Yep, Michael Jackson, larger-than-life legend, the “King of Pop” himself, everybody. One of the most popular artists of all time, Michael Jackson started off as part of The Jackson 5 but ended up ruling over pop music from the 1970s all the way through the early 2000s once he went solo, with this album going 3x Diamond, the follow-up “Bad” going Diamond and every other album since “Off the Wall” going at least 2x Platinum. He also ruled the charts with now-iconic Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping singles like “Ben,” “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough,” “Rock With You,” “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You,” “Bad,” “The Way You Make Me Feel,” “Man in the Mirror,” “Dirty Diana,” “Black or White,” and “You Are Not Alone.” You counted that right, that’s TWELVE songs that hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The list of Top 10-peaking songs only stretches further, with tracks like “Got To Be There,” “Rockin’ Robin,” “Off The Wall,” “She’s Out of My Life,” “The Girl Is Mine,” “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” “Human Nature,” “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing),” “Thriller,” “Smooth Criminal,” “Remember The Time,” “In The Closet,” “Will You Be There,” “Scream” “Childhood,” and “You Rock My World.” The man inspired several big-name artists today such as Bruno Mars, The Weeknd, Justin Timberlake, and many, many more, so much so that there’s a whole Wikipedia page of artists influenced by Michael Jackson. Even despite the controversies he faced throughout his career and the tabloid rumors that followed him, Michael was one of the most successful artists ever, and he’s such a big name that “Love Never Felt So Good” and “Don’t Matter to Me,” two songs released after his death, managed to make it into the Top 10 on the Hot 100.
Now, admittedly, I sort of consider myself to be a “bandwagon” Michael Jackson fan. I know that’s some character assassination right there, but I admittedly didn’t get into Michael’s music until after his tragic death in 2009, where a cardiac arrest resulting from propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication cut his life unfortunately short at age 50. This was just weeks before he was set to embark on his final series of concerts “This Is It,” which were set to be held exclusively at the O2 Arena in London. It’s not for ill-will or anything like that, it’s because…well, I’m thinking it was this: Michael’s last album before his death was “Invincible,” and his last single that charted in the Top 10 before his death was “You Rock My World” in 2001, and I wasn’t really able to finally understand what music was like until a year or so later when Michael was embroiled in controversy and awaiting trial for the charges of sexual abuse. And even though he was found not guilty, it so happened that every album that came after that until his death was repackaged compilations, and I didn’t get to hear his music until 2008 when “Beat It” was in "Guitar Hero: World Tour." Still, after his death, I became obsessed with his music and his artistry and listened to it almost any chance that I could. As Michael is an artist that I’ve grown to love, I really wanted to listen to this album in its entirety and review it. So, let’s do just that!
Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’: Kickings things off, Michael wastes no time bringing the energy on this one, talking about tabloid rumors (specifically regarding his sister LaToya Jackson, who was rumored to have a strained relationship with her sisters) over an emphatic, grooving disco instrumental with a brilliant bassline. The hook is infectious, and Michael really goes wild on this one vocally. Bringing a lot of charm and interestingly weird energy, Michael just goes all out and has so much fun here. And of course, I can’t go without mentioning the iconic outro of the song, because let’s be honest, who could forget “Ma-ma-se, Ma-ma-sa, Ma-ma-ku-sa?” Michael shows right from the jump that he’s not pulling any punches and he’s just pulling us right into the party. Really dig this track!
Baby Be Mine: One of only two songs not released as a single, Michael slows things down just a tick on this more R&B-flavored love song. Luckily, the track features some very gorgeous synths, great brass instrumentals, and a very funky, grooving drum beat that even has some cowbell on the hook! Could always use more cowbell! But in all seriousness, I love Michael’s vocals on this one, the hook is plenty of fun, and the song has so much great energy to it. I can kind of see why it wasn’t released as a single because I don’t quite think it measures up to something like “Billie Jean” or would’ve had the historic impact of a song like that had it earned a single release, but that doesn’t stop it from being plenty enjoyable and fun!
The Girl Is Mine (ft. Paul McCartney): The only song on the album to have a feature, Michael joins up with legendary singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Paul McCartney (of Beatles fame) to argue about a girl. This one feels more like a slow-jam than the many other danceable cuts on the album, but the song doesn’t suffer at all for that. I really love the perfect bass groove and Michael’s very smooth vocals on here, though Paul is, of course, no slouch vocally. I also think that Michael and Paul have great vocal interplay on this one, and I also found myself laughing quite a bit at how polite they sounded while arguing over who gets the girl. Very nice cut!
Thriller: With this song, Michael Jackson mastered the art of making a novelty track for a holiday season that you can play year-round and still love. Raise your hand if you can unironically listen to “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey in the Spring? Nope, didn’t think so. Now, raise your hand if you can listen to “Thriller” and still love it even when it’s not Halloween? Yep, that’s right. And that’s because Michael blended disco and funk so well and made a track that is as danceable and exciting as it is frightening. The synth-driven instrumental and bass grooves are fantastic here, Michael’s vocals are killer as always, and the song also features one of the most memorable choruses of all time. Even if we disregard the song’s iconic music video, it’s still a great single to enjoy no matter what time of year it is.
