Michael Jackson solidified his place as the King of Pop and changed the sound of music forever with the release of his sixth album ‘Thriller’ forty years ago this week on November 30th, 1982.
The iconic album was produced by Quincy Jones and featured the members of Toto on most of the album. ‘Thiller’ has sold 70-million copies worldwide -- 34-million in the U.S. -- making it the best-selling album of all time.
It was Michael’s first #1 album. It spent 37 non-consecutive weeks at the top of the chart, from February 26th, 1983 to April 14th, 1984. It featured seven singles, which all hit the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, setting a record for the most Top 10 singles from the same album. Those hits are "The Girl Is Mine" with Paul McCartney, "Billie Jean" with Steve Lukather on guitar and a solo from Eddie Van Halen, "Beat It," "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," "Human Nature," "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)," and "Thriller."
"Beat It" and "Billie Jean" both hit #1.
The album earned eight Grammy Awards in 1984, including Album of the Year, and Record of the Year for "Beat It." It also won eight American Music Awards. Back in 2008, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Library of Congress added it to the National Recording Registry of "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant recordings."
When Michael Jackson performed "Billie Jean" on the Motown 25th anniversary television special, he debuted his signature moonwalk dance. A 40th anniversary edition of the album, with extra tracks, was released back on November 18th.
The late Michael Jackson once commented on how Quicny Jones came to produce the album. He said, "I called him and I said, 'I'm getting ready to do an album, could you recommend anybody who would be interested in producing it?' And he said, 'Why don't you let me do it?' And I said to myself, 'I don't know why I didn't think of it.' And after he said that I said, 'Wow, that'd be great!'"
Quincy Jones talked about the exhilarating process of recording ‘Thriller’ in only two months.He said, "We had the eight weeks and we put it all on there, baby. Eddie Van Halen to Vincent Price, and just drive you crazy. 'Cause when you're winning, you got nerves of steel and nothing scares you and everything was happening."
[Source: Classic Hits Today]