Thriller (album)

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Thriller
Thriller cover
Studio album by Michael Jackson
Released 1 December 1982
Recorded April - November 1982
Genre R&B, Funk, Soul
Length 42:19 (Original release)
71:30 (Special Edition)
Label Epic Records
EK-38112
Producer Quincy Jones[1]
Professional reviews
Michael Jackson chronology
One Day in Your Life
(1981)		 Thriller
(1982)		 Farewell My Summer Love
(1984)
Alternate cover
Special Edition release cover.
Special Edition release cover.

Thriller is the sixth overall studio album by American singer Michael Jackson and his second studio album with Epic Records, released on December 1, 1982. It is Jackson's most popular album and catapulted him to international stardom when it was released. In 2007, the NARM and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ranked Thriller third on their "Definitive 200" list, a compilation of what they believed to be the greatest albums ever.[2]

According to Guinness World of Records, Thriller has worldwide sales exceeding 104 million making it by far the best selling album of all time[3]. The album is also notable for being one of only three albums to remain in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 for one full year (along with Falling Into You by Celine Dion and Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette), spending 80 consecutive weeks in the top 10, 37 of which were at number one. Thriller is also the first album of only three in history to produce seven Billboard Hot 100 top-ten singles, and the first and to date only album to be the best-selling album of two years (1983 and 1984) in the United States, according to Billboard. The album continues to sell an estimated 60,000 units in the United States per year.[4]

In February 1984, Jackson was nominated for twelve Grammy Awards — of which he won eight[5] — breaking the record for the most Grammy Awards won in a single year.[6] Seven were for Thriller and the other for the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial storybook. The most important in terms of record sales was the 1984 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, which was awarded for Thriller. That same year, Jackson also won eight American Music Awards and the "Special Award of Merit" and three MTV Video Music Awards.

At 25, The New York Times called Jackson a "musical phenomenon," further commenting that "in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else."[7] Time magazine explained that "the fallout from Thriller has given the [music] business its best years since the heady days of 1978, when it had an estimated total domestic revenue of $4.1 billion."[8] Thriller also helped to bring music from African-American artists back into mainstream radio for the first time since the mid-1970s.[8]

Contents

Recorded between April and November 1982, Thriller was the second of Michael Jackson's solo albums to be produced by Quincy Jones, though this time showcasing Jackson in a more prominent position of control than the preceding Off the Wall album from 1979. Of the nine tracks that came to be on the final project of the album, Jackson wrote four.

The album's first single, "The Girl Is Mine", a pop duet with Paul McCartney, was a commercially successful, though critically maligned, song that was solely written by Jackson. The album's second single, "Billie Jean", was a more definitive hit. Despite the controversy[citation needed] surrounding the lyrics, which dealt with illegitimacy, the song catapulted Jackson and Thriller to the top of the charts. Jackson then performed "Billie Jean" at the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever special, showing off his signature dance move, the "moonwalk", to an enormous audience.

From there, Jackson's already considerable success grew further. Jackson's reinvention as a crossover artist was complete with his third single, the rock song, "Beat It", which features guitar work by guitarist Eddie Van Halen. Several members of the Los Angeles band Toto also contributed their musical talents (see track credit descriptions below).

Main article: Thriller 25

To mark the 25th anniversary of Thriller, a special edition featuring a variety of bonus content is to be released in 2008.

  1. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (Jackson) 6:02
  2. "Baby Be Mine" (Temperton) 4:20
  3. "The Girl Is Mine (featuring Paul McCartney)" (Jackson) 3:42
  4. "Thriller" (featuring Vincent Price) (Temperton) 5:57
  5. "Beat It" (featuring Eddie Van Halen) (Jackson) 4:17
  6. "Billie Jean" (Jackson) 4:57
  7. "Human Nature" (Bettis/Porcaro) 4:05
  8. "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" (Ingram/Jones) 3:58
  9. "The Lady in My Life" (Temperton) 4:57


2001 Special Edition bonus tracks
  1. Interview with Quincy Jones #1 – 2:18
  2. "Someone in the Dark" (Bergman/Bergman/Temperton) – 4:48
  3. Interview with Quincy Jones #2 – 2:04
  4. "Billie Jean" (Home Demo from 1981) (Jackson) – 2:20
  5. Interview with Quincy Jones #3 – 3:10
  6. Interview with Rod Temperton #1 – 4:02
  7. Interview with Quincy Jones #4 – 1:32
  8. "Voice-Over Session from "Thriller" (Temperton) – 2:52
  9. Interview with Rod Temperton #2 – 1:56
  10. Interview with Quincy Jones #5 – 2:01
  11. "Carousel" (Sembello/D. Freeman) – 1:49
  12. Interview with Quincy Jones #6 – 1:17

Note: track information in italics do not have official names; they are assumed titles.

