Support |
michael jackson / albums
songs
album review
Off the Wall was a massive success, spawning four Top Ten hits (two of them number ones), but nothing could have prepared Michael Jackson for Thriller. Nobody could have prepared anybody for the success of Thriller, since the magnitude of its success was simply unimaginable -- an album that sold 40 million copies in its initial chart run, with seven of its nine tracks reaching the Top Ten (for the record, the terrific "Baby Be Mine" and the pretty good ballad "The Lady in My Life" are not like the others). This was a record that had something for everybody, building on the basic blueprint of Off the Wall by adding harder funk, hard rock, softer ballads, and smoother soul -- expanding the approach to have something for every audience. That alone would have given the album a good shot at a huge audience, but it also arrived precisely when MTV was reaching its ascendancy, and Jackson helped the network by being not just its first superstar, but first black star as much as the network helped him. This all would have made it a success (and its success, in turn, served as a new standard for success), but it stayed on the charts, turning out singles, for nearly two years because it was really, really good. True, it wasn't as tight as Off the Wall -- and the ridiculous, late-night house-of-horrors title track is the prime culprit, arriving in the middle of the record and sucking out its momentum -- but those one or two cuts don't detract from a phenomenal set of music. It's calculated, to be sure, but the chutzpah of those calculations (before this, nobody would even have thought to bring in metal virtuoso Eddie Van Halen to play on a disco cut) is outdone by their success. This is where a song as gentle and lovely as "Human Nature" coexists comfortably with the tough, scared "Beat It," the sweet schmaltz of the Paul McCartney duet "The Girl Is Mine," and the frizzy funk of "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)." And, although this is an undeniably fun record, the paranoia is already creeping in, manifesting itself in the record's two best songs: "Billie Jean," where a woman claims Michael is the father of her child, and the delirious "Wanna Be Startin' Something," the freshest funk on the album, but the most claustrophobic, scariest track Jackson ever recorded. These give the record its anchor and are part of the reason why the record is more than just a phenomenon. The other reason, of course, is that much of this is just simply great music. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
more albums by this artist
See all-
-
-
- Essential Michael Jackson
- Released 2005
-
-
-
-
- HIStory: Past, Present And Future, Book I
- Released 1995
-
-
-
-
- Bad
- Released 1987
-
-
-
-
- Off the Wall
- Released 1979
-
listener reviews
-
-
-
-
THRILLER
-
- By LilYungStar
- 10/13/2009 00:50:05
- This is the first album I ever listened to,I was 3 years old,the first song I heard was "Beat It" and I never wanted to hear another singer because at that time all I knew was Michael,he was every thing to me and Thriller made it happen,for a long time as a child all I wanted to hear was Michael and if it was not Michael I did not want to hear it Period.
- Be the first person to rate this review!
-
-
-
-
-
-
thriller
-
- By TheNewWorldMan4
- 9/8/2009 19:25:53
- I would put this in my top 5 of of best albums of all time. MJ your the man. greatest pop artist of all time.
- Be the first person to rate this review!
-
-
-
-
-
-
What can compare?
-
- By iheartGod
- 9/6/2009 21:29:13
- God has blessed him with inspiration,and music.But God blessed us more than ever with his music, even though we dont have or will ever have around $400 million that changed him a lot God rest his soul...
- Be the first person to rate this review!
-
-
-
-
-
-
Greatest Pop Album Ever!
-
- By TyreeseMJ1
- 7/15/2009 21:16:35
- mike's greatest album and one of the greatest albums ever. i dare you to listen to this album and not get excited
- 4 out of 4 people
- think this is useful
-
-
-
-
-
-
It's Interesting
-
- By egomers714
- 7/12/2009 22:23:01
- How most people never gave Michael Jackson the respect he deserves. Same people that cracked jokes about him are now the same people that are mourning him. Hypocrites. Thriller 'nuff said
- 3 out of 3 people
- think this is useful
-
-
-
-
-
-
Greedy
-
- By Roverreed
- 7/11/2009 02:11:16
- Ya know I have been I Micheal fan for as long as I can remember, but never did I think of the time when he would pass away and how it would effect me. Micheal was and still is by far the greatest preformer ever to walk this earth and he will be miss greatly. FromtheReedFamily We Luv You and Miss You Dearly.
- 2 out of 2 people
- think this is useful
-
-
-
-
-
-
Dear Michael
-
- By Nherbutee
- 7/10/2009 15:32:42
- I will truely miss you. I thank you for being true to yourself despite what the world thought about you. I thank you for being colored blind and showing the next generation what love really means. I thank you writing the most beautiful lyrics that will stand the test of time to any rhythm any beat. I belive that on the day you died the Gates of Heaven opend, the angels sang your praise and GOD said well done Michael Jackson, my good and faithful servant. We all have a purpose here on earth. God gave you the gift of song and you shared it with the world. RIP my friend.
- 5 out of 5 people
- think this is useful
-
-
-
-
-
-
Darryll 61
-
- By Darryll61
- 7/8/2009 11:31:26
- Michael, you will be sorely missed but thank God that your music will live forever in our minds.
- 4 out of 4 people
- think this is useful
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pure Music
-
- By NBAJon2k9
- 6/30/2009 20:55:06
- Even though your not here with us your music and dancing are still here, your still remembered! This album is pure music and no one will be disappointed with it. Legendary Album.
- 8 out of 8 people
- think this is useful
-
-
-
-
-
-
Awesome
-
- By wl9
- 6/9/2009 21:40:19
- This is Awesome album
- 7 out of 7 people
- think this is useful
-
-
- 1 - 10 / 17
 |
