When you think of Michael Jackson, it’s hard not to think of all the legal battles and bad history he has had with the media, plus the fact that he’s pretty much lost his mind and part of his fortune in the last several decades. But if you can push all of that aside for a minute and go way back to 1982 . . . remember when he came out with his greatest solo album to date. Produced by Quincy Jones, Thriller was not only an innovative album, it helped redefine what pop music was then and what it would become, all the way up to this very day. Yeah, these are big words, but the fact of the matter is, it’s all true. Up until this groundbreaking album, Michael Jackson was known as a former member of the Jackson 5 and even had five solo albums under his belt. Just prior to Thriller, his album Off the Wall had some hits like “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” and “Rock With You,” as the album showed the world just what this teen heartthrob could do. As weird as it was just writing that, it was true at the time, and this album was a precursor to his greatest achievement.
Chock-full of hits, Thriller holds the title of best-selling album ever, selling over 104 million copies worldwide. Sprouting a 14-minute horror-themed music video in “Thriller,” with Vincent Price narrating, this was the pinnacle of Michael Jackson’s fame. With hits like “Beat It” and “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” this album was an amazing feat at the time as each song was better than the next. Who can forget the driving bassline of “Billie Jean” or MJ’s duet with Paul McCartney on “The Girl is Mine,” which at the time was something unheard of between two competing pop stars? With the 25th anniversary of Thriller, we recently learned that a young Janet Jackson did backup vocals on “P.Y.T (Pretty Young Thing),” which is quite fitting considering her run as a pop singer. This 25th anniversary 2-CD edition includes a DVD featuring all the video hits that came from the album. The significance here is not so much the ‘80s kitsch but the fact that these were some of the first videos MTV played by a black artist; plus his videos helped shape the dance sequences and structures of music videos for future generations of MJ-influenced artists. Also included are some remixes of songs off the album that include more recent artists like Kanye West, Fergie, Akon, and will.i.am. While the collaborations use old and new vocals, the notable standout tracks here are “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) 2008” with will.i.am and “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” with will.i.am and Akon, which sees this dance-heavy song pared down to vocals and piano in the intro before speeding up. The rest I could give or take as they seem more like filler. Hearing MJ and Fergie trading off lyrics on “Beat It 2008” seems pointless, while Kanye West’s remix of “Billie Jean” is uninspired. The album closes out with the song “For All Time,” which was partly recorded during the Thriller sessions and only recently finished. While not even close to the greatness that album produced, it’s a nice addition to a crop of songs that shook the world.
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