Ranked: The Top 5 Michael Jackson Eras of My Lifetime
The Music Genius Has a Style That Remains Unmatched
One of the most fascinating aspects of Michael Jackson’s life and career was the distinctive differences in his style and look with each album release. By my count, MJ had 8 different eras in my lifetime, but I’m only ranking my favorite 5.
Six of the eras were powered by a solo album, and each of them brought new changes to his hairstyle, clothing and accessories. This will be exciting to dissect and evaluate, and I’m ranking the eras from best to least.
1. The Thriller Era, 1982–1985
No era for any musician or entertainer in history was as widely imitated, extraordinarily popular or commercially successful as this one was for Michael. The November 30, 1982 release of his sixth solo album, Thriller got this period started, quietly.
But within the first six months of 1983, the era had taken flight and introduced the world to a 24-year old living legend who wore a more stylized version of the ubiquitous Jheri curl of the day.
Michael’s hairstyle was one of the easiest things to emulate, though his edges were perfected slicked down, while some of his curls hung down over his forehead. In his groundbreaking short films, he…
