Thriller (Digital Album)

Release type:What's this?
studio album
First released:
Nov 30 1982

Overview Edit

Thriller is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was released on November 30, 1982 by Epic Records as the follow-up to Jackson's critically and commercially successful 1979 album Off the Wall. Thriller was a different album from its predecessor by adding harder funk, hard rock, softer ballads and smoother soul. Other reviews say that it includes funk, soul, pop, easy listening, R&B, rock and post-disco music.

Recording sessions took place between April and November 1982 at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California, with a production budget of $750,000. Assisted by producer Quincy Jones, Jackson wrote four of Thrillers nine tracks. In just over a year, Thriller became—and currently remains—the best-selling album of all time, with sales estimated by various sources as somewhere between 75 and 110 million copies worldwide and as the best-selling album in the United States. Seven of the album's nine songs were released as singles, and all reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album won a record-breaking eight Grammy Awards at the 1984 Grammys.

Thriller cemented Jackson's status as one of the preeminent pop stars of the late 20th century, and enabled him to break down racial barriers via his appearances on MTV and meeting with President Ronald Reagan at the White House. The album was one of the first to use music videos as successful promotional tools—the videos for "Thriller", "Billie Jean" and "Beat It" all received regular rotation on MTV. In 2001, a special edition issue of the album was released, which contains additional audio interviews, a demo recording and the song "Someone In the Dark", which was a Grammy-winning track from the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial storybook. In 2008, the album was reissued again as Thriller 25, containing re-mixes that feature contemporary artists, a previously unreleased song and a DVD.

Thriller ranked number 20 on Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list in 2003 and was listed by the National Association of Recording Merchandisers at number three in its Definitive 200 Albums of All Time. The Thriller video was preserved by the Library of Congress to the National Recording Registry, as it was deemed "culturally significant".

The Overview appearing in this section is attributed to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller_(album). Portions of this Overview may be available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, version 3.0 or any later version, available at: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/. Additional terms may apply. See Wikipedia Terms of Use for details.

This particular version Edit

Version description:
Digital Album
Record label:
Catalog number:
unknown
Release dates:
  • Dec 4 2007

Genres

Pop, Disco, Funk, Rock, Soul. Vote on Genres

What do Amazon.com customers think?

5 stars Thriller - Michael Jackson's Masterpiece, Deluxe Casebook Edition, Better Than Ever!
Michael Jackson 25th Anniversary of Thriller(Deluxe Casebook Edition)

The 25th Anniversary edition of Thriller is an awesome release and a must have for serious fans and new inductees. This deluxe casebook edition also includes a fold out collectable book with bonus pictures, background information, album art and the original liner jacket with all the lyrics. There's also more basic editions going for about $12 that don't include the casebook. Michael Jackson 25th Anniversary of Thriller No mat…
Written by Mark "Technology, Music and Movies"
3 stars Not a bad Re-issue
This second re-issue of Thriller is a better re-issue than the 2001 Special Edition. The sound quality is a lot better. But I still find it a tad lacking. It is missing "Can't get Outta The Rain" Which appeared on side 2/B of the 45 release of Billie Jean and "Got the hots" (Which is appearing on the Japan Release). Those 2 tracks should have been added. I wouldn't be surprised if the album has a 30th anniversary edition 5 years later with those 2 songs adeed. Also, The Kanye West Remix of Billi…
Written by I'm hungry. feed me

Track listing Edit

Credits Edit

  1. arranger

  2. composer

    1. James Ingram [co-writer on track 8]
    2. John Bettis [co-writer on track 7]
    3. Michael Jackson [tracks 1,3,5 & 6]
    4. Quincy Jones [co-writer on track 8]
    5. Rod Temperton [tracks 2,4 & 9]
    6. Steve Porcaro [co-writer on track 7]
  3. conductor

  4. design

    1. Dick Zimmerman [photography]
    2. Mac James [lettering]
    3. Nancy Donald [art direction]
    4. Tony Lane [art direction]
  5. engineer

