Thriller ( Michael Jackson album ) - wikipedia Thriller ( Michael Jackson album ) `` Thriller ( album ) '' redirects here. For other albums titled Thriller, as well as other uses, see Thriller § Albums. Thriller Studio album by Michael Jackson Released November 30, 1982 ( 1982 - 11 - 30 ) Recorded April 14 -- November 8, 1982 Studio Westlake Recording Studios ( Los Angeles, California ) Genre Pop post-disco rock funk Length 42 : 19 Label Epic CBS Producer Quincy Jones ( also exec. ) Michael Jackson ( co. ) Michael Jackson chronology E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ( 1982 ) Thriller ( 1982 ) 18 Greatest Hits ( 1983 ) Singles from Thriller `` The Girl Is Mine '' Released : October 18, 1982 `` Billie Jean '' Released : January 2, 1983 `` Beat It '' Released : February 14, 1983 `` Wanna Be Startin ' Somethin ' '' Released : May 8, 1983 `` Human Nature '' Released : July 3, 1983 `` P.Y.T. ( Pretty Young Thing ) '' Released : September 19, 1983 `` Thriller '' Released : November 2, 1983 Thriller is the sixth studio album by American singer Michael Jackson, released on November 30, 1982, in the United States by Epic Records and internationally by CBS Records. It explores genres similar to Jackson 's previous album, Off the Wall, including pop, post-disco, rock and funk. Recording sessions took place from April to November 1982 at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles, with a production budget of $750,000. Quincy Jones produced the album and Jackson wrote four of its nine songs. In just over a year, Thriller became and currently remains the world 's best - selling album, having sold an estimated 66 million copies. It is the second best - selling album in the United States and was the first album to reach 30 × multi-platinum, with U.S. shipments of 33 million album - equivalent units certified ; only the Eagles ' album Their Greatest Hits ( 1971 -- 1975 ) has sold more copies. The album won a record - breaking eight Grammy Awards in 1984, including Album of the Year. It produced seven singles -- `` The Girl Is Mine '', `` Billie Jean '', `` Beat It '', `` Wanna Be Startin ' Somethin ' '', `` Human Nature '', `` P.Y.T. ( Pretty Young Thing ) '', and `` Thriller '' -- all of which reached the top 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Thriller broke racial barriers in pop music, enabling Jackson 's 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, and the videos for the songs `` Thriller '', `` Billie Jean '', and `` Beat It '' all received regular rotation on MTV. In 2001, a special edition reissue was released, which contains additional audio interviews, demo recordings and the song `` Someone in the Dark '', a Grammy - winning track from the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial storybook. In 2008, Thriller was reissued again as Thriller 25, containing remixes with contemporary artists, previously unreleased songs, and a DVD with three music videos and Jackson 's performance of `` Billie Jean '' from the 1983 television special Motown 25. In the same year, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame along with Off the Wall. In 2012, Slant Magazine named Thriller the best album of the 1980s ``. In 2003, Rolling Stone placed the album at number 20 on their list of `` The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time ''. The album was listed by the National Association of Recording Merchandisers at number three on its `` Definitive 200 '' album list. Thriller was also included in the Library of Congress ' National Recording Registry of culturally significant recordings, and the Thriller music video was included in the National Film Preservation Board 's National Film Registry of `` culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant films ''. Contents 1 Background 2 Recording 3 Music and lyrics 4 Release and reception 5 Influence and legacy 5.1 Music industry 5.2 Music videos and racial equality 5.3 Contemporary appeal 6 Reissues and catalog sales 7 Track listing 8 Personnel 9 Charts 9.1 Year - end charts 9.2 Decade - end charts 10 Certifications 11 See also 12 Notes 13 References Background Jackson 's previous album Off the Wall ( 1979 ) received critical acclaim and was a commercial success, selling over 20 million copies worldwide. The years between Off the Wall and