u/kingglobby

I went into this album with similar expectations to those I had for Dangerous. I actually had higher expectations for Dangerous, but that one positively surprised me. I was open to the idea that that would happen with Invincible, but there were also no specific songs I was looking forward to, so I didn't really know what I was in for. Me and a friend listened to it at a park, with alcohol, and a ball, and though the main activity was to listen to the music, I thought that my best bet was to just let the music play, instead of forcing myself to listen.

The track I was most excited for was actually the opener, because it was the longest, and featured The Notorious B.I.G., as well as the fact that I like intros. As nice as his style is, B.I.G.’s verse didn't do much for me, on its own, though I really liked how it was integrated into the song, and felt it gave the track texture. I felt similarly about Heartbreaker - me and my friend both really appreciated the glitchy production, and hoped this would last the whole album. The title track, similarly, was dope, and very fun to listen to. Three for three.

Over the course of the album, there were a few standout moments. I liked how songs like Break of Dawn, Butterflies or Speechless were slower, and more balladic, whilst still having that fast-paced Michael Jackson production. You Rock My World was, at the time, both mine and my friend’s favourite song on the album. This was mainly to do with the production, but also the way it was integrated into the overall track. I think this album is a little bit carried by the production, but Michael’s voice was still fire. This dynamic has been present for the entirety of his solo career proper.

One more track I'd like to draw attention to is 2000 Watts. It really felt like Tabloid Junkie, and I liked it for the same reason. I feel again as though I would get more out of this album if I relistened, but I can't say I feel the need to prioritise it over other Mike albums. Even Dangerous, I would rather listen to, though I enjoyed Invincible, and wouldn't mind listening to it a second time. I think what it would take would be for me to leave this month as a bigger Mike fan. After listening to the Beatles, I couldn't shake them, and kept listening to them into this month. If that happens with Mike, I could see an album like Invincible getting more love from me, but that won't be until I've really rinsed Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad.

I've had a good time with Michael Jackson, and look forward to taking individual songs with me into my future. All of my favourite songs are still the ones I already knew, with Billie Jean being at the absolute top, but it was amazing hearing Dirty Diana and Chicago for the first time. Other favourite include The Way You Make Me Feel, Speed Demon and Doggin’ Around, but my favourite new addition has to be P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing). Next up, I'm doing Elvis Presley, which is gonna be intensive, because he has twenty-four studio albums, but I'm optimistic that I'm gonna find a few gems, and if I keep listening with friends, that gonna be a lot of good times.

I went into this album with similar expectations to those I had for Dangerous. I actually had higher expectations for Dangerous, but that one positively surprised me. I was open to the idea that that would happen with Invincible, but there were also no specific songs I was looking forward to, so I didn't really know what I was in for. Me and a friend listened to it at a park, with alcohol, and a ball, and though the main activity was to listen to the music, I thought that my best bet was to just let the music play, instead of forcing myself to listen.

The track I was most excited for was actually the opener, because it was the longest, and featured The Notorious B.I.G., as well as the fact that I like intros. As nice as his style is, B.I.G.’s verse didn't do much for me, on its own, though I really liked how it was integrated into the song, and felt it gave the track texture. I felt similarly about Heartbreaker - me and my friend both really appreciated the glitchy production, and hoped this would last the whole album. The title track, similarly, was dope, and very fun to listen to. Three for three.

Over the course of the album, there were a few standout moments. I liked how songs like Break of Dawn, Butterflies or Speechless were slower, and more balladic, whilst still having that fast-paced Michael Jackson production. You Rock My World was, at the time, both mine and my friend’s favourite song on the album. This was mainly to do with the production, but also the way it was integrated into the overall track. I think this album is a little bit carried by the production, but Michael’s voice was still fire. This dynamic has been present for the entirety of his solo career proper.

One more track I'd like to draw attention to is 2000 Watts. It really felt like Tabloid Junkie, and I liked it for the same reason. I feel again as though I would get more out of this album if I relistened, but I can't say I feel the need to prioritise it over other Mike albums. Even Dangerous, I would rather listen to, though I enjoyed Invincible, and wouldn't mind listening to it a second time. I think what it would take would be for me to leave this month as a bigger Mike fan. After listening to the Beatles, I couldn't shake them, and kept listening to them into this month. If that happens with Mike, I could see an album like Invincible getting more love from me, but that won't be until I've really rinsed Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad.

I've had a good time with Michael Jackson, and look forward to taking individual songs with me into my future. All of my favourite songs are still the ones I already knew, with Billie Jean being at the absolute top, but it was amazing hearing Dirty Diana and Chicago for the first time. Other favourite include The Way You Make Me Feel, Speed Demon and Doggin’ Around, but my favourite new addition has to be P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing). Next up, I'm doing Elvis Presley, which is gonna be intensive, because he has twenty-four studio albums, but I'm optimistic that I'm gonna find a few gems, and if I keep listening with friends, that gonna be a lot of good times.

This was a long album. I was very excited for it, because I enjoyed his work so much, I couldn't wait to go back through his greatest hits, and I had heard the unique album was going to be way darker, and angrier, than anything we'd heard before. However, I must say, this album was a marathon. It's among the longest I have ever listened to and I woke up, ready to listen, totally hungover, after the most broken sleep. I wasn't in a good position for stamina at all, and the two friends I listened with were dying of boredom by the end of it. I can't fault them, because they tried their best. They both said it wasn't that it was bad music, it just failed to capture their attention for two-and-a-half hours, which is fair.

As the greatest hits started, I remember seriously locking in for Billie Jean, my favourite Michael Jackson song. My friends were a little surprised by how seriously I transitioned from energetic and talkative to meditative listening, but I have to admit, as the greatest hits went on, it became more of a party function, with dancing, and talking over it. We had heard all of these ones before, and if the best way to enjoy it was by letting it play in the background, so be it. My main takeaway is utter shock that they didn't include Smooth Criminal. In retrospect, I consider this one of his most iconic songs, besides Billie Jean, but I suppose this album only came out seven years later, and maybe it gained cultural relevance afterwards. My friend was devastated they didn't include Dirty Diana.

As the second disc started, immediately, I became reenergised. As I said, this was perhaps the most physically shit I have ever felt, and that contributed to my experience with the album, but the opening “notes” to Scream were so exciting, and got me ready for something I hadn't been expecting. The song developed into a more “normal” Michael song, and the following tracks didn't all match what I felt I had been set up for, but that's probably for the best. I am a fan of Death Grips, and for a moment, I wondered if I was going to get something that out of the box from Michael. I am not sure he could have pulled it off, but he did what he did best, and it was nice to hear how his style meshed with that production.

Across the first few songs, there were many moments where I made a stank face, or had to turn to my friends (“Are you hearing this?”). I'm not sure they were as impressed by it as I was, and my main reason for thinking this is that when Earth Song came on, one of my favourites already, neither of them seemed to appreciate the build and release that that song does so masterfully. I would also like to say how happily surprised I was when I heard Christopher Wallace’s voice on This Time Around. Love Me some B.I.G..

Stranger in Moscow was a song I’d had hyped to me. I'd heard it's one of the best things he's ever written. Unfortunately, the song didn't do much for me. I'm not saying it's a bad song, and will have to listen again, but if I hadn't gone in with those expectations, it just wouldn't have stood out to me. I preferred They Don't Care About Us.

The next song I was really excited for was Come Together. I was looking through the album credits and realised the song was credited to Lennon–McCartney. When I realised it was a cover, I was excited to hear Jackson’s take on it, though I was sure he wouldn't top the original for me. As expected, I'd have to give it to the original, and I also don't like how much shorter this version is, but it will always be a treat if I relisten to this album, because it's one of the most enjoyable tracks, and Michael's style brings the song a whole new life.

I remember thinking Tabloid Junkie was one of the best songs on the album. Much more my style. I had hoped 2 Bad would be a remix of Bad, but it wasn't. That said, it was a very good song, and seemed strong to me. I don't remember HIStory all too well, but I remember it engaging me, and being another strong run. I wouldn't be surprised to come back to this album and find this run of tracks to be particularly strong.

Finally, I remember a lot of discourse about how creepy Little Susie / Pie Jesu was, which I think was intentional. This atmosphere carried over to Smile, the closing track.

Overall, I actually think this is one of Michael's stronger albums, and I think of it favourably, but fuck me was it long. I think I need to revisit this, and will probably skip the greatest hits portion. That's a fun CD, but it's not really the same experience, it's for different occasions. I feel like there are a lot of songs here I’d appreciate on their own, even though there is a coherent vibe, and I can't wait to see any favourites I missed. I'm looking forward to Invincible, though I'm sort of expecting it to place the lowest out of his non-Motown records, though I'm open to being surprised and am hopeful that there will still be a couple of playlist-adds.