Beat It: Another very widely-revered single, this cut sees the King of Pop leans into a more rocking feel, with emphatic guitar chords and riffs throughout, as well as a now-iconic Eddie Van Halen guitar solo that was recorded free of charge. It’s a song that sees Michael preach for pacifism, with lines like “don’t be a macho man” alluding to Michael telling one not to get into a fight and to keep things peaceful, but it actually serves as the rare example of a “preachy” song that still works, and that’s thanks not only to the rocking guitars I mentioned earlier but also to Michael’s very emotional and passionate vocals helping to sell the story. It’s definitely an energetic, and all-around fantastic, single.
Billie Jean: One of the most iconic and well-loved pop songs ever created (that also happens to be accompanied by one of the greatest music videos ever made), “Billie Jean” is a song that, even today, sounds brilliant. The song features one of the most remembered bass grooves and synths in music, and Michael really sells this story of a woman who tries to claim that he was the father of her child. It’s one of the most infectious blends of soul, funk, and pop to ever grace music, and it’s a very dreamy track that works not only for its production, but thanks to Michael’s gorgeous, multi-layered vocals. It’s a classic that still remains entertaining and cutting-edge over three decades later.
Human Nature: One of my personal favorite Michael Jackson songs, this brighter, more ballad-y song channels the child-like, wide-eyed, bushy-tailed idea of wanting to get outside and explore the big city, and in that essence, it perfectly channels Michael’s personality. Michael was someone who had a very childlike air to him, even towards the end of his life, and this song really encapsulates that. It’s got a very gentle vibe, some very dreamy synths, and absolutely gorgeous vocals from Michael that are honestly enough to elicit goosebumps (and trust me, I’ve gotten goosebumps listening to this song quite a few times). The hook on this one is also hypnotizing, and it serves to round out what I think is one of the best songs in Michael’s expansive chronology.
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing): Michael sings about a girl that he wants to love over a very fast-paced, synthpop-inspired instrumental that once again blends funk, R&B, and soul better than most other songs can. I once heard a critic call this song “fluff” on the album, but I personally don’t know what they’re talking about. I mean, come on, it’s so infectious and gorgeous! Michael’s vocals are on point as always, the hook is damn incredible, and as I hear the song, I can tell how the instrumentals inspired so many artists that came later, with its gorgeous grooves and sticky synths. It’s a song that’s still fantastic after all this time.
The Lady In My Life: The other song that didn’t see a single release, Michael closes out his magnum opus with a slower love ballad. Part of me kinda thinks this could’ve made a really good single, and even though I didn’t grow up in the 80s, I can see how this song could’ve served as a great “slow-dance” kind of song for proms/marriages/etc. because it’s a very beautiful ode to Michael’s lady love, filled with dreamy synths and a magnificent bass groove. Michael’s vocals are also raw and emotional, and the song as a whole is just so enchanting and lovely. An excellent finish to a brilliant album.
Overall, I’m sure it should come as no surprise that I’m over here gushing about “Thriller,” because it’s a masterful album. Few artists were able to fuse funk, soul, R&B, and pop (and even some hints of rock) like Michael did, but even fewer artists were able to perfect them in the way that Michael did. With such engaging, hypnotic production and stunning, powerful vocals, “Thriller” remains just as cutting-edge and fantastic in 2018 as I’m sure it was in 1982. Even as someone that didn’t live through the 80s, I can only imagine how incredible and different this must have sounded then, but even after being out for 36 years (as of this writing) and having been dissected, discussed, and critiqued to the bitter end, it still remains an excellent project from one of the greatest musicians of all-time. There’s a reason this is still the highest-selling album after over three decades, and that’s because it’s one of the finest, tightest records ever made.
To that point of it being the highest-selling album, it seems likely that it’ll remain as the highest-selling album, especially when you compare it to the highest-selling albums every year since 2000. “Thriller” is estimated to have sold 66 million copies where, in comparison, last year’s highest-selling album (Ed Sheeran’s “÷”) is said to have sold 6.1 million copies (so it would take a lot longer for it to reach “Thriller” numbers), while the highest-selling album since 2001 (Adele’s “21”) sits at 31 million, less than half of Michael’s numbers. It seems likely it’ll remain the highest-selling record for at least the foreseeable future, but I’m glad we have an album like this holding that record because I think it’s albums like this that deserve to be used as benchmarks for how to make pop records that stand the test of time. Michael did it, and he did it as well as (if not better) than any of his contemporaries (or his successors) and he made an album that will continue to live on and influence a vast majority of artists for generations to come.
They didn’t call him the “King of Pop” for nothing.
Favorite tracks: ALL NINE TRACKS
Least favorite tracks: HAHA, GOOD ONE
Rating: CLASSIC (that’s a fancy way of saying “Excellent” on my scale)
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