Thriller were a transitional period for Jackson, a time of increased independence. The period saw him become deeply unhappy ; Jackson said, `` Even at home, I 'm lonely. I sit in my room sometimes and cry. It 's so hard to make friends... I sometimes walk around the neighborhood at night, just hoping to find someone to talk to. But I just end up coming home. '' When Jackson turned 21 in August 1979, he hired John Branca as his manager. Jackson confided in Branca that he wanted to be the biggest and wealthiest star in show business. He was upset about what he perceived to be the under - performance of Off the Wall, saying : `` It was totally unfair that it did n't get Record of the Year and it can never happen again. '' He also felt undervalued by the music industry ; in 1980, when Rolling Stone declined to run a cover story on him, Jackson responded : `` I 've been told over and over that black people on the cover of magazines does n't sell copies... Just wait. Someday those magazines are going to be begging me for an interview. Maybe I 'll give them one, and maybe I wo n't. '' Recording Thriller was the second Michael Jackson album produced by Quincy Jones. Jackson reunited with Off the Wall producer Quincy Jones to record his sixth studio album, his second under the Epic label. The pair worked together on 30 songs, nine of which were included on the album. Thriller was recorded at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California, with a production budget of $750,000 ( US $1,926,319.15 in 2017 dollars ). The recording commenced on April 14, 1982 at noon with Jackson and Paul McCartney recording `` The Girl Is Mine ; it was completed on the final day of mixing, November 8, 1982. Several members of the band Toto were involved in the album 's recording and production. Jackson wrote four songs for the record : `` Wanna Be Startin ' Somethin ' '', `` The Girl Is Mine '', `` Beat It '' and `` Billie Jean ''. Unlike many artists, Jackson did not write these songs on paper. Instead, he dictated into a sound recorder ; when recording he would sing from memory. The relationship between Jackson and Jones became strained during the recording. Jackson spent much of his time rehearsing dance steps alone. When the album was completed, both Jones and Jackson were unhappy with the result and remixed every song, spending a week on each. Jackson was inspired to create an album where `` every song was a killer '' and developed Thriller with that in mind. Jones and songwriter Rod Temperton gave detailed accounts of what occurred for the 2001 reissue of the album. Jones discussed `` Billie Jean '' and why it was so personal to Jackson, who struggled with obsessed fans. Jones wanted to shorten the long introduction, but Jackson insisted that it remain because it made him want to dance. The ongoing backlash against disco made it necessary to move in a different musical direction from the disco - heavy Off the Wall. Jones and Jackson were determined to make a rock song that would appeal to all tastes and spent weeks looking for a suitable guitarist for the song `` Beat It ''. Eventually, they found Steve Lukather of Toto to play the rhythm guitar parts and Eddie Van Halen of the rock band Van Halen to play the solo. When Rod Temperton wrote the song `` Thriller '', he wanted to call it `` Starlight '' or `` Midnight Man '', but settled on `` Thriller '' because he felt the name had merchandising potential. Wanting a notable person to recite the closing lyrics, Jones brought in actor Vincent Price, an acquaintance of Jones ' wife ; Price completed his part in two takes. Temperton wrote the spoken portion in a taxi on the way to the recording studio. Jones and Temperton said that some recordings were left off the final cut because they did not have the `` edginess '' of other album tracks. Songs recorded by Jackson for consideration included `` Carousel '' ( written by Michael Sembello ), `` Got the Hots '' ( written by Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones ), `` Nite Line '' ( written by Glen Ballard ), `` Trouble '' ( aka `` She 's Trouble '', written by Terry Britten, Bill Livsey and Sue Shifrin ) and `` Hot Street '' ( written by Rod Temperton ), also known as `` Slapstick ''. Jackson also cut a version of `` Starlight ''. Demos of all these songs exist and have