Michael Jackson - "Bad"

The king takes shape and claims his throne. "Thriller" was an extremely hard act to follow and Jackson did much better than most superstars do when they release follow ups to their classic albums. "Bad" broke countless records across the world, including being the first album EVER to rank 5 consecutive #1 singles, and is one of the best selling albums of all time.

This is where Jackson solidified his King of Pop persona, gone were the single glove and sequined jackets and in their place came a black biker style jacket. Also making its debut was the blank white undershirt and the open long sleeve collared shirt (usually blue) that allowed him to stand in front of wind machines and look very cool. He also grew his hair out and tied it in a pony tail and his skin got lighter. The "shomon" was introduced on this album and became a staple of Jackson's performance. This is also the last time he worked with super producer Quincy Jones.

"Bad" is really a harder edged version of "Thriller." Taking the hard rock stance and gritted teeth performance of "Beat It" and infusing it into, "Smooth Criminal," "Speed Demon," "Dirty Diana" and the title track. "Man in the Mirror" is this albums "Human Nature." "Leave me Alone," an autobiographical song, is akin to "Billie Jean." "Just Can't Stop Loving you" is something of a mix of "Baby Be Mine" and "P.Y.T." Basically Jackson took elements of "Thriller" and pumped them up to their breaking points.

While there is some filler on this album (whereas "Thriller" had none), "Liberian Girl," "Another Part of Me" and the Stevie Wonder duet "Just good Friends," it is expertly made filler that makes these three lesser songs seem better than they actually are.

Is this album as good as "Thriller" no it is not, but it is as close and Jackson could have got and by and large he succeeded in creating a master follow up to his master work album. "Bad" is definitely worthy of a King.

Michael Jackson - "Thriller"

The biggest selling album of all time, selling hundreds of millions of copies and still climbing. There was a time that I would listen to this album all the way through at least once a week.

There has been so much said and praised about Michael Jackson's "Thriller" that one wonders if it can really be as good as everyone says. In short it is as good as any great album ever released.

Jackson had had a giant hit with his previous album "Off the Wall" but nothing could prepare anyone for the hit the size of the known universe he had with "Thriller." Seven of the albums nine tracks became charting hits and there is something for everyone on this album. Taking the basic structure of "Off the Wall," Jackson expands the sounds to include Dance, Rock, Funk, Pop, Ballads and Soul into one flawless whole. Even the guest appearances by Paul McCartney (on the Wings style schmaltz pop of "The Girl is Mine") and Eddie Van Halen (the searing guitar that pulses through "Beat It") fit firmly into the overall arch of the album.

Listing the great tracks is pointless because literally every songs is a winner and offers something different to the pallet that is "Thriller." While some of the albums success can be attributed to the expert music videos that Jackson made at the time and aired on the, at the time, incredibly popular MTV channel; the album could stand on its own. Jackson has created the perfect pop album and many try to imitate it to this day.

For better or worse this also marked the beginning of the King of Pop. This album market the end of the day-glo tuxedo, big afro hairdo and began the one gloved, fedora wearing, sequined outfit that marked the  newly crowned king of pop. This is a great album, that some how never sounds dated, and in a word is a thrill to listen to.