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Thriller is Michael Jackson's sixth studio album, released on November 30, 1982 and recorded in April-November, 1982. It is Jackson's second album co-produced with Quincy Jones. Thriller remains the best-selling album of all time, with sales of 70 million copies worldwide. The album forshadows themes of Jackson's personal life, using a motif of paranoia and darker themes in general.

Thriller set the standard for the music industry with its songs, music videos and promotion strategies. The release generated some of the most iconic hits released by the singer, including "Billie Jean", "Thriller" and "Beat It". The record's success 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.

Background[]

"It was a complete transition. Ever since I was a little boy, I would study composition. And it was Tchaikovsky that influenced me the most. If you take an album like Nutcracker Suite, every song is a killer, every one. So I said to myself, 'Why can't there be a pop album where every song is a killer?'"
— Jackson talking about Thriller[1]

Following Off the Wall, Jackson went on to reunite with Jones to create his next project. They began working on multiple songs, with the first sessions beginning in 1981. Thriller was recorded at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California, starting on April 14, 1982, with a production budget of $750,000 ($2,274,310.34 in 2022 US dollars). Songs written by Michael were dictated into an audio recorder, after which he'd sing them from memory. Among the personnel members were the band Toto. Most notably, Eddie Van Halen was featured as the guitarist for "Beat It", creating one of the most iconic guitar solos in history. The album also featured Jackson's first credited collaboration. Paul McCartney would provide co-lead vocals for "The Girl is Mine", Thriller's lead single.

Recording-of-thriller

Michael Jackson and the team behind Thriller in studio

Of course, the production couldn't go by without any struggles. Jackson and Jones made many different mixes of each song due to their dissatisfaction with every result. Additionally, creative differences started to show between the two. Quincy initially didn't want "Billie Jean" on the record. As Jackson insisted on having it on Thriller, Jones once again suggested changes, such as shortening the intro or re-naming it to "Not My Lover". Thankfully, those wouldn't ruin the atmosphere and on November 8, 1982 the final touches to the record were made.[2]

Artwork[]

The album cover was shot by Dick Zimmerman on July 22, 1982 and features Jackson laying on the ground in a white suit, holding a baby tiger.

Main article: 1982 Dick Zimmerman Photoshoot

Charts[]

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.

Track list[]

