The Impossible follow-up: Michael Jackson's 1987 album Bad. Five years after Thriller changed everything, Michael returned with a record that would become one of the best-selling of all time, win two Grammys, feature some of the greatest musicians in the world (hey, Stevie Wonder!) ... and somehow still gets called a letdown. We've covered two of Michael's albums produced by Quincy Jones: Off the Wall and Thriller. What about Bad? Could it actually be better than its predecessor? Jazz pianists Peter Martin and Adam Maness deliver their final verdict on this 80s pop sensation.Along the way, you'll hear behind-the-scenes stories about the making of the album. Plus - we break down the tracks (with keyboards) to highlight the music theory behind this album's most compelling moments. “Annie, are you OK?” Sometimes the best hooks come from the strangest places - find out where in the YHI newsletter: https://youllhearit.com/newsletter00:00 - Intro: "Smooth Criminal" - Michael Jackson01:30 - Michael Jackson's Bad (1987)6:40 - Quincy's Smaller Role on Bad7:50 - The Quincey Jones Brain Trust11:00 - "Bad" - Tough Guy Michael15:00 - Too Much Programming?18:40 - That Organ Solo? Jimmy Smith!22:40 - The Tragedy Behind Bad23:45 - "The Way You Make Me Feel" - Sweet Michael29:15 - How WE Really Feel (About Bad vs Thriller)30:30 - "Speed Demon" - A Nostalgic Track31:55 - Can We Be Honest?32:50 - "Liberian Girl" - The Mid-Album Dip35:30 - "Just Good Friends" - Stevie Can't Save It41:00 - "Another Part of Me" - Pure Joy45:00 - How "Man in the Mirror" Got Its Name45:55 - "Man in the Mirror" - The Apex53:00 - Why We Don't See Songs Like This Today57:30 - "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" - Rejected By Babs1:01:00 - "Dirty Diana" - Phil Collins Vibes1:02:50 - "Smooth Criminal" - That's MJ's Heartbeat!1:06:25 - "Leave Me Alone" - The Shuffle1:09:15 - Apex Moments: Phillinganes and That "Woo!" 1:10:55 - Final Verdict: Bad vs Thriller1:14:05 - Open Studio Plays "Smooth Criminal" 

Carole King’s Tapestry is so cozy, you'll want to hug it; sit with it. It sounds simple, warm, and totally unassuming. But it’s way more impressive than it seems at first.Adam and Peter break down what’s actually going on beneath the surface of Tapestry ... and what most people miss. Carole King was already an elite songwriter long before this album. You know Aretha Franklin's “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”? Carole wrote that. “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” by The Shirelles? She wrote that, too. When she was just 17! Listen closely and you hear it everywhere: in the chord choices, in the way the she actually PLAYS the piano instead of just accompanying her vocals, and in the way her melodies and lyrics lock together so naturally you barely notice how intentional it all is. Add in that soulful, sweet voice, and you start to understand how this unassuming record became a chart-topping, Grammy-dominating classic when it came out in 1971.Tapestry sounds easy, but it's not. Check out this episode, and you'll never hear this album the same way again. Get our newsletter for bonus stories that didn’t make the pod:https://youllhearit.com/newsletter00:00 - Opening Tune: It's Too Late01:25 - Introducing Carole King's Tapestry05:00 - That Time Young Paul Simon and Carole Played Together07:10 - Carole's Early Doo-wop Sound10:20 - "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" - Aretha Franklin13:30 - When Songwriter Became Performer16:30 - B.B. and Carole 18:00 - "I Feel the Earth Move"22:00 - "So Far Away"30:45 - "It's Too Late"40:50 - "Home Again"44:00 - "Beautiful"45:35 - "Way Over Yonder" 50:00 - "You've Got a Friend"58:20 - "Where You Lead"1:02:30 - "Will You Love Me Tomorrow"1:04:40 - "Tapestry"1:08:45 - "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"1:13:10 - Apex Moments of Tapestry1:21:20 - Coming Up On on You'll Hear It1:22:00 - Outro: "It's Too Late"

We're looking at the best jazz releases of January 2026! Listen with pianist Adam Maness as he breaks down and reacts to these great tracks.Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi   00:00 - Intro00:50 - Why Don't You - Sam Fribush, Corey Fonville, Charlie Hunter03:09 - Talking Drum - Julian Lage04:58 - Flim - Winderman, Colman, Kimock06:53 - Nacho Supreme - Motion II08:51 - Wisdom Is Eternal (For Barry Harris)10:49 - Unpersuadable Extern - N∆BOU12:11 - Free Walk - Vladko14:17 - Fireball - John Ellis & Double Wide15:52 - Giant Steps - Billy Hart18:50 - Parks Lope - Aaron Parks

New episode drops February 2, 2026! Keep your eyes on the feed for episodes on artists like Carole King, Michael Jackson, Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis, Radiohead, Tears for Fears, D'Angelo and so much more!

We're looking back at the best jazz releases of 2025. Listen with pianist Adam Maness as he breaks down and reacts to these great tracks.This is a new segment from the team behind You'll Hear It, and we're looking to continue this music discovery pod as a weekly series in 2026. Help us shape this series and leave us a comment with your feedback.Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi   00:00 - The Best New Jazz of 202500:55 - "Spiral Dance" - Branford Marsalis Quartet02:30 - "Minor Blues Redux" - Kenny Barron4:54 - "Icarus" - Joshua Redman6:55 - "Thou Swell" - Gillian Margot, Geoffrey Keezer9:30 - "Southern Nights" - Sullivan Fortner12:30 - "Anything but now" - Cécile McLorin Salvant16:30 - "Everything Means Nothing to Me" - Brad Mehldau22:00 - "Over (feat. Yebba)" - Robert Glasper24:40 - "Carved From" - Mary Halvorson26:45 - "Old Folks" - Christian McBride29:00 - "Windows" - Chick Corea, Christian McBride, Brian Blade33:00 - "Mood Indigo" - Dee Dee Bridgewater, Bill Charlap