UAWIL #152: Thriller - Michael Jackson

If you were alive in 1983, you knew who Michael Jackson was. Not because of his fame growing up as the lead singer of the Jackson 5, not because you loved his diamond selling disco smash Off The Wall but because you lived through the time that saw the release of Thriller. Unleashed on November 19, 1982, Thriller would go onto to become the biggest selling album of all time thanks to a familiar star on the rise, the dissolution of disco & punk, the advent of MTV and some of the most captivating dance moves ever witnessed. The convergence of MTV, Michael's extraordinary talent, Quincy Jones leadership and pop culture becoming a bigger part of life, you'll never see the spotlight so bright on any one ever again.

Thriller spawned 7 Top 10 singles in the US, all of which went platinum, 2 (Billie Jean & Thriller) went diamond on their own. The album sold over 100 million units and is triple diamond (30+ million units sold) in the US alone. Michael had really come into his own as a singer and songwriter and Quincy Jones helped gather many extraordinary performers (Eddie Van Halen, David Foster, Toto) to contribute to this amazingly produced record. But you had to see the videos for Billie Jean (light up steps), Beat It (gang fight), and Thriller which had world premier that included a behind the scenes film, the first of its kind. Everytime Michael was on tv, whether we was moonwalking on the Motown 25 Anniversary show or accepting 8 grammys with his shades on, it was appointment television.

So to celebrate the Halloween season as this album hits another milestone, we go track x track and talk about how the album made its impression on us and the world in the 1980s.

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