    1. Bernie Grundman [mastering]
    2. Donn Landee [recorded Eddie Van Halen's guitar solo on "Beat It"]
    3. Humberto Gatica [additional sound recording]
    4. Mark Ettel [assistant engineer]
    5. Matt Forger [technical engineer]
    6. Steve Bates [assistant engineer]
  6. other

    1. Anthony Marinelli [synthesizer programming]
    2. Bruce Cannon [sound effects]
    3. Bruce Swedien [sound effects]
  1. performer

    1. Becky Lopez [backing vocals on tracks 1 & 8]
    2. Bill Reichenbach [trombone]
    3. Bill Wolfer [keyboards on tracks 1,5 & 6]
    4. Brian Banks [synthesizer on track 4]
    5. Bunny Hull [singer, PYT and Startin' Something]
    6. David Paich [keyboards, piano & synthesizers on 2,3,7 & 9]
    7. David Williams [guitar on tracks 1,2,4 & 6]
    8. Dean Parks [guitar on track 3]
    9. Eddie Van Halen [Guitar solo on track 5]
    10. Gary Grant [trumpet & flugelhorn]
    11. Greg Phillinganes [keyboards, rhodes & synthesizers on tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6,8 & 9]
    12. Greg Smith [synthesizer on track 5 & 6]
    13. Howard Hewett [backing vocals on track 8]
    14. James Ingram [keyboard & backing vocals on tracks 1 & 8]
    15. Janet Jackson [backing vocals on "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)"]
    16. Jeff Porcaro [drums on tracks 3,5,7 & 9]
    17. Jerry Hey [trumpet & flugelhorn, horn arrangements]
    18. Julia Waters [backing vocals on track 1]
    19. Larry Williams [saxophone & flute]
    20. LaToya Jackson [backing vocals on "P.Y.T."]
    21. Leon Ndugu Chancler [drums on tracks 2,6 & 8]
    22. Louis Johnson [bass guitar]
    23. Maxine Waters [backing vocals on track 1]
    24. Michael Boddicker [synthesizer & emulator]
    25. Michael Jackson [lead singer and backing vocals]
    26. Oren Waters [backing vocals on track 1]
    27. Paul Jackson, Jr. [guitar on tracks 5,8 & 9]
    28. Paul McCartney [Co lead vocal on "The Girl is Mine"]
    29. Paulinho Da Costa [percussion]
    30. Steve Lukather [guitar on tracks 3,5,& 7, bass guitar on track 5]
    31. Steve Porcaro [keyboards & synthesisers on tracks 2,3,5,7 & 9]
    32. Tom Bahler [synclavier on track 5]
    33. Vincent Price [rap on track 4]
  2. producer

    1. Michael Jackson [co-producer]

Other versions Edit

Thriller 21 tracks format: 1 x CD
catalog number: EK 66073
release dates: 2001 in United States
view details
Thriller 9 tracks format: 1 x CD
record label: Epic
release dates: Oct 25 1990 in United States
view details
Thriller 16 tracks 25th Anniversary Edition
format: 1 x CD
record label: Sony Music Distribution
catalog number: 88697179872
release dates: Feb 12 2008
view details
Thriller vinyl
format: 1 x vinyl
record label: Epic
catalog number: qe 38112
release dates: Nov 30 1982 in United States
view details
Thriller 21 tracks Special Edition
format: 1 x CD
catalog number: EK 66073
release dates: Oct 16 2001
view details
Thriller SACD
format: 1 x SACD
record label: Sony Music Distribution
catalog number: 38112
release dates: Feb 12 2008
view details
Thriller 15 tracks Thriller 25
format: 1 x vinyl
record label: Epic
release dates: Feb 19 2008
view details
Thriller 16 tracks 25th Anniversary Edition
format: 1 x CD
record label: Sony Music Distribution
catalog number: EK 66073
release dates: Feb 12 2008
view details
Thriller 9 tracks format: 1 x CD
record label: Epic
release dates: Aug 18 2008
view details
Thriller 25th Anniversary Vinyl
record label: Epic
release dates: Sep 30 2008
view details
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Trivia Edit

  • As of August 22, 2009 Thriller is certified 28x platinum in the United States by the RIAA.

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