How do you define the eras?

[filmandmusic]

Childhood era 1968-1975
Carefree era or ideal son in law era 1976-1986
Rebellious era 1987-1992
Controversy era 1993-2005
Redemption era 2006-2009

OR

Afro era
Jheri curl era
long curl era
short hair era (around history)
straight hair era

OR

elephant pipes era (Motown)
glitter era (OTW & thriller)
belts and buckles era (bad)
female swimsuit era (dangerous)
astronaut era (History)
and finally ?

 

[DarylJoel_B]

female swimsuit era (dangerous)

FEMALE SWIMSUIT ERA AAHAHAHAHAHHA

i'm sorry.

 

[Mister_Jay_Tee]

I don't want to offend anybody on this forum

 

[dethorro]

The start of the 'Dangerous' era was 1989, not 1990.

Michael Jackson in 1989 started working with Bryan Loren on his new album (that would become the 'Dangerous' album).

The 'Dangerous' era ends in 1994, because (according to press reports) Michael Jackson in 1994 was secretly planning to resume his Dangerous Tour.

Also, the start of the 'Invincible' era was 1998, not 1999.

Michael Jackson in late 1998 started working on the 'Invincible' album.

For once, we can agree on something.

 

[Spaceship]

The Dangerous era may technically start in 1989, but the Bad tour also took place in that year. I'd rather not put two eras in the same year for practicality.

 

[Hiker]

elephant pipes era (Motown)
glitter era (OTW & thriller)
belts and buckles era (bad)
female swimsuit era (dangerous)
astronaut era (History)

If we are going this route, then History should be called gold pants era. No one cares what rest of the outfit looked like

 

[Richard76]

 

[Michaels Lover]

I'd personally say for solo MJ certain eras were a year. For example Invincible, I'd have it as 2001, maybe 2002 as well at a push.

Yes, he may have started work on it in 1998 but I definitely wouldn't connect 1998-2000 with Invincible.

Yeah, I've never heard an era started when he started working on an album
It's always started with the year the album was released

 

[Agonum]

It’s all arbitrary anyway. Michael sure didn’t think in terms of eras.

 

[Hiker]

It’s all arbitrary anyway. Michael sure didn’t think in terms of eras.

Actually he might have. Not 'eras', but some way of reinventing his work and style with each album release.

 

[Agonum]

Actually he might have. Not 'eras', but some way of reinventing his work and style with each album release.

Sure, you had different images (clothing, hairdos, etc.) and sonic identities to coincide with the release of different albums. But you never heard him refer to different eras, did you? At most, I can hear him say something like “back when Thriller was released” or “in the eighties”.

Michael could work over several decades on songs; he firmly believed that good art is timeless.

Edit: Typo.

 

[Hiker]

I meant, Michael may not have thought of his work as divided in eras, but he probably actively tried to create different styles for each album, and hence creating the 'eras'. Its all a guess work at this point.

 

[eckoes]

This is my own way of classifying eras: they end when promotion ends and when Michael got back into hibernation before reappearing later for promotional duties. Roughly. Its just my way of separating eras. Some of them definitely overlaps a little, it's ok. These could be 8 great boxsets.

• Part 1: The Motown Years
  • Starts in October 1969 (I want You Back release)
  • Ends in May 1975 (Moving Violation album release)
• Part 2: The CBS Move: (The Jacksons / Variety Show / Going Places / The Wiz)
  • Starts in June 1975 (signed to CBS)
  • Ends in April 1978 (end of Goin' Places Tour)
• Part 3: The Emancipation: (Destiny / Off The Wall / Triumph / The Jacksons Live!)
  • Starts in May 1978 (after the Goin' Places Tour ends)
  • Ends in November 1981 (The Jacksons Live! album release)
• Part 4: Victory: (Thriller / Victory / Victory Tour / We Are The World)
  • Starts in December 1981 (demos of Billie Jean and others)
  • Ends in February 1985 (We Are The World release)
• Part 5: Moonwalker: (Captain EO / Bad / Moonwalker / Tour)
  • Starts in March 1985 (Captain EO preproduction)
  • Ends in April 1989 (Liberian Girl film shoot)
• Part 6: Dangerous: (Decade / Dangerous / Short Films)
  • Starts in May 1989 (Studio time)
  • Ends in January 1994 (Dangerous single cancellation)
• Part 7: Controversy: (HIStory / Ghosts / Blood On The Dance Floor / Tour)
  • Starts in February 1994 (studio time)
  • Ends in December 1997 (Ghosts Deluxe VHS release)
• Part 8: Millenium: (Invincible / 30th Anniversary):
  • Starts in January 1998
  • Ends in July 2002 (promotion being cancelled)

 

[Richard76]

I always laugh, when people say, that Thriller Era started in 1981 and Invincible Era ended in 2002. That's obviously not true. The very first Thriller outtake was recorded in 1980. That's why 1980 is ending of OFT Era and start of Thriller Era. Invincible Era still continues in 2003, because One More Chance was released exactly in that year. And it can't end in 2004, bacause TUC was released only in november of 2004. That's why Invincible Era finally fully ended in 2005. And in 2005 aftor court This Is It Era officilally started to be. What about other Eras? Well. In 1985 MJ had chin surgery and last Thriller outtake was recorded - offically started Bad Era. Dangerous Era starts in 1989, because of recording sessions. It Ends in 1993, because of allegations. History Era ends 1997, because Ghosts film was officially released. And BOTDF ends in 1998, because Invincible sessions fully starts (even though it started in the end of 1997)

 

[eckoes]

This is my own way of classifying eras: they end when promotion ends and when Michael got back into hibernation before reappearing later for promotional duties. Roughly. Its just my way of separating eras. Some of them definitely overlaps a little, it's ok. These could be 8 great boxsets.

• Part 1: The Motown Years
  • Starts in October 1969 (I want You Back release)
  • Ends in May 1975 (Moving Violation album release)
• Part 2: The CBS Move: (The Jacksons / Variety Show / Going Places / The Wiz)
  • Starts in June 1975 (signed to CBS)
  • Ends in April 1978 (end of Goin' Places Tour)
• Part 3: The Emancipation: (Destiny / Off The Wall / Triumph / The Jacksons Live!)
  • Starts in May 1978 (after the Goin' Places Tour ends)
  • Ends in November 1981 (The Jacksons Live! album release)
• Part 4: Victory: (Thriller / Victory / Victory Tour / We Are The World)
  • Starts in December 1981 (demos of Billie Jean and others)
  • Ends in February 1985 (We Are The World release)
• Part 5: Moonwalker: (Captain EO / Bad / Moonwalker / Tour)
  • Starts in March 1985 (Captain EO preproduction)
  • Ends in April 1989 (Liberian Girl film shoot)
• Part 6: Dangerous: (Decade / Dangerous / Short Films)
  • Starts in May 1989 (Studio time)
  • Ends in January 1994 (Dangerous single cancellation)
• Part 7: Controversy: (HIStory / Ghosts / Blood On The Dance Floor / Tour)
  • Starts in February 1994 (studio time)
  • Ends in December 1997 (Ghosts Deluxe VHS release)
• Part 8: Millenium: (Invincible / 30th Anniversary):
  • Starts in January 1998
  • Ends in July 2002 (promotion being cancelled)

I like the way I do divide the eras, as chapters. Its not about one specific project, but grouping projects together. Its just a fun exercice, there is no right or wrong. I do divide the work like this myself, and its only for myself. I love it that way.

 

[Hot_Street]

It’s all arbitrary anyway. Michael sure didn’t think in terms of eras.

but I guess he always wanted his next project to sound like it was from a new era