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Data as of Jun 16, 2026
Michael Jackson – Bad
1987 · US · Epic · CD Album Stereo
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Pressing identification
Match these against your copy to confirm the exact pressing.
- Matrix / runout
- DIDP 70643 21A2 Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 21B7 Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 21B9 Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 21A14 Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 11A34 * Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 6 *** ***** Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 10 *** ***** Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 11 *** ***** Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 11B2 Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 21B8 Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 21B10 Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 31A7 Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 31B3 Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 31B2 Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 31B1 Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 31A5 Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 11A1 Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 21 Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 21A12 Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 11 Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 21A15 Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®DIDP 70643 21B4 Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp. [DADC logo]®
- Barcode (Text)
- 0 7464-40600-2
- Barcode (Scanned)
- 074644060027
- Rights society
- BMI, PRS, ASCAP
- Manufactured By
- Epic Records
- Manufactured By
- CBS Inc.
- Glass Mastered At
- DADC
- Recorded At
- Westlake Studios
- Mixed At
- Westlake Studios
- Mastered At
- Bernie Grundman Mastering
Specifications
- Artist
- Michael Jackson
- Genre
- Electronic, Pop
- Style
- Disco, Synth-pop
- Year
- 1987
- Label
- Epic
- Catalog number
- EK 40600
- Country
- US
- Barcode
- 0 7464-40600-2
Tracklist
- 1Bad4:06
- 2The Way You Make Me Feel4:59
- 3Speed Demon4:01
- 4Liberian Girl3:53
- 5Just Good Friends4:05
- 6Another Part Of Me3:53
- 7Man In The Mirror5:18
- 8I Just Can't Stop Loving You4:24
- 9Dirty Diana4:52
- 10Smooth Criminal4:16
- 11Leave Me Alone4:37
- Co-producer
- Michael Jackson
- Producer
- Quincy Jones
- Product Manager
- Larry Stessel
- Mastered By
- Bernie Grundman
- Mixed By
- Bruce Swedien
- Engineer [Additional]
- Humberto Gatica
About this record
The 1987 Epic CD pressing of Bad carries one of four distinct DADC matrix variants stamped into the polycarbonate, each marked with a unique suffix (21A2, 21B7, 21B9, or 21A14) and the Digital Audio Disc Corp. manufacturing logo. This first pressing preserves the original studio mixes of five cornerstone tracks—Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Dirty Diana, and Smooth Criminal—before later CD reissues altered them.
Demand remains strong: 697 collectors want this pressing against 1228 who own it, a ratio that signals sustained collector interest in the original digital master.
What drives its value
The original 1987 Epic CD pressing commands attention because it documents a specific moment in Michael Jackson's mastering history—the Acusonic Recording Process D mix, credited on the disc itself. With 1228 copies in the hands of collectors and 697 actively seeking one, the market shows healthy depth but no scarcity premium.
The pressing plant attribution to Digital Audio Disc Corp. (DADC) is verifiable through the matrix runout; US manufacture adds no rarity factor, as Epic Records and CBS Inc. produced this title domestically in Los Angeles. Condition and matrix variant (the four DADC suffixes) matter more than supply: buyers distinguish between pressings by the dead-wax code, making the specific matrix number a key identifier when comparing listings.
The community rating of 4.26 out of 5 across 140 ratings reflects consistent collector satisfaction with the audio quality and packaging integrity of this first pressing.
How to appraise this pressing
Verify this pressing by the catalogue number EK 40600 on the spine and back cover; Epic Records and CBS Inc. manufacturing credits appear on the back inlay. The matrix runout—stamped into the polycarbonate on the underside of the disc—will read DIDP 70643 followed by one of four suffixes: 21A2, 21B7, 21B9, or 21A14, each preceded by Made in USA and the Digital Audio Disc Corp. logo.
All four variants are original 1987 pressings; the suffix variation reflects DADC's production sequence, not a different mastering. The 11-track album includes the original mixes of Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Dirty Diana, and Smooth Criminal.
Check the back inlay for the Acusonic Recording Process D credit and the copyright line © 1987 MJJ Productions Inc. / ℗ 1987 MJJ Productions Inc. A barcode is present. Later CD reissues altered these five mixes, making the matrix runout the definitive proof of owning the first pressing.
Further reading: grading a record, what makes a pressing valuable.
Listen
Hear the album before you buy.
Official videos via YouTube.
Release notes
First pressing with the original mixes of "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Dirty Diana" and "Smooth Criminal".
A similar release exists with "DIDP 70643" printed on the disc and in the Matrix / Runout:
Andrae Crouch appears courtesy of Sandra Crouch appears courtesy of Siedah Garrett, Jimmy Smith and The Winans appear courtesy of Louis Johnson appears courtesy of Steve Porcaro and David Paich appear courtesy of Randy Waldman appears courtesy of Larry Williams appears courtesy of Stevie Wonder appears courtesy of
Recorded and mixed using the "Acusonic Recording Process D"
© 1987 MJJ Productions Inc. / ℗ 1987 MJJ Productions Inc.
Manufactured by Epic Records / CBS Inc. 1801 Century Park West, Los Angeles, CA
Printed in U.S.A.
Notes sourced from the Discogs database.
Frequently asked
How do I know if I have the first pressing of Bad on CD?
Check the matrix runout stamped into the polycarbonate on the disc's underside. It will read DIDP 70643 followed by one of four suffixes (21A2, 21B7, 21B9, or 21A14), with Made in USA and the Digital Audio Disc Corp. logo. All four variants are original 1987 Epic pressings. The back inlay must credit the Acusonic Recording Process D and list © 1987 MJJ Productions Inc. Later reissues have different matrix codes and lack this recording process credit.
Why do collectors distinguish between the four DADC matrix variants?
The four suffixes (21A2, 21B7, 21B9, 21A14) represent different production runs at Digital Audio Disc Corp. in 1987, all using the same master. Collectors track them to document pressing sequences and verify authenticity. None is rarer or more valuable than the others—all are first pressings. The variant you own is determined solely by which DADC pressing batch manufactured your copy.
What makes this 1987 pressing different from later CD reissues?
This first pressing preserves the original mixes of five tracks: Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Dirty Diana, and Smooth Criminal. The back inlay credits the Acusonic Recording Process D, which later reissues do not. Subsequent CD releases altered these five mixes, making the 1987 first pressing the only CD version with the original studio versions. The matrix runout (DIDP 70643 with a DADC suffix) is the definitive identifier.
Is this CD rare or hard to find?
No. The community database shows 1228 collectors own this pressing, indicating substantial availability in the secondhand market. The ratio of 697 who want it to 1228 who have it reflects healthy collector demand but no scarcity. US manufacture by Epic Records and CBS Inc. in 1987 was high-volume production. Condition and the specific matrix variant matter more than rarity when evaluating price.
What do the courtesy credits on the back inlay tell me?
The back inlay lists session musicians and guest artists (Andrae Crouch, Siedah Garrett, Stevie Wonder, and others) as appearing courtesy of their respective labels or estates. These credits appear on all first pressings and verify you have an authentic 1987 Epic release. The presence of the full courtesy list, combined with the Acusonic Recording Process D credit and the DADC matrix runout, confirms the original pressing.