Standard edition
No.TitleLength
1."Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"6:03
2."Baby Be Mine"4:20
3."The Girl Is Mine" (featuring Paul McCartney)3:42
4."Thriller"5:57
5."Beat It"4:18
6."Billie Jean"4:54
7."Human Nature"4:06
8."P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)"3:59
9."The Lady in My Life"5:00
Total length:42:16
Special Edition
No.TitleLength
10."Quincy Jones Interview #1"2:17
11."Someone in the Dark"4:48
12."Voice-Over Intro Quincy Jones Interview #2/Quincy Jones Interview #2 / Voice-Over Intro Billie Jean (Demo)"2:04
13."Billie Jean (Home Demo From 1981)"2:20
14."Quincy Jones Interview #3"3:10
15."Voice-Over Intro Rod Temperton Interview #1 / Rod Temperton Interview #1"4:02
16."Quincy Jones Interview #4"1:32
17."Voice-Over Intro / Voice-Over Session from Thriller"2:52
18."Voice-Over Intro Rod Temperton Interview #2 / Rod Temperton Interview #2"1:55
19."Quincy Jones Interview #5"2:01
20."Carousel"1:49
21."Voice-Over Intro Quincy Jones Interview #6 / Quincy Jones Interview #6"1:17
Total length:1:10:23
Thriller 25
No.TitleLength
10."Vincent Price Excerpt From "Thriller" Voice-Over Session - Thriller 25th Anniversary Voice-Over Session"0:24
11."The Girl is Mine (2008 with will.i.am) (with will.i.am) - Thriller 25th Anniversary Remix" (featuring will.i.am)3:10
12."P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) (2008 with will.i.am) (with will.i.am) - Thriller 25th Anniversary Remix" (featuring will.i.am)4:21
13."Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (2008 with Akon) (with Akon) - Thriller 25th Anniversary Remix" (featuring Akon)4:14
14."Beat It (2008 with Fergie Remix) (with Fergie) - Thriller 25th Anniversary Remix" (featuring Fergie)4:11
15."Billie Jean (2008 with Kanye West Mix) (feat. Kanye West) - Thriller 25th Anniversary Remix" (featuring Ye)4:35
16."For All Time"4:03
17."Voice-Over Intro Quincy Jones Interview #1 / Quincy Jones Interview #1"2:17
18."Someone in the Dark"4:48
19."Voice-Over Intro Quincy Jones Interview #2/Quincy Jones Interview #2 / Voice-Over Intro Billie Jean (Demo)"2:04
20."Billie Jean (1981 Home Demo)"2:20
21."Quincy Jones Interview #3"3:10
22."Voice-Over Intro Rod Temperton Interview #1 / Rod Temperton Interview #1"4:02
23."Quincy Jones Interview #4"1:32
24."Voice-Over Intro / Voice-Over Session from Thriller"2:52
25."Voice-Over Intro Rod Temperton Interview #2 / Rod Temperton Interview #2"1:55
26."Quincy Jones Interview #5"2:01
27."Carousel"1:49
28."Voice-Over Intro Quincy Jones Interview #6 / Quincy Jones Interview #6"1:17
29."Billie Jean (Underground Mix)"6:40
30."Thriller (Instrumental)"5:57
Total length:1:50:13
Thriller 40
No.TitleLength
10."Starlight"5:03
11."Got the Hots"4:25
12."Who Do You Know"5:22
13."Carousel"3:39
14."Behind the Mask (Mike's Mix [Demo])"5:00
15."Can't Get Outta the Rain"4:06
16."The Toy"3:04
17."Sunset Driver"4:02
18."What a Lovely Way to Go"3:55
19."She's Trouble"4:12
20."Billie Jean (1981 Home Demo)"2:20
21."Billie Jean (Long Version)"6:20
22."Billie Jean (2008 with Kanye West Mix) (feat. Kanye West) - Thriller 25th Anniversary Remix" (featuring Ye)4:35
23."Beat It (Demo)"2:03
24."Beat It (2008 with Fergie Remix) (with Fergie) - Thriller 25th Anniversary Remix" (featuring Fergie)4:11
25."Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (Demo)"5:42
26."Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (Tommy D's Main Mix)"7:40
27."Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (2008 with Akon) (with Akon) - Thriller 25th Anniversary Remix" (featuring Akon)4:14
28."Human Nature 7""3:47
29."P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) (Demo Version)"3:46
30."P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) (2008 with will.i.am) (with will.i.am) - Thriller 25th Anniversary Remix" (featuring will.i.am)4:21
31."The Girl is Mine (2008 with will.i.am) (with will.i.am) - Thriller 25th Anniversary Remix" (featuring will.i.am)3:10
32."Thriller 7" (Special Edit)"4:38
33."Thriller (Def Thrill Mix)"7:22
34."Thriller (Megamix)"9:13
Total length:1:13:21

Singles[]

Notes[]

  • All of the singles 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.

Re-releases[]

Thriller: Special Edition[]

On October 16, 2001, a special edition of the album was released. This included "Someone in the Dark" (originally from the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial soundtrack) and for the first time ever, the 1981 home demo of Billie Jean and "Carousel". Along with these, interviews with Quincy and Rod Temperton were included.

Thriller 25[]

On February 8, 2008, Thriller 25 was released. This was Michael's final studio album released during his lifetime. This included five remixes of "The Girl is Mine", "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", "Beat It" and "Billie Jean". Jackson served as executive producer. These featured will.i.am, Kanye West, Akon and Fergie. A previously unheard track, "For All Time", appeared on the rerelease as well, although the song originates from the Dangerous sessions. It also included a DVD featuring three music videos, the Motown 25 "Billie Jean" performance and a booklet with a message from Jackson.

Read here for more.

Thriller 40[]

On November 18, 2022, the most recent reissue being Thriller 40 was released. This included the biggest amount of demos and outtakes in comparison to the previous albums. Most notably, the release featured the demo of "Behind the Mask", original version of "Best of Joy", titled "The Toy" and more.

Read here for more.

Trivia[]

  • Thriller was one of the first albums in history to use music videos for promotional purposes, thanks to which such was finally considered as a serious art form.

