Artist
Micheal Jackson
Why we feature this artist Black or White opens another Jackson album chapter Black or White introduced the Dangerous period in 1991 with a sharply defined guitar figure and a vocal built for immediate recognition. Michael Jackson makes a large public statemen…
- From
- United States
- Sound
- pop, contemporary R&B, soul, disco
- Active
- 1964–2009
Start with the music
Tracks to explore
The artist, in context
The story of Micheal Jackson
Why we feature this artist
Black or White opens another Jackson album chapter
Black or White introduced the Dangerous period in 1991 with a sharply defined guitar figure and a vocal built for immediate recognition. Michael Jackson makes a large public statement through small, precisely placed details of phrasing.
The original Dangerous recording
The official album sequence places Black or White midway through Dangerous, while the single became a British number one that November. Original credits identify Bill Bottrell in the writing and production setting, with a wider instrumental cast contributing to the finished record.
The voice does its own percussion
Jackson can make a breath, a clipped consonant or a brief accent feel like part of the rhythm section. Those details matter even when the refrain is broad enough to be recognised almost anywhere. The guitar supplies a firm outline, and the performance keeps introducing tiny movements inside it. Heard in the context of Dangerous, the song shows how an immediately accessible single can still carry a great deal of studio detail. Its directness comes from choosing which parts must remain clear, with the voice giving the arrangement motion between the obvious hooks.
Essential releases
Black or White
The Dangerous-era single reached number one in Britain and established the album campaign's first broad statement.