Country Certification Sales
Argentina 10x Platinum 500,000
Australia 12x Platinum 850,000
Brazil 6x Diamond 2,000,000
Belgium 11x Platinum 550,000
Canada 2x Diamond 2,000,000
Finland 3x Platinum 90,000
France 3x Diamond 3,000,000
Germany 3x Platinum 1,500,000
Japan 2.5x Platinum 2,500,000
Mexico Diamond 500,000
Netherlands 11x Platinum 880,000
New Zealand Diamond 150,000
Portugal 12x Platinum 120,000
Spain 8x Platinum 640,000
Switzerland 6x Platinum 240,000
UK 11x Platinum 3,570,000
USA 27x Platinum 27,000,000

In April 2005, the RIAA certified Thriller at 27x platinum for shipments of 27 million in the United States.

Chart Position
Billboard 200 (122 Weeks) 1 (37 Weeks)

  • "Hot Street"
  • "Nite Line"
  • "Trouble"
  • "Carousel" (also known as "Circus Girl")
  • "Got the Hots"
  • "Behind The Mask"
  • "Don't Be Messin' Around"
  • "Who Do You Know"
  • "Love Never Felt So Good"
  • "For All Time"

Main article: Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
  • Written and composed by Michael Jackson
  • Produced by Quincy Jones
  • Co-produced by Michael Jackson
  • Rhodes and synthesizer: Greg Phillinganes
  • Synthesizer: Michael Boddicker and Bill Wolfer
  • Guitar: David Williams
  • Bass: Louis Johnson
  • Percussion: Paulinho Da Costa
  • Trumpet and flügelhorn: Jerry Hey
  • Trumpet and flügelhorn: Gary Grant
  • Saxophone and flute: Larry Williams
  • Trombone: Bill Reichenbach
  • Bathroom stomp board: Steven Ray
  • Vocal arrangement by Michael Jackson
  • Rhythm arrangement by Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones
  • Horn arrangement by Jerry Hey and Michael Jackson
  • Background vocals: Julia Waters, Maxine Waters, Oren Waters, James Ingram, Michael Jackson, Bunny Hull and Becky Lopez

Main article: Baby Be Mine
  • Written and composed by Rod Temperton
  • Produced by Quincy Jones
  • Keyboards and synthesizer: Greg Phillinganes
  • Synthesizer: Michael Boddicker and David Paich
  • Synthesizer programming: Steve Porcaro, Brian Banks and Anthony Marinelli
  • Guitar: David Williams
  • Drums: N'dugu Chancler
  • Trumpet and flügelhorn: Jerry Hey
  • Trumpet and flügelhorn: Gary Grant
  • Saxophone and flute: Larry Williams
  • Trombone: Bill Reichenbach
  • Vocal, rhythm and synthesizer arrangement by Rod Temperton
  • Horn arrangement by Jerry Hey

Main article: The Girl Is Mine
  • Written and composed by Michael Jackson
  • Produced by Quincy Jones
  • Rhodes: Greg Phillinganes
  • Piano: David Paich
  • Synthesizer: David Foster
  • Synthesizer programming: Steve Porcaro
  • Guitar: David Parks and Steve Lukather
  • Bass: Louis Johnson
  • Drums: Jeff Porcaro
  • Vocal: Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
  • Vocal arrangement by Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones
  • Rhythm arrangement by Quincy Jones and Moss Glately
  • Synthesizer arrangement by David Foster
  • Strings arranged and conducted by Jerry Hey
  • Concertmaster: Jerry Vinci

Main articles: Thriller (song) and Thriller (music video)
  • Written and composed by Rod Temperton
  • Produced by Quincy Jones
  • Featuring: Rap by Vincent Price
  • Synthesizers: Greg Philinganes, Rod Temperton and Brian Banks
  • Synthesizer programming: Anthony Martinelli
  • Guitar: David Williams
  • Trumpet and flügelhorn: Jerry Hey
  • Trumpet and flügelhorn: Gary Grant
  • Saxophone and flute: Larry Williams
  • Trombone: Bill Reichenbach
  • Vocal, rhythm and synthesizer arrangement by Rod Temperton
  • Horn arrangement by Jerry Hey
  • Effects by Bruce Cannon and Bruce Swedien

