| Dangerous | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 21, 1991 | |||
| Recorded | June 1989 – October 1991[1] | |||
| Studio |
| |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 76:47 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Michael Jackson chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Dangerous | ||||
| ||||
Dangerous is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriterMichael Jackson. It was first released byEpic Records on November 21, 1991, more than four years after Jackson's previous album,Bad (1987). Jackson departed from longtime collaboratorQuincy Jones, instead co-producing the album withBill Bottrell,Teddy Riley, andBruce Swedien. Guest appearances includeHeavy D,Princess Stéphanie of Monaco,Slash andWreckx-n-Effect. The album incorporatesnew jack swing, a popular genre at the time,R&B andpop. Jackson wrote or co-wrote 12 of the album's 14 songs, centered on topics likeunity,romance andpassion,social issues, andself-improvement.
Dangerous is considered an artistic change for Jackson, with his music focusing on more socially conscious material and spanning a broader range of sounds and styles, includingunderground sounds to a mainstream audience. The album featuresindustrial,funk,hip hop,electronic,gospel,classical, androck. Nine singles from the album premiered between November 1991 and December 1993, including one exclusively released outside North America ("Give In to Me"). Jackson embarked on theDangerous World Tour, which grossed $100 million.
Dangerous debuted at number 1 on theBillboard Top Pop Albums chart and remained there for four consecutive weeks. It also reached number 1 in fourteen other countries and was the best-selling album worldwide of 1992, being Jackson's third consecutive album to achieve this. The album produced four singles that reached the Top 10 of the USBillboard Hot 100: "Remember the Time", "In the Closet", "Will You Be There" and the number 1 single "Black or White".Dangerous was generally a critical success, with praise for its uptempo and urban production.
Dangerous is one of thebest-selling albums having sold 32 million copies worldwide and is certified8× platinum in the US. It was included in theDefinitive 200 Albums of All Time list by theNational Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) in conjunction with theRock and Roll Hall of Fame. The album received numerous awards, includingBest Engineered Album, Non-Classical at the1993 Grammy Awards andFavorite Pop/Rock Album at the1993 American Music Awards. It has since been credited by critics as Jackson's final "classic" album.
After the success of his seventh album,Bad (1987), Jackson wanted more independence and control over the creative process. He separated himself from longtime producer Quincy Jones to avoid the perception that his success depended on him. Jackson began working on new tracks in 1989 with a handful of members from the B-team ofBad, including Matt Forger and Bill Bottrell.[3] The album was conceived as a greatest hits collection,Decade, with a handful of new songs, similar to Madonna'sThe Immaculate Collection. Jackson received $18 million in advance.[4][5]
Decade was scheduled for a late 1989 release but was delayed several times. Another release date was set for November 1990, but it never materialized. Jackson was preoccupied with ongoing changes in his management team while also attempting to realize his film-making ambitions.[6] In June 1990, he collapsed while dancing in his home studio due to a possible panic attack, with symptoms of chest pains, dehydration and inflammation of the ribs.[7] Soon after,Decade was dropped entirely, and Jackson determined that his new material constituted a full album, which he calledDangerous.[8]
For nearly two years starting in late 1989, recording took place primarily atOcean Way Record One inSherman Oaks, where Jackson arranged for executive control for $4,000 per day.[9][10] Most work proceeded with three producers,Bill Bottrell,Bruce Swedien, andBryan Loren, in three different studios with Jackson.[11] Bottrell co-wrote and produced "Give In to Me" and "Black or White", and received writing credits for "Dangerous" and production credits for "Who Is It".[12] He had been forced out of the production ofBad by Jones, but Jackson brought him back forDangerous, for which he was known as the "rock guy".[13] Bottrell introduced Jackson to classically trained keyboardistBrad Buxer, who was originally hired as a technician for his expertise in electronic equipment. Buxer recalled: "Musically speaking, we were on the same wavelength; we spoke the same language."[14] The Jackson-Buxer partnership continued for 20 years.[15]
For most of the rhythm tracks, Jackson worked with Loren atWestlake Studios. Their work had begun at the end of Jackson'sBad tour, and together they recorded "Work That Body", "She Got It", "Serious Effect", "Do Not Believe It", "Seven Digits", and "Man in Black".[6] Loren wanted to recapture the organic R&B feeling of Jackson's albumOff the Wall.[16]LL Cool J was invited to rap on "Serious Effect" and "Truth About Youth", because Jackson wanted to add hip-hop to the record. LL Cool J had been critical of Jackson but praised him after their collaboration.[17] None of Loren's recordings made the album.[18] Though Loren's material was strong, it was not up to Jackson's standards, and he was searching for a sound as compelling and successful asRhythm Nation (1989) by his sisterJanet.
