"Thriller" isn't simply the greatest selling album of all time. To evaluate an album of this magnitude solely on sales doesn't begin to do it justice. It literally turned the music industry on its head, and it ignited a cultural revolution I haven't seen in my 30+ years on this earth. "Thriller" changed the way we listen to music, it jumpstarted MTV culture, and it took Michael Jackson's celebrity to astonishing heights that not even he could handle. But on its very own merits, "Thriller" is still an excellent album flawlessly crafted by producer Quincy Jones and Jackson. The opener, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," the crossover rock jam "Beat It," the funky "P.Y.T.," the signature hit "Billie Jean," and the stomping title track are nothing short of perfect. Even the somewhat sappy duet with Paul McCartney "The Girl Is Mine" has a playful sweetness that you can't resist. But I think "Thriller"'s most underrated track is the closing ballad "The Lady in My Life," an album cut that's just as good as the seven (yes, seven) tracks that were released as singles. In 2001, Sony reissued "Thriller" as a "special edition." While this release is said to be remastered, the sound quality is virtually identical to the previous CD version, and that's not a bad thing. For a 1982 album, both versions project remarkably well, with booming bass and impressive clarity. But what really sets this "special edition" apart is the bonus material that follows this album which clocks at over 70 minutes. We get interviews with Quincy Jones and songwriter Rod Temperton who discuss "Thriller"'s making, the conception of certain tracks, and so forth. Some comments are more useful than others, but I thought both Jones and Temperton helped provide a somewhat intimate look at the making of this recording. Also, we get some additional tracks. "Someone in the Dark" is a ballad that I personally thought was pretty forgettable. We also have a rough demo version of "Billie Jean" with slightly different lyrics. Vincent Price also drops by in the form of a voice-over session for the song "Thriller." The last track is "Carosel," originally recorded for the album but was eventually dropped. It's actually a pretty decent tune, and I personally believed it would have fit into the rest of the album nicely. Sony clearly gave this album the royal treatment, and deservedly so since it is a definite and untouchable 1980s classic. While Jackson would suffer a slow and steady transformation into self-parody, there's no denying his status as a legend. This album, even after 20 years, remains a thriller.
"Thriller" isn't simply the greatest selling album of all time. To evaluate an album of this magnitude solely on sales doesn't begin to do it justice. It literally turned the music industry on its head, and it ignited a cultural revolution I haven't seen in my 30+ years on this earth. "Thriller" changed the way we listen to music, it jumpstarted MTV culture, and it took Michael Jackson's celebrity to astonishing heights that not even he could handle. But on its very own merits, "Thriller" is still an excellent album flawlessly crafted by producer Quincy Jones and Jackson. The opener, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," the crossover rock jam "Beat It," the funky "P. Y.T.," the signature hit "Billie Jean," and the stomping title track are nothing short of perfect. Even the somewhat sappy duet with Paul McCartney "The Girl Is Mine" has a playful sweetness that you can't resist. But I think "Thriller"'s most underrated track is the closing ballad "The Lady in My Life," an album cut that's just as good as the seven (yes, seven) tracks that were released as singles. In 2001, Sony reissued "Thriller" as a "special edition. " While this release is said to be remastered, the sound quality is virtually identical to the previous CD version, and that's not a bad thing. For a 1982 album, both versions project remarkably well, with booming bass and impressive clarity. But what really sets this "special edition" apart is the bonus material that follows this album which clocks at over 70 minutes. We get interviews with Quincy Jones and songwriter Rod Temperton who discuss "Thriller"'s making, the conception of certain tracks, and so forth. Some comments are more useful than others, but I thought both Jones and Temperton helped provide a somewhat intimate look at the making of this recording. Also, we get some additional tracks. "Someone in the Dark" is a ballad that I personally thought was pretty forgettable. We also have a rough demo version of "Billie Jean" with slightly different lyrics. Vincent Price also drops by in the form of a voice-over session for the song "Thriller. " The last track is "Carosel," originally recorded for the album but was eventually dropped. It's actually a pretty decent tune, and I personally believed it would have fit into the rest of the album nicely. Sony clearly gave this album the royal treatment, and deservedly so since it is a definite and untouchable 1980s classic. While Jackson would suffer a slow and steady transformation into self-parody, there's no denying his status as a legend. This album, even after 20 years, remains a thriller.