Smooth Criminal

Released as the seventh and final single from Michael Jackson's 1987 album Bad, "Smooth Criminal" arrived in late 1988 to cap off a decade of dominance. The track features a driving synth-funk beat built on a sharp staccato bass line and a relentless drum machine pattern that sets an immediate sense of urgency. Lyrics describe a woman named Annie who is attacked in her apartment by a mysterious figure, opening with the sound of a breaking window to establish a scene of suspense before the music kicks in.

While primarily a single, its release formats often functioned like extended plays. The 12-inch vinyl and CD-maxi singles included four distinct versions: the Extended Dance Mix at nearly eight minutes, a Radio Edit, an Instrumental, and an A Cappella track. These releases totaled over twenty-one minutes of content, giving listeners multiple ways to experience the song's intricate production and vocal ad-libs.

Commercially the track held strong, peaking at number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reaching number eight on the UK Singles Chart. In Britain alone it moved over 440,000 copies to earn a Gold certification. The accompanying video directed by Colin Chilvers became a cultural touchstone for its depiction of the anti-gravity lean, a visual trick achieved through specially designed shoes and stage rigging that Jackson later showcased in his film Moonwalker. [modifier]