This was a long album. I was very excited for it, because I enjoyed his work so much, I couldn't wait to go back through his greatest hits, and I had heard the unique album was going to be way darker, and angrier, than anything we'd heard before. However, I must say, this album was a marathon. It's among the longest I have ever listened to and I woke up, ready to listen, totally hungover, after the most broken sleep. I wasn't in a good position for stamina at all, and the two friends I listened with were dying of boredom by the end of it. I can't fault them, because they tried their best. They both said it wasn't that it was bad music, it just failed to capture their attention for two-and-a-half hours, which is fair.

As the greatest hits started, I remember seriously locking in for Billie Jean, my favourite Michael Jackson song. My friends were a little surprised by how seriously I transitioned from energetic and talkative to meditative listening, but I have to admit, as the greatest hits went on, it became more of a party function, with dancing, and talking over it. We had heard all of these ones before, and if the best way to enjoy it was by letting it play in the background, so be it. My main takeaway is utter shock that they didn't include Smooth Criminal. In retrospect, I consider this one of his most iconic songs, besides Billie Jean, but I suppose this album only came out seven years later, and maybe it gained cultural relevance afterwards. My friend was devastated they didn't include Dirty Diana.

As the second disc started, immediately, I became reenergised. As I said, this was perhaps the most physically shit I have ever felt, and that contributed to my experience with the album, but the opening “notes” to Scream were so exciting, and got me ready for something I hadn't been expecting. The song developed into a more “normal” Michael song, and the following tracks didn't all match what I felt I had been set up for, but that's probably for the best. I am a fan of Death Grips, and for a moment, I wondered if I was going to get something that out of the box from Michael. I am not sure he could have pulled it off, but he did what he did best, and it was nice to hear how his style meshed with that production.

Across the first few songs, there were many moments where I made a stank face, or had to turn to my friends (“Are you hearing this?”). I'm not sure they were as impressed by it as I was, and my main reason for thinking this is that when Earth Song came on, one of my favourites already, neither of them seemed to appreciate the build and release that that song does so masterfully. I would also like to say how happily surprised I was when I heard Christopher Wallace’s voice on This Time Around. Love Me some B.I.G..

Stranger in Moscow was a song I’d had hyped to me. I'd heard it's one of the best things he's ever written. Unfortunately, the song didn't do much for me. I'm not saying it's a bad song, and will have to listen again, but if I hadn't gone in with those expectations, it just wouldn't have stood out to me. I preferred They Don't Care About Us.

The next song I was really excited for was Come Together. I was looking through the album credits and realised the song was credited to Lennon–McCartney. When I realised it was a cover, I was excited to hear Jackson’s take on it, though I was sure he wouldn't top the original for me. As expected, I'd have to give it to the original, and I also don't like how much shorter this version is, but it will always be a treat if I relisten to this album, because it's one of the most enjoyable tracks, and Michael's style brings the song a whole new life.

I remember thinking Tabloid Junkie was one of the best songs on the album. Much more my style. I had hoped 2 Bad would be a remix of Bad, but it wasn't. That said, it was a very good song, and seemed strong to me. I don't remember HIStory all too well, but I remember it engaging me, and being another strong run. I wouldn't be surprised to come back to this album and find this run of tracks to be particularly strong.

Finally, I remember a lot of discourse about how creepy Little Susie / Pie Jesu was, which I think was intentional. This atmosphere carried over to Smile, the closing track.

Overall, I actually think this is one of Michael's stronger albums, and I think of it favourably, but fuck me was it long. I think I need to revisit this, and will probably skip the greatest hits portion. That's a fun CD, but it's not really the same experience, it's for different occasions. I feel like there are a lot of songs here I’d appreciate on their own, even though there is a coherent vibe, and I can't wait to see any favourites I missed. I'm looking forward to Invincible, though I'm sort of expecting it to place the lowest out of his non-Motown records, though I'm open to being surprised and am hopeful that there will still be a couple of playlist-adds.

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I'm aware that the Jackson-Jones trilogy is over, so I approached this one with caution. I've seen great artists fall off, in their late careers, but I sat down with my friend to listen to Dangerous with open ears, which was all I could do. I was aware of the song Black or White, but didn't know it (my mum says it's overrated and hypocritical). Other than that, I had no idea what to expect from this album. We listened to it outside, so we had to have it on a low enough volume to respect the neighbours. It was loud enough to hear it, I just mean it wasn't optimised to feel it.

