Thriller
Michael Jackson
1982
Album Summary
Thriller is the sixth studio album by American singer and songwriter Michael Jackson, released on November 30, 1982, by Epic Records. It was produced by Quincy Jones, who had previously worked with Jackson on his 1979 album Off the Wall. Jackson wanted to create an album where "every song was a killer". With the ongoing backlash against disco music at the time, he moved in a new musical direction, resulting in a mix of pop, post-disco, rock, funk, and R&B sounds. Thriller foreshadows the contradictory themes of Jackson's personal life, as he began using a motif of paranoia and darker themes. The album features a single guest appearance, with Paul McCartney becoming the first artist to be credited as a featured artist on one of Jackson's albums. Recording took place from April to November 1982 at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California, with a production budget of $750,000. Thriller became Jackson's first number one album on the US Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart, where it spent a record 37 non-consecutive weeks at number one, from February 26, 1983, to April 14, 1984. Seven singles were released: "The Girl Is Mine", "Billie Jean", "Beat It", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' ", "Human Nature", "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)", and "Thriller". They all reached the top 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, setting the record at the time for the most top 10 singles from an album, with "Beat It" and "Billie Jean" reaching number one. Following Jackson's performance of "Billie Jean" in the Motown 25 television special, where he debuted his signature moonwalk dance, the sales of the album significantly increased, selling one million copies worldwide per week. The "Thriller" music video was premiered to great anticipation in December 1983 and played regularly on MTV, which also increased the sales of the album. With 32 million copies sold worldwide by the end of 1983, Thriller became the best-selling album of all time. It was the best-selling album of 1983 worldwide, and it was the first album to become the best-selling in the United States for two years, in 1983 and 1984. It set the standard for the music industry with its songs, music videos, and promotion strategies influencing artists, record labels, producers, marketers, and choreographers. Jackson's success and immediate influence led to him having a standing of cultural significance that was not attained by a Black American before him in the history of the entertainment industry, with the album's unprecedented popularity breaking racial barriers in popular music, having enabled Jackson's regular appearances on MTV and meeting with US President Ronald Reagan at the White House. Thriller was among the first albums to use music videos as promotional tools; the videos for "Billie Jean", "Beat It" and "Thriller" are credited for transforming music videos into a serious art form. Thriller remains the best-selling album of all time, with sales of 70 million copies worldwide. It is the second-best-selling album in the United States and was certified 34× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2021. It won a record-breaking eight Grammy Awards at the 1984 Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, while "Beat It" won Record of the Year. Jackson also won a record-breaking eight American Music Awards at the 1984 American Music Awards. The album has been a frequent inclusion in lists of the greatest albums of all time. In 2008, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In the same year, the Library of Congress chose to preserve it to the National Recording Registry of "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant recordings".
WikipediaOff the Wall was a massive success, spawning four Top Ten hits (two of them number ones), but nothing could have prepared Michael Jackson for Thriller. Nobody could have prepared anybody for the success of Thriller, since the magnitude of its success was simply unimaginable -- an album that sold 40 million copies in its initial chart run, with seven of its nine tracks reaching the Top Ten (for the record, the terrific "Baby Be Mine" and the pretty good ballad "The Lady in My Life" are not like the others). This was a record that had something for everybody, building on the basic blueprint of Off the Wall by adding harder funk, hard rock, softer ballads, and smoother soul -- expanding the approach to have something for every audience. That alone would have given the album a good shot at a huge audience, but it also arrived precisely when MTV was reaching its ascendancy, and Jackson helped the network by being not just its first superstar, but first black star as much as the network helped him. This all would have made it a success (and its success, in turn, served as a new standard for success), but it stayed on the charts, turning out singles, for nearly two years because it was really, really good. True, it wasn't as tight as Off the Wall -- and the ridiculous, late-night house-of-horrors title track is the prime culprit, arriving in the middle of the record and sucking out its momentum -- but those one or two cuts don't detract from a phenomenal set of music. It's calculated, to be sure, but the chutzpah of those calculations (before this, nobody would even have thought to bring in metal virtuoso Eddie Van Halen to play on a disco cut) is outdone by their success. This is where a song as gentle and lovely as "Human Nature" coexists comfortably with the tough, scared "Beat It," the sweet schmaltz of the Paul McCartney duet "The Girl Is Mine," and the frizzy funk of "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)." And, although this is an undeniably fun record, the paranoia is already creeping in, manifesting itself in the record's two best songs: "Billie Jean," where a woman claims Michael is the father of her child, and the delirious "Wanna Be Startin' Something," the freshest funk on the album, but the most claustrophobic, scariest track Jackson ever recorded. These give the record its anchor and are part of the reason why the record is more than just a phenomenon. The other reason, of course, is that much of this is just simply great music.
It's Thriller. You know, "best-selling album of all time" Thriller? "Respectable choice for best album ever" Thriller? "Beat It" Thriller? "Billie Jean" Thriller? Yeah, that Thriller. I didn't need to listen to it again to know it was a 5/5, but I did and I can confirm: it's still a 5. RIP MJ
The album that defined the modern pop genre. Instant classics such as Thriller, Beat It, Billy Jean, and P.Y.T. all help make this one of the most influential and commercially successful albums of all time. The excellent bass lines and arrangements in many of these tracks are overshadowed by MJ's iconic singing. Truly an album that deserves at least one listen by any music lover.
All thriller no filler. Could be a greatest hits album. Superb. Michael Jackson really touches me in a special place.
All those kids. Not to mention all those animals. All that plastic surgery. OK, Michael Jackson, in addition to his giant entertaining talent, really is kinda weird. Again, like everything else the King of Pop was recording during his glory years, Thriller also includes lots of romance (albeit the irresponsible baby-making kind of ‘Baby Be Mine’), the sexy closer, ‘The Lady In My Life’(with this marvelously cheesy lyric: ‘Meet me in paradise, lay back in my tenderness’), and of course the famous duet with Paul McCartney, ‘The (doggone) Girl Is Mine.’ Again, Michael is in your face, with songs like, ‘Beat It,’ but most of the real fight is being waged down around the hips. Well, there is that other infamous fight with ‘Billie Jean,’ in which Michael claims that she’s ‘not (even) my lover. She’s just a girl who claims that I am the one. But the kid is not my son.’ I love Michael. He manages to even steer this whole train wreck of a relationship back to, yep, the dance floor, where it belongs! ‘For 40 days and 40 nights the law was on her side. But who can stand when she’s in demand, her schemes and plans? ‘Cause we danced on the floor in the round.’ And then, of course, ‘Thriller,’ the title track, perhaps Michael’s greatest, biggest hit, ever. And still fun. It’s the very first opening track that puzzles me, one of the… well, there were actually more hit singles on this LP than not! That’s Beatles’ territory, there, man. Anyway, Michael is, as usual, safely exercising his anger management training on the dance floor, asking the immortal Michael Jackson-esque question: ‘(Do you) Wanna be startin’ something?’ And then there’s all kinds of allegations made about someone, apparently, trying to start some shit with MJ. Get in line, dude (or dame). I’m betting there’s going to be a bit of a wait. In the meantime, we’re all gettin’ down, and then out of the blue this drops: ‘You’re a vegetable… still they hate you. You’re a vegetable. You’re just a buffet… they eat off of you. You’re a vegetable.’ WTF? LMAO. Yeah, Michael was a weird dude. So was Mozart. Perhaps that’s part of the cost for both his massive talent and global fame. Hey, I didn’t live with him, so what do I really know? Except that Thriller still thrills. That’s all I wanted to know anyway.
Favorite is "Wanna be startin something." which is apparently about gossip magazines. This was his global breakout, and went 33x Platinum. Its the highest selling record of all time with 66 million copies. Crazy how many hits are on this one. Same with "Bad." I guess critics say this is the first time he uses a full adult voice.
Such a great album. Amazing rhythms, song writing and of course essentially all played by Toto with guest guitar from EVH. Play it loud!
Greatest pop album of all time. Number one selling album of all time. Made Michael Jackson the king of pop.
One of the finest albums in the history of time. There is not one weak track on it. Thriller by name, Thriller by nature
Not surprising, almost all of these songs are absolute hits. What is surprising is Michael not only banged a carny to lose his virginity but he didn't die from some disease.
A superb album by one of the greatest pop stars of all time. Timeless album with memorable songs that are easily recognizable from the first note. Such a groovy and get-down-on-the-floor sounds that are so infectious. Amazing sound sonically with great vocals and accompaniments to support. Overall, a very easy listen over and over again.
Go on, then. This is the sort of album I expected to be on this list and I am happy for Thriller to be the Halloween selection. I am old and therefore I remember when this was released. I also remember not being especially all that fussed by the various singles (even though they were all solid), certainly not enough to actually want the album. But yet decades later, I know the album inside out, despite never having owned it. (Metallica's Black album is like that too!). The production of Thriller is great, both minimalist and maximalist when it needs to be. Maybe there are a few dud tracks. I love the Mac n Jack "Say Say Say" but "The Girl is Mine" feels lacklustre. On the other hand "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" is an incredible opening number. It's a cool album and also MJ is staggeringly beautiful on the album cover.
Ok, so here's where I lose a lot of cred with most folks: I don't actually like Michael Jackson. Never have. This record, however, is the one MJ album I have on vinyl. It's probably his best known (follwed closely by Bad), is the best selling album of all time, and on top of that, has some pretty good tracks on it. I play it once a year on or near Halloween and that's enough MJ to last me a whole year. I totally get why this is on the list. It's a good album. I'm just not much of a fan.
I always liked Billie Jean but aside from that song I wasn't a fan of the rest of this album on release or of Michael Jackson in general. After he died and we were bombarded with all the music he made I warmed up to him. I enjoyed listening to Beat It today. Truth be told, I know the lyrics to Weird Al's Eat It much better than I know the lyrics to Beat It. I remember Ray Davies introduced Lola as the song Van Halen made famous. For me, Beat It was the song Weird Al got me to like. Go figure. Vincent Price makes an appearance on Thriller. It's OK but his role pales in comparison to his role introducing Black Widow on Alice Cooper's Welcome to my Nightmare LP. There are a few too many weenie songs on this album. Human Nature and The Lady in my Life are good examples of songs that are so weenie they're hard to stomach. The worst though is This Girl Is Mine. It seems Michael was trying to adopt a cool image with the red leather jacket, etc. Who told him a duet with Paul McCartney would be cool? Makes ya wonder.
Really not my thing. I understand he's seen an icon, but I still think his music is shit and so is he.
