May 9“Is It Scary”: How Michael Jackson Thrives on Your Hate #BOTDF25Happy 25th Anniversary to Michael Jackson’s remix album, ‘Blood on the Dance Floor,’ originally released on May 20, 1997. Hello, my name is Hate. You know me well. Thanks for creating me! I’m here today to talk about Michael Jackson. You know, that guy. …Michael Jackson5 min read
Published in The Violet Reality·Nov 21, 2021Michael Jackson’s ‘Dangerous’ Turns 30: Engaging Pop Culture Without Losing the GospelSpecial thanks to Chris Cadman, Carl Deuker, Andy Healy, Tony Lee-Peters, Casey Rain, David Sons, and Brad Sundberg. Your wisdom and influence have made me a better writer. Dangerous is the greatest gospel album ever marketed as “pop music.” I know, I know. That statement screams “wild fan theory.” But…Michael Jackson9 min read
Oct 4, 2021#MJ50 Michael Jackson’s Decades ChallengeThis week in music history: Motown Records released Michael Jackson’s first solo single “Got to Be There” in 1971. Five decades later, we saw a child prodigy become the biggest entertainer the world has ever seen. To celebrate his legacy, I chose one song per decade for us to revisit. …Michael Jackson9 min read
Jul 1, 2021Remixing Vulture’s List of Michael Jackson SongsWhen Vulture’s Bill Wyman ranked all 147 of Michael Jackson songs in 2017, his list stuck with me. I didn’t agree with his odd rankings or ignorant commentary. But I did agree with most of the songs that made his Top 50. Our connection to Michael’s music changes as we…Michael Jackson2 min read
Apr 21, 2021Revisiting Prince’s ‘Batman’ (1989) | Retrospective TributeThree decades have passed, and Batman’s legacy is still somewhat unsettled. Matt Thorne, Anil Dash, Jay Gabler, and Prince’s Friend celebrate the soundtrack. Yet, Rolling Stone, AllMusic, and City Pages treat it as if it’s damaged goods. Prince was untouchable during his first decade as a recording artist. …Prince5 min read
Feb 15, 2021Defending Michael Jackson’s ‘Bad’: A Labor of LoveOf all the hot takes I’ve seen on Twitter, nothing prepared me for this one. I didn’t think someone could contradict themselves this much in less than 280 characters. Then again, the Internet remains undefeated.Michael Jackson7 min read
Oct 14, 2020Essential Prince: “If I Was Your Girlfriend”Only a handful of songs in Prince’s legendary catalog give “When Doves Cry” a run for its money. “Purple Rain” is one, as is “Sometimes It Snows in April” from Parade. “If I Was Your Girlfriend” breathes in the same rarified air. It’s one of those rare recordings that…Prince2 min read
Sep 17, 2020I’m Sorry, “Another Part of Me”: You’re UnderratedThe disrespect has to stop. One critic said, “The most interesting thing is how he pronounced ‘part’ (‘poo-what!’) in the title phrase.” Acclaimed Music left it off their Top Songs of All Time list of 10,000 songs. When most fans debate Michael’s best songs, they rarely mention it, including yours…Michael Jackson4 min read
Published in The Violet Reality·Aug 29, 2020‘Smooth Criminal’ Is Michael Jackson’s Best Short Film, Even If ‘Thriller’ Is the G.O.A.T.Yes, you read that right. There’s a difference between “greatest” and “best.” Merriam-Webster defines “greatest” as “remarkable in magnitude, degree, or effectiveness.” They also define “best” as “one’s maximum effort.” It makes perfect sense to say Thriller is Michael Jackson’s “greatest” for changing the way we hear and see music…Music5 min read