Jackson discoverednew jack swing, featuring a more aggressive and urban sound, after reaching out to producersAntonio "L.A." Reid andKenny "Babyface" Edmonds.[19] In June 1990, Jackson hiredTeddy Riley, pioneer of the new jack swing genre. By then, Jackson had already recorded over 50 songs.[20] Initially recording at Record One, Riley moved to nearbyLarrabee Studios after a few weeks, because other producers were working at Sherman Oaks.[21] Unlike Loren, Riley wantedDangerous to sound different from Jackson's earlier work, and Jackson admired Riley for bringing in contemporary styles. Jackson challenged Riley to create new instrumentation without relying on stocksynth anddrum machine sounds.[22] Riley reworked some of Loren's contributions, and developed "Jam" and "Dangerous" further. "Dangerous" was originally recorded with Bottrell, but Jackson was not satisfied until improvements were made.[23] Riley said he brought Jackson's music back to its "barest forms" of R&B and funk.[24]
By early 1991 Jackson had finished the track listing, which included several tracks he recorded with Riley: "Remember the Time", "Dangerous", and "In the Closet". He had planned for "In the Closet" to be a duet with pop singerMadonna, but her half was replaced withPrincess Stéphanie of Monaco.[25] A meeting with guitaristSlash took more than a year to co-ordinate, and the two collaborated on "Give In to Me".[26] Swedien recalled recording sessions lasting up to 18 hours. On one occasion, he ordered Jackson not to leave the studio until he sang the vocals for "Keep the Faith" all the way through: "This was scary but he did it. He didn't leave the studio until dawn."[27]
Jackson spent $10 million to recordDangerous.[28] Executives at Epic set a deadline for the album, wanting it released before November 28, 1991,Thanksgiving Day. For the last two months of recording, Jackson and Swedien rented hotel rooms located four minutes from Record One, so they could get back to work as soon as possible. Riley said, "When the deadline came, [Jackson] wanted to do more and more songs. [...] And then when Michael saw the commercial forDangerous, theDavid Lynch thing, we started working hard to get it finished."[10]Dangerous was completed and mastered, byBernie Grundman, on Halloween, 1991.[29]
Jackson recorded roughly 60 to 70 songs forDangerous, some of which were released later,[10][30] including the environmental anthem "Earth Song", released on his next album,HIStory. "Superfly Sister", "Ghosts" and "Blood on the Dance Floor" were released on the remix compilationBlood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix. Loren helped develop "Superfly Sister", while Riley worked on "Ghosts" and "Blood on the Dance Floor".[31] "For All Time", a romantic pop ballad that Jackson liked but did not feel fitDangerous, was released on the25th anniversary edition ofThriller.[32] "Slave to the Rhythm" was remastered and released on the 2014 compilation albumXscape. Another Riley outtake, "Joy", featured on Blackstreet's1994 debut album, which Riley produced.[33][34]
Dangerous is anew jack swing,R&B andpop album, which incorporates elements of several other genres, includingindustrial,funk,hip hop,electronic,[35]gospel,classical androck.[36] In a 1992 interview withEbony magazine, Jackson said, "I wanted to do an album likeTchaikovsky’sNutcracker Suite. So that in a thousand years from now, people would still be listening to it."[37][38] Much of the album contains samples from CDs that Riley had created himself using a variety of instruments.[39]
The album features catchy pop hooks and choruses while also introducingunderground sounds to a mainstream audience. The album's tone is noted by critics as gritty and urban, with sounds includingsyntheticbasslines,scratching, anddrum machinepercussion,[35] as well as unconventional sounds like honkingvehicle horns, slidingchains, swinging gates, breaking glass, and clanking metal. Throughout the album Jackson also implementsbeatboxing,scat singing, andfinger snapping. The album is considered byJoe Vogel inPopMatters to be an artistic change for Jackson, because of its focus on socially conscious material, and a broader range of sounds and styles.[40] The car sound effects on "She Drives Me Wild" were taken from a sample CD, and was the first time Riley used unusual sounds in place of the drums on a song.[39]