Immediately, I couldn't hear the words clearly, but don't know if that was a fault of the album (mixing, mastering) or fault with my setup. It didn't persist across the whole album, but I will need to listen again on headphones. The production on Jam got me optimistic. It wasn't magic, like the Quincy series, but that's a given, from how transcendent Jones’ work was. If anything comes close to that, I'll be explicit, but as far as the rest of the album, I will try to measure it as an album in general, instead of against the unfair peaks of Thriller and Bad.

Across the next few tracks, the beats were all quite similar. They locked into a groove, and the vocal effects all did the same sort of job. I was enjoying it, thoroughly - nothing to add to my playlist, but solid stuff - but remember remarking to my friend that this level of consistency can get boring, with an eighty minute project. However, so far, I was seeing it as cohesive, not redundant. I find it hard to separate the first few tracks, but I'd like to share a thought I had about the rapping. My usual genre is rap, but since I've been listening to Michael Jackson, 1991 felt like a more “modern” album. Hearing Heavy D and L.T.B. reminded me just how long ago this was. By today's standards, as fun as they were, the rapper's verses felt almost primitive. It's crazy how my favourite genre’s lifespan has existed in its entirety in the space between now and the release of some of my favourite albums. 2Pac’s debut was released the same year as Dangerous.

I paid extra attention to Remember the Time and Heal the World, because they appear on HIStory: Past, Present And Future - Book I. Remember the Time was good, but it didn't stand out that much. Heal the World was possibly the best song on the album up until that point. I really liked Jam, but that may have been because I was hyped for the intro. I feel Heal the World Is the first time we saw a less momentum-focused, more indulgent side to this album. Black or White is my only playlist add, right now, but I found the intro skit enjoyable. I suppose it could get annoying, but I don't see that, right now. The lyrics didn't bother me, but they didn't astound me, either. The message is good, but it's not deep enough to analyse, and I see it more as general positive energy than anything worth unpacking politically.

After Black or White, we had Who Is It, at which point I remember feeling the album shift towards a less beat oriented sound, with more drawn out singing, and a cinematic feel. The fact the whole album worked towards this, and made it feel gradual, really impressed me. It's exactly what I was talking about, in terms of cohesion and sameyness. On Give In to Me, I had to make a stank face, at that guitar solo, but I didn't actually realise it was Slash until I read the credits. It makes sense, now.

I remember remarking that Keep the Faith would have made a good closer, but I also remember being pretty pleased to learn there were three more tracks. I had expected this album to drag, but as we approached the end, I was still enjoying myself, fully. Again, there weren't many playlist adds, on first listen, but I had a good time. I might not relisten to the album, at least not any time soon, but I know if I did, I'd be able to pull more tracks from it.

The final song, Dangerous, in my opinion, did a pretty good job of encapsulating the album. I'm always optimistic for a title track, because it's either been designed as the centerpiece, or it was the song the artist named the record after. I feel Dangerous feels more like some of the songs from the first half than the second, and though I couldn't tell you if one half was better, I probably enjoyed the first side more. The back half was great though, it was overall a very consistent record.

HIStory: Past, Present And Future - Book I is the most excited I'm going to be for a Michael Jackson album, post-Bad, because, as much as anything, the greatest hits is guaranteed to be a fun time. I've heard it's his angriest album yet, and I'm already a big fan of Earth Song. Having listened to and enjoyed Dangerous, I now have more hope for Invincible, too.

I'm aware that the Jackson-Jones trilogy is over, so I approached this one with caution. I've seen great artists fall off, in their late careers, but I sat down with my friend to listen to Dangerous with open ears, which was all I could do. I was aware of the song Black or White, but didn't know it (my mum says it's overrated and hypocritical). Other than that, I had no idea what to expect from this album. We listened to it outside, so we had to have it on a low enough volume to respect the neighbours. It was loud enough to hear it, I just mean it wasn't optimised to feel it.

Immediately, I couldn't hear the words clearly, but don't know if that was a fault of the album (mixing, mastering) or fault with my setup. It didn't persist across the whole album, but I will need to listen again on headphones. The production on Jam got me optimistic. It wasn't magic, like the Quincy series, but that's a given, from how transcendent Jones’ work was. If anything comes close to that, I'll be explicit, but as far as the rest of the album, I will try to measure it as an album in general, instead of against the unfair peaks of Thriller and Bad.

