Which album sound more dated, Bad or Dangerous?

Themidwestcowboy

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Now I just first want to clarify that by no means do I mean that 'dated' means a decrease in quality or whatever because these two records are two of my all time albums by any artist, but as often with music some records can't be seperated from the particular time and era that they were made in (I think thriller is the only record that truly sounds timeless and malleable and not a product of it's time and era).

[the first half of] Dangerous with it's new jack swing influence sounds really 90's. Although I think Remember The Time (and In The Closet to a lesser extent) did a wonderful job blending NJS with with Michael's sound, other tracks like She Drives Me Wild and CLHGA sounds really 90's and as far as production goes, sounds more like a Teddy Riley beat with Michael writing the lyrics and tweaking stuff in the production. In conclusion yes, some songs sounds a bit dated but as a whole I think it has fared well.

Bad, I think, is the most dated recorded between the two with it's heavy use of synths and aggressive hard snares, moog-ish type basslines. There are exceptions like Liberian Girl that, imo, sounds unlike any song from that time period.

Which album do you think sounds more dated, Bad or Dangerous?
 
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I agree with Bad. It is my favourite album, but part of it sounds dated. I think that kind of adds to it's charm though, as crazy as that sounds.

In my opinion Dangerous has remained his most fresh sounding album (with Off The Wall) sure there are elements that sound of that time period but it still feels fresh because of all the new and different sounds. Which is credit to Mike and Teddy in terms of the NJS tracks, they made songs that were NJS but pushed the genre further and gave the listener a stronger more defined sound.
 
I agree with Bad. It is my favourite album, but part of it sounds dated. I think that kind of adds to it's charm though, as crazy as that sounds.

In my opinion Dangerous has remained his most fresh sounding album (with Off The Wall) sure there are elements that sound of that time period but it still feels fresh because of all the new and different sounds. Which is credit to Mike and Teddy in terms of the NJS tracks, they made songs that were NJS but pushed the genre further and gave the listener a stronger more defined sound.

Yeah I agree with you, esp with the bolded part. Listen to this NJS mix from Teddy of Remember The Time, it sounds like the usual NJS song from the teddy in the 90's.

https://soundcloud.com/paulo-cesar-biancamano-junior/remember-the-time-new-jack-main-mix
 
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I'd extend it to all of his albums and still say Bad.
 
You could say Bad but I don't think it sounds dated. It sounds awesome.

I know that the term "dated" usually implies a negative connotation but as i prefaced both Bad and Dangerous are my all time favorite albums, from my perspective this has nothing to do with quality, just which album sounds more like a product of that time and era. Both albums are awesome.
 
I don't think Dangerous has dated at all. Perhaps SDMW and CLHGA have slightly, but the rest is timeless. Compare Dangerous to early nineties albums by Prince, Madonna, Bowie and George Michael and you'll see just how well Dangerous has faired compared to its competition back in the day. Listen to Diamonds & Pearls by Prince, which was released the same year as Dangerous. Listen to songs like Daddy Pop, Gett Off, Cream, Jughead, Push... and then compare that to anything on Dangerous. It's really apples and oranges.

I'd agree. Play Bad to anyone who's just landed and they'd know straight away it was a mid 80s album.

Most of Dangerous could be now, especially the second half.

Strangely, although I love the track, Keep The Faith I think was dated from day one. It's production is the same as on Bad, very synthesised.
 
Actually Keep The Faith remains one of my favorite MJ songs ever. I love Dangerous. Still think it is the best album I have ever heard.
Bad may sound 80's but it's just such an infectious album you can't help but dance and sing along to it. In that sense it is one of greatest albums ever.
 
I'd say Dangerous.
The album just upon hearing it speaks 90s to me. However, Bad doesn't to me at all.
Either way, both albums have timeless qualities, I just happen to think Bad still remains just as timeless as it did when released.
 
with this it's track by track, there are maybe 3 tracks on Dangerous that when it's heard you can very much pick when it was made simply by instrumental layout.. Honestly with Bad has less of a dated feel, it is more balanced in the sound when it comes to 'dating'.
 
Neither, both sound fresh and funky as ever. If anything I think Bad and Dangerous are pretty much templates for most better pop of today comes from. The sound and mastering on both albums was incredible and now, you can balst Bad at full bore and it sounds more 2017 than 1987 to me.
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Sorry I know dated music, most of Prince's albums and Madonna's sound dated, even Thriller and History sound a bit dated, but not Bad with its bombastic rock and snare drum sound and definitely not Dangerous with its funky jams, sensuous ballads and just the pure cream of Michael's vocals.
 
Bad sounds more dated because it trades in more R&B for pop compared to Thriller, and Dangerous shifts over to NJS. Bad (the track) is incredibly dated, though I love it. I think I Just Can't Stop Loving You and Dirty Diana managed to stay pretty fresh sounding, though.

Neither Bad nor Dangerous has Billie Jean-level timeless masterpiece.
 
Bad sounds more dated because it trades in more R&B for pop compared to Thriller, and Dangerous shifts over to NJS. Bad (the track) is incredibly dated, though I love it. I think I Just Can't Stop Loving You and Dirty Diana managed to stay pretty fresh sounding, though.

Neither Bad nor Dangerous has Billie Jean-level timeless masterpiece.
I would disagree with you there.
Bad had MITM, Smooth Criminal, Dirty Diana, TWYMMF.
Dangerous has Dangerous, Jam, WYBT, Who Is It.
 
