Who's Bad?

Believe it or not, there was a time when popular music wasn't solely samples and remakes of old hits. There were artists that composed their own unsampled tracks and wrote lyrics that reflected something happening in their lives. Yes, even pop music consisted of a certain level of depth, but even more so unbelievable, was the immense versatility required to entertain music listeners of the time. Most musicians weren't just singers; they were songwriters, lyricists, dancers, and choreographers. Amidst the sea of talented pop artists, there was one person that stood out to the rest of the world, his name: Michael Jackson.

You'd probably be hard-pressed to find someone in the world that is unfamiliar with at least one Michael Jackson hit; conversely, you'd probably be ostracized by your friends for mentioning a suspected pedophile that dangled a baby from a hotel balcony. Alas, the man notorious for unleashing an assortment of gasps, grunts, squeaks, and squeals across airwaves years ago has been crowned the King of Pop, and rightly so. He began to build his kingdom from the early age of eleven with the Jackson 5's number one single, I Want You Back, which featured a distinguished staccato bass line beneath the innocent voice of a boy soprano pleading for another chance with the love of his life. From here, Jackson began to develop an image for himself that became the face of Motown and iconic of the perfect entertainer.

Fast forward ten years and Jackson has released the album, Off the Wall, which found itself in the hands of over 15 million listeners worldwide and consisted of two number one singles, Don't Stop Til You Get Enough (and the kaleidoscope background) and Rock With You. Having teamed up with award-winning producer and composer Quincy Jones, Off the Wall excited listeners across the nation and sparked a creativity for the duo to create the world's best selling album only three years later, Thriller. From the epic moonwalking at the first live performance of Billie Jean, to the signature badass driving-rock sounds of Beat It featuring Eddie Van Halen, to the intricate choreography in the mini feature-length music video for Thriller, the album became, and continues to be, the most influential album of all time. The release of Thriller was the musical equivalent of dropping an atomic bomb on the world, with only nine tracks leaving an impression in music history for years to come. Last year, it celebrated its 25 year anniversary since its initial release shortly before being inducted to the Grammy Hall of Fame, and it is not uncommon to continue to see its music sampled by artists today. Pop music artists today continue to cite the album as a huge influence on their performance style and writing.

Creating an album to follow up a milestone in music history was a feat that only the King of Pop could achieve. Although Thriller had seven top ten hit singles with two being number ones, in 1987, Jackson released Bad, the only album in the world to date having five number one singles. The album consisted of songs ranging from hit ballads such as "Man in the Mirror" and "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" to dance favorites like "The Way You Make Me Feel" and the frequently covered "Smooth Criminal" which showed his versatility as a singer. The album's title song "Bad" was a brilliantly funk-inspired track, with the blare of trumpets heralding its beginning and the 16 minute full length music video guest starring Wesley Snipes as the hoodlum that's apparently not as "bad" as MJ.

In the early 90s, a new genre of grunge alternative rock music began to take hold of America with bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam leading the movement. Even with the culture's change in musical taste, Jackson's album Dangerous released, with "Black or White" immediately jumping to the top of the charts. This upbeat track featured a distinct electric guitar riff that complemented its in-your-face anti-racism message. It was also one of a few that he composed over the years that had intended to serve a humanitarian purpose (see also: We Are the World, co-composed with Lionel Richie, and What More Can I Give, written for the victims of 9/11).

After a ten year hiatus in original music composition due to overindulging in court appearances for multiple hearings for suspected molestation, divorcing, marrying, and divorcing again, Jackson released Invincible, his last album containing entirely new material. Many of the songs on this album were nostalgic of his old sound, although nowhere near as fresh and original as the ultimate entertainer that the world knew from a decade before. Regardless, Michael Jackson remains a living legend in the eyes of many, his solo career marked with one Grammy and Billboard number one hit for each square kilometer of his recently foreclosed California home at Neverland Ranch (that's thirteen total).

Despite his extraordinary efforts and achievements in the music industry, Jackson has also been a magnet for negative media attention. Is he deserving of it? Not necessarily. Although he did purchase ATV Publishing, the company that controls all copyrights belonging to John Lennon/Paul McCartney compositions, and named his son and daughter, respectively, Prince Michael Jackson and Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, he's not all that bad of a guy. Almost reminiscent of a recent case regarding R. Kelly, in 1993, the news was flooded with rumors from the courtroom as Jackson fought a suspected molestation case against a thirteen year old boy that frequented Neverland Ranch. However, unlike the non-child porn possessing Pied Piper, Jackson's lawyers settled with the boy's family outside of court for a mere $15 million, which was no admission of guilt by any means. And his not-so-natural skin color? He obviously has vitiligo, a chronic condition where your body begins to kill the pigment-forming skin cells forming light-colored blotchy patches on the skin. So it doesn't completely explain his almost-white skin color, but if you had tons of money, you'd probably get a chemical skin treatment to cover the fact that you had a chronic skin condition... right?

Alright alright, so the fact of the matter is that unfortunately you might still get made fun of by your friends for liking Michael Jackson. But rest assured, in another twenty years you'll still be able to claw the air like a zombie when Thriller comes on and everyone will understand why.

RIP Michael Jackson (1958-2009)