“Smooth Criminal” is one of Michael Jackson’s most distinctive and enduring singles, built on a razor-sharp funk groove, a punchy bassline, and a tense, cinematic atmosphere. Lyrically, the song tells the story of Annie, a woman attacked in her apartment by a mysterious “smooth criminal,” blending crime-noir storytelling with Jackson’s characteristic vocal urgency. The arrangement features rapid vocal hiccups, syncopated rhythms, and a relentless forward drive that became emblematic of the Bad era. Released as a single in 1988, it reached the Top 10 in multiple countries and became a signature moment in Jackson’s career. The accompanying short film — with its 1930s gangster aesthetic and the iconic “anti-gravity lean” — cemented the song’s place in pop history and influenced music video choreography for decades.