Across the next few tracks, the beats were all quite similar. They locked into a groove, and the vocal effects all did the same sort of job. I was enjoying it, thoroughly - nothing to add to my playlist, but solid stuff - but remember remarking to my friend that this level of consistency can get boring, with an eighty minute project. However, so far, I was seeing it as cohesive, not redundant. I find it hard to separate the first few tracks, but I'd like to share a thought I had about the rapping. My usual genre is rap, but since I've been listening to Michael Jackson, 1991 felt like a more “modern” album. Hearing Heavy D and L.T.B. reminded me just how long ago this was. By today's standards, as fun as they were, the rapper's verses felt almost primitive. It's crazy how my favourite genre’s lifespan has existed in its entirety in the space between now and the release of some of my favourite albums. 2Pac’s debut was released the same year as Dangerous.

I paid extra attention to Remember the Time and Heal the World, because they appear on HIStory: Past, Present And Future - Book I. Remember the Time was good, but it didn't stand out that much. Heal the World was possibly the best song on the album up until that point. I really liked Jam, but that may have been because I was hyped for the intro. I feel Heal the World Is the first time we saw a less momentum-focused, more indulgent side to this album. Black or White is my only playlist add, right now, but I found the intro skit enjoyable. I suppose it could get annoying, but I don't see that, right now. The lyrics didn't bother me, but they didn't astound me, either. The message is good, but it's not deep enough to analyse, and I see it more as general positive energy than anything worth unpacking politically.

After Black or White, we had Who Is It, at which point I remember feeling the album shift towards a less beat oriented sound, with more drawn out singing, and a cinematic feel. The fact the whole album worked towards this, and made it feel gradual, really impressed me. It's exactly what I was talking about, in terms of cohesion and sameyness. On Give In to Me, I had to make a stank face, at that guitar solo, but I didn't actually realise it was Slash until I read the credits. It makes sense, now.

I remember remarking that Keep the Faith would have made a good closer, but I also remember being pretty pleased to learn there were three more tracks. I had expected this album to drag, but as we approached the end, I was still enjoying myself, fully. Again, there weren't many playlist adds, on first listen, but I had a good time. I might not relisten to the album, at least not any time soon, but I know if I did, I'd be able to pull more tracks from it.

The final song, Dangerous, in my opinion, did a pretty good job of encapsulating the album. I'm always optimistic for a title track, because it's either been designed as the centerpiece, or it was the song the artist named the record after. I feel Dangerous feels more like some of the songs from the first half than the second, and though I couldn't tell you if one half was better, I probably enjoyed the first side more. The back half was great though, it was overall a very consistent record.

HIStory: Past, Present And Future - Book I is the most excited I'm going to be for a Michael Jackson album, post-Bad, because, as much as anything, the greatest hits is guaranteed to be a fun time. I've heard it's his angriest album yet, and I'm already a big fan of Earth Song. Having listened to and enjoyed Dangerous, I now have more hope for Invincible, too.

Bad was a fantastically enjoyable album. I've listened to it twice now, but I want to focus on my first experience. I listened to it with a friend, whilst we were predrinking, so the mood was good. I already knew and loved Bad, but I was more excited for Smooth Criminal, which had been my favourite Michael Jackson song before this; I was curious to see if that would change. My friend knew Dirty Diana, and we both knew Man in the Mirror, which has been one of my favourite pieces of music of all time.

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I was vaguely familiar with The Way You Make Me Feel, which ended up being my favourite new playlist add from this record. Another two I was excited for were Speed Demon and Liberian Girl. Not much to say about Speed Demon, but it was a solid song, and a playlist add. Liberian Girl was divisive, because my friend didn't like it, but I did. I think it's good in a different way to most of his other songs, but I appreciated the chill, slower melody. That said, my favourite Michael Jackson is the energetic, punchy Michael, which is what I associate this album with.

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On the second half, I didn't know Another Part of Me or I Just Can't Stop Loving You. Those songs, along with Just Good Friends, I don't have much to say about, but in general, I enjoyed the danceability, and didn't dislike any of them.

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Man in the Mirror is an interesting one, because it's never tickled me the way other Michael Jackson songs tickle me. It's undeniably a good song, but it doesn't stand out sonically, as particularly musically interesting. I have memories of singing this song in school. I remember remarking that it didn't sound like it fit the album, but I didn't mind because it was a banger. That said, on relisten, I notice how the tracks around it are much more similar to Man in the Mirror than I first realised. I had just been comparing it to Bad and Smooth Criminal. Today, I think I actually decided I like Man in the Mirror more than Smooth Criminal, which I never thought I'd say, because the song just spoke to me like it never has before, which was weird.

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My friend was excited to see me listen to Dirty Diana for the first time, because she knew it and I didn't. I don't remember being very analytical in the moment, but I remember turning to her and nodding my head, to say, “This is good.” On relisten, I think this is a really good song, one of the strongest on the album, but I think it's an example of a song where Michael didn't utilise his voice fully. He sang well, and he performed it better than most singers, but I think the song shines instrumentally. It still would have been a good song with a much weaker vocalist - I don't know what to expect going forward, when he's no longer working with Quincy Jones, but I'm hoping to see Michael remain on top form, and just have the music around him change.

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Finally, Smooth Criminal. I think I always liked this song so much because of the beat. It's a little repetitive, which I don't mind, because I find the structure interesting, but where a song like Billie Jean has grown on me, and I've understood it more deeply, and seen what makes Michael tick, Smooth Criminal hasn't grown on me much. I don't like it less, but other songs around it have grown on me more, whereas I feel a song like Smooth Criminal was one I was close to fully appreciating anyway.

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Overall, this album is preferable to Off the Wall for me, and that wasn't a hard thing to say. Before this, I'd been pretty confident those would be my top three, but I was unsure of the order. I wondered how close they would be, and I'm glad I know, now. Thriller is still untouchable, but I'm glad to say I genuinely enjoyed a lot of the songs from the trilogy, and didn't just appreciate them from a distance. I'm still looking forward to his future albums, and think HIStory: Past, Present And Future - Book I will be an interesting listen, as much as anything, because of the greatest hits half, but I think I will remain most impressed by this stretch of albums, and am grateful for how many songs I've taken away. Not bad.

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This album was one of the best experiences of my life. I've been looking forward to it since I listened to Abbey Road last month, with the Beatles. I wanted to make it a special event, so I got a group of people together to listen in a park, at night, after close. We planned to start at ten, but ended up listening closer to midnight, which felt appropriate.

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I partially recognised Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’, from the movie, but hadn't really heard it properly before. It worked well to slowly ease the room into listening mode, it's not too abrupt, but it is strong. I spent most of Baby Be Mine talking to my producer friend, who was gassed to point out all the intricate details in the production. I must admit, it was easier to lock in on the bassline than anything else, but I also think that was the strongest part of most of the songs.

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I was excited for The Girl is Mine, because it featured Paul McCartney, but I don't think it would have stood out to me if it wasn't for that. I think it was more lyrical, so maybe my headspace affected it, but I do remember it building into something fantastic, and that same producer friend pointing out the argument. I later found out that that had been one of another of my friend’s favourite parts.

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I've actually replayed the album already, and I smiled very hard when Thriller's opening notes played. I will never forget reminiscing to the opening notes, on how that had always been the moment I recognised the song. We got people dancing for Thriller, Beat It and Billie Jean, which was great. I already knew these songs, and have been holding off revisiting them just so this three-track run would hit harder. It was worth it, Beat It’s guitar solo brought me to my knees.

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I'd never heard Human Nature before, not properly, and my friends made me sit in front of the speaker and take it in. The problem was, I was too excited for P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing); it was like when I listened to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy for the first time, and I couldn't enjoy Devil in a New Dress because I was too excited for Runaway. I had to get up for that one, and boogie, but I recognised the chorus from the film, which I wasn't expecting. Definitely my favourite new playlist add, and I loved the vocal layers, towards the end (which my producer friend also loved).

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The Lady in My Life wasn't my favourite, but that could just be because I don't respond to slower songs so well. I did appreciate the climax, at the end, but it would probably be the last one I wanted to revisit.

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Overall, I've had an amazing time with this album. I really wish it could have been longer, actually, but this is the definition of all killer, no filler, and I appreciate how consistently great it was. One of the best albums I've ever heard, and one I can't wait to listen to again (literally).

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I was expecting big things from this album. Really big. I thought this was going to be a moment of pure, undeniable musical electricity, and it was going to launch right from the Motown Michael into the fully fledged pop-star, who made Billie Jean and Smooth Criminal. This wasn't that. In fact, after the first half, I wasn't even sure if this was an album that was all that great to me - definitely his best so far, but not the level I'm expecting from Thriller or Bad.

