SECOND THOUGHTS: Looking back on Michael Jackson’s groundbreaking ‘Dangerous’

The fall and winter is an interesting time for Michael Jackson fans. “Thriller” enters the charts again as the go-to Halloween anthem, and many of Jackson’s albums celebrate their anniversaries, a great deal of which came out during the fall and winter. 

I think this year in particular is the perfect time to examine what may be MJ’s most underrated work and my favorite of his wonderful discography: the ’90s masterpiece “Dangerous.” 

2021 marks the 30th anniversary of “Dangerous.” While Michael Jackson cemented his status as the King of Pop in the ’80s with his blockbuster albums “Thriller” and “Bad,” it should not be underestimated how much the experimental album “Dangerous” impacted the music world while also securing Jackson’s relevancy in the ’90s.

Upon ending his “Bad” tour in 1989, Jackson returned to the U.S. amidst a changing musical landscape. The late ’80s saw the rise of many new genres. The aesthetic of the urban hip hop and R&B sound was on the rise, with many developing a greater taste for the genre and idea of “Black music” changing in its sound. This included the birth of the New Jack Swing genre, an African-American style of music that combined dance pop, hip hop and R&B. Ready to get to work on a new album, Jackson wanted to make a work that could appeal to urban listeners while also being an album that could transcend time. Specifically, Jackson said he wanted to make an album like Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker suite, an album that could live forever and remain listened to for centuries. 

As one might imagine, achieving such a goal means creating something of a universal appeal. For its production, Jackson partnered with Teddy Riley, the creator and king of the New Jack Swing genre. The album was released in 1991, being one of the most experimental mainstream pop and R&B works of the decade and in general. At the time of its release, it was one of the most musically diverse albums of both Jackson’s career and in popular music. While seemingly a pop and R&B album many would expect from Jackson, the album also incorporates funk, industrial, hip hop, electronic, gospel and classical music. 

Jackson exercised the most control he ever had on his albums on “Dangerous.” Throughout his career, Jackson obviously did not write all his songs, but on this 1991 album, Jackson wrote and composed more songs than ever before. Jackson gets much credit for his power as a performer but many do not often take note of his abilities as a songwriter. “Dangerous” demonstrates Jackson’s ability as a master of narrative. One might look to Jackson’s Billie Jean-esque “Who Is It” (my all time favorite song by him) as an example of Jackson composing greatness. 

Jackson sang about social issues more than ever before on “Dangerous.” While many are quick to dance to “Billie Jean” and “Thriller,” many forget one of Jackson’s most prominent themes – especially of his self-composed songs – were songs that tackled social issues going on in the world. This album especially demonstrates that in songs like “Jam,” “Why You Wanna Trip On Me,” “Heal the World” and “Black or White.” 

Michael Jackson’s status as the King of Pop has also come with the label of being the king of music videos, and it is hard to think of Jackson’s grand music videography without thinking of so many that were for songs on “Dangerous.” One might look to “Remember the Time” and “Black or White” for their innovative and groundbreaking videos. “Remember the Time’s” music video was groundbreaking for its Egyptian setting that featured all Black and minority dancers and actors – as well as Magic Johnson! – portraying those in ancient Egypt. Jackson wanted to show ancient Egypt in a non-whitewashed setting, something that was quite difficult to do at the time.

With its beyond innovative production, Jackson’s utilization of the New Jack Swing genre and creation of a sound that blended genres would set the tone for ’90s pop and R&B. 

As the alternative rock, grunge and hip hop genres dominated the ’90s, the world had no idea of the coming years where artists like Beyonce, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Usher and so many others would rise, having been inspired by Jackson and certainly witnessed the “Dangerous” era as greater proof of their idol’s creativity. 

The album’s impact can of course still be seen in the music of today. The album is the highest-selling New Jack Swing album and one of the highest-selling albums in general. The influence of the diverse album can be seen in the artists who would come after on all sides of the spectrum. Musically diverse albums like Beyonce’s acclaimed “Lemonade” and Lady Gaga’s magnum opus “Born This Way” would not have been able to enter the pop spectrum without albums like “Dangerous” that demonstrated the eclectic influences a pop star can have. One might merely cite Lil Nas X’s BET performance as proof of “Dangerous’” impact, as X paid clear homage to Jackson’s “Remember the Time” music video with its ancient Egypt-themed performance. 

If “Thriller” was the album meant to thrill listeners with its goal of each song “being a killer,” and “Bad” was the album that cemented Jackson as the baddest around, it is Jackson’s most creative and musically diverse album “Dangerous” that shows just how much anyone in the industry should know the musician they are dealing with. 

The album’s title being a more extreme word of the previous album “Bad” is no coincidence, for it is within this album that Jackson unleashes all his musical powers like never before, going beyond anything before. For one to tackle so many genres and so many themes all while cementing their status as a star in a whole new decade and defining the pop and R&B of multiple decades, that isn’t just the work of the baddest. It’s the work of pop music’s true king and icon, the one all have looked to in order to learn what it takes to be a sensation. 

While only time will tell if “Dangerous” will be listened to centuries after like Jackson intended, it’s certainly still being listened to 30 years later and I have felt its impact on myself. As my favorite Michael Jackson album and favorite album in general, its eclectic influences and lyrical themes are ones that resonated from the moment I listened to it. Its eclectic influences largely reflect my own taste in multiple genres of music, with New Jack Swing being one of my favorite genres and the album being what cemented my love of the genre. 

As I look back on this album, I see how much the lyrical themes of the album have helped shape or enhance my philosophy about the world. 

During these times of disillusionment, I think my ability to maintain an optimistic attitude lies in how much I believe in and agree with the album’s opening track “Jam,” in which Jackson proclaims that we must and shall face the problems of the world but above all utilize the power of music to jam out to find peace. 

The album as a whole encompasses both my feelings and thoughts we all could use more of: to love one another, disavow racism, heal the world and just jam to the music. 

An album with such themes certainly has the lyrical universality to be remembered. And if more continue to adopt such values, then maybe one day “Dangerous” can have the enduring legacy of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker. We simply have to “Keep the Faith.” 

With all this in mind, it is easy to see why Michael Jackson’s now 30-year-old “Dangerous” is a masterpiece of the ’90s, my favorite MJ record, and the true representation of Michael Jackson’s musical powers, creativity and talent.