Art Collective: "Bad 25": A Review

"Bad 25" Album Cover

25 years ago on August 31, 1987 Michael Jackson released his third solo album (not including his solo work with Motown), "Bad". At the time of its release, "Bad" was not received as well as his previous album, "Thriller". However, it still managed to sell an impressive 30 million copies worldwide.¹ Additionally, "Bad" was the first album in music history with five consecutive number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart ("I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man In The Mirror" and "Dirty Diana"). It also debuted number one on the Billboard 200, and remained within the top ten for 38 weeks.² The King of Pop moved into an edgier direction musically with "Bad", which proved how versatile Michael Jackson was and is as an artist.

The iconic lean from "Smooth Criminal"

The short films for the album, such as "Smooth Criminal" and "Bad" were equally as impressive and memorable as the album itself. These films not only showcased Michael Jackson's talent as a singer, but as an actor and dancer as well.

"Bad 25" is an amazing re-release of one of my favorite albums. The four-disc deluxe edition of the package consists of three discs of music and a concert DVD. It also includes two booklets of behind the scenes photos and stills from the Bad Tour, a double sided poster, and a sticker of the album cover.

Four-Disc Deluxe Edition of "Bad 25"

Disc One is a re-mastered version of the original album, "Bad". The remastering was incredibly well done and gives an added depth to the album, ensuring the songs are of the best sound quality.

Disc Two contains the real treasures of the package: unreleased material. The six demo tracks ("Don't Be Messin' 'Round", "I'm So Blue", "Song Groove", "Free", "Al Capone" and "Price of Fame") are at various stages of production, but together they all provide insight into Michael Jackson's creative process.

Two of the unreleased tracks that really stand out for me are "Price of Fame" and "Al Capone". "Price of Fame" is a song that tackles the theme of, as the title suggests, how fame comes at a price -- not being able to live your life in privacy. It includes an equally powerful beat. (Interesting Fact: This song was originally supposed to accompany the series of Pepsi commercials featuring Michael Jackson in 1988. Instead, the commercials use "Bad".)

"Al Capone" is particularly fascinating because it is the song that led to the creation of "Smooth Criminal". While you can hear some similarities between the two songs, "Al Capone" is amazing in its own right, with its catchy rhythm and tune.

Additionally on the disc are re-mixes of the songs "Bad" (two versions) by Afrojack and "Speed Demon" by Nero, as well as the the Spanish and French versions of "I Just Can't Stop Loving You".

Cover of the standalone Wembley DVD

Disc Three and The DVD provide even more unreleased material in the form of his complete concert performance at London's Wembley Stadium on July 16, 1988. Disc three is the audio from the concert, and the DVD is the concert itself. Michael Jackson truly shines during his performance at Wembley. As I was watching the concert, I was blown away at the sheer amount of energy Michael gives to every one of his songs. His vocals and choreography are remarkable throughout.

If you don't believe me, check out his performance of "Human Nature"!