9/10 pretty sick album! i was a bit worried at first because of the mildly underwhelming opener and lame ass The Girl Is Mine (why the fuck are mj and paul mccartney competing for the same girl aint paul like 20 years older than mj is) but it picked up pretty quickly after. u already know how cool the middle three tracks are, but there are some kinda awesome deep cuts too!! human nature is super dreamy, and p.y.t. is rly slick and has some kinda weird vocal effects i didnt expect from 1982?? theres a REALLY sick synth in the chorus too, idk how to describe it but youll know it when you hear it. baby be mine is a jam too. honestly billie jean is in my bottom 4 of this album? most of this album is pretty solidly either a 9 or 10 but billie jean is bordering on an 8, the melodies are really really fucking good but it's a little spare for me. and yeah i probably wont be returning to the closer either. this could be a really solid album if a couple lame songs vanished from existance, never to return. lost to the void...FOREVER..................................... cool album
This album has many hit songs from the king of pop. What a fun album to listen to.
Tons of classic songs on here. Enjoyed it way more than I thought I would
This is the jam. Hard not to have heard all of these songs hundreds of times. I never owned this album though so it was good to listen straight through. Classic.
I have this album, like who hasn’t. As an artist he was extremely talented.
Adding more words about this album can of be a worthwhile expenditure of time. Had the LP when it came out. Looking at the playlist again I was surprised at how long the songs were.
Don’t kid yourself this is a 5-star. Hard to separate the personality from the music, but I did.
This was one of my first favorite albums. It is so good from start to finish.
MJ is such a goat I saved 75% of this album. So many genres in a cohesive piece, all bangers
Micheal Jackson has just an otherworldly vocal talent. Half of this album is 8/5 stars and those are the songs you know. The other half is a solid 3/5. It’s just fun delicious pop. I’d probably say 4.5/5 but I’ll round up!
Easily one of the greatest albums ever that should be a benchmark across popular genres on how to create a masterpiece product.
Qué más podemos decir de Michael, ya comenté que es un artista con su propio género musical. En Thriller prácticamente todos los temas son hits número 1, beat it, billy jean, girl is mine, thriller, Wanna be .... michael siempre se ha rodeado de los mejores, como en este caso Rod Temperton que fue quien escribió Thriller. Personalmente si tengo que elegir me quedo la mezcla de géneros tan sublime que consigue en BAD, cuestión de gustos, posiblemente los mejores discos de Michael, un 10 los dosl! Puntuación máxima 5/5.
Thriller, ¿Qué se puede decir que no se haya ya dicho de este disco? Para los que son amantes de Michael Jackson es sin duda el mejor disco de la historia. Para los que le odian (Pienso que son menos), un disco sobrevalorado, sobreactuado,... ¿Qué piensa esa gente cuando les dices que es el disco más vendido de la historia? Pues puede ser cuestión de gustos pero lo que no se puede cuestionar es que este disco llegó a muchísima gente en su momento y sigue llegando. Con 39 años encima sigue siendo una referencia de muchas cosas de las que se hacen hoy en día, es una mezcla perfecta de ritmos Rock / Pop, con rifts maravillosos y con momentos memorables. Y probablemente todo lo que lleva alrededor este disco estaba destinar a ser lo que fue ya que el trabajo que hubo detrás de el fue abrumador. Entrando ya en la vida y obra de Michael Jackson, este disco supone la catapulta final hacia el estrellato. Y no so lo por el disco en si, si no por lo que supusieron los 3 videoclips que lo acompañaban. El disco tiene canciones rotundas, empezando por el Wanna be starting Someting, que es una canción muy bailable, al puro estilo Michael Jackson. La maravillosa disputa de la chica que protagoniza con Paul McCartney en The girl is mine. La grandiosa guitarra de Beat it, cortesía de Van Hallen. Pero, subjetivamente hablando, mis canciones preferidas son Thriller debido a ese video, a lo que representa, a lo que es en si. Y por su puesto Billie Jean, con ese rift de guitarra y esa voz de Michael Jackson que no se me olvidará nunca. La calidad del disco sin los videoclips quizá sea muy similar a la de Bad pero realmente Thriller es mucho mas que eso. El momento me Michael Jackson, sus coreografías, lo que ha supuesto para la música... 5/5
Pues jamás había escuchado completo estendisco, pwro me imaginé que sería sin skips.. Y en efecto. Por supuesto que me gustaron todos los hits. Y una que creo que nunca habia escuchado y que qué bueno que la encontré aquí es baby be mine, vaya vibra tan chida.
Erg dubbel: Muziekaal 5 sterren, echt een geweldig album. Maar de persoon MJ roept inmiddels nogal wat weerzin op. En dan druk ik het nog voorzichtig uit.
Hab ich hier verpasst, aber schon so oft gehört. Hammer Teil! Und selbst die Schnulzen sind ja richtige Schnulzen - so wie sich das gehört: Kunstnebel inklusive!
Just looking at the track list before listening this is likely a 5 😂 looks like it's got a lot of bangers.
I mean... Two of these songs weren't even top 10 hits? Let's try a little harder next time, Mike.
What a great album. Had never listened to the whole thing before. Every song is worthy to sing along.
Lets start with the single most successful album of all time. I have this on original release vinyl record!
There is a reason this is the biggest album of all time. And there is a reason he is the biggest star of all time. Incredible album, full of classics
Overall, a fantastic and groundbreaking pop album, with 5 of the 9 songs as super hits. PYT is probably my favorite on the album. The song Thriller itself should get special mention for the video, which changed music television forever.
Great throwback, don’t remember if I went through the full album before.
