Today marks the 30th anniversary of Michael Jackson’s iconic ‘Dangerous’ album, released on November 26th, 1991.
‘Dangerous’ is the ultimate Michael Jackson album for us – every song takes us back to the early ’90s, yet every song holds up so strongly today. With a range of different genres, namely new jack swing, Michael masters every style.
The album incorporates themes of racism, injustice, poverty, mourning, betrayal, faith, seduction and love.
Commercially, ‘Dangerous’ is one of the best-selling albums in history, having sold in excess of 32 million copies. It was the best-selling album worldwide in 1992, and topped the charts in over ten countries.
The album produced nine singles, including four Top 10 hits in the US; ‘Black Or White’, ‘Remember The Time’, ‘In The Closet’, and ‘Will You Be There’. Other singles included ‘Heal The World’, ‘Who Is It’, ‘Jam’, ‘Give In To Me’, and ‘Gone Too Soon’.
The most successful single release from ‘Dangerous’ was ‘Black or White’, which was a #1 in 20 countries.
According to various sources including Rolling Stone magazine, Michael recorded over 60 songs for ‘Dangerous’ before selecting the 12 which we know and love today. Some of the songs which didn’t make the album were later polished and released, such as ‘Earth Song’, ‘Ghosts’, and ‘Blood on The Dance Floor’.
The ‘Dangerous’ album earned Michael numerous awards, including Grammys, American Music Awards, Soul Train Music Awards, and Billboard Music Awards.
The ‘Dangerous World Tour’ became one of the highest grossing tours of the 90s, with over four million people in attendance, and all profits from the tour were donated to various charities, including the Heal The World Foundation.
Watch the music videos: