Rating:
Genre: R&B
Release Date: 10/16/2001

The downside to a success like Thriller is that it's nearly impossible to follow, but Michael Jackson approached Bad much the same way he approached Thriller -- take the basic formula of the predecessor, expand it slightly, and move it outward. This meant that he moved deeper into hard rock, deeper into schmaltzy adult contemporary, deeper into hard dance -- essentially taking each portion of Thriller to an extreme, while increasing the quotient of immaculate studiocraft. He wound up with a sleeker, slicker Thriller, which isn't a bad thing, but it's not a rousing success, either. For one thing, the material just isn't as good. Look at the singles: only three can stand alongside album tracks from its predecessor ("Bad," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "I Just Can't Stop Loving You"), another is simply OK ("Smooth Criminal"), with the other two showcasing Jackson at his worst (the saccharine "Man in the Mirror," the misogynistic "Dirty Diana"). Then, there are the album tracks themselves, something that virtually didn't exist on Thriller but bog down Bad not just because they're bad, but because they reveal that Jackson's state of the art is not hip. And they constitute a near-fatal dead spot on the record -- songs three through six, from "Speed Demon" to "Another Part of Me," a sequence that's utterly faceless, lacking memorable hooks and melodies, even when Stevie Wonder steps in for "Just Good Friends," relying on nothing but studiocraft. Part of the joy of Off the Wall and Thriller was that craft was enhanced with tremendous songs, performances, and fresh, vivacious beats. For this dreadful stretch, everything is mechanical, and while the album rebounds with songs that prove mechanical can be tolerable if delivered with hooks and panache, it still makes Bad feel like an artifact of its time instead a piece of music that transcends it. And if that wasn't evident proof that Jackson was losing touch, consider this -- the best song on the album is "Leave Me Alone" (why are all of his best songs paranoid anthems?), a tune tacked on to the end of the CD and never released as a single, apart from a weirdly claustrophobic video that, not coincidentally, was the best video from the album. [The 2001 reissue adds three songs that had never been released in America ("Streetwalker," "Todo Mi Amore Eres Tu," and "Fly Away,") interviews with producer Quincy Jones, and a new booklet]

~Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

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Sandra Crouch - Vocals (Background)
Sandra Crouch - Choir, Chorus
Sandra Crouch - Guest Appearance
Siedah Garrett - Vocals
Siedah Garrett - Vocals (Background)
Siedah Garrett - Duet
Siedah Garrett - Guest Appearance
Michael Jackson - Percussion
Michael Jackson - Vocals
Michael Jackson - Vocals (Background)
Michael Jackson - Claves
Michael Jackson - Producer
Michael Jackson - Main Performer
Michael Jackson - Finger Snaps
Michael Jackson - Vocal Arrangement
Michael Jackson - Rhythm Arrangements
Michael Jackson - Synthesizer Arrangements
Steve Stevens - Guitar
Steve Stevens - Soloist
Quincy Jones - Producer
Quincy Jones - Vocal Arrangement
Quincy Jones - Rhythm Arrangements
Quincy Jones - Synthesizer Arrangements
Rose Banks - Vocals (Background)
Rose Banks - Choir, Chorus
Rose Banks - Guest Appearance
Letta Mbulu - Chant
Ron Winans - Vocals (Background)
Maxi Anderson - Vocals (Background)
Maxi Anderson - Choir, Chorus
Maxi Anderson - Guest Appearance
Andraé Crouch - Vocals (Background)
Andraé Crouch - Choir, Chorus
Andraé Crouch - Vocal Arrangement
Andraé Crouch - Choir Director
Andraé Crouch - Guest Appearance
Glen Ballard - Synthesizer
Glen Ballard - Rhythm Arrangements
Glen Ballard - Synthesizer Arrangements
John Barnes - Synthesizer
John Barnes - Piano
John Barnes - Vocal Arrangement
John Barnes - String Arrangements
John Barnes - Rhythm Arrangements
John Barnes - Synthesizer Arrangements
Michael Boddicker - Synthesizer
Bill Bottrell - Guitar
Bill Bottrell - Drums
Bill Bottrell - Engineer
Miko Brando - Drums
Terry Britten - Vocal Arrangement
Terry Britten - Rhythm Arrangements
Terry Britten - Synthesizer Arrangements
Ollie E. Brown - Percussion
Ollie E. Brown - Drums
Ollie E. Brown - Clapping
Dan Burns - Technical Support
Ken Caillat - Engineer
Leon "Ndugu" Chancler - Drums
David Coleman - Art Direction
David Coleman - Design
David Daoud Coleman - Art Direction
David Daoud Coleman - Design
Mary Coller - Assistant
Paulinho Da Costa - Percussion
Christopher Currell - Guitar
Christopher Currell - Keyboards
Christopher Currell - Synclavier
Christopher Currell - Rubboard
Christopher Currell - Finger Snaps
Christopher Currell - Rhythm Arrangements
Christopher Currell - Finger Snapping
Christopher Currell - Effects
Nathan East - Bass
Voncielle Faggett - Vocals (Background)
Voncielle Faggett - Choir, Chorus
Voncielle Faggett - Guest Appearance
Geary Faggett - Vocals (Background)
Geary Faggett - Choir, Chorus
Geary Faggett - Guest Appearance
Matt Forger - Engineer
Eric Gale - Guitar
Joe Gastwirt - Preparation
Humberto Gatica - Drums
Humberto Gatica - Engineer
Andrew Gouche - Vocals (Background)
Andrew Gouche - Choir, Chorus
Andrew Gouche - Guest Appearance
Gary Grant - Trumpet
Linda "Peaches" Green - Vocals (Background)
Linda "Peaches" Green - Choir, Chorus
Linda "Peaches" Green - Guest Appearance
Bernie Grundman - Mastering
Bernie Grundman - Remastering
Bernie Grundman - Original Mastering
Jerry Hey - Trumpet
Jerry Hey - Horn Arrangements
Jerry Hey - Rhythm Arrangements
Jerry Hey - Synthesizer Arrangements
Francine Howard - Vocals (Background)
Francine Howard - Choir, Chorus
Francine Howard - Guest Appearance
Dann Huff - Guitar
Kim Hutchcroft - Saxophone
Paul Jackson, Jr. - Guitar
Jean Johnson - Vocals (Background)
Jean Johnson - Choir, Chorus
Jean Johnson - Guest Appearance
Randy Kerber - Synthesizer
Michael Landau - Guitar
Rhett Lawrence - Synthesizer
Graham Lyle - Vocal Arrangement
Graham Lyle - Rhythm Arrangements
Graham Lyle - Synthesizer Arrangements
Kevin Maloney - Muted Piano
Brian Malouf - Engineer
Richard Markowitz - Technical Support
Cornelius Mims - Drum Programming
Perry Morgan - Vocals (Background)
Perry Morgan - Choir, Chorus
Perry Morgan - Guest Appearance
Gary Olazabal - Engineer
David Paich - Synthesizer
David Paich - Synthesizer Arrangements
Eric Persing - Synthesizer Programming
Greg Phillinganes - Synthesizer
Greg Phillinganes - Keyboards
Greg Phillinganes - Soloist
Steve Porcaro - Synthesizer Programming
John "J.R." Robinson - Drums
Michel Rubini - Effects
Caiphus Semenya - Arranger
Alfie Silas - Vocals (Background)
Bruce Swedien - Drums
Bruce Swedien - Engineer
Bruce Swedien - Executive Producer
Bruce Swedien - Compilation
Bruce Swedien - Mixing
Bruce Swedien - Announcer
Randy Waldman - Synthesizer
Larry Williams - Saxophone
Larry Williams - Drum Programming
Larry Williams - MIDI Sax
Larry Williams - Synthesizer Programming
Carvin Winans - Vocals (Background)
Carvin Winans - Guest Appearance
Marvin Winans - Vocals (Background)
Marvin Winans - Guest Appearance
Michael Winans - Vocals (Background)
Michael Winans - Guest Appearance
Stevie Wonder - Synthesizer
Stevie Wonder - Vocals
Casey Young - Synclavier
Casey Young - Synthesizer Programming
Laura Livingston - Assistant Engineer
Jolie Jones Levine - Production Coordination
Jolie Jones Levine - Contractor
Andy Engel - Slipcover Concept
Tony Lane - Art Direction
Nancy Donald - Art Direction
Greg Gorman - Cover Photo
Greg Loskorn - Technical Support
Harrison Funk - Photography
Claudio Ordenes - Engineer
Claudio Ordenes - Assistant Engineer
Sam Emerson - Photography
Debbie Johnson - Assistant Engineer
Matthew Rolston - Photography
Monster X - Design
Stuart Brawley - Editing
Brad Sundberg - Assistant Engineer
David E. Williams - Guitar
John "4 Daddman" Robinson - Drums
Larry Stessel - Production Director
Andraé Crouch Choir - Guest Appearance
Trond Braaten - Technical Support
Karen Faye - Make-Up
Seth Riggs - Vocal Consultant
Glenn Phoenix - Technical Support
Craig Hella Johnson - Engineer
Craig Hella Johnson - Technical Director
Michael Thomas Jackson - Percussion
Michael Thomas Jackson - Vocals
Michael Thomas Jackson - Vocals (Background)
Michael Thomas Jackson - Producer
Michael Thomas Jackson - Clapping
Michael Thomas Jackson - Executive Producer
Michael Thomas Jackson - Vocal Arrangement
Michael Thomas Jackson - Rhythm Arrangements
Michael Thomas Jackson - Synthesizer Arrangements
Michael Thomas Jackson - Soloist
Michael Thomas Jackson - Finger Snapping
Michael Thomas Jackson - Duet
Jimmy Allen Smith - Organ (Hammond)
Jimmy Allen Smith - Soloist
Larry Andrew Williams - Synthesizer
Larry Andrew Williams - Saxophone
Larry Andrew Williams - Drum Programming
Larry Andrew Williams - Synthesizer Programming
Arthur Noxon - Technical Support
Mats Holm - Technical Support

Whitney
    Whitney Houston / CD / 1987
Faith
    George Michael / CD / 1987

Release Date: 10/16/2001
Genre: r&b