What is Michael Jackson’s Magnum Opus?
There’s almost no general consensus over what is Michael Jackson’s magnum opus. Just for reference, a magnum opus is defined as “a large and important work of art, music, or literature, especially one regarded as the most important work of an artist or writer.” Between Off The Wall and History, Jackson’s albums all achieved something completely different commercially and artistically, leaving a completely different mark on his legacy. So which is MOST important and why? I’ll let you decide.
Off The Wall
“Off The Wall” is Michael Jackson’s coming of age album. It marked his arrival in the industry as a young but mature talent. Though his first writing contribution was the breezy “Blues Away” on the Jacksons’ self-titled album, “Off The Wall” contains some of Michael’s first true artistic triumphs. “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”, “Working Day and Night” and “Get on The Floor”, penned by Jackson, are among some of his most enduring and timeless records. “Rock With You” and “Off The Wall” also begin to show glimpses of Jackson’s artistic capabilities and vocal prowess. The smooth, jazzy “I Can’t Help It”, and somber “She’s Out Of My Life” prove that Jackson was more than a rhythm track artist, and just beginning to come into his own as an artist.
Michael Jackson’s best sound is often credited as being able to bring people to the dance floor. The ability of his songs to bring people to the dance floor was a key component of picking the track lists of Jackson’s albums. There’s arguably no album where he shows his penchant for escapism better than “Off The Wall”. With that in mind, the young, charismatic Michael’s first adult album could be considered his signature project, containing most of his signature themes and sound. Though not as commercially successful as “Bad” or “Dangerous”, “Off The Wall” lives on in the hearts of the public and hardcore fans as a timeless disco experience. It’s this timelessness that allows Jackson’s art to continue thriving decades later.
Thriller
There’s not much that needs to be said about “Thriller”. 39 years later, it remains the biggest selling album in the world by a very wide margin. To be clear, the second best-selling album in the world is not within striking distance nor does it continue to move copies like Thriller does (around 100,000 copies a year in the US). However, the numbers “Thriller” continues to push makes it competitive even with newly released albums. Back in the ’80s, the album sold like a household essential, becoming the best selling album of 1983–1984. By 1984, it was certified 20x platinum in the United States. It unquestionably launched Michael Jackson’s unchallenged grasp of the 1980s and his status as the biggest star in the world. But beyond its massive commercial presence, “Thriller” is also a record that has hardly aged through the years.
“Billie Jean” and “Beat It” remain his most consumed and acclaimed songs. Billie Jean’s infectious elements create an almost unchallenged presence through Jackson’s catalog. They’re not quite as likely to be heard at a dance party as “Don’t Stop” or “Rock With You”, but have a pop reverence slightly beyond the disco duo. The title track is as sure to be heard at Halloween as Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” in the winter holiday season. But there’s also a charm remaining in the album cuts. “Thriller” proved that an album could be “all killer, no filler”. There’s no weak song on “Thriller”. Spread to other artists, each song could be any other’s signature or career-defining song. That’s the continuous strength of “Thriller”.
Jackson continued to evolve as an artist after “Thriller”, exploring new themes, evolving the sound of familiar themes, and expanding his vocal palette and genre exploration. However, commercially he was never bigger. Being responsible for Jackson’s launch as bigger than even the Beatles and Elvis Presley creates a strong argument for “Thriller” as his magnum opus. Every album by Jackson that followed lived in the shadow of Thriller’s success (unfortunately), and it’s hard to find albums by other artists that can challenge Thriller’s impenetrable armor.
Bad
Contrary to popular belief, “Bad” is the moment Michael Jackson seized almost complete creative freedom from Quincy Jones. On “Thriller” and “Off The Wall”, Jones overrode some of the artist’s decisions and contributions to the album, much to the frustration of Jackson. However, with Jones’s attention in other places, Jackson proceeded without him for “Bad” early on. When Quincy came along, he got rid of Jackson’s new assembled team, but Jackson began to more firmly stand behind his creative decisions.