leaked onto the internet. `` Carousel '', `` Got the Hots '' and `` Hot Street '' were completed, but left off of the final version of the album. A short clip of `` Carousel '' appeared as a bonus track on the 2001 reissue of the album ; the full version was later released on iTunes in 2013 as part of The Ultimate Fan Extras Collection. Music and lyrics `` Thriller '' Excerpt of the album 's title track and one of Jackson 's signature pieces, `` Thriller '', released as a single in 1984. Jackson uses cinematic sound effects, horror film motifs and vocal trickery to convey a sense of danger. `` Human Nature '' `` Human Nature '', a top ten hit single in the US. It is the most notable ballad on the album, praised for its moody, introspective lyrics and sound. `` Billie Jean '' `` Billie Jean '', a number one hit single in many countries. The song was written and co-produced by Jackson. The track mixed uptempo funk and disco with the somber themes of paranoia and obsession. Problems playing these files ? See media help. Thriller explores genres including pop, post-disco, rock and funk. According to Steve Huey of AllMusic, it refined the strengths of Off the Wall ; the dance and rock tracks are more aggressive, while the pop tunes and ballads are softer and more soulful. The album includes the ballads `` The Lady in My Life '', `` Human Nature '' and `` The Girl Is Mine ''. The funk tracks `` Billie Jean '' and `` Wanna Be Startin ' Something ' '', and the disco songs `` Baby Be Mine '' and `` P.Y.T. ( Pretty Young Thing ) '' have a similar sound to Off the Wall. `` Wanna Be Startin ' Somethin ' '' climaxes in an African - inspired chant ( often misidentified as Swahili, but actually syllables based on Duala ), giving the song an international flavor. `` The Girl Is Mine '' tells of two friends ' fight over a woman, arguing over who loves her more, and concludes with a rap. The album 's songs have a tempo ranging from 80 beats per minute on `` The Girl is Mine '', to 138 on `` Beat It ''. Thriller foreshadows the contradictory themes of Jackson 's later works. With Thriller, Jackson began using a motif of paranoia and darker themes including supernatural imagery in the title track. This is evident on the songs `` Billie Jean '', `` Wanna Be Startin ' Somethin ' '' and `` Thriller ''. In `` Billie Jean '', Jackson sings about an obsessive fan who alleges he fathered her child ; in `` Wanna Be Startin ' Somethin ' '' he argues against media gossip. For `` Billie Jean '', Jones had Jackson sing overdubs through a six - foot cardboard tube and brought in jazz saxophonist Tom Scott to play the lyricon, a wind - controlled synthesizer. Bassist Louis Johnson ran through his part on a Yamaha bass guitar. The song opens with a long bass - and - drums introduction. `` Thriller '' includes sound effects such as creaking doors, thunder, footsteps, wind, and howling dogs. The anti-gang - violence `` Beat It '' became a homage to West Side Story and was Jackson 's first successful rock cross-over piece. Jackson later said of `` Beat It '', `` the point is no one has to be the tough guy, you can walk away from a fight and still be a man. You do n't have to die to prove you 're a man ''. `` Human Nature '', co-written by Steve Porcaro of the band Toto, is moody and introspective, as conveyed in lyrics such as, `` Looking out, across the morning, the City 's heart begins to beat, reaching out, I touch her shoulder, I 'm dreaming of the street ''. By the late 1970s, Jackson 's abilities as a vocalist were well regarded ; AllMusic described him as a `` blindingly gifted vocalist ''. Rolling Stone critic Stephen Holden likened his vocals to the `` breathless, dreamy stutter '' of Stevie Wonder, and wrote that `` Jackson 's feathery - timbred tenor is extraordinarily beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that 's used very daringly. '' With the release of Thriller, Jackson could sing low -- down to a basso low C -- but he preferred to sing higher because pop tenors have more range to create style. Rolling Stone critic Christopher Connely wrote that Jackson was now singing in a `` fully adult voice '' that was `` tinged by sadness ''. `` P.Y.T. ( Pretty Young Thing ) '', credited to James Ingram and Quincy Jones and `` The Lady in My Life '' by Rod Temperton, both gave the album