10 Albums That Defined The 80s

Michael Jackson did not have an enviable task when making this record. How do you top an album like Thriller, which made him a star and went on to become the greatest selling record of all time? With Bad, Michael almost made it look easy.

This record shows Michael continuing to flex his musical muscles as he takes on Eastern sounds on "Liberian Girl" and tries out hair metal on songs like "Dirty Diana." But Michael Jackson also strengthens the songs that are in his comfort zone like the title track and the showstopper "Man in the Mirror."

Since Thriller made Jackson larger than life, Bad was a way to keep his hot streak going while also reaching for other horizons. Jackson and producer Quincy Jones took the opportunity to throw all their musical ideas at the wall and see what happened. Amazingly, most of the shots in the dark still hit their target wonderfully.