Michael JacksonNumber Ones

Eighteen chart-toppers and not a soft spot. 'Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough' rides warm disco strings and that breathless falsetto; 'Billie Jean' stalks in on the most paranoid bassline in pop; 'Smooth Criminal' snaps with hard funk and gunshot drums; 'Black or White' grinds on Teddy Riley's new jack swing beats. You hear the whole arc, from Quincy Jones' lush analog gloss to harder, rougher edges. Drop the needle anywhere and the room moves.