I've become quite fond of early Michael - after a conversation with my friend last night (who's also listening to the same albums as me), I found myself defending songs like Doggin’ Around, and Euphoria, and hyping up Dapper Dan. I hadn't realised how much I fucked with these songs until I saw the way I talked about them to someone else. They're on my playlist now.

Maybe it's because I don't listen to dance music all that often, but maybe I didn't “get” Side 1. My friend loved it though (different friend). She said that she preferred Side 1 to Side 2. I already knew Don't Stop ‘Til You Get Enough, and think it's a brilliant song. I'm not sure where I recognise Rock with You from, but I knew it, vaguely, and that was my favourite new song (on Side 1). I wasn't sure how I felt about Workin’ Day and Night, at first, but it grew on me. I never thought I'd say this, but it felt too fast. Almost frantic.

The second side was what cemented the record, for me. It's where all the soul, and heart, seemed to live. I feel like She's Out of My Life shouldn't have worked - it's too different from a Rock with You, or Workin’ Day and Night - but it, paradoxically, fit pretty well. It feels almost as though they made the songs before and after it meet it halfway, so it wasn't jarring. Maybe it was a risky thing to try and pull off, but it was so worth it as it kept the album from feeling like it was staying in the same place for forty minutes. It took you on a journey.

I noticed Paul McCartney in the writing credits, as well as Stevie Wonder. I was also intrigued to see a feature, on It's the Falling in Love. That's a beautiful song, and Patti's vocals were great - it didn't feel like a distraction at all, it was complimentary. Lyrically, even though the subject matter isn't all that different from his other albums, on the love songs, it just felt slightly deeper, and more real angles.

Ultimately, I thought this album was supposed to be about killing the disco, which is exactly what the last song is about. I had to get up and dance a bit, and came to the conclusion that it should be illegal to listen to Michael Jackson whilst sat down. It rounded out the “journey” perfectly. Even though I liked the more soulful stuff more, it was nice to bookend this album with pure dance music. And the fact that my friend preferred all that shows me it's not really about one style being “better”, it just affected us on different levels.

I still can't express how excited I am for Thriller, but we're planning to sneak into our local park and listen to it on a nice speaker, overnight. Off the Wall will be going in my collection of favourite albums and I look forward to listening to it again.

I was expecting big things from this album. Really big. I thought this was going to be a moment of pure, undeniable musical electricity, and it was going to launch right from the Motown Michael into the fully fledged pop-star, who made Billie Jean and Smooth Criminal. This wasn't that. In fact, after the first half, I wasn't even sure if this was an album that was all that great to me - definitely his best so far, but not the level I'm expecting from Thriller or Bad.

I've become quite fond of early Michael - after a conversation with my friend last night (who's also listening to the same albums as me), I found myself defending songs like Doggin’ Around, and Euphoria, and hyping up Dapper Dan. I hadn't realised how much I fucked with these songs until I saw the way I talked about them to someone else. They're on my playlist now.

Maybe it's because I don't listen to dance music all that often, but maybe I didn't “get” Side 1. My friend loved it though (different friend). She said that she preferred Side 1 to Side 2. I already knew Don't Stop ‘Til You Get Enough, and think it's a brilliant song. I'm not sure where I recognise Rock with You from, but I knew it, vaguely, and that was my favourite new song (on Side 1). I wasn't sure how I felt about Workin’ Day and Night, at first, but it grew on me. I never thought I'd say this, but it felt too fast. Almost frantic.

The second side was what cemented the record, for me. It's where all the soul, and heart, seemed to live. I feel like She's Out of My Life shouldn't have worked - it's too different from a Rock with You, or Workin’ Day and Night - but it, paradoxically, fit pretty well. It feels almost as though they made the songs before and after it meet it halfway, so it wasn't jarring. Maybe it was a risky thing to try and pull off, but it was so worth it as it kept the album from feeling like it was staying in the same place for forty minutes. It took you on a journey.

I noticed Paul McCartney in the writing credits, as well as Stevie Wonder. I was also intrigued to see a feature, on It's the Falling in Love. That's a beautiful song, and Patti's vocals were great - it didn't feel like a distraction at all, it was complimentary. Lyrically, even though the subject matter isn't all that different from his other albums, on the love songs, it just felt slightly deeper, and more real angles.

