Large Weekend Salutes Michael Jackson

In a small departure from our usual reviews, we'd like to take this moment to salute the legend that was Michael Jackson and the immense impact he had on both the music industry and the fans of his songs.

Few can deny that Billy Jean is one of the greatest dance records of all time. Jackson's immense talent for songwriting, coupled with the technical and orchestration skills of Quincy Jones collided in a track that has influenced so many in music production. Audio engineer Bruce Swedien apparently mixed Billy Jean ninety one times before being happy with it. This attention to detail couldn't be clearer than in the intro -- some call this the greatest bassline and drum combo in music production history. And it's one that's been sampled and reused dozens and dozens of times. Using almost no reverb, it's a drum pattern about as crisp as is technically possible to create. Also striking is the instrumentation of Billy Jean, the subtle use of strings and the stunning vocal performance from Jackson at the peak of his career. If you could ever use the word "perfect" to describe a recording, the word would apply here.

Billy Jean topped the billboard chart for seven weeks in the early eighties, becoming an immediate international hit. It went on to be one of Jackson's most loved and most covered dancefloor anthems.

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