Main article: Beat It
  • Written and composed by Michael Jackson
  • Produced by Quincy Jones
  • Co-produced by Michael Jackson
  • Featuring: Guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen
  • Rhodes and synthesizer: Greg Phillinganes
  • Keyboards: Bill Wolfer
  • Synclavier: Tom Bahler
  • Synthesizer and synthesizer programming: Steve Porcaro
  • Synergy: Greg Smith
  • Guitars, electric Bass: Steve Lukather
  • Guitar: Paul Jackson
  • Drums: Jeff Porcaro
  • Drum case beater: Michael Jackson
  • Vocal arrangement by Michael Jackson
  • Rhythm arrangement by Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones

Main article: Billie Jean
  • Written and composed by Michael Jackson
  • Produced by Quincy Jones
  • Co-produced by Michael Jackson
  • Rhodes and synthesizer: Greg Phillinganes
  • Synthesizer: Greg Smith
  • Synthesizer and synthesizer programming: Bill Wolfer
  • Guitar: David Williams
  • Bass: Louis Johnson
  • Drums: N'dugu Chancler
  • Emulator: Michael Boddicker
  • Vocal, rhythm and synthesizer arrangement by Michael Jackson
  • Strings arranged by Jerry Hey
  • Strings conducted by Jeremy Lubbock

Main article: Human Nature (Michael Jackson song)
  • Written and composed by Steve Porcaro and John Bettis
  • Synthesizer and synthesizer programming: David Paich
  • Guitar: Steve Lukather
  • Drums: Jeff Porcaro
  • Percussion: Paulinho Da Costa
  • Emulator: Michael Boddicker
  • Arrangement by David Paich, Steve Porcaro and Steve Lukather

Main article: P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
  • Written and composed by James Ingram and Quincy Jones
  • Produced by Quincy Jones
  • Synthesizer and synthesizer programming: Greg Phillinganes
  • Vocoder and emulator: Michael Boddicker
  • Portasound keyboard: James Ingram
  • Guitars: Paul Jackson
  • Electric bass: Louis Johnson
  • Drums: N'dugu Chancler
  • Handclaps: Michael Jackson, Louis Johnson, Greg Phillinganes, James Ingram and Steve Ray
  • Arrangement by James Ingram and Quincy Jones
  • P.Y.T.'s
  • Additional background vocals
    • James Ingram
    • Howard Hewitt

Main article: The Lady in My Life
  • Written and composed by Rod Temperton
  • Produced by Quincy Jones
  • Rhodes: Greg Phillinganes
  • Synthesizer: David Paich and Steve Porcaro
  • Guitar: Paul Jackson
  • Bass: Louis Johnson
  • Drums: Jeff Porcaro
  • Emulator: Michael Boddicker
  • Arrangement by Rod Temperton

  • Recorded and mixed by Bruce Swedien
  • Technical engineer: Matt Forger
  • Assistant engineer: Steve Bates and Mark Ettel
  • Additional sound sources recorded by Humberto Gatica and Matt Forger
  • Eddie Van Halen's guitar solo on "Beat It" recorded by Donn Landee