The album featured Jackson rapping for the first time.[12] The inclusion ofWreckx-n-Effect and hip-hop rhythms were attempts to introduce Jackson to a younger generation of urban listeners.[41] Riley was a pioneer of new jack swing, and he was hired by Jackson specifically for his work in the genre.[42][43] Riley co-produced half the songs on the album. Swedien said of Riley, "He'd come in with a groove, we'd say it wasn't exactly right, and there would be no complaining. He'd just go back and then come back in and blow us away with something like 'Dangerous'."[10] In recordings with Bottrell, the sounds were more diverse (e.g. "Black or White" and "Give In to Me"). The rap in "Black or White" was written and performed by Bottrell, credited under the pseudonym "L.T.B." Jackson hummed melodies and grooves before leaving the studio, while Bottrell developed on these ideas with drum machines and samplers, including anAkai S1000.[12] Bottrell operated aNeve console and two24-track Studer analog tape machines to draft ideas and demos. He then used a32-track Mitsubishi machine to assemble the album.[12]
"[Recording with Jackson] is at once the most sterile and creative process I've been involved in. Everything is pieced together from samples: you use the same drum beat and chords, then later add things to make it different [...]. Michael hires out the studio for like ten years and shows up once a month."[44]
The lyrics forDangerous were more varied than those of Jackson's previous records. Opening track "Jam" features a dense, swirling Riley track, propelled byhornsamples and a subtlescratch effect.[45] Jackson had recorded a basic idea for the song on aDAT, to which he asked Riley to develop. Riley learned that Heavy D was Jackson's favorite rapper at the time, and suggested that he was brought in to contribute a rap.[39] The ballads, "Keep the Faith" (composed by Jackson,Siedah Garrett andGlen Ballard) and the self-composed "Will You Be There" had sounds ofgospel, while "Heal the World" and "Gone Too Soon" were softer pop ballads. "Gone Too Soon", written byLarry Grossman andBuz Kohan, is a tribute toRyan White following his death due toAIDS in 1990.[46] The album also includes songs of other personal nature, especially in songs such as "She Drives Me Wild", "Remember the Time", "Can't Let Her Get Away", "Who Is It" and "Give In to Me". The title track's subject is similar to that of "Dirty Diana" with the song focusing on a seductress.[47] Though Jackson sang about racial harmony in some of his songs withthe Jacksons, "Black or White" was the first song where the lyrics were interpreted with the context of his own changing skin color.[48] In "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", Jackson juxtaposed social ills to his ownalleged eccentricities that were covered in the press at the time, asking critics and the tabloid media why they were focusing on the cult ofcelebrity rather than the multitude of serious problems in the world.[49] Riley performed the guitar parts on anOvation acoustic, and expected Jackson to have someone brought in to re-record them, but was surprised that Jackson liked what he had put down.[39]
The album's front cover was painted by Americanpop surrealist artistMark Ryden. It displays Jackson behind a goldmasquerade mask with the face of a chimpanzee (which may be Jackson's petBubbles) atop the mask, and a dog and a bird wearing royal clothing sitting on the left and right side, respectively. The forefront depictsP. T. Barnum, the creator of theBarnum and Bailey circus.[50] Ryden had five days to come up with ideas, and "feverishly worked that week" to produce one design per day. He was instructed to focus on Jackson's eyes, include animals and children, and "show the earth at peril". He was also told that his designs "could be scary, but should still be fun". Ryden said the cover was his most exciting project up to that point. In November 2021, the 30th anniversary ofDangerous, Ryden shared his conceptual drawings for the cover on Instagram for the first time.[51] According to Fraser McAlpine ofBBC Music, Ryden depicted Jackson as "a guarded circus artist who has seen glory and the machinery involved in making it happen".[52]
In November 1991, days before the debut of the music video "Black or White", David Browne ofEntertainment Weekly commented on the high expectations ofDangerous, due to the extended time spent on developing the album and Jackson's lucrative $65 million contract with Sony Music. The writer stated, "[T]here is more riding on the success ofDangerous than on any other album in pop history."[30] Jackson personally hoped that the album would sell 100 million copies, a number that would twice surpass the sales ofThriller.[10] Five days before the album's release, three men armed with guns robbed 30,000 copies from a Los Angeles warehouse.[53]
