01/09/2026
On this day in music “Bad” by Michael Jackson was released August 31, 1987.
Nine singles were released to promote the album, including a record-breaking five number ones: "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror" and "Dirty Diana".
Bad debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart, selling more than 2.25 million copies in its first week. It reached number one in 24 other countries, including the UK, where it sold 350,000 copies in its first week and was the bestselling album of 1987. Bad was the bestselling album worldwide of 1987 and 1988. By 1991, it was the second-bestselling album of all time, behind Thriller, having sold 25 million copies worldwide.