michael jackson

Esperanza Spalding’s ‘Radio Music Society’ Looks Like a Brilliant Pivot a Decade Later

Esperanza Spalding’s ‘Radio Music Society’ Looks Like a Brilliant Pivot a Decade Later

Ten years ago, Esperanza Spalding reached for greater creative accomplishment while still holding an audience on Radio Music Society. It was a jazz record that got popular without pandering.

Rebbie Jackson Bid for Pop Stardom in the Midst of 1980s Jacksonmania

Rebbie Jackson Bid for Pop Stardom in the Midst of 1980s Jacksonmania

Rebbie was the first of the Jackson sisters to find solo success, scoring a gold record out of the gate with Centipede. When she released Reaction in 1986, she was no longer the most successful Jackson sister.

Michael Jackson’s ‘Dangerous’ and the Reinvention of Pop

Michael Jackson’s ‘Dangerous’ and the Reinvention of Pop

Nirvana and company may have killed off ’80s rock. But if pop was dead, its “king” Michael Jackson successfully created alternatives.

How the New Jack Swing Movement Redefined an Era

How the New Jack Swing Movement Redefined an Era

New Jack Swing was the soundtrack for young Americans of the late 1980s and early 1990s in the same way that Motown was for young Americans of the 1960s.

You Can Feel the Venue’s Heartbeat on Every Page of ‘Showtime at the Apollo’

You Can Feel the Venue’s Heartbeat on Every Page of ‘Showtime at the Apollo’

How do we measure the status of a performer's Holy Grail like the Apollo Theater in 2019? Ted Fox and James Otis Smith's beautifully realized, updated graphic history brings this rich history to life.

Prince Shall Forever Remain the Enigma: ‘This Thing Called Life’

Prince Shall Forever Remain the Enigma: ‘This Thing Called Life’

Instead of cherry-picking facts and quotes, Joseph Vogel lets Prince's legacy shine in all its vague and erratic splendor.

Phil Collins: Singles

Phil Collins: Singles

The main question with Singles is this: does Phil Collins really deserve all the critical revilement he's gotten for decades?
Prince and Michael Jackson: The Rivalry and the Revolution

Prince and Michael Jackson: The Rivalry and the Revolution

Deemed As polar opposites by the media, part of what made the Prince v Jackson rivalry so compelling was their similarities.
Michael Jackson: Michael Jackson’s Journey from Motown to Off the Wall

Michael Jackson: Michael Jackson’s Journey from Motown to Off the Wall

Something as fresh and lively as Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall results in a rare enhancement of what you already have come to know and love.
Does Michael Jackson’s Work Contain the Stuff of Genius?

Does Michael Jackson’s Work Contain the Stuff of Genius?

Steve Knopper’s highly readable biography MJ: The Genius of Michael Jackson lays out a credible case for Jackson to be considered along those lofty lines, and not simply as a supreme entertainer.
Ivy Walker: Ivy Walker

Ivy Walker: Ivy Walker

Ivy Walker's self-titled debut album is moved by a sense of nostalgia that never really recalls a specific time and place.
Queen: Forever (take 2)

Queen: Forever (take 2)

Yes, this is another Queen compilation, but it's not hard to make a good case for Forever.