Dangerous was first released on November 21, 1991, in the United Kingdom,[54] November 25 in Japan,[55] and November 26 in the United States.[56] It debuted at number one on theBillboard200 Top Albums chart on December 14, and spent an additional three weeks there. In its first week, it sold 326,500 copies, based on sales from the first five days of the tracking period.[57][10][58] In the second week, the album sold 378,000 copies, a 16% increase from the previous week sales.[59][60] In its third week,Dangerous sold 370,000 copies.[61][62] At the end of 1991, the total number of sales totalled to 1,074,500 copies sold in the United States and the album was certifiedplatinum.[63]Dangerous opened the year 1992, dated January 4, remaining at number one with 370,000 copies sold.[64][65] By January 1992, it was certifiedfour times platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over four million copies in the US, roughly the same number as the initial sales ofOff the Wall.[66][67]
Dangerous continued to sell strongly in 1992 and 1993 in the US. In 1993, following several personal and promotional appearances, album sales forDangerous grew significantly. Following Jackson's performance at the Inauguration of U.S. PresidentBill Clinton, sales increased 36% and the album jumped from 131 to 88 on the week of February 6, 1993. In the next week, sales increased 83% and the album jumped to 41 following his appearance on the American Music Awards 1993 where he won 3 awards. Sales increased 40% in the following week due to the historic ratings of the Halftime Super Bowl performance and the album jumped again from 88 to 41 on theBillboard 200 selling over 21,000.[68] On the next week, the album continued to climb to number 26 selling 29,000, up 40% of the previous week.[69] On the week of February 27, 1993, album sales increased again because of the strong ratings due to theMichael Jackson Talks ... to Oprah TV special, selling close to 60,000 units and jumping from 26 to 12. In the following week, the album finally reentered the top 10 in the United States. As of December 1993, sales forDangerous were around 4.8 million copies and 5.5 million by September 1995.[70] In August 2018, the album was certified eight-times platinum by the RIAA for sales of over 8 million copies.[66][71][72][73]
In Europe, it was reported that the album reached 4 million copies in shipments before it was released, becoming an all-time record at the time.[74] It dominated global charts, debuting at number one in the UK with 205,000 copies sold within a 3-day tracking period and becoming the fastest number-one selling album of all time in the UK,[75][76] while also reaching number one in 12 other territories, including Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain.[77] Due to the massive success of the Dangerous World Tour, album sales forDangerous received a boost. In the first four weeks of his tour in 1992, sales of the album increased from 6.8 million to 7.2 million units in Europe.[78]
It reached the 10 million mark in sales in the first two months after its release; Jackson's two previous albums,Bad andThriller, each took more than four months to achieve that goal.[79][80] By September 1994, the album had reportedly sold 25 million copies worldwide.[81][82] By recent estimates,Dangerous has sold over 32 million copies worldwide making it one of thebest-selling albums of all time.[83]
.jpg)
Similar to the way in which record label executives had approachedBad, expectations were set at a high bar forDangerous.[84] In September 1991, Jackson netted a deal to have his videos air onFOX alongside regular music-video channelsMTV,BET andVH1.[85]
The 11-minute video for "Black or White" debuted on November 14, 1991, and was broadcast across 27 countries. 500 million viewers reportedly watched it—the largest audience ever for a music video.[86] The music video and its controversy boosted the sale ofDangerous, as did the broadcast of videos for "Remember the Time" and "In the Closet".[87]
Jackson performed "Black or White" withSlash, and the debut of "Will You Be There" at MTV's 10th anniversary special that aired onABC two days after the release ofDangerous.[88][89]
TheDangerous: The Short Films collection of music videos fromDangerous, with behind-the-scenes footage, was released in 1993.[90]
