Just nine months after its release in 1987, five tracks from the album Bad — “Man in the Mirror,” “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You,” “The Way You Make Me Feel,” “Bad,” and “Dirty Diana” — dominated the Billboard Hot 100, collectively holding their spots at number one for an astonishing seven weeks. A new world record that has yet to be beaten in popularity and influence.
It was not only the songs that contributed to the success of this album – short films such as Smooth Criminal have become the definition of “iconic,” with patented moves such as the anti-gravity lean. Not to mention, Jackson poured meticulous attention into every detail of his Bad Tour.
John Branca, Jackson’s lawyer and co-executor of his estate, recalls, “I remember that conversation with Michael where I tried to take the pressure off of him and he said no, he put the pressure right back on his shoulders. I just remember how driven he was. I think he had a great time on the Bad tour. When you see that footage, you can see that he’s having a really good time. He stepped out on his own; he was completely in control. I think it was a great time in Michael’s life.”
Michael Jackson performing during his infamous Bad tour (September 12 1987 to January 27 1989). Photo and caption courtesy of Eliza Agredano.
I had the unique opportunity to speak to Chris Molanphy, a music critic for the Billboard Hot 100. When asked about the legacy of Michael Jackson, he immediately pointed to Bad’s groundbreaking fusion of cultural influences – an unprecedented achievement, especially for its time. He was quick to highlight the prestige of the album in the music industry, widely recognized as the first album to seamlessly blend music styles from around the globe.
Take “Liberian Girl,” he explained, “there’s an obvious Latin influence to that. The track “Another Part of Me” brings a unique African influence. Every track has an influence of its own, and that’s what makes the album so special.”
What many do not realize is that Jackson’s creative influence extended far beyond just performing. He was deeply involved in every aspect of his work, from choreographing his performances and music videos (or “short films,” as he preferred to call them) to writing his own songs, creating melodies, and co-producing his albums. In fact, nine of the eleven songs on Bad were written by Jackson himself.
Despite his immense talent, Jackson always remained humble about his process. In an interview with Ebony Jet, a Black media mogul, shortly after the album’s release, he explains, “No one can quite say what the creative process is. Because I have nothing to do with it, it’s created in space. It’s God’s work, not mine.”
Bad became a massive commercial success, firmly stationed as the fifth greatest-selling album of all time – just a few spots behind Thriller.
A small portion of the graph is made by Infographic. The numbers on the left indicate the amount of sales in millions. Photo and caption courtesy of Eliza Agredano.
“I feel rejuvenated,” Jackson said, reflecting on the album’s completion. “Because, after working on it so long, it’s so much work. A lot of people, they’re used to just seeing the outcome of the work, they never see the side of the work you go through to produce [it]. It’s a jubilation, really. […] Like a celebration, like ‘We’re done!’”
If there is one word used most frequently by his colleagues to describe him, it is undoubtedly perfectionist. For each album, Jackson wrote and recorded at least one hundred songs, only to choose ten or eleven for the final cut.
Demos like “Price of Fame” and “Fly Away” have been posthumously released by the Michael Jackson estate as part of the 25th anniversary celebration of Bad in 2012, titled Bad 25. These songs offer a rare insight into unreleased tracks that Jackson had created and considered for the album. These anniversary editions are particularly famous among fans and have become a way to keep his music and legacy alive despite his unexpected passing in 2009 due to involuntary manslaughter at the hands of his personal physician.
Even today, decades after its release, Bad continues to be a cornerstone of pop culture, celebrated by fans old and new. Michael Jackson’s Bad was more than just an album — it was a revolutionary moment in music history, brought to life through an unparalleled attention to detail and a masterful blend of diverse cultural influences. And with every beat, every move, and every note, it continues to leave a mark that simply can’t be beat.
Sources:
- https://entertainment.time.com/2012/08/29/michael-jackson-bad/slide/the-legacy-of-bad
- https://youtu.be/9hARxBrSsa8
- https://www.azquotes.com/author/7272-Michael_Jackson/tag/perfection
- https://wallpapercave.com/wp/wp2989911.jpg
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