Michael Jackson
Thriller

THE REVIEW

Review of Michael Jackson's Thriller Album

On December 1, 1982, the album Thriller was released by a young Michael Jackson, who had established an excellent working relationship with the famous producer Quincy Jones a few years earlier. The creation born from this collaboration had a resonance and impact so significant that it revived the fortunes of the global music industry, which was in crisis at the time. Thriller is still the best-selling album of all time, with approximately 110 million copies sold, and the number increases every year. The uniqueness of Thriller is that this album, thanks to its simplicity and its timeless melodies, managed to break down all ethnic barriers in the music world. Jackson's work allowed black music to enter the homes of white people who were traditionally more inclined towards rock and other different genres. The pop of Thriller is indeed varied, as it includes remnants of 70s disco, mixed with r'n'b, hard rock, and funky.

The album opens with the famous lead track “Wanna Be Startin' Somethin’,” a very energetic piece with strong Funky influences, whose fast-paced rhythms were especially successful in the singer's live performances. The song talks about Jackson's paranoia towards the mass media, a theme addressed in all his subsequent works. The final choruses, which sample a song by saxophonist Manu Dibango, are a true cult. The second track, “Baby Be Mine,” picks up the rhythms and sounds of Jackson's previous album “Off the Wall.” The piece is very refined due to the sophistication of the sounds used. The third song, “The Girl Is Mine,” is a result of the collaboration with Paul McCartney, and the influences of the British artist are evident in this very light and relaxed piece, which is also a true classic. The true greatness of Thriller is felt from the fourth track. The title track is a true timeless Jacksonian masterpiece, with captivating rhythms made so by funky guitars and an energetic bass line. The song is enriched by the sounds of creaking doors and wolf howls that emphasize the horror themes covered in the song.

The album continues with the hard rock funky song “Beat It,” which features the famous guitarist Eddie Van Halen in the bridge solo. The song is also an 80s classic and deserves credit for bringing Jackson's music closer to the tastes of white audiences, thus ensuring his international success. The song deals with the complex theme of gang fights in the streets. At this point, we have reached the central focus of the album, let's talk about perhaps the most famous song in the singer's catalog, “Billie Jean.” It is a mid-tempo with dance sounds mixed with r'n'b, and it is still seen as one of the songs that have redefined the modern pop genre, thanks to the syncopated bass line and the drum rhythm, a masterpiece. The seventh track is the melodious “Human Nature,” whose sounds were curated by the band Toto. The evocative music, combined with the singer's melodic voice and the very introspective lyrics, have made the song very famous and the subject of various covers. The penultimate track is yet another pop brilliance with funky rhythms, we're talking about “Pretty Young Thing,” whose melodies are punctuated by the bongo rhythm and very engaging female choirs. The last track of the album is the sophisticated romantic ballad “The Lady in My Life,” another evergreen whose soft melodies are accompanied by the singer's almost whispered voice.

Thus concludes Thriller, a truly unique album that will always remain a true benchmark for any contemporary pop work. A work that indelibly marks popular music.