Jackson embarked on theDangerous World Tour, which grossed $100 million (equivalent to $177 million in 2020)[91] and drew nearly 4 million people across 72 concerts.[92] All profits from the tour were donated to charities including Jackson'sHeal the World Foundation. TheBucharest concert was filmed on October 1, 1992, for broadcast onHBO on October 10. Jackson sold the film rights for the concert for $20 million, then the highest amount for a concert performer to appear on television.[93] The airing of the HBO concert special,Michael Jackson: Live in Bucharest, revived sales of the album.[94]
Jackson made personal appearances in early 1993, including theAmerican Music Awards andGrammy Awards, when he accepted theGrammy Legend Award from his sisterJanet. He also filmed a widely discussed interview withOprah Winfrey and made a half-time performance at theSuper Bowl XXVII, which started theNFL's trend of signing top acts to appear during the Super Bowl to attract more viewers and interest. The performance helped returnDangerous to the US album chart's top 10.[95][96][97] In August 1993, as the third leg of the Dangerous World Tour began,the first allegations of child sexual abuse against Jackson became public and received worldwide media attention. In November, Jackson canceled the remainder of the tour, citing health problems arising from the scandal.[98]
The lead single, "Black or White", was released in November 1991, reaching the top of theBillboard Hot 100 chart three weeks after it was released and staying there for seven weeks.[99] It was the fastest chart-topper sincethe Beatles' "Get Back" in 1969 and the best-selling single worldwide of 1992.[100][101] "Black or White" reached number one in 20 countries, including the US, the UK, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Turkey, Zimbabwe, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and theEurochart Hot 100. It became the first American single to enter theUK Singles Chart at number one since "It's Now or Never" byElvis Presley in 1960.[100] The singles were more successful overseas than in the US. In the UK alone, seven singles reached the top ten. This set a record for any studio album in the UK untilCalvin Harris surpassed it in 2013.[102]
"Remember the Time" peaked at number three on theBillboard Hot 100 singles chart and number one on the R&B Singles Chart. It reached number one in New Zealand charts for two consecutive weeks.[103] In the United Kingdom, the song charted at number three, where it peaked.[104] It peaked at number four in the Netherlands and Switzerland.[105] The song also charted within the top ten on the French, Australian, Swedish, Italian, and Norwegian charts; peaking at number five, six, eight and ten.[105] It charted in the top 20, peaking at number 16, in Austria.[105] It was generally well received by contemporary music critics and regarded as one of the highlight songs onDangerous.[106]
The album's third single, "In the Closet" peaked at number six on theBillboard Hot 100, also reached number one on the R&B Singles Chart, becoming the album's third consecutive top 10 hit.[107] In the United Kingdom, the song charted at number eight, where it peaked.[108] The song's female vocal was originally labeled "Mystery Girl" but was later revealed to bePrincess Stéphanie of Monaco.[109]
"Jam" only reached number 26 on theBillboard Hot 100, despite heavy promotion.[110] The music video of the song featuredNBA iconMichael Jordan. The song was played in theChicago Bulls' 1992 NBA Championship videoUntouchabulls and was used in many promotional NBA ads of that season.[111] In the UK, the single reached the top twenty, where it peaked at number 13.[112]
"Who Is It" peaked at number 14 on the United States'Billboard Hot 100, while peaking at number six onBillboardHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, as well as topping theHot Dance Club Play.[113] The song peaked on the United Kingdom music chart at number ten. It remained within the top 100 positions for seven consecutive weeks from July to September 1992.[114] In France, the track peaked at number eight on August 29.[113] "Who Is It" reached its lowest peak position at number 34 in Australia.[115]
"Heal the World" peaked at number 27 on theBillboard Hot 100.[116] The song reached number two in theUK Singles Chart in December 1992, kept off the number one position byWhitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You".[117] In a 2001Internet chat withfans, Jackson said "Heal the World" was the song he was most proud to have created.[116]
The overseas-only single "Give In to Me" reached the top five in the UK,[118] Netherlands and Australia, while hitting the top of the charts in New Zealand.