This is obviously a classic album and is absolutely stacked with hits. The production is incredible, and the arrangement has aged very well. However, I would be remiss not to mention that in light of the renewed allegations of child sexual abuse against Michael Jackson, it's difficult to listen to this music as a non-involved listener. I can't say for certain what did or didn't happen, but the persistence of these allegations is troublesome to say the least.
Nunca escuche el disco entero hasta ahora. El primer tema tiene el sample de MAMASEI MAMASEI MAMA KUSAI (8). El tema con Paul McCartney es malisimooooo jaja. Y bueno Thriller, Beat It y Billie Jean no puedo agregar mucho mas de lo que ya sabemos. Cualquier tema que suene despues de esta seguidilla de 3 cargadores enteros de musica no va a tener sentido alguno. El tema PRETTY YOUNG THING ,que c shó, medio creepy ahora que sabemos lo que hizo Michael.
September 3, 2021 I had no idea so many songs I'd heard before were on this album - a classic pop record for sure!
Unschlagbar! Sensationelles Album Ich finde allerdings Lied 2 & 3 und das letzte Lied des Albums nicht so toll wie die Bekannten! Dinge das hat schon seine Begründung warum die anderen bekannter sind. Mein Liebling: Human Nature - unfassbar schöner Song
I mean, was there any other choice and 5 stars? Still probably the greatest pop record ever.
pretty cool. catchy song after catchy song. might have to listen to it again to really distinguish between them all
This album is a classic, and was the soundtrack for the entire early-to-mid 80s. Most younger people only remember the Michael Jackson who was a complete nut. But when this album came out, EVERYBODY listened to this album.
Nine tracks and seven were hit singles. 80s pop distilled into one amazing album.
Creativitat al seu nivell màxim. Quncy Jones té un paper destacat, però són les composicions de Jackson les que han portat justificadament aquest disc a l'estratosfera de l'r&b, del pop. Un estat de gràcia a un nivell gairebé sobrehumà en un àlbum que va definir una década i més d'una generació
Voici ce qu'il s'est passé. Alors que je m'appretais à partir pour un simple week end de visite chez mes parents en France, un événement étrange est survenu. Alors que je grimpais dans l'avion, je glissais un bonjour aux stewards, et glissais rapidement un oeil vers la cabine de pilotage. J'eu alors comme une srte de bug mental, la silhouette du pilote me semblant familière. Mais qu'à cela ne tienne, c'etait sûrement une simple fausse impression. Je m'installais alors confrotablement dans le siège 21C, attendant le décollage devant nous ammener vers Bordeaux pendant 1h30. Je m'endormis rapidement, la faute à une nuit écourtée par le reveil matinal. A mon reveil, ce fut l'incompréhension la plus totale. En effet, en regardant pas le hublot, je cru apercevoi des pierres volcaniques, ainsi qu'un soleil de plomb. Rien de tout cela ne ressemblait à ce que je m'attendais à retrouver à Bordeaux. Soudain, le pilote de l'avion pris la parole: "Nous sommes bien atteri à Tenerife, mon copilote et moi même, robvipère, vous souhaitent la bienvenue" Ce diable de rob avait tout simplement détourné mon avion afin de m'empêcher d'écrire mes reviews, car en effet, aucun vol retour n'était prévu avant une semaine plus tard. Rob quand à lui, est reparti avec le même avion. En agissant de la sorte, il espérait s'attirer les faveurs de Robert, étant en situation délicate avec ce dernier depuis l'épisode Michael Kiwanuka. Mais ce n'est là que le début des péripéties, rob ayant préparé plus d'un piège dans cette semaine maudite...
Vous allez encore dire que je fais une fixation sur cet épisode, mais j'écoutais également Baby Be Mine en boucle la semaine au terme de laquelle je me suis fait virer de mon cabinet d'avocats. Hasard du calendrier ou non, au moment où Thriller fut généré, j'étais en train de rêver que j'y retournais pour insulter mes anciens collègues. Le rêve étant ce qu'il est, je m'en vais plutôt vous conter la façon dont j'ai obtenu le poste de juriste au terme d'un entretien d'embauche. Tout commence par une annonce : « cabinet d'avocats recherche juriste droit social. pré-requis : parfaite maîtrise d'excel et de Lexicon Of Love d'ABC. » J'envoyai alors un CV et fus contacté quelques jours plus tard pour passer un entretien. Je sonnai ce jour-là à la porte et m'installai sur une chaise de la salle d'attente, mon enceinte JBL à la main droite. Une femme vint me trouver pour m'annoncer que M. Hussein allait bientôt me recevoir. « D'ac » répondis-je dans un son bref largement couvert par le boucan que faisait l'enceinte. Celui-ci arriva en compagnie d'une de mes deux futures tutrices et me fit entrer dans la salle de réunion. Après m'avoir fait asseoir, celui-ci me demanda de me présenter. Je le fis de cette façon : « D'abord j'étais en sixième shoegaze mais ça s'est gâté en cinquième parce que j'étais dans la même classe qu'eltrapeze alors qu'avant on était juste ensemble en Krautrock. On arrêtait pas de se battre alors on a été séparés. » L'étonnement se lisait sur leurs deux visages. Vint ensuite la question relative à ma principale qualité et mon principal défaut. Je tournai ma réponse ainsi : « Ma qualité c'est que je connais très bien Robert et mon défaut c'est qu'on me confond souvent avec lui parce que je m'appelle Robcocotière. » Les deux avocats échangèrent un regard avant de me demander comment je voyais ma vie dans cinq ans. « C'est-à-dire ? Le générateur est censé se terminer en 2024. » répondis-je avec assurance. Mes interlocuteurs refermèrent tour à tour leur bloc-notes et me signalèrent qu'ils en avaient assez entendu. J'étais embauché quelques semaines plus tard avec la réussite que vous connaissez.