9 out of 11 songs on “Bad” were solely written and composed by Michael Jackson; only “Just Good Friends” and “Man in the Mirror” were not. This alone makes a strong argument for this being Jackson’s magnum opus. It unquestionably launched Jackson’s signature era, producing the ground-breaking Bad Tour and some of his most iconic short films. Though Thriller produced his most iconic videos, Bad was arguably the first fully visual album. This was an artist taking complete control of his sound, his image, and his era. The cinematic escapism theme behind “Bad” and its heavy synthesizer-based production launched the defining sound of late-80’s pop. To be fair, “Bad” follows Thriller’s promotional strategy. The result brought much success commercially though somewhat limited the bounds of artistry. Jackson dominated the airwaves and charts with “Bad”, producing for the first time for any album 5 number 1 singles. “Bad” contains arguably more of Jackson’s “signature” and iconic songs than even “Thriller” or “Off The Wall”, at least in the pop realm. “Smooth Criminal”, “Dirty Diana”, “Man In The Mirror”, The title track and “The Way You Make Me Feel” are buried in the mainstream consciousness even now. With the release, Jackson reaffirmed his status as the biggest star and proved he could deliver a strong follow-up to “Thriller”. But his growth as an artist didn’t end there.
Dangerous
“Dangerous” is Michael Jackson’s creative arrival. Jackson opted to continue without Quincy Jones, now acting as his own executive producer. Jackson remained in familiar musical territory, taking New Jack Swing and pushing its bounds into pop music. “Dangerous” pushed Jackson’s artistic expression into another realm. Jackson undoubtedly proved that Quincy Jones was not the sole reason for his success.
Most importantly, Jackson is more focused on his artistry than commercial success. Of course, Jackson still played into the hype surrounding his celebrity, but still “Dangerous” showed Jackson’s commitment to delivering a cohesive yet wide ranging project. To that point, Jackson’s artistic range had never been more far reaching. He comfortably explores genres ranging from New Jack swing, to Gospel and classical, to grunge and classic rock. Jackson at the reins of production displays a mature talent expressing sexual desire and fulfillment, grit, despair and motivational encouragement. Songs such as “Jam”, “Remember The Time”, and “Can’t Let Her Get Away” marked what was considered a return to roots for Jackson, with heavier influence from James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone. Songs such as “Will You Be There”, “Give In To Me”, “Who Is It”, and “Dangerous” display the artistic versatility Jackson possessed as a visionary and a vocalist. Jackson reminded the public that he was not just a pop act, but a complete, versatile and incredible artist.
History
“History” is Michael Jackson’s most personal album. The album emerged as a direct response of the events of Jackson’s life through 1993 and early 1994, as well as Jackson’s general views of the world’s social-political climate. Jackson takes his personal experiences and relates them on a broader scale, exploring themes of loneliness, outrage, and overcoming adversity.
By “History”, Jackson has developed his own sound. It is the boldest and most ambitious complete project in the artist’s catalog. From the haunting, moody “Stranger in Moscow”, to the catastrophic depiction of “Earth Song”, to the complex electronic “Scream”, and drum-driven They Don’t Care About Us, Jackson’s sound evolved from dance floor anthems to mentally and audibly challenging artistic expressions. With “History”, Jackson openly defied what the pop world expected of him, rising above what many felt were his artistic boundaries. In an era where “realness” became more valued and sought after in music, Jackson rose to the occasion while still taking it to another level. Few, if any, pop albums have the range and audacity of “History”. Although very few have recognized this in the mainstream, Jackson’s fanbase considers “History” as an peak for the artist.
Michael Jackson himself described “History” as a “musical book”, and for an artist so dehumanized and widely misunderstood such a personal undertaking was long overdue. The power and vulnerability contained within the album makes it an integral addition to Jackson’s life and artistry, creating another strong argument to magnum opus.
If I had to make a choice, It’s between “Thriller” and “Off The Wall”. With all things considered, musically the removal of “Thriller” or “Off The Wall” leave the biggest gaping holes in Jackson’s career and legacy. They contain the most of what is considered his signature sound in my estimation. What do you think?