"Will You Be There" was the last top-10 single on theBillboard Hot 100 from the album, peaking at number seven.[116] The song peaked at number two in New Zealand and reaching the top ten in Belgium, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.[119][120] It was the theme of the 1993 filmFree Willy. Its appearance in the film also helped sales forDangerous.[121]
"Gone Too Soon", another overseas single, was more moderately received, charting within the top 40 in the UK.[122] Jackson performed the song at president-electBill Clinton's inauguration celebrationAn American Reunion: The 52nd Presidential Inaugural Gala.[123]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Chicago Tribune |   [124] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B−[41] |
| Los Angeles Times | [125] |
| NME | 7/10[126] |
| Q | [127] |
| Rolling Stone |  [128] |
| Smash Hits | 9/10[129] |
| The Village Voice | A−[130] |
Dangerous was generally a critical success.Robert Christgau ofThe Village Voice deemed it Jackson's most consistent album sinceOff the Wall and a step up fromBad despite his "annoying" vocal mannerisms. While he felt Jackson was too insistent with the "faith-hope-and-charity" message songs, Christgau applauded the production's "abrasively unpredictable" rhythms and the "sex-and-romance" songs, calling them the most plausible of Jackson's career.[130]Mat Snow ofQ calledDangerous Jackson's "most mature, most musically adventurous album yet",[131] further elaborating that the album has a "rawer, edgier sound" compared to Jackson's previous albums, owing to the replacement of Jones with Riley and Bottrell.[131] Snow also praisedDangerous as Jackson's boldest leap, artistically, sinceOff the Wall.[131]
Alan Light for theRolling Stone was of praise for Jackson's vocals, crediting Riley's production dance rhythms for being a perfect match for Jackson's "clipped, breathy uptempo voice".[45] Tom Doyle ofSmash Hits summarizedDangerous as a "cracker", applauding the amount of "great" songs on it.[132] Chris Willman, writing for theLos Angeles Times, particularly praised the first half of the album for having "remarkable uniformity", crediting the inclusion of hip hop and contemporary R&B for this. However, although the album was "mostly good, expertly made fun", it was far from Jackson's best work in Willman's view. Willman also criticized "Heal the World" as "goofily embarrassing" and "venturing into the realm of self-parody".[125]
Some journalists were critical of the album.Jon Pareles ofThe New York Times called it Jackson's "least confident" solo album yet. He believed Jackson sounded anxious and out of place with Riley's electronic beats while panning the "dogmatically ordinary" lyrics of the love songs, writing that "they seem based on demographic research rather than experience or imagination".[133]David Browne ofEntertainment Weekly was of similar view, callingDangerous the least assured record of Jackson's post-Motown career, as Jackson makes "a belabored attempt to be all things to all record buyers at a time when such a goal may be beyond even Jackson's reach".[134]
Dangerous earned Jackson numerous awards. The album received fourGrammy Award nominations at the1993 ceremony including three for Jackson:Best Pop Vocal Performance for "Black or White", andBest R&B Vocal Performance andBest R&B Song for "Jam".Dangerous was awardedBest Engineered Album, Non Classical, making it Jackson's third consecutive album to win the award;[135] it went to the producers Riley and Swedien.[136] Jackson notably received theGrammy Legend Award, celebrating his musical career and humanitarian efforts up until that point.[137] According to Pareles ofThe New York Times, whileEric Clapton won the major awards, he was upstaged by Jackson, who set sales records withDangerous that could not be competed against by any other entertainer.[137]
Jackson won two awards and received five nominations total at the1993 American Music Awards, with the album winningFavorite Pop/Rock Album and "Remember the Time" winningFavorite Soul/R&B Song. Jackson wonBest R&B/Soul Album of the Year – Male andBest R&B/Soul Single – Male for "Remember the Time" at the1993 Soul Train Music Awards.[138] At the1993 NAACP Image Awards, "Black or White" wonOutstanding Music Video, and Jackson won the Entertainer of the Year Award.[139][140] At the 1993World Music Awards, Jackson was awarded the Best-Selling World Artist of the Year and the American Recording Artist of the Year.[141] At the1994 MTV Movie Awards, "Will You Be There" wonBest Song From a Movie.[142]
Jackson's continued dominance with the release ofDangerous into the new decade garnered him several special awards. Jackson's venture into philanthropy during theDangerous era was also recognized. The 1992Billboard Music Awards awarded JacksonBest Worldwide Album forDangerous andBest Worldwide Single for "Black or White", both of which were special awards.[101] This was in recognition of their respective world record sales. The inaugural International Artist Award by the American Music Awards also went to Jackson in recognition of his global success and humanitarian efforts; it was his third special award by the organization, following theMerit in 1984 and theLifetime Achievement in 1989.[143] At the1993 Soul Train Music Awards, Jackson won the special Humanitarian Award.[138] At the World Music Awards, Jackson also received a special award which was created by theIFPI for being the World's Best-Selling Artist of the Era following his heightened commercial success withDangerous.[141]