Ah come on. I don’t need to do this. Anyway, in no particular order: Greg Phillianges; the red zip up jacket in ‘Beat It’; Ola Ray; Eddie Van Halen; Mr Quincy Jones; bunched up jacket sleeves; Paul McC genuinely relevant (even if not genuinely good) post Beatles; tiger print pocket square; Say Na Na Na - Na Na Na; Hot Rod Temperton; etc etc.
This album is the pinnacle of pop and maybe music in general. Every song on this album is great. Pretty rare for an album to have every hit after hit like this one. 9.6/10
12/03/2021 Today's Album: "Thriller" by Michael Jackson - This one is going to be fun. I love this album, but I am going to try to take a completely objective approach if its at all possible. Wanna be starting something is an energetic opener to this album, with a funky bass, tons of shakers and auxilery percussion, and of course Michael at what was pretty much the peak of his career spitting out great volcals. The colorful horns that are sprinkled around the track helps to shake things up and I like the extra vocals in the left channel. This song is also iconic for the chant around 4.5 minutes, which saying that I am reminded how long Michael's songs are. I would say the song drags on at the end but it really doesnt. The way the raw chant is isolated with the horns and percussion and then the beat is brought back to close things off is expert. Baby be mine is actually a track I hadn't heard before. It's a more low key track compared to most of the bangers on this album, but I actually think it lays out a really nice vibe and the chorus is so colorful with all of the funk instruments and the cowbell in the back. Michael as always has some of the best vocals around at the time and he is not holding back at all. The song doesn't really go anywhere too exciting but I thought it was solid if not just a little bit dragged out. The Girl is Mine with Paul McCartney is a great song. It's sort of silly the way the two are arguing over this girl, but it comes off as super charming and the backing instrumental is so soft and smooth it makes me float. Honestly a 10/10 song if you ask me. The way these two play off each other is amazing and they break up the song with the bridge in a way that makes the verses not get stale and I like when they just have a little chat before the ending vv cute lol. The next track is fucking Thriller. Like what tf am I going to say about Thriller its fucking Thriller. Okay now that I look at it the 2 tracks after are Beat it and Billie Jean, which are also like uncontested BANGERS so yeah i dont have much to say about them. Then Human nature is a nice come down from the excitement of the last track, with a ton of pretty and lush instrumentation just absolutely hugging Michael's voice. Another amazing track and one that I already love a ton. Then PYT is an exciting dance track with a ton of fun funky instrumentation and fun chipmunked vocals that have been sampled on a ton of songs. Super catchy chorus and extremely innovative for the time. Super great song to come right before the finisher of the album The Lady in My life. This song is a perfect way to tuck this album into bed after the insane highs it had gotten to. This album needs no review. It is Michael Jackson's magnum opus and in my opinion the most influential albums of the 80s. Score: 9.6/10 Masterpiece. Highlights: Every Song except Baby be Mine
Even the casual music fan can't deny the immensity of this album. Quincy Jones is the best.
Second MJ album so far, after Bad. This was my original favourite when I was younger and Bad less so, and now it seems to have switched. The brilliant moments here far outweigh the occasional dodgy/dated bits.
Whether or not you agree with the accusations against him , this is one of the best ever Pop albums of all time. His sad life cannot be redeemed by this alone for sure but the music on here is at times beautiful and groundbreaking. Still one of the highest selling albums of all time. Love "Thriller" "PYT" "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" in fact every track has it's merits. Great album rightfully here.
It is easy to see why this album is held in such regard in the music industry. It is full of chart-topping tracks and hugely influential deep tracks that influenced multiple genres from Rock to Rap through sampling. This album may be the most complete of Jackson's career.
Not much to say here. It's a classic album. Not a bad song to be found. I could nitpick some things about some songs but overall this album is just fun to listen to. It's great.
Wow. Haven't even pressed play, instant 5. That's three in a row, this list is on one right now. Of course I have this on vinyl. I gave Off the Wall a 5, knowing that there's only one album in MJ's catalog that I enjoy more. Thriller is a monstrosity of a pop album. Any listen to this album is just a test of whether I remember or recognize the three songs on here that I don't already know in my heart (which is the other six). One of the highest selling albums of all time, and for good reason. With any mention of Michael Jackson the discussion eventually turns to the nonce allegations, and tracks like "Human Nature" and "Pretty Young Thing" don't help keep things out my mind. But if you can live in denial for 42 minutes thing is loaded with bangers, like has anyone in pop made a song more potent than the titular "Thriller"? That song still gets the world hyped after 40 years. Can never defend MJ the man, but this album's GOATed. Favorite tracks: Thriller, Billie Jean, Wanna Be Startin' Something, PYT, Beat It, Human Nature. Album art: Iconic. The gatefold on the vinyl shows his other hand petting a tiger cub perched on his leg. This cover (and the album it denotes) will be known for generations. 5/5
Thriller is such an iconic album that it is almost difficult to separate it from the heights. That said, it is an incredible album and I think it firmly deserves its place in the top 25 or so of the most influential/significant albums of all time.
