Phil Collins, Elton John, and Gloria Estefan dominated Adult Contemporary radio back in the 1980s and '90s, yet have disappeared from modern radio. Seemingly, the only time you ever hear them is at the grocery store or your local CVS. This blog remembers the music, the stories and the quirky characters from my days working in Adult Contemporary radio.
Sunday, September 2, 2018
Michael Jackson "Billie Jean"
Michael Jackson would've turned 60 this summer. How do you celebrate someone's 60th when they died a decade earlier? Well, if you're USA Today, you start by ranking that person's music. In their case, they decided to rank all 14 songs of his #1 hits. After reviewing their list, I couldn't figure out why "Thriller" didn't make the list. The iconic song never reached #1 (it peaked at #4 in 1984), so it's not included in their survey. For brevity's sake, here is their Top 3:
3. "Beat It"
2. "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"
1. "Billie Jean"
According to the article, "From its iconic opening drumbeats, the song marches in lockstep deeper into the paranoia-seized psyche of its young star. Not a single one of Quincy Jones' production flourishes is out of place, spanning rock and funk and disco and all anchored by a tortured performance by a 24-year-old Jackson that would remain his all-time career best."