Michael Jackson died a tragic death in a number of ways. Firstly, prior to his death, he'd become a recluse, accused of molesting children and being perceived as a freak, a stark contrast to his Thriller days. Secondly, after his death people were suddenly reminded of how great and how talented an entertainer he was, and sadly, it took his death for this irrefutable fact to come to light once again. The man is a genius, and anyone who says they can surpass him as an entertainer is either lying, or in need of a shrink or a firing squad. An estimated 100M+ sales of Thriller to date is clearly testament to this.
My first exposure to MJ came in the form of a song called Bad. I was five years old, it was 1987 and it was the best thing I ever heard. And it was another 8 frustrating years until I finally got my grubby paws on the album. It was my very first CD, and owning a copy of this fantastic album was, for me about as liberating as a hooker offering half-price specials to fat, bespectacled nerds at a Star Trek convention. It had consistency, melody and that superstar aura to it that made it stand out like facial hair on some street-trawling harlot from Budapest with more kids than teeth and halitosis that'll set off a geiger counter. And it sounds like pop, unlike it's predecessors, which were more disco, funk, and R&B orientated. And despite being taken down a peg by most critics, I still regard this album as a cracker of a record. A-