Ultimately, I thought this album was supposed to be about killing the disco, which is exactly what the last song is about. I had to get up and dance a bit, and came to the conclusion that it should be illegal to listen to Michael Jackson whilst sat down. It rounded out the “journey” perfectly. Even though I liked the more soulful stuff more, it was nice to bookend this album with pure dance music. And the fact that my friend preferred all that shows me it's not really about one style being “better”, it just affected us on different levels.

I still can't express how excited I am for Thriller, but we're planning to sneak into our local park and listen to it on a nice speaker, overnight. Off the Wall will be going in my collection of favourite albums and I look forward to listening to it again.

Do you listen to them just like one long album? Or split them into two separate "experiences"?

This morning, I woke up naturally, early, so I decided to go down to the park and listen to the album at around 8 a.m.. I wasn't super excited for this one, since it was a compilation, but I'm treating it as a studio album because it seems, in some contexts, to be treated as one.

Since Let It Be, I've relistened to Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Magical Mystery Tour and Abbey Road. They seem perfect to throw on in the background, whilst I'm studying or falling asleep, because they give me the perfect amount to keep my brain engaged without needing to focus on it. That's not to say I can't enjoy their music while fully focused, but I think they suit that lane quite well. I'm still yet to listen to 1, I've been planning that one for a minute, but I expect to get to it in the next few days.

The first side confirmed what I expected: old Beatles is good because it's just generally good music, but it doesn't stand out to me as different from anything else of that era (I've listened to fuck all from the ‘60s so this is definitely an issue with my personal illiteracy), and I wouldn't be listening to it if it wasn't The Beatles. There are a few songs that stand out, and that I would replay, but the vast majority reminded me that they weren't always the version of themselves that I like. Don't get me wrong, I love songs like I Want to Hold Your Hand. I actually discovered that song, properly, earlier this month, and it's been a favourite ever since. Hearing the German versions was strange. But the vast majority of tracks here were a little unremarkable to me. I fell in love with The Beatles when they realised they were special, and started to show it off.

The second half was more enjoyable. Throughout the whole double-LP, there were moments of sweetness, attitude, and gorgeous little melodies and harmonies. Some of the lyrics, on songs like We Can Work It Out, or Paperback Writer, struck me as being interesting in distinctly different ways. I knew I was supposed to be excited for a song like Lady Madonna, but it just didn't stick in my memory. Hey Jude, on the other hand, was exactly the song that had been promised to me. It was elevated by the fact it had a story behind it, but even in its own right, it made such a simple base into such a layered, enjoyable song. I had no idea it was going to be a seven minute experience, but I was even more excited after I saw the track length. This song was an anthem.

I don't remember loving Revolution 1 as much as Revolution, and I don't know if they're the same song, but it will inform my next relisten to The White Album. The Ballad of John and Yoko was another song where I don't think I got what I was expecting. That's not to say I didn't like it, it was good and I enjoyed it, but I was hoping I'd finally get to hear some of Yoko’s “singing”, which I've heard so much about. This was a much more conventional song. Across the Universe and Let It Be were, of course, good; I've obviously heard Let It Be before but I haven't relistened to the album. You Know My Name (Look Up the Number) was the perfect closer.

I don't think I'd be in a rush to relisten to this album, because of its nature, but I'm still planning to listen to 1, even if there are some songs that overlap. This is the most fun I've had going through a new discography in years, and I can't wait to see which artist will be the next to capture my attention in this way.

I have tried LSD once, so far, and intend to try acid and shrooms a few times each before graduating to DMT and eventually salvia. On trying acid, I didn't have enough (3/4 tab) and wasn't seeing what my friends were seeing. Before smoking, I remember feeling wobbly, and vision being a bit weird, but I wasn't seeing movement or patterns like my friends were. After smoking, I felt heightened artistic awareness and a sense of profundity, that I always feel when I smoke weed, but this time it was distinct, slightly sharper. The only visual distortion I experienced was on my phone: the text is usually white on a black background but this time, there appeared to be colourful hues emenating from behind the white text. I also struggled to piece together my thoughts whilst reviewing a Beatles album, and felt compassionate towards everybody (which isn't out of the ordinary for me). Music sounded better and the importance of listening to Abbey Road couldn't be understated. I spent the whole night dissapointed that I hadn't reached the levels of my friends (one of which took double my dose, and the other took the same as me but had a profound experience). I felt as though I was waiting to relax all night and finally listening to Abbey Road, which was the plan for the night, met that.