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I've never really actually thought about it because, well, I don't usually think about it. However, each album does definitely sound like a product of their respective eras (which I just LOVE). Having said that, I have a feeling that these albums were considered out of this world compared to the other music played back in 1987/1991 respectively.
 
I don't think Dangerous has dated at all. Perhaps SDMW and CLHGA have slightly, but the rest is timeless. Compare Dangerous to early nineties albums by Prince, Madonna, Bowie and George Michael and you'll see just how well Dangerous has faired compared to its competition back in the day. Listen to Diamonds & Pearls by Prince, which was released the same year as Dangerous. Listen to songs like Daddy Pop, Gett Off, Cream, Jughead, Push... and then compare that to anything on Dangerous. It's really apples and oranges.

I partially agree there. Jughead and Push sound dated and wack from day one, but not Cream and Gett Off, those are awesome songs and the songs that even made me a Prince fan. In fact I can remember buying the singles for Cream and Black and White on the same day. I think like most of Prince's album, they sound dated with bad sound systems, but turn them up load and expand out the bass and you have music that sonically assaults you.

Then again Dangerous sounds great in any sound. As much as I love Prince, Bad and Dangerous are better than all of his albums except perhaps Sign o the Times and 1999.
 
I don't think Dangerous has dated at all. Perhaps SDMW and CLHGA have slightly, but the rest is timeless. Compare Dangerous to early nineties albums by Prince, Madonna, Bowie and George Michael and you'll see just how well Dangerous has faired compared to its competition back in the day. Listen to Diamonds & Pearls by Prince, which was released the same year as Dangerous. Listen to songs like Daddy Pop, Gett Off, Cream, Jughead, Push... and then compare that to anything on Dangerous. It's really apples and oranges.

Exactly this!

Killer songs like Will You Be There, Who Is It, Give In To Me, Dangerous, Remember The Time, Heal The World and Black or White do not sound 90s at all. These songs were way ahead of its time. I bet you couldn't tell it's a 90s song if those songs weren't released back in the time, but in the modern era.

It's hard to compare Dangerous and Bad, because both albums are great in its own shape. I love them both. Although, Bad sounds more dated due to some songs, such as Just Good Friends, Speed Demon and Another Part of Me. The Bad album is a masterpiece from beginning to end, but the some songs are dated. Man In The Mirror was way ahead of its time as well tho.

Oh, Michael... You were and are still the greatest singer, song writer, humanitarian, composer, dancer and producer.
 
I would say Bad sounds more dated but like others have said, that's not necessarily a "bad" -no pun intended- thing. It gives it a real charm, tracks like Bad, TWYMFF, Speed Demon, APOM although very 80's -synths, moog bass- because the album was mastered so well it keeps an overall fresh sound.
Dangerous has aged incredibly well including the NJS tracks, Jam and Dangerous sound so fresh, even Remember The Time because the melody is so strong and In The Closet because the chorus is so catchy.
Diamonds & Pearls sounds very early 90's but some of the tracks are quite catchy and if you have an album with good songs I don't think it really matters if it sounds of it's time, yeah it sounds dated but that sort of adds to it for me. I wonder if Sign O' The Times is actually closer to Dangerous in terms of style and Diamonds & Pearls closer to Bad in terms of how it aged.
 
I don't understand what you mean by "dated". It seems to be the common rhetoric with the Bad album particularly but I just never got it. It's my favorite mj album :x
 
I would say Bad sounds more dated but like others have said, that's not necessarily a "bad" -no pun intended- thing. It gives it a real charm, tracks like Bad, TWYMFF, Speed Demon, APOM although very 80's -synths, moog bass- because the album was mastered so well it keeps an overall fresh sound.
Dangerous has aged incredibly well including the NJS tracks, Jam and Dangerous sound so fresh, even Remember The Time because the melody is so strong and In The Closet because the chorus is so catchy.
Diamonds & Pearls sounds very early 90's but some of the tracks are quite catchy and if you have an album with good songs I don't think it really matters if it sounds of it's time, yeah it sounds dated but that sort of adds to it for me. I wonder if Sign O' The Times is actually closer to Dangerous in terms of style and Diamonds & Pearls closer to Bad in terms of how it aged.
Very interesting point my friend, but I'd almost compare Bad to Lovesexy/Black Album/Batman soundwise? Mix the 3 together and you have at least 10 hits that would be close to Bad.
 
I don't understand what you mean by "dated". It seems to be the common rhetoric with the Bad album particularly but I just never got it. It's my favorite mj album :x
It is quite dated in terms of the 80's production but thats not necessarily a bad thing. A lot of the Prince albums sound extremely dated but their still great albums, same for Bad. Bad is incredible, all of MJ's albums were mixed very well and the mastering -OTW to HIStory/BOTDF- is phenomenal.

Very interesting point my friend, but I'd almost compare Bad to Lovesexy/Black Album/Batman soundwise? Mix the 3 together and you have at least 10 hits that would be close to Bad.
Actually, yeah you're spot on, Lovesexy is an awful lot like Bad soundwise. If anyone loves Bad and hasn't heard Lovesexy they should check it out for the production. Lovesexy is one of my favourite Prince albums actually, also love the Black Album. Haven't listend to Batman as much so I might give that a listen later.
 
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