This Wednesday, the album thriller from Michael Jackson turns 40 It came out in 1982 and in a few months it became the best-selling album in history and established the artiste as the ultimate pop star.
An often forgotten fact is this thriller it broke many racial prejudices and allowed the video clip of a black artist to be widely disseminated.
In 1983, the president of CBS Records lobbied the MTV television network to air Jackson’s video clips: “I’m not going to give you any more videos and I’m going to make public what you’ve done. If you don’t I want to broadcast a man’s black music.”
Its position has contributed to the chain that broadcasts the video clip of billyjean and subsequently that of run awaya fact that later helped other black artists gain mainstream recognition from the music press.
Eventually, the popularity of these videos helped increase network television’s media presence as well MTV’s focus has changed in favor of pop and rhythm and blues.
For a black artist in the 1980s, Jackson’s success was unprecedented. According to the Washington Post, thriller paved the way for other African American artists such as PrinceTime magazine noted that “Jackson is the greatest thing to happen since the Beatles. He’s the most energetic phenomenon since Elvis Presley. He’s the only black singer who can become the most popular in history.”
An album full of hits
Seven of the album’s nine songs were released as singles.: Beat It, Billie Jean, Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’, PYT (Pretty Young Thing), The Girl Is Mine, Human Nature Y thriller.
All reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100, with which setting the record for the artist with the most ten songs from the same albumwith run away Y billyjean also reaching number one, largely due to the use of music videos as promotional tools, much like the title track.
As for the rewards, thriller won a record eight Grammy Awards at the 1984 Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year for run away. She also won a record eight American Music Awards in 1984.
a historical record
thriller It was recorded between April and November 1982, with a budget of $750,000.
The producer was the famous jazzman Quincy Joneswho worked with Michael on about 30 songs, later choosing nine, four of which were co-written by the singer: I want to start something, the girl is mine (with Paul McCartney) run away Y billyjean.
The result was a varied album, with songs for all tastes. Although it departed from the sound of the previous hit album (out of the wall), added some harder funk (billyjean Y thriller), hard rock (run awaywith the famous guitar solo that Eddie Van Halen played for free), softer ballads (The girl is mine Y human nature), and more fluid soul (baby be mine).
The videos
With this album, Jackson transformed the music video into an art form and a promotional tool based on choreography, cinematic quality and special effects.
The theme thriller It had a 14-minute medium length voice-over by famed horror actor Vincent Price, as well as a chorus that has become a part of world popular culture, even replicated in Bollywood films.
It was led by John Landis, It was the longest video clip to date and is considered a video that redefined the concept of video clips. It cost 800 thousand dollarsa record which stood until 1995 when it was surpassed by he shoutedAlso from Michael Jackson.
The story, the dance choreography, the costumes and the music, do thriller reminiscent of a horror musical, as classic monsters of the genre such as werewolves and zombies appear. Also considered the most important video in pop culture and the most viewed video clip by 800 million people.
reprints
The album was reissued in October 2001 under the title Thrillers: Special Edition. The original tracks were remastered and the album included a new internal booklet and bonus material including songs. Someone in the Dark, Carousehim, and the original demo of billyjeanas well as audio interviews with Quincy Jones and Rod Temperton commenting on the recording.
Epic Records was released on February 8, 2008 thrillers 25, which Jackson executive produced. The album was released on CD, USB and vinyl with seven bonus tracks, a new song called all the time, a snippet of Vincent Price’s voiceover, and five remixes featuring artists including Fergie, Akon, Will.I.Am and Kanye West. It also included a DVD with three video clips, the presentation of billyjean in the television special motocity 25and a flyer with a message from Jackson.
Now, just a couple of days ago, Sony Music and Michael Jackson Estate have launched thrillers 40, to celebrate its 40th anniversary. It is a double CD with the original album and a second album full of surprises for the fansincluding never-before-released songs.
The release schedule kicked off on September 8 with the original demo of Jackson’s cover of the Yellow Magic Orchestra song, behind the mask.
An unreleased title track She is a problemand on September 22 it was confirmed that the demo of better than joy was another additional clue. On September 29, a previously released song titled took the hits and on October 6, a previously unreleased track titled What a Lovely Way to Go.
Then, on October 13, it was announced Driver at sunsetmixed by Bill Bottrell, who later co-produced the album dangerouson October 20, the song’s inclusion on the second album was announced carouselon October 27 the first demo of thrillertitled starlightand on November 3 it was rumored that he too would be out I can’t get out of the rainpreviously released on the B-side of The girl is mine is based on You can’t winfrom the soundtrack of the 1978 musical film The Wiz.
Finally, on November 10, an unreleased demo called Who do you know as the final track on disc 2.
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Source: Clarin