Undeniably brilliant pop. I'll never listen to it again, but can't think of a reason to deny it 5 stars.
The greatest selling album of all time. Released in 1983, the album had sold 32 million copies alone by the end of 1983. This is now incomprehensible in the digital, streaming music landscape we find ourselves in and will, simply, never be beaten. Alongside the units shifted, Thriller could lay claim to being the most influential album of all time, too. Every pop record since has tried to sound like Billie Jean. Pop stars couldn't now hope to make it big in the business without paying considerable attention to music videos and MTV airplay - Thriller broke the music video format and forced MTV to playing more tracks by black artists. Baby Be Mine and PYT set the template for R&B music. Beat It fused rock and pop in thrilling fashion. Throughout, MJ nails it with his incomparable vocal talents, honed by years of live performance. MJ was just 24 when Thriller was released. There is one excruciating moment on the record - the ill judged Girl is Mine has the listener mind boggled at the premise there is a woman out there besotted with both Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson, who sing about her in a limp, twee and corny style, deciding that a little improvised chit chat midway through the record would be fun. It’s not. It’s embarrassing for everyone. The best thing you could say for it is that MJ’s influence was so strong he could even get a Beatle on his record. That track and MJ’s troubled life almost docked this album a star, but it’s hard to discredit a cultural phenomenon and fail to acknowledge the enormous influence Thriller had on pop culture and, indeed, culture.
MJ, Paul McCartney, Eddie Van Halen, Quincy Jones, Vincent Price, and a couple of the guys from Toto walk into bar. The fuck did we think would happen?
legendary album, probably one of the best ever produced, it's totally understandable why is it the best-selling one of all time. Outstanding production, legendary and unique vocal of MJ, versatile piece, one of my favourites and the best generated so far. No misses, just hits, 10/10
Saved Prior: Thriller, Beat It, Billie Jean, P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) Not Saved: 9. The Girl Is Mine Saved: 8. The Lady in My Life 7. Baby Be Mine 6. Human Nature 5. Beat It 4. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 3. Thriller 2. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) 1. Billie Jean Overall Notes: No wonder this guy was a SUPERstar. He OWNS this album. Beats are so fun, performance is immaculate, I can't help but move to every song except the Paul McCartney duet, which was a little off-putting. Easy 5.
Não tem como dar outra nota a não ser 5. Esse álbum mudou a história da música.
Ok so we are going to do the greatest pop album thats ever been made. Coolcoolcoolcool. Baby Be Mine has a couple wild transitions in the middle that caught me way off guard. The middle of this album is so stacked with hits that it is hard to ignore. I don't find it as good as Bad but better than Off The Wall if I had to do a shootout of MJ albums.
Awesome r&b/ pop album. Obviously this album is a bit tarnished by mjs late legacy, but it does not stop me from boosting to the album and appreciating it as a piece of music history
What am I supposed to do with this shit? I try so hard not to let an artist's personal life effect how I review their albums, but it's so hard not to think about it with Michael Jackson. Similar to how I had to Marilyn Manson's many allegations of domestic abuse, I'll soldier on. Obviously this album is incredible. It's not just that every song is good, virtually every song was a huge hit. This album begins with Wanna Be Startin Something, and that is one of the MINOR hits on this album. Any other album, that would be one of the most notable tracts, but by the time you get through Thriller, Beat It, and Billie Jean you forget all about it. This is unquestionably Quincy Jones's best work, and it's sad that so much of that is tainted by Micheal being a fucking pedophile It's a 5/5 album. It would be a lot easier to enjoy this album if Michael hadn't been everything that he was. but what can you do?
The pop culture this album spawned makes it worth the listen. No matter what you think of the person who made the music.
We immediately start with a banger of an opening track. Honestly just off the opening track itself, 10/10. Song 2 is also a banger. Nice and mellow after track 1. Album still at 10/10. Third song is also mellow. Hmm. Maybe we should pick it up a bit, but it’s still so smoooth and jazzy. It’s just the opener was so explosive. I guess maybe we do need to chill out. Wait! A feature!! This song is incredible I take it back I was being foolish. Still at 10/10. OMG THRILLER! BABES. 10 OUT OF 10. NOT A SINGLE FLAW PLSSSS. Is there crack in this album? In this song? And now we go straight into Beat It??? Can this man let me BREATHE?? Guess what. 10. Out of. 10. Oh my dayyysssss. Billie Jean. Girl. 10/10. Next song. Much more mellow which is a needed break after the bangers. 10!10. Penultimate track. A groovy banger. Damn. Still at 10=10. Final song. Nice and slow to close out probably one of the best albums I’ve ever listened to. Why did it take me so long to listen to this album in its entirety? It’s brilliant. I al ways believed and agreed when people said this was one of the best albums of all time, but now I’m listening first hand. Truly, it’s incredible. I can’t really think of a single thought. I’ve loved the sub-45 minute listening experience. 10/10.
Well. Ok. Literally everyone in the world knows and loves this album. And also owns the CD somewhere in their house. Maybe except Wade Robson and James Safechuck. 5 regardless
Michael Jackson is probably the ultimate case of art vs the artist. For years I didn't listen to his music initially because of the Neverland documentary and pedo allegations, and then just forgot about him for a while really. But damn I'd be lying if Thriller isn't a 5. Most artists would kill to have half of these songs in their career, let alone on one album. Just can't help getting down with it. My only critque is that it ends on The Lady In My Life, the weakest song by a mile.
