Classic Albums- Bad: Michael Jackson

Happy Monday Musicheads!

What were you doing in September ’87?

Well I, for one, was still counting blocks in preschool- but nonetheless, always kept my finger on the pulse in terms of good music.

That being said, I knew I just HAD to own Michael Jackson’s Bad, when it dropped that month. From the time I heard the first single (I Just Can’t Stop Loving You) on the radio, I begged and pleaded with my grandma to buy me the album. Most 4 year olds are perfectly satisfied with toys and candy; for me, it was always all about cassette tapes.

It’s interesting to note that when we talk about some of the most influential albums ever made, Bad is never really mentioned in the conversation. You’ll always hear Thriller come up in conversation (and rightfully so); but we can’t forget the huge monumental success that was Bad. In no way, shape, or form, should it have ever been compared to Thriller, especially seeing as though it sounded absolutely NOTHING like its predecessor. It was a stand- alone album in its own right, and should have been judged on its own merit. Bad possessed a whole different vibe from Thriller, and was groundbreaking in terms of its musical impact. Need further proof? Well allow me to present Exhibit A:

Exhibit A: The album had 11 songs. 9 of which were singles. 5 of which hit Number One. Seven in the Top 20

What?? How in the world is that even possible? The majority of the whole album consisted of hit singles! There were only 2 songs that weren’t official singles, Speed Demon and Just Good Friends (a duet with Stevie Wonder). Let’s put this in proper perspective: By today’s standards, artists typically release 15-20 songs per album. Out of that, most are downright LUCKY if they can have 1 song make it to Number One. In fact, there are a lot of artists that can’t make Five Number One singles in a whole career, nonetheless a whole album.

This is exactly why artists back in the day took 3-4 years between albums. The focused on “Quality”over “Quantity.” Would you believe that of the 11 tracks that made up the Bad album, there were 21 more that DIDN’T even make the cut? Do artists even go through the quality control process nowadays? Is that even a thing anymore? But more on that another time….                               

Exhibit B: Speed Demon and Liberian Girl were considered “Filler” Tracks

Ok so for those reading this that may be too young to remember what this term means, don’t worry, I got you covered….On a cassette tape, you only had a certain amount of time to work within, so artists/producers used to position the hit songs in certain places on the album, and put the “un-hit” worthy songs in the middle to fill up space- Hence, the term “Filler” songs. Speed Demon, could have, and by all rights, should have been a single. I always liked it better than the title track & The Way You Make Me Feel (both of which also preceded it on the album). It was just funkier and had more of an undeniable groove to it. Whenever I hear it, I feel like getting on my imaginary motorcycle and speeding down the highway. Then again, I guess the song sequence from Moonwalker had some effect on that too.

And Liberian Girl….Whew! By far, one of the most underrated adult solo MJ songs that ever existed. I always thought of it as his “Lady in My Life” of that era. Listen to that melodic line, those chord changes, the harmonies at the end. The emotional depth and perfection of his voice, just makes it better on each listen. Not to mention, for all the flack that Mike caught about his skin being lighter (especially at that time), he wrote a song about the beauty of an African girl! Folks weren’t writing stuff like that back then...

Exhibit C: This album alone cemented Mike’s status as The King of Pop

Off The Wall celebrated Mike’s arrival as a bonafide solo star, and an undeniable force in his own right. Thriller made him a household name. Bad, on the other hand, secured GOAT status. Don’t believe me? Go back and look at footage of the Bad Tour……Just go ahead, I Dare you! Have you ever seen what an MJ Concert looked like back in the day?? They were what the young kids would now affectionately call, “LIT!” A sea of people all screaming and freaking out at the same damn time; Big, burly, fully grown men crying and fainting at concerts! There were folks who couldn’t speak a lick of English, but could sing Every. Single. Word to a Michael Jackson song; and IN ENGLISH! How Sway?

It was truly a sight to behold…

Exhibit D: At one point in time, Bad was the 2nd greatest selling album of all time.

Yes children, you heard me correctly. At one point in time, ONE ARTIST occupied both the Number One and Number Two spot for best-selling album of ALL-TIME!

GOAT argument- not contested!

Let’s put this a bit further in perspective. By 1991, when MJ was already releasing Dangerous…..the album that preceded it only 4 years earlier, was already the 2nd best selling album of all time…while the album before that, only 8 years earlier, held the top spot. In case you were wondering, that’s never been done by anyone else, ever before in this HISTORY of Recorded Music!

To date, Bad has sold roughly 35 million copies worldwide. Do you know how many ppl would KILL to sell 35 million units of something? Anything? Do you know how many artists have never went through 35 million units in whole careers, let alone in one album? And to think, Michael considered this album a “disappointment” by his standards.

Exhibit E: This album explored the depths of Michael’s songwriting abilities

First of all, let’s examine the landscape of Popular Music in the late 80’s. On the R&B tip, you had artists like Luther Vandross, Anita Baker, and Whitney Houston. On the Pop front, you had Duran Duran, Madonna, and Tiffany. Under the Rock Category you had Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, and Bruce Springsteen.

Bad never properly fit into any of those molds.

Why? Because Michael wrote 9 out of 11 tracks off the album. Those were songs that came from his head, and in turn, masterfully produced by Quincy Jones himself. The result didn’t sound like anything else on radio at the time. Listening to it even back then, you got the sense that this was the sonic direction that music was heading in. This album was much more synth heavy and hard rock driven to reflect the sound of the late 80’s; but also innovative and refreshing at the same time. It showcased the genres of R&B, Pop, and Rock, and flowed effortlessly between them from one track to the next. The result became one of the decades most polished efforts.

Exhibit F: Smooth Criminal

 That. Is. All.

I mean, do we really need to go any further?

I think that when certain songs/albums are in heavy rotation, we tend to depreciate the value of them cause we hear them soooo much (The Bodyguard, anyone?). Some albums only get their just due only in retrospective. It’s only when we take a step back and let some time pass, that we really take into consideration their impact on the musical landscape of the day. You’ve gotta remember, Bad was the greatly anticipated follow-up album to the Best-Selling album of all time- so needless to say, the hype was very definitely REAL!

What are your thoughts on MJ’s BAD album. Sound off in the comments, or join the discussion on our Facebook or Twitter pages….