In 2007, theNational Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM), in conjunction with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, rankedDangerous at number 115 on its list of theDefinitive 200 Albums of All Time.[144] InSpin's list of The 300 Best Albums of the Past 30 Years (1985–2014), the album was ranked at number 132.[145]Spin writerChuck Eddy named it one of the essential new jack swing albums in a list published by the magazine.[146] InColin Larkin's third edition of theAll Time Top 1000 Albums (2000),Dangerous was ranked number 325. Additionally, it was ranked number 13 in the list of theSoul/R&B – All Time Top 50 albums.[147]Dangerous was ranked number 43 inBillboard's list of the Greatest of All Time R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, out of 100 albums.[148]
| Award | Date of Ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Music Awards | January 25, 1993 | Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist | Michael Jackson | Nominated | [143] |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Album | Dangerous | Won | |||
| Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist | Michael Jackson | Nominated | |||
| Favorite Soul/R&B Album | Dangerous | Nominated | |||
| Favorite Soul/R&B Song | "Remember the Time" | Won | |||
| Grammy Awards | February 24, 1993 | Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male | "Black or White" — Michael Jackson | Nominated | [149] |
| Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male | "Jam" — Michael Jackson | Nominated | |||
| Best Rhythm & Blues Song | "Jam" — Michael Jackson,René Moore,Teddy Riley,Bruce Swedien | Nominated | |||
| Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical | Teddy Riley, Bruce Swedien | Won | |||
| Soul Train Music Awards | March 9, 1993 | Best R&B/Soul Album of the Year – Male | Dangerous | Won | [138] |
| Best R&B/Soul Single – Male | "Remember the Time" | Won | |||
| Best R&B Music Video | Nominated |
_03.jpg)
Contemporary reviews onDangerous have shown greater critical appraisal than it initially received upon release; some have considered it as Jackson's artistic peak.Consequence of Sound's Michael Roffman described the album as "Jackson's 90s masterpiece."[150] Jeff Weiss ofPitchfork called it "Jackson's final classic album and the best full-length of the New Jack Swing era."[151] According to Weiss,Dangerous "might be Jackson's most complete album, spanningdance music todark nights of the soul. It's a portrait of a persecuted genius".[151] Writing forThe Guardian, Ben Beaumont-Thomas deemedDangerous as Jackson's career-high album, "the very peak of his powers, with his widest ever emotional range set to production that makes new jack swing seem much more than just lame dance moves and fluorescent man-made fibres."[152]
Scholar Susan Fast thought ofDangerous as Jackson's coming-of-age album: “[The album] offers a compelling narrative arc of postmodern angst, love, lust, seduction, betrayal, damnation, and above all else racial politics, in ways heretofore unseen in his music."[153] Tari Ngangura ofVice describedDangerous as one of the "greatest introspective albums of all time."[154] CriticJoseph Vogel described the album as Jackson's most socially conscious record, most personally revealing—similar toStevie Wonder'sSongs in the Key of Life—and the most groundbreaking record of its era. He added "Dangerous is gaining admirers as more people move beyond the extraneous nonsense that was so prominent in contemporaneous reviews and pay attention to its content: its prescient themes, its vast inventory of sounds, its panoramic survey of musical styles...His R&B-rap fusions set the blueprint for years to come, while his industrial soundscapes and metallic beats were later popularized by artists as disparate asNine Inch Nails andLady Gaga".[155][36]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [156] |
| Blender | [157] |
| Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [158] |
| Pitchfork | 8.6/10[159] |
Also writing forThe Guardian in 2018, Vogel said, "Returning to [Dangerous] now, without the hype or biases that accompanied its release in the early 90s, one gets a clearer sense of its significance [...] it surveyed the cultural scene—and the internal anguish of its creator—in compelling ways [...]. The contemporary music scene is certainly far more indebted toDangerous". Vogel also credited the album as a significant factor to the transformation ofBlack music.[48] Todd "Stereo" Williams ofThe Boombox said the album was Jackson's "blackest album" sinceOff the Wall—a return to his roots. He highlighted the cultural references in the music video "Black or White", the all Black cast and Black director for "Remember the Time", the casting of Black supermodelNaomi Campbell as the love interest in "In the Closet" and working withTeddy Riley, who was "R&B's biggest hit-maker" at the time.[160] Williams also considered the album as a significant record of the 90s; it asserted Jackson as a formidable force inpopular music amid the rise ofgrunge andgangsta rap.[160]
Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised Jackson's brave approach in the album, that it was "a much sharper, riskier album" thanBad.[156] Speaking for theRock and Roll Hall of Fame, Janet Macoska applauded the modernity ofDangerous: "a sleek, contemporary-sounding update of Jackson's music" which featured the "ambitious, heartfelt anthems "Heal The World" and "Will You Be There."[161] Molly Brizzell ofScreen Rant praisedDangerous: "Where its predecessor,Bad, may have played things safe to replicateThriller's success,Dangerous wasn't afraid to be bold and different."[162]
Credits adapted from the album's CD booklet[163]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Jam" (with rap byHeavy D) |
| 5:38 | |
| 2. | "Why You Wanna Trip on Me" |
|
| 5:23 |
| 3. | "In the Closet" (featuringPrincess Stéphanie of Monaco) |
|
| 6:30 |
| 4. | "She Drives Me Wild" (with rap byWreckx-n-Effect) |
|
| 3:39 |
| 5. | "Remember the Time" |
|
| 3:59 |
| 6. | "Can't Let Her Get Away" |
|
| 4:58 |
| 7. | "Heal the World" |
|
| 6:24 |
| 8. | "Black or White" (with rap byL.T.B.) |
|
| 4:14 |
| 9. | "Who Is It" | Jackson |
| 6:33 |
| 10. | "Give In to Me" (with guitar solo bySlash) |
|
| 5:28 |
| 11. | "Will You Be There" (with introduction by theCleveland Orchestra) |
|
| 7:40 |
| 12. | "Keep the Faith" (featuringAndraé Crouch) |
|
| 5:56 |
| 13. | "Gone Too Soon" |
| 3:21 | |
| 14. | "Dangerous" |
|
| 6:57 |
| Total length: | 76:47 | |||
Notes
Personnel as listed in the album'sliner notes.[164]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
Decade-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | — | 60,000[215] |
| Australia (ARIA)[217] | 10× Platinum | 740,000[216] |
| Austria (IFPI Austria)[218] | 4× Platinum | 200,000* |
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[220] Sales by January 1992 | Gold | 500,000[219] |
| Canada (Music Canada)[221] | 6× Platinum | 600,000^ |
| Chile[222] | 5× Platinum | 100,000[223] |
| Czech Republic[224] | Gold | 50,000[225] |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[226] | 3× Platinum | 60,000‡ |
| Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[227] | Platinum | 61,896[227] |
| France (SNEP)[229] | Diamond | 2,100,000[228] |
| Germany (BVMI)[230] | 4× Platinum | 2,000,000^ |
| Indonesia sales as of 1995 | — | 500,000[231] |
| Ireland | — | 75,000[232] |
| Israel[233] | Platinum | 40,000[233] |
| Italy sales as of 1995 | — | 650,000[234] |
| Italy (FIMI)[235] sales since 2009 | Platinum | 60,000* |
| Japan (RIAJ)[237] | 2× Platinum | 850,000[236] |
| Mexico (AMPROFON)[238] | 2× Platinum+Gold | 600,000^ |
| Netherlands (NVPI)[239] | 3× Platinum | 300,000^ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[240] | 6× Platinum | 90,000^ |
| Portugal (AFP)[241] | 2× Platinum | 80,000^ |
| Singapore sales as of 1995 | — | 220,000[242] |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[243] | 6× Platinum | 600,000^ |
| Sweden (GLF)[244] | 3× Platinum | 300,000^ |
| Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[245] | 5× Platinum | 250,000^ |
| Taiwan sales as of 1993 | — | 300,000[246] |
| Thailand sales as of 1994 | — | 300,000[247] |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[249] Sales as of June 25, 2009 | 6× Platinum | 2,010,069[248] |
| United States (RIAA)[250] | 8× Platinum | 8,000,000‡ |
| Summaries | ||
| Europe (Music & Media) | — | 5,000,000[251] |
| Worldwide | — | 32,000,000[83] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Region | Date | Edition(s) | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | November 21, 1991 | Standard | Epic | [54] | |
| Japan | November 25, 1991 |
| [55] | ||
| United States | November 26, 1991 |
| Epic | [56] | |
| Various | |||||
| Japan | January 18, 1992 | Collector's Edition | CD |
| [252] |
| Various | February 17, 1992 | Epic | [253] | ||
| October 16, 2001 | Special Edition | [254] | |||
| Japan | October 31, 2001 |
| [255] | ||
| Various | November 20, 2015 | Standard | LP |
| [256] |
| August 24, 2018 | Picture disc | [257] | |||
| November 12, 2021 | Colored reissue | [258] | |||
| Various | July 25, 2025 | Audiophile Edition[b] |
|
| [259] |
Notes
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Key sound: Anxious new-jack swing
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)32 Million (Dangerous)
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)Dangerous has sold over 75,000 copies in Ireland so far, says Sony MD Eleanor McCarthy. We haven't peaked yet but we've been doing exceptionally well. The Bad album sold over 120,000 in Ireland
Jackson's previous album, Dangerous, is Singapore's top-selling album at 220,000 copies.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