5.0 - The first cassette album I ever owned back when I was just 4. And 40 years later it still sparkles. Like everyone else on the planet, I've heard "Billie Jean" countless times and still think it's a banger. Same with "Beat It", especially Van Halen's guitar solo. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" sounds like something cooked up by Fela Kuti and it's non-stop bops. "P.Y.T" is another stone-cold jam. My only criticism is with "The Girl is Mine" - Paul McCartney stinks up the vibe and I just don't believe that the two of them would ever argue over a girl.
Four Stars And A Half. Why not five stars? Let's be *a little* serious for a second: an album with a cheesefest such as "The Girl Be Mine" can't possibly boast deserving a five-star review. Especially when such cheesefest is on the third slot of said album. McCartney is to blame on this one too, but mostly, the real culprit is probably producer Quincy Jones here. He should just have put his foot down and *at least* change the ordering of the tracks. In a way, this dud also foretells everything that went wrong with Michael Jackson afterwards (it's part of "Hisstory" ha ha). So I guess you'd better listen to it *once*, and then just skip it everytime you spin this album again. Just a friendly piece of advice here... This minor debacle being out of the way now, the fact that everything else on *Thriller* is spot on, even with such an early misstep in the tracklisting, tells a lot about how important this record is overall. Production values AND songwriting here go hand in hand to give an avid amateur of groove the time of their life. Rarely have pop, funk, rock, disco and r'n'b been so intricately and artfully mixed together. This album is just the stuff of legend--not only for those eternal hits that made Michael Jackson as a solo artist enter music history through luxurious front gates (the title-track, "Billie Jean", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" or "Beat It"), but also for all those incredibly flawless arrangements driving the whole shebang to the max. This here is the best *blockbuster* album the eighties have ever given to the world, for which Jones can now be thanked a thousand times. Each rumbling bassline, each guitar lick, each beat, each comma--each raspy breath from Michael, even--is like a sonic dream come true. The care for details just leaves you speechless. And yet, just like many of those blockbuster movies from the same decade (by Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard or John Landis, who actually directed "Thriller"'s unforgettable video), the overall story this record offers you is also filled with a lot of charm and soul, as ludicrously grand and insanely ambitious as its settings are. The first record I had to review for this app was Jackson's aptly-named *Bad*. One of the very rare one-star reviews I have ever written for this project (please feel free to read it for yourself, for what it's worth). *Of course* I also had "Thriller" in mind as I wrote it, wishing I had had that one to review instead, if only to set the record straight about what I really thought about Michael Jackson as an artist. The circle is now complete. Now I can go on on this thing with a lighter mind (and with very open ears, that goes without saying... :) ...). In the meantime, I'll keep on trying to practice my moonwalk steps in my living room as I play this album again and again and again... Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 895 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 56 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 27 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 23
There's a reason it was once the biggest selling album of all time. Pure pop perfection, start to finish.
This is an album that really- hands down, no argument - belongs on this list (for a change). Michael Jackson, who later was dubbed King of Pop, delivers an irresistible mix of Pop, Soul and R&B. Every track grooves, every track shines due to the production work of one of the true masters - Quincy Jones. The rhythm section is sometimes human, sometimes programmed, but always grooving. There is even the famous guitar solo on Beat It, played by Eddie Van Halen. And MJ himself delivers on almost every track. The songs themselves are fantastic as well, the only odd one out is The Girl is Mine - I find both the lyrics and their delivery by Jackson on that song to be quite cringeworthy. But apart from that, this album is a true, iconic classic. 4.5/5
The musical merits of this album are overshadowed by the hype and his unfortunate history. We are here to judge the album I believe? At the time I was pulled along by the rollercoaster too and loved it. There's nothing deep and meaningful here, it's supremely well produced and slick pop music with very little to match it. Every track is a hit.
Este es de esos en los que hay que separar la obra del artista. Michael Jackson podrá estar prácticamente cancelado hoy en día, pero este disco es una joya y eso no se puede negar. Debo decir que sí tiene dos pequeños puntos que no me gustan: las entradas en las que Michael habla con su vocecita fina y afeminada (en P.Y.T.) y la horrible colaboración con McCartney… Pffff nunca imaginaría que este dueto haría algo tan poco agradable. Por otro lado, el resto del disco es una chulada. Incluso el mismo P.Y.T. una vez que acaba de jotear en la intro, es un rolón. Y ya no digamos del triple combo ganador de Thriller, Beat It y Billie Jean, que básicamente pusieron la pauta de cómo se hace el pop a partir de ahí, de cómo se puede meter elementos del Rock más alejado de este pop (Eddie Van Halen haciendo el solo de Beat It, o los miembros de Toto haciendo casi toda la instrumentación) y de cómo un disco puede tener una tonelada de buenos sencillos. Encima de todo, comparado con Bad, que fue el otro que hemos oído de MJ, este disco no abusa de las rolas sexosas ni de las rolas con sonido "tribal". Si bien ambas cosas existen en Thriller, no es en exceso com oen Bad.
Some huge songs on here. Is Mr Shrill a technical joke, or pure genius? I think both
I don’t have any reason to complain about it. Almost every song is a classic. I had never heard The Girl Is Mine before and I loved it. I found myself imagining being at one of his concerts during his prime. PYT!!!
