The album established Michael Jackson as the “King of Pop.” Thirteen years after his death, the Spotify platform accounts for 36.7 million monthly downloads of the idol’s songs.
With nine titles in its original edition, some classics such as “Beat it” itself or “Billie Jean”, the album is now out in double format (in CD version), with a total of 34 songs, including previously unpublished and versions.
The “Thriller 40” includes a version of “Billie Jean” performed by rapper Kanye West and another of “Beat It” with singer Fergie.
Not even the accusations of pedophilia, which completely overshadowed his career at the end of his life, have managed to damage his fame.
“Michael is someone I admire. He is not a real person. When I started in the world of music, the only thing I aspired to was to be like him,” Canadian-born singer The Weeknd recently explained to the weekly G.Q..
Quincy Jones, key to success
In addition to Michael Jackson’s legendary meticulousness, much of the magic of “Thriller” is due to the production of Quincy Jones, who had previously worked with Jackson on “Off The Wall,” a 1979 album.
And that initially the record company did not want him as a producer.
“They saw him as a jazz producer, music that hardly sold, according to managers“, explains Olivier Cachin, author of two books on Jackson.
The collaboration between Jones and the obsessive Jackson caused sparks. Literally.
“When we were finishing ‘Beat It’ (…) we worked five days and nights, without sleep. At one point, the loudspeakers began to take out flames!” Quincy Jones recalled years later in an interview with Rolling magazine Stone.
“Thriller” was a daring artistic combination. Jackson used heavy guitarist Eddie Van Halen for “Beat It” and ex-Beatle Paul McCartney for the ballad “The Girl is Mine.”