a stronger R&B direction ; the latter song was described as `` the closest Jackson has come to crooning a sexy, soulful ballad after his Motown years '' by J. Randy Taraborrelli. The singer had already adopted a `` vocal hiccup '' ( first used in 1973 on `` It 's Too Late to Change the Time '' ), which he continued to implement in Thriller. The purpose of the hiccup -- somewhat like a gulping for air or gasping -- is to help invoke a certain emotion, be it excitement, sadness or fear. Release and reception Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating AllMusic Christgau 's Record Guide Encyclopedia of Popular Music Entertainment Weekly MusicHound R&B 5 / 5 Q Rolling Stone The Rolling Stone Album Guide Slant Magazine The Village Voice A -- Thriller was released on November 30, 1982, and sold one million copies worldwide per week at its peak. Seven singles were released from the album beginning with `` The Girl Is Mine '', the duet with Paul McCartney which was criticized at the time as a poor choice for the lead release and led some critics to believe that the album would be a disappointment and to suggestions that Jackson was bowing to a white audience. `` The Girl Is Mine '' was followed by the hit single `` Billie Jean '', which made Thriller a chart - topper. Success continued with the single `` Beat It '', which featured guitarists Eddie Van Halen and Steve Lukather. The album 's title track was released as a single and also became a hit internationally. The cover for Thriller features Jackson in a white suit that belonged to photographer Dick Zimmerman. The gatefold sleeve reveals a tiger cub at Jackson 's leg, which Zimmerman reported the singer mostly kept away from his face fearing he would be scratched. Another picture from the shoot, with Jackson embracing the cub, was used for the 2001 special edition of Thriller. In a contemporaneous review for Rolling Stone, Christopher Connelly called Thriller `` a zesty LP '' with a `` harrowing, dark message ''. He compared the songs on the album with the life challenges that the 24 - year - old Jackson had faced since Off the Wall, while observing that he `` dropped the boyish falsetto '' and was facing his `` challenges head - on '' with `` a feisty determination '' and `` a full, adult voice ''. John Rockwell wrote in The New York Times that perhaps Jackson was a `` sometimes too practiced... performer '', that at times Quincy Jones may `` depersonalize his individuality '' with his `` slightly anonymous production '', and that Jackson may be hiding his true emotions behind `` layers of impenetrable, gauzy veils ''. Rockwell nonetheless deemed Thriller `` a wonderful pop record, the latest statement by one of the great singers in popular music today '' and that there are `` hits here, too, lots of them ''. Rockwell believed it helped breach `` the destructive barriers that spring up regularly between white and black music '', especially as `` white publications and radio stations that normally avoid black music seem willing to pretend he is n't black after all ''. In The Village Voice, Robert Christgau said `` this is virtually a hits - plus - filler job, but at such a high level it 's almost classic anyway ''. He later wrote in Christgau 's Record Guide : The ' 80s ( 1990 ), `` what we could n't know is how brilliantly every hit but ' P.Y.T. ' would thrive on mass exposure and public pleasure. '' A year after the album 's release, Time summed up the three main singles from the album, saying, `` The pulse of America and much of the rest of the world moves irregularly, beating in time to the tough strut of ' Billie Jean ', the asphalt aria of ' Beat It ', the supremely cool chills of ' Thriller '. '' In 1989, Toronto Star music critics reflected on the albums they had reviewed in the past ten years in order to create a list judging them on the basis of `` commercial impact to social import, to strictly musical merit. '' Thriller was placed at number 1 on the list, where it was referred to as his `` master work '' and that `` commercial success has since overshadowed Jackson 's artistic accomplishments on Thriller, and that 's a pity. It was a record for the times, brimming with breathless anticipation and a dread fear of the adult world, a brilliant fantasy that pumped with sexual heat, yet made room for