Smooth Criminal

Michael Jackson released “Smooth Criminal” in October1988 as a part of his “Bad” album. The song was written and produced by Michael Jackson himself and tells the story of a woman named Annie who is attacked in her apartment by a “smooth” criminal. The inspiration for “Smooth Criminal” apparently came from a real-life event that occurred in 1991 while Jackson was on tour in Detroit with his brothers.

“Smooth Criminal” was a hit both in the United States and internationally. It reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. It also topped the charts in several other countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Belgium.

The music video for “Smooth Criminal” was equally successful. It features Jackson and his backup dancers performing dance moves in a 1930s-style nightclub. The video and its special effects, including Jackson’s signature “anti-gravity lean,” won several awards, including Best Choreography at the MTV Video Music Awards.

In 2001, Alien Ant Farm released a cover version of “Smooth Criminal.” The cover version was included on their album “Anthology” and it also became a hit. The Alien Ant Farm’s version of the song puts their own spin on it with a heavier guitar sound and a faster tempo than the original.  Their video shows the band performing at a backyard pool party.

“Smooth Criminal” has been covered by several other artists over the years. We’ve included a variety of the best of these cover versions as well as the original by Michael Jackson and the cover by Alien Ant Farm below.