Bad

iTunes Review

After the unforeseen and unprecedented success of 1982’s Thriller, Michael Jackson had the impossible task of writing and recording the follow-up. Commercially, he couldn’t match the numbers, but artistically 1987’s Bad kept pace, expanding on the sonic challenges of 1979’s Off the Wall and Thriller without losing the radio-ready grooves that made Jackson an international star. The album begins with the playful and funky braggadocio of the title track and the stylishly robotic grind and upbeat thrill of “The Way You Make Me Feel.” Other obvious highlights are littered throughout. “Man in the Mirror,” written by Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett, brought together Jackson’s powerful myth and his strong pop sense, while “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You,’ a power ballad duet with Garrett, has the kind of brainwashing hook expected from the “King of Pop.” But it’s Jackson’s fantasies, as “Speed Demon,” as “Smooth Criminal,” and the mild sexual exploration of “Dirty Diana” that nicely fill out this ambitious, satisfying follow-up. Strip away the hype and expectation and Bad more than delivers as the work of a multi-talented artist in his prime.