Bad 25th Anniversary

the take

Michael Jackson's "Thriller" was so huge that it's impossible for him to top it. But you gotta give him credit for even trying and ended up coming close. (I mean, as a fellow Virgo and a perfectionist, I can definitely understand/sympathize with him.) "Bad" is one of those albums where Michael Jackson tried to make a slightly-edgier version of "Thriller" due to the shifing musical landscape at the time. In hindsight, it kind of comes off as cringe but also amusing to see Michael's execution in doing so. Even still, the end result is an album that while it has some flaws, it's still an incredible record. Save for the disappointing "Just Good Friends" with fellow legend Stevie Wonder (I still can't find myself to even try to like the song too much), Quincy Jones provided amazing varying production throughout, from "edgy" R&B records to ballads to rock-infused tracks. It's incredible how out of eleven tracks, I believe nine of them were released as singles overall. While "Smooth Criminal" is my personal favorite song not only from this album, but from the King of Pop of all-time, it's hard to deny how infectious the whole album was and still is, even nearly 40 years after its initial release. Sure, it's no "Thriller", but what album is? On the flipside, it's better than "Off the Wall". As for the bonus tracks that appeared on the 25th anniversary remastered release, I enjoyed the extra bonus tracks that Michael recorded in the time between "Thriller" and "Bad". Those tracks either gave off a slight post-"Thriller" vibe or a pre-"Dangerous" era sound, sonically speaking. I can see why these songs were left off the final album release, but damn, imagine if "Price of Fame" made the final cut. And the remixes? Yeah, pointless as hell and aren't really worth listening to.