Michael Jackson vs. Alien Ant Farm | Head 2 Head

In the 26th edition of Head 2 Head (2025), Michael Jackson and Alien Ant Farm contend for the best rendition of “Smooth Criminal.”

Welcome to Head 2 Head! On Head 2 Head, we pit at least two musicians performing the same song and compare their performances.  After deliberation, we decide which performance is the best or moves us more subjectively.  In the 26^th edition of Head 2 Head (2025), Michael Jackson and Alien Ant Farm contend for the best rendition of “Smooth Criminal”. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!

1. Michael Jackson, “Smooth Criminal”

“As he came into the window, / Was a sound of a crescendo.” Yikes! And then what happened, Michael? “We came into her apartment / He left the bloodstains on the carpet.” Not good, not good, not good at all? What is good, however, is “Smooth Criminal”,  another unforgettable gem from the late, great King of Pop, Michael Jackson (1958 – 2009). “Smooth Criminal” appears as the tenth track on Jackson’s seventh studio album, Bad. He wrote this crime-driven affair and produced it with Quincy Jones (1933 – 2024). The seventh single from Bad earned Jackson another top 10 single, peaking at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2018, the Recording Industry Association of America certified it double platinum.

Fittingly, Michael asks Annie, the victim of this heinous crime (“She was struck down, it was her doom”), Are you okay? A lot (understatement)! Who was Annie? Resusci Anne, the face of the CPR doll.  Also, a CPR protocol is to ask the recipient, “Are you okay?”. In the rhythmic, repetitive pre-chorus, that is the first thing MJ asks… over and over and over… In the unforgettable chorus, he asks again, before providing details of the traumatic experience.

“Annie, are you okay

Will you tell us that you’re okay

There’s a sign at the window

That he struck you

A crescendo, Annie

He came into your apartment

Left the bloodstains on the carpet

And then you ran into the bedroom

You were struck down, it was your doom.”

Like many of his songs, “Smooth Criminal” finds Jackson bringing his A-game regarding vocals. He allures from the beginning, imparting this narrative of a nameless smooth criminal. While it seems like it would be the perfect soundtrack to the infamous 1980s serial killer Richard Ramirez, Ramirez was not the inspiration.  Beyond elite vocals, simplistic but catchy songwriting, and tuneful melodies, the musical accompaniment is fantastic.  Hear those opening, recurring riffs just once, and you won’t be able to get them out of your head.  With Quincy Jones in the producer’s seat, it’s unsurprising that the production is perfect.  The sound fuses R&B and pop seamlessly (horns, keys, programming), with rock cues thrown into the mix.  Although this crossover hit couldn’t reach the very top of the pop charts in the United States, one can’t forget it was the seventh single from a big album and still landed in the top 10. Michael ate on “Smooth Criminal” and left no crumbs!

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2. Alien Ant Farm, “Smooth Criminal”

Only rarely does a band cover a song by an iconic artist and experience success. For Riverside, Cali rock band Alien Ant Farm, their biggest claim to fame is a cover 🤯.  Not just a cover of any regular, smegular artist, though… Michael Jackson, the King of Pop! To reiterate, “Smooth Criminal” appeared on Jackson’s 1987 album, Bad.  Anyone covering this sleekly produced, killer song had big, iconic shoes to fill.  Alien Ant Farm was clearly up to the task! Their rendition of “Smooth Criminal” appeared as the penultimate track in their 2001 platinum-certified album, Anthology (emphasis on the ANT).  Their only charting single on the pop charts, “Criminal,” peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100. They also earned a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 44^th Annual Grammy Awards.

From the jump, “Smooth Criminal” sounds fitting in the hands of Alien Ant Farm. With the original having ample pop/rock vibes, it translates superbly as a hard rock song.  The guitar (Terry Corso) gets the distinct pleasure of playing those epic, unforgettable rhythmic riffs. Hell yeah 🤘!  The bass line (Tye Zamora) is ill, providing a mighty foundation on the low end.  Anchoring things down and locking them in is sensational drumming (Mike Cosgrove). Those drums pummel and hit you right in the chest.  The cherry on top is the aggressive lead vocals.  The vocals are the hardest part of this pop classic to emulate and recreate. Dryden Mitchell does a bang-up job capturing Jackson’s vocal nuances while also staying true to himself.  Ultimately, “Smooth Criminal”, in the hands of Alien Ant Farm, translates epically into a rock song. This one-hit wonder band went all-in on this one!

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The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️ 

So, who was the smoothest “Smooth Criminal,” or rather, who performed the best version of the song? Was it the original by the iconic Michael Jackson, where he never ceased asking, “Annie, are you okay?” or is it the hard rocking, one-hit-wonder cover by the Cali band Alien Ant Farm?  Both versions of “Smooth Criminal” are awesome to the nth degree.  To recap, Jackson scored another top 10 hit and ultimately earned another multiplatinum song.  As for Alien Ant Farm, they solidified their spot in music history with their only hit, which reached the top 40 and earned a much-deserved Grammy nomination. Either version is worthy of winning this head-to-head, but, honestly, can we ever deny the King of Pop, 🏅 Michael Jackson? Nope!

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