References[]

Discography
Studio albums
Got to Be ThereBenMusic & MeForever, Michael Off the WallThrillerBadDangerousHIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book IInvincible
Other albums
Farewell My Summer LoveBlood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the MixThe Ultimate CollectionThriller 25MichaelBad 25XscapeScreamThriller 40
Singles
"Got to Be There" • "Rockin' Robin" • "I Wanna Be Where You Are" • "Ain't No Sunshine" • "Ben" • "With a Child's Heart" • "Music & Me" • "We're Almost There" • "Just a Little Bit of You" • "You Can't Win" • "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" • "Rock with You" • "Off the Wall" • "She's Out of My Life" • "Girlfriend" • "One Day in Your Life" • "The Girl is Mine" • "Billie Jean" • "Beat It" • "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" • "Human Nature" • "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" • "Thriller" • "Happy" • "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" • "Bad" • "The Way You Make Me Feel" • "Man in the Mirror" • "Dirty Diana" • "Another Part of Me" • "Smooth Criminal" • "Leave Me Alone" • "Liberian Girl" • "Black or White" • "Remember the Time" • "In the Closet" • "Jam" • "Who Is It" • "Heal the World" • "Give In to Me" • "Will You Be There" • "Gone Too Soon" • "Scream/Childhood" • "You Are Not Alone" • "Earth Song" • "They Don't Care About Us" • "Stranger in Moscow" • "Blood on the Dance Floor" • "HIStory/Ghosts" • "Smile" • "You Rock My World" • "Butterflies" • "Cry" • "What More Can I Give" • "One More Chance" • "The Girl is Mine 2008" • "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" • "Hold My Hand" • "Mind Is the Magic" • "Hollywood Tonight" • "Behind the Mask" • "(I Like) The Way You Love Me" • "Love Never Felt So Good" • "A Place with No Name" • "Blood on the Dance Floor X Dangerous (The White Panda Mash-Up)"
Promotional singles
"Speed Demon" • "Someone Put Your Hand Out" • "This Time Around" • "Is It Scary" • "Speechless" • "Unbreakable" • "Cheater" • "This Is It"
Non-single songs
"Girl Don't Take Your Love from Me" • "In Our Small Way" • "Wings of My Love" • "Maria (You Were the Only One)" • "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" • "You've Got a Friend" • "Greatest Show on Earth" • "People Make the World go Round" • "We've Got a Good Thing Going" • "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" • "My Girl" • "What Goes Around Comes Around" • "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" • "You Can Cry on My Shoulder" • "Up Again" • "All the Things You Are" • "Too Young" • "Doggin' Around" • "Euphoria" • "Morning Glow" • "Johnny Raven" • "Take Me Back" • "Cinderella Stay Awhile" • "We've Got Forever" • "You Are There" • "Dapper Dan" • "Dear Michael" • "I'll Come Home To You" • "Workin' Day and Night" • "Get on the Floor" • "I Can't Help It" • "It's The Falling In Love" • "Burn This Disco Out" • "Someone in the Dark" • "Baby Be Mine" • "The Lady In My Life" • "Just Good Friends" • "Why You Wanna Trip on Me" • "She Drives Me Wild" • "Can't Let Her Get Away" • "Keep the Faith" • "Dangerous" • "D.S." • "Money" • "Come Together" • "Tabloid Junkie" • "2 Bad" • "Little Susie / Pie Jesu" • "On the Line" • "Morphine" • "Superfly Sister" • "Carousel" • "Streetwalker" • "Fly Away" • "Heartbreaker" • "Invincible" • "Break of Dawn" • "Heaven Can Wait" • "2000 Watts" • "You Are My Life" • "Privacy" • "Don't Walk Away" • "The Lost Children" • "Whatever Happens" • "Threatened" • "Shout" • "Sunset Driver" • "Scared of the Moon" • "We Are Here to Change the World" • "Monkey Business" • "Fall Again" • "In the Back" • "Beautiful Girl" • "We've Had Enough" • "For All Time" • "Got the Hots" • "Best of Joy" • "(I Can't Make It) Another Day" • "Much Too Soon" • "Don't Be Messin' 'Round" • "I'm So Blue" • "Abortion Papers" • "Free" • "Price of Fame" • "Al Capone" • "Chicago" • "Loving You" • "Slave to the Rhythm" • "Do You Know Where Your Children Are" • "Blue Gangsta" • "Xscape" • "Starlight" • "Who Do You Know" • "The Toy" • "What a Lovely Way to Go" • "She's Trouble"
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