There is a reason this is the best selling album worldwide, it’s awesome. This is truly the “King of Pop” with hit after hit. I am sympathetic to those who say it doesn’t really work as an album. But if decided I just don’t care. The high points are so high that the few low points or missteps are barely noticeable
I was 10 when it came out. Everyone of all ages seem to listen to this album, it was everywhere. At least in my lifetime no album or artist was ever bigger. I wasn't the biggest Michael Jackson fan but it was hard not to like this album or the videos during the golden age of MTV. I'm given it 5 stars not for the music per se but for everything that went along with it at that time.
Thriller, Beat It, Billie Jean. What a 3-song combo! Thriller is a killer album.
I never owned it, but I'd certainly heard every song, many times. All killer, all thriller, no filler.
Well here it is, the biggest selling album of all time. In a rare moment on this list where prestige and popularity converge. It's hard to see this album for what it was when it debuted because it now carries so much weight and significance just in terms of its reputation. Here's the thing though, Michael Jackson, love him or hate him took pop music superstar to a level that seemed impossible. The man himself will continue to puzzle us all, but musically - what a powerhouse. His evolution from child star to the king of pop is wild. His voice is a marvel - and when it comes to this album, the songs are all so, for lack of a better word, interesting. 7 of of these 9 tracks were charting singles. "You're a vegetable," in "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" is curious. And there's a Billie Jean reference in that song too. Never heard that before! With Thriller, Jackson pioneered the new way to put a pop record together - heavy production, centralized vocals, catchy hooks, focus on singles, marketing and revolutionary use of music video. I'm curious who's more responsible for "The Girl is Mine," I mean, I am a devoted Beatles fan, and I love McCartney - but what the hell is this song doing on here, and why , and what and huh? The conversation part of that song is cringeworthy. It almost made me give this thing a 4/5, but most of my 5/5 albums still have duds on them, just not this big of a dud. But the other 8 make up for it in spades. There's tons to talk about with this album; I haven't even mentioned Billie Jean, Beat It, Thriller, or PYT yet. This is where the Moonwalk came from for Christ's sake! It's a 5 album - and I'm saying this as someone who's not a big solo Michael Jackson fan, but I can't deny the way this one pops!
Sample em 4:52 de Wannabe Startin. The Girls is Mine é linda!!!! Billy Jean sempre fantástica. Human Nature belíssima!!
This album is purely amazing! That’s no surprise coming from the KING OF POP! Every song on this album is a banger and that makes it a master piece! Every song is a standout!
9/10. Definitely a pretty good album, and the Best Michael Jackson album I've heard, but not quite a 10 for me
WAAY better than Bad nearly every song was great, even the slow-jams that I’m not a big fan of still hit really well favorite slow-jam was probably The Lady In My Life but yeah really great album - 10/10
5 I’ve loved this album since 5th grade. The melodies, the beats, the bass. Quincy Jones’ touch is everywhere on this album. It’s so much fun and it’s so theatrical. So many songs on here are all-time classics. The 40th anniversary is this year and it’s absolutely worth buying on vinyl. Favorites include: All of them. Seriously. I love all of the songs on this and the 25th anniversary bonus tracks.
An absolute classic album. Michael was the soundtrack to my childhood. 10 top 10s on this album, what more can you say.
Album is on here for a reason, there's not a bad song on here. Michael Jackson continues to seduce me with his voice.
Grew up on this album. Actual vinyl album. Every single song on this is a hit. Say what you want about the man, but this is the gold standard of 1980's pop. Truly the King of Pop. Propbably my least favorite song on here is the title song, but even still, this entire piece of art is museum worthy. This was really great to listen to once again.
It's Thriller. I mean ... Edward Van Halen and 70 million fans weren't wrong here. 9/10 5 stars.
there’s a reason this was the top selling album of all time, every song is a hit and they’re all good. love it
Immaculate. Nearly every song has its surprises, and the hits are the hits. I was unaware of Toto's involvement, but you can hear it, and it just barely works. The disco sound on Thriller is teetering.
The guy can write pop songs that's for sure. Has songs to dance to, rock to, think about peacefully, whatever. MJ gives an incredible performance, displaying his extensive personality: loud, fast, and spontaneous, while also exposing several heartfelt or friendly moments. Production is the best among its era, original yet versatile and full of depth. Very electronic-driven but follows his disco formula (like a predecessor to Daft Punk), and deeply incorporates rock and soul. As much of a Beatles fan I am, it disappoints me to say that the only weak song is "The Girl is Mine" (only thing I like is the production). Every other song is an absolute perfect banger (or near to it)! Track ordering couldn't be much better (excluding "The Girl is Mine"), with the first two pulling in the audience, the mega hits in the middle, and the slower, more focused tracks at the end. Favorites: Thriller, Beat It, Human Nature, PYT
Easy 5. Every song is an absolute banger and this plays like a greatest hits. Quincy and MJ really cooked up some fire on this one. Each song is distinct but the album feels cohesive. My favorites are PYT, Baby Be Mine, and Human Nature.
This album is the pop music champion. Almost every song was a hit. It also inspired music videos to become bigger and more over the top. Most of these songs have aged very well. I'd like to give this one a 4.5 but I have to round up as it launched Jackson into a completely other stratosphere.
It is hard to separate the music from the phenomenon that Thriller was. I tried to ignore everything extraneous to the music and the future freak show Michael Jackson became. I could quibble - Thriller gets a bit cheesy and the McCartney duet is not the best. I personally like Off The Wall better. None of that matters. This is great music. It is understandable that it is the greatest selling album of all time.
listened to again nearly every song on this record was and still is an instant hit