It is now Michael Jackson's turn.
Today marks the 10th anniversary of the release of Invincible, Jackson's first solo album of all new material since 1991's Dangerous. It was met with loads of negative reviews and its sales figures fell far below what his previous albums sold. With MJ's shocking death in 2009, the Invincible LP became his final album (that he totally created), though released nearly 8 years in the past.
In spite of the negative reviews, Invincible is still a great R&B/Pop album. MJ had become a prisoner of his own lofty standards which is part of why his 2001 effort was seen as a disappointment by many. In the 12 years between 1979 and 1991, MJ crafted 4 nearly flawless albums that rank among the greatest in pop history; Off The Wall, Thriller, Bad and Dangerous. In the case of Thriller, he authored the biggest single phenomenon in history in record sales, awards, critical praise and popularity. Anything he did after that album would always be seen as something of a let down.
He was always his own biggest competition.
Also, Michael's public reputation began spiraling downward rapidly following the child molestation charges he faced in 1993. This greatly affected his sales and public sentiment in the U.S. towards him. By '01, he was widely considered a creepy has-been but still possessed an enormous global fanbase of multi millions. I, for one felt that he never lost any of his magic and I considered Invincible to be excellent in spite of its shortcomings. Years of listening to it has caused me to appreciate the man's artistry even more than I already did.
The true greats deliver even when they're not at the top of their game.
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