite confident that Annie is NOT ok. I think Thriller has to be a full tick up from this so rounding down. 4,25

This popped up and my first thought was "oh, here's a 5 star album!" The first two songs are Bad and The Way You Make Me Feel - excellent! Both songs are toe tapping legends and we're well on the way to that 5 stars. But then...Oh boy. Speed Demon is just kind of weird, but still kind of bouncy and fine. But Liberian Girl is cringey af and Just Good Friends is gross 80s schlock. Another Part of Me is kind of catchy after you get past the early 80s sound effects. But then we're back to business! Man in the Mirror is amazing (even if it does sound a bit dated),Dirty Diana is still a pretty good time, and Smooth Criminal is still a banger. Overall, it sounds much more 80s than I remember. I'd give it a 3.5 but I'll bump it to a 4 because my brother-in-law was in the Smooth Criminal video.

Iconic songs. Iconic album. Love love love.

Some classic M.J. Bad, Man in the Mirror, Smooth Criminal, those are some all timers. That said, it's getting a four just because, personally, it's not the kind of thing I really like to listen to that much. If I revisit this one in the future though I think I can see myself giving it a five. The Vibe: Honestly, MJ is a vibe of his own.

Shamone

Groovy as hellll. A lot rockier than thriller but I really enjoyed it. Favorites: Smooth Criminal, I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Speed Demon

Have fond memories of this from my youth. Listening as an adult, it's beautifully produced and got some absolute bangers on there. I think this MAY even be better than thriller (don't @ me)

Solid pop music

I was sure that this was an easy 5, but I have to admit that while the hits are absolute bangers, the in between songs are very average at best. This is an album that helped change music for a generation, but I'm not entirely convinced "Liberian Girl" played much of a part in driving that.

It's not Off the Wall or Thriller, but it's still a very very good pre-crisis Michael Jackson album.

# Playlist track - Smooth Criminal # Notes - Not the greatest, but enjoyable throughout. - "Bad" and "Smooth" criminal are enough to justify hearing to the whole thing, anyway. - The other tracks (with the exception of Liberian Girl, maybe?) are good. Nothing special. But they are perfectly executed and polished. - 4/5, recommend!

There are better albums by MJ. But for people my age, this album was IT when it came out. Everything that this album spawned, from the Weird Al parodies to Moonwalker. I have such conflicted feelings about this artist. But his importance to music is just so massive.

Como era de esperarse, el álbum cuenta con una producción increíble, ninguna de las canciones es mala y Michael brilla por completo con su talento. Siendo este mi primer álbum de su discografía, debo decir que no lo disfruté tanto como lo esperaba, pero me dejó deseoso de explorar su música a mayor profundidad.

Great album, full of great songs. Another one that I wouldn't put on by myself, but wouldn't object if someone else did.

While I personally prefer Thriller or Off the Wall to Bad, it’s still a great album.

🕺

Can't go wrong with MJ

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

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