favorite Michael Jackson album?

seth · **Posted:** 18 Sep 2009 22:43

i am only including Off the Wall and on because prior to that Jackson's own compositions were not on the albums, and that is arguably the first "definitive" Michael Jackson album.

anyway, vote for your favorite, share your thoughts, and SHAMOONNEE

Off the Wall - 1979

Wikipedia wrote:

Off the Wall is the fifth studio album by the American pop musician Michael Jackson, released August 10, 1979 on Epic Records, after Jackson's critically well received film performance in The Wiz. While working on that project, Jackson and Quincy Jones had become friends, and Jones agreed to work with Jackson on his next studio album. Recording sessions took place between December 1978 and June 1979 at Allen Zentz Recording, Westlake Recording Studios, and Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles, California. Jackson collaborated with a number of other writers and performers such as Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder and Rod Temperton. Jackson wrote several of the songs himself, including the lead single, "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough".

the first of 3 MJ albums to be produced by Quincy Jones, and thus is incredibly polished, has a clear direction, and is fairly short, made up of only the best tracks.

this is a great one, and many call it the superior work to Thriller. im not one of them, but i can see where they're coming from. nothing to dislike here, unless disco and funk pop just totally puts you off (which it shouldn't).

favorite tracks: Don't Stop, Off the Wall, It's the Falling in Love

Thriller - 1982

Wikipedia wrote:

Thriller is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Michael Jackson. The album was released on November 30, 1982 by Epic Records as the follow-up to Jackson's critically and commercially successful 1979 album Off the Wall. Thriller explores similar genres to those of Off the Wall, including funk, disco, soul, R&B, and pop. Thriller's lyrics deal with themes including paranoia and the supernatural.

With a production budget of $750,000, recording sessions took place between April and November 1982 at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California. Assisted by producer Quincy Jones, Jackson wrote four of Thriller's nine tracks. Following the release of the album's first single "The Girl Is Mine", some observers assumed Thriller would only be a minor hit record. With the release of the second single "Billie Jean", the album topped the charts in many countries. At its peak, the album was selling a million copies a week worldwide. In just over a year, Thriller became—and currently remains—the best-selling album of all time.

so yeah, Thriller. what to say? the best selling album of all-time. i'm not one to care about or even read sales, but that's a preceding reputation if i ever heard one. Thriller of course does indeed live up to its hype, but more importantly to its name; if you've never heard the whole thing through, please do so. it is an experience

Quincy Jones continues his masterful production and Michael contributes more of his growing songwriting talents. i absolutely love Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' and can trust its thumping bass anytime to get me moving (come to think of it, Jackson always has awesome openers). the closing track The Lady In My Life is an appropriate ballad, that at first seems conventional and cliche, but have a close listen to the lyrics. throw in a duet with Paul McCartney, and of course the practically career defining mega-hits (Beat It, Billie Jean, the title track), and there's no reason to question the album's success and praise.

favorite tracks: Wanna Be Startin' Somethin, Baby Be Mine, Billie Jean, P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)

Bad - 1987

Wikipedia wrote:

Bad is the seventh studio album by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was released on August 31, 1987 by Epic/CBS Records, nearly five years after his previous studio album, Thriller, which went on to become the world's best-selling album ever. Bad itself went on to sell over 30 million copies worldwide, and shipped eight million units in the United States alone. It is the first, and currently only, album ever to feature five Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles.

This album saw Jackson have even more freedom over his album than he did with the two previous albums, Off the Wall and the world's best selling album of all time, Thriller, as he wrote and composed 9 of the album's 11 tracks, and produced another, "Man in the Mirror". The album, which saw the squeaky-clean pop idol adopt a street-tough image, continued Jackson's commercial success in the late '80s and won two Grammys, one for Best Music Video - Short Form for Leave Me Alone, and one for Best Engineered Album - Non Classical.

this one is growing on me. a lot. the music video for "Bad" put me off for a long time; i just dont like a 20 minute music video with only 8 minutes of music, even if it is directed by Martin Scorsese. but lately i've been relistening and... damn! not only is Bad an amazing opening track with one badass keyboard solo, but the whole album ranks up there with Off the Wall and Thriller in terms of cohesiveness and consistency. thank you again, Mr. Jones.

i still find the whole thing a bit derivative of Thriller (this time the duet is with Stevie Wonder, and it's the least unique sound-wise), but coming off such a huge success you can't really blame them.

but don't let the as always infectious and danceable beats fool you, this record is aptly named. that isn't to question its quality, either. Bad is stalkerish, obsessive, murderous, paranoid - Bad is about the street. it introduced a darker and even unnerving side of Jackson, delving into previously unforeseen depths of his psyche. once i spend some more time with it, i can see it carving out a place as one of his best

favorites: Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Smooth Criminal

Dangerous - 1991

Wikipedia wrote:

Dangerous is the eighth studio album by Michael Jackson, released on November 26, 1991. It became his second to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart, where it spent the next four consecutive weeks. In the space of 17 years, media sources state the record has sold as much as 32 million copies worldwide, with 7 million certified shipments in the United States alone, making it a faster selling album than his previous record Bad. The album won one Grammy for Best Engineered Album - Non Classical won by Bruce Swedien & Teddy Riley and is the most successful New Jack Swing album of all time. Dangerous was the first album ever to spawn eight consecutive UK Top 20 hits. "Dangerous" is Michael Jackson's second best-selling album (the first being Thriller).

HIStory - 1995

Wikipedia wrote:

HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (usually shortened to HIStory) is a double album by Michael Jackson, released on June 16, 1995. The first disc is his first hits collection, whereas the second is his studio album. HIStory is the best-selling multiple disc album ever, with worldwide sales of over 20 million (40 million in terms of units). The album won one Grammy for Best Music Video — Short Form for "Scream." The greatest hits disc was reissued on November 13, 2001 under the name Greatest Hits: HIStory, Volume I.

Invincible - 2001

Wikipedia wrote:

Invincible is the final studio album by American recording artist Michael Jackson released in his lifetime. The album was released by Epic Records on October 30, 2001, six years after Jackson's 1995 double disc studio album HIStory. The album art, an image of Jackson's face, was available in five different colors - red, green, orange, blue and silver. Copies of the album with the red, green, orange and blue cover art have since been discontinued. To date, Invincible has sold over 13 million copies worldwide.

The album was the first release of Jackson's to feature all new tracks since Dangerous was released in 1991.[3] In addition to production being handled by contemporary artists such as Rodney Jerkins, R. Kelly and former Jodeci member DeVante Swing, Hip Hop producer Dr. Dre was asked to produce, but declined.

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