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.
  • In early 1984, a rumor surfaced that the first 7 digits of the UPC for Thriller were Michael Jackson's phone number.
  • The original name for the "Thriller" single was "Give Me Starlight", while the album was originally to be called Starlight.
  • The original name for "Billie Jean" was "Not My Lover", since Quincy Jones feared people were going to mix up "Billie Jean" with tennis player Billie Jean King.
  • Jackson had originally written "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" with his keyboardist Greg Phillinganes. The demo of that version can be heard on Jackson's Ultimate Collection box set. The song was later re-written by Quincy Jones and James Ingram as a more edgy funk-rock staple, rather than the original mid-tempo R&B version.
  • "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" was originally written by Jackson during the Off the Wall period but was recorded for Thriller.
  • The video game Michael Jackson's Moonwalker sampled synthesized versions of Thriller tracks.
  • The album holds the record for the longest stay at #1 on Billboard's Pop Albums (Billboard 200) chart, staying at #1 for a non-consecutive 37 weeks. The most consecutive weeks Jackson spent at the top was 17, on two separate occasions.
  • Thriller is tied for the record for the most top-ten singles from an album, with seven. Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A. and Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 also contain seven top-ten singles.
  • Thriller is ranked #20 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 1989, it was rated #7 on their list of the 100 greatest albums of the 1980s.
  • In November 2006, Thriller was named the eighth biggest-selling album in British history by the British Phonographic Industry. It was Jackson's second album inside the top ten all time list, with Bad at number nine.[9]
  • Queen singer (and then good friend of Jackson's), Freddie Mercury, recorded a few songs with Jackson during the Thriller sessions, those being "State of Shock", "There Must Be More to Life Than This" and "Victory". None of these tracks have ever been officially released, but there are plans for the Jackson/Mercury recordings to be released by Queen manager Jim Beach. Jackson later cited the Queen album Hot Space as a building block for Thriller. [10]
  • The song, "The Lady in My Life", has been sampled by LL Cool J and Boyz II Men for their song "Hey Lover" and by Houston, Texas rapper Frasier Thompson (known as Trae) for the rap song "Swang" featuring Big Hawk.

Behind the Mask (Who Do You Know) was used as an Eric Clapton song in his 1986 August album.

  • Producer/Rapper Kanye West sampled P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) for his 2007 album "Graduation" on the song "Good Life" feat T-Pain
  • Rapper Rick Ross's album title Trilla is a play on this album's title

  1. ^ Album Credits for Thriller, from Artist Direct retrieved on February 3, 2006
  2. ^ 200 list. definitive200.com. Retrieved on 2007-03-06.
  3. ^ Jacko's Back!. MTV UK (November 16, 2006). Retrieved on 2006-11-19.
  4. ^ [1]
  5. ^ Cite error 8; No text given.
  6. ^ Guinness World Records (2006). Guinness World Records 2007. Guinness. ISBN 1-904994-12-1. 
  7. ^ "MICHAEL JACKSON AT 25: A MUSICAL PHENOMENON", New York Times, January 1984. Retrieved on 2007-05-15. (English) 
  8. ^ a b Cocks, Jay. "Why He's a Thriller", Time Magazine, March 1984. Retrieved on 2007-03-17. (English) 
  9. ^ The UK's Bestselling Albums from The BPI
  10. ^ http://www.activemusician.com/Queen-Biography--t8i2435

v • d • e
Michael Jackson
Album discography Got to Be There · Ben · Music and Me · Forever, Michael · Off the Wall · Thriller · Bad · Dangerous · HIStory · Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix · Invincible · Thriller 25 · TBA
Solo tours Bad World Tour · Dangerous World Tour · HIStory World Tour
Filmography The Wiz · Thriller · Captain EO · Moonwalker · Ghosts
See also Singles discography · Controversies · Awards · Records and achievements · Tours
v • d • e
Grammy Award for Album of the Year:

1950s:  The Music from Peter Gunn  • 
1960s:  Come Dance with Me!  •  The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart  •  Judy at Carnegie Hall  •  The First Family  •  The Barbra Streisand Album  •  Getz/Gilberto  •  September of My Years  •  Sinatra: A Man and His Music  •  Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band  •  By the Time I Get to Phoenix
1970s:  Blood, Sweat & Tears  •  Bridge Over Troubled Water  •  Tapestry  •  The Concert For Bangla Desh  •  Innervisions  •  Fulfillingness' First Finale  •  Still Crazy After All These Years  •  Songs in the Key of Life  •  Rumours  •  Saturday Night Fever
1980s:  52nd Street  •  Christopher Cross  •  Double Fantasy  •  Toto IV  •  Thriller  •  Can't Slow Down  •  No Jacket Required  •  Graceland  •  The Joshua Tree  •  Faith
1990s:  Nick of Time  •  Back on the Block  •  Unforgettable... with Love  •  Unplugged  •  The Bodyguard  •  MTV Unplugged: Tony Bennett  •  Jagged Little Pill  •  Falling into You  •  Time Out of Mind  •  The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
2000s:  Supernatural  •  Two Against Nature  •  O Brother, Where Art Thou?  •  Come Away With Me  •  Speakerboxxx/The Love Below  •  Genius Loves Company  •  How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb  • 

Taking the Long Way
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller_%28album%29"
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