Michael Jackson Albums

Lots of people are snatching up Michael Jackson's back catalog. For some, it's a first time exposure, for others (like me), it's filling in gaps. Here's a quick look at the singer's 10 albums (note that I don't own the first four albums, so they are not reviewed, just featured).

Got to Be There (1972)
Jackson's first of his four Motown-era solo albums was perhaps his most successful, giving him several top 10 hits in both the US and the UK. The album isn't particularly innovative--it has several remakes, including of Carole King's "You've Got a Friend," which was only a year old at the time--but it does have some charm. Best: Got to Be There

Ben (1972)
This second album, released the same year, appears to be more of the same--sweet Motown songs, including several remakes ("My Girl," for example). This album is most notable for its one and only single, title track "Ben," which was Jackson's first solo #1 hit. It's probably the most beautiful song you'll ever hear about a rat. Best: Ben

Music & Me (1973)
Jackson's third album had no hits of note, so there's not much I can say about it. What I've heard sounds really slow. The album peaked at #92 in the US.


Forever, Michael (1975)
Michael's fourth album was also not a major hit; however, unlike Music & Me, it did give him a top 40 hit in "Just a Little Bit of You." More notably, another track, the quite lovely "One Day in Your Life," would wind up Jackson's first UK #1 hit 6 years later. His voice very clearly changed with this album. Best: One Day in Your Life

Off the Wall (1979) (4.5/5)
This is where the magic of Jackson's solo career really got going. Leaving Motown for Epic Records, as well as the production skills of Quincy Jones, gave Jackson an enduring set of fresh, energetic disco, funk, R&B and pop, that many consider second only to Thriller. Although the last few tracks are a little weak, there's little not to like about this fun album. Best: Rock with You, She's Out of My Life, Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough, Get on the Floor, Off the Wall

Thriller (1982) (5/5)
What's there to say about Thriller that hasn't already been said? It's probably the most important pop album ever recorded, effortlessly weaving elements of R&B, rock, and dance music together into a perfect pop package. I love how all the upbeat songs have such distinctive synth basslines ("Billie Jean's" bassline has to be the most iconic bassline ever). It was the first album to score 7 top 10 hits. It's the best-selling album of all time. It still holds up and always will. Best: Billie Jean, Beat It, Thriller, Wanna Be Startin' Something, The Girl Is Mine, P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing), Human Nature, Baby Be Mine, The Lady of My Life

Bad (1987) (5/5)
Bad was my first Michael Jackson album, and I loved it to death back in 1987. It holds the record for the most #1 hits from album--five--and manages to pack quite a few other gems as well. The dance pop shines from meticulous production (love that bassline on "The Way You Make Me Feel"), but the ballads are really quite good too, both the do-gooder "Man in the Mirror" and the love duet "I Just Can't Stop Loving You." Best: Man in the Mirror, Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Liberian Girl, Smooth Criminal

Dangerous (1991)(4/5)
This is where Jackson's musical career started to decline, although when you start from such a high peak, this still looks like a massive success: Another major #1 hit ("Black or White"), 7 top 40 hits, etc. Jackson parted ways with Quincy Jones and enlisted Teddy Riley and Bill Bottrell to craft this album in the New Jack Swing vein, the R&B sound popular at the time. As such, Dangerous feels more rooted to its time than his prior two albums. The album's first half suffers from a peculiar sameness to the songs, although there are some good ones there (namely "Remember the Time"). The second half is thankfully more varied. Best: Remember the Time, Black or White, Will You Be There, Who Is It, In the Closet

History (1995) (4/5)
History is a messy album, but I actually rather liked most of it. It's edgier than Dangerous, although it has its treacly moments too. But when it's on point it works well, such as the upbeat duet with sister Janet on "Scream" or paranoia-fueled tracks like "They Don't Care About Us" and "Stranger in Moscow," which is a particularly nice ballad. Credit R. Kelly for producing the album's best moment, the ballad "You Are Not Alone." Best: You Are Not Alone, Stranger in Moscow, Scream, They Don't Care About Us, This Time Around, History

Invincible (2001) (2.5/5)
It's a shame that Michael Jackson's final album was a disappointment. The songs are largely uninteresting, and it doesn't help that the first three are sound like they were cut from the same tuneless beat-driven R&B cloth popular at the time. A couple of good songs come in the middle--the lead single "You Rock My World" and unusual ballad "Butterflies--before the album becomes schmaltzy with the usual songs about changing the world and children. Best: You Rock My World, Butterflies, Whatever Happens