Thriller vs. Bad: Which Michael Jackson Album Really Wins?

I never thought there was much of a debate over which Michael Jackson album from the ’80s was better—until I actually stopped and thought about it. Then I went a step further and did what we all do now: I Googled it. Turns out, I wasn’t the only one who had mentally lined up Smooth Criminal against Billie Jean and tried to figure out which album really deserved the crown.

So here’s my breakdown—and my opinion—on the best album from the biggest pop icon of the decade, if not the century.

Let’s start with the numbers.

Billboard Chart Performance

THRILLER

• Billie Jean — #1 on Billboard Hot 100MJ’s signature song. Iconic bassline, iconic video, iconic everything.

• Beat It — #1A rock-influenced smash featuring Eddie Van Halen’s legendary guitar solo.

• The Girl Is Mine (with Paul McCartney) — #2The duet that helped build early momentum for the album.

• Thriller — #4A spooky anthem that eventually became a cultural institution.

• Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ — #5Infectious, high-energy, and a fan favorite.

• Human Nature — #7Smooth, atmospheric, and quietly beloved.

• P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) — #10Fun, upbeat, and endlessly catchy.

• Baby Be Mine — Did not reach the Top 100

• The Lady in My Life — Did not reach the Top 100

Surprisingly, Thriller produced only two #1 singles. Given the album’s iconic status—and the absolute event that was the Thriller video premiere on MTV—I would have lost a lot of money betting the over on chart-toppers.

One thing I’ve never understood is the lack of love for P.Y.T. To me, it’s the third-best song on the album behind Billie Jean and Beat It. It never cracked the top five and rarely gets mentioned among MJ’s greatest, which makes no sense. Be honest—you’re probably singing “Pretty young thing, repeat after me…” right now. That alone should qualify it for greater respect.

BAD

• I Just Can’t Stop Loving You — #1Lead single and the first of many chart-toppers.

• Bad — #1The title track stayed at the top for two weeks.

• The Way You Make Me Feel — #1Joyful, infectious, and endlessly replayable.

• Man in the Mirror — #1A powerful, socially conscious anthem.

• Dirty Diana — #1Dark, edgy, and one of MJ’s hardest-hitting tracks.

• Smooth Criminal — #7A massive hit that somehow didn’t reach #1.

• Another Part of Me — #11Just missed the Top 10.

• Speed Demon — Did not reach the Top 100

• Liberian Girl — Did not reach the Top 100

• Just Good Friends — Did not reach the Top 100

Bad was released on August 31, 1987, and like many Michael Jackson fans, I was eagerly awaiting more Thriller. At first, I was disappointed. It felt like it fell short of impossible expectations.

But the more I listened, the more I heard it: similarities, refinements, and even improvements on the Thriller sound. It raised a real question—could Michael Jackson have done the unthinkable and improved upon perfection?

If you judge strictly by #1 hits, Bad wins easily. But charts don’t capture cultural impact, and no album—not even Bad—can fully measure up to what Thriller meant then and still means now.

My Personal Top 5 Songs

Art is subjective, and this is no exception.

Thriller

1. Billie Jean

2. Beat It

3. P.Y.T.

4. Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’

5. Thriller

Bad

1. Dirty Diana

2. Smooth Criminal

3. The Way You Make Me Feel

4. Bad

5. I Just Can’t Stop Loving You

There’s a steep drop from #4 to #5 on both albums—and an even bigger drop after the top five. That drop is less noticeable on Thriller than it is on Bad.

Back in the day, you listened to an entire side of a record, flipped it over, and listened to the rest. That’s how I know songs like The Lady in My Life and Liberian Girl. Today, with playlists and skipping at will, those songs rarely get the chance to breathe in my house.

Head-to-Head Matchups

• Billie Jean vs. Dirty DianaBillie Jean is one of the greatest songs ever written. No contest.

• Beat It vs. Smooth CriminalI give this one to Smooth Criminal.

• P.Y.T. vs. The Way You Make Me FeelBoth are all-time favorites. This one’s a tie.

• Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ vs. BadBad feels like an updated version of Beat It, but I give the edge to Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’. Still, I never skip Bad.

• Thriller vs. I Just Can’t Stop Loving YouCompletely different songs, hard to compare. But if I can only pick one, it’s Thriller—video included.

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Why Thriller Still Wins

What truly separates these albums is what they meant—personally and culturally—when they were released.

In 1982, I was barely nine years old and just discovering my taste in music. I didn’t know Michael Jackson beyond what was on the radio. I hadn’t heard Off the Wall or the Jackson 5. Even then, I knew Thriller had something.

MTV mattered. Videos mattered. Billie Jean with the light-up floor. Beat It with switchblades and that red leather jacket. And then came Thriller. Not just a video—an event. For 13 minutes and 42 seconds, the world stopped.

That moment made Thriller more than a song or an album. It made it a cultural icon.

If Thriller never happened, would people have cared as much about Bad in 1987? I seriously doubt it. Michael Jackson was destined for greatness, but Thriller elevated him into a category of his own. Thriller is what separates Prince from Michael Jackson. Prince is a legend, but Michael Jackson changed the world in a way no one else did for me.

So when it comes down to one question—which album do I play if I can only choose one?—there’s no hesitation.

I choose Thriller.

Not just for the music, but for the memories: discovering music at nine years old, MTV actually mattering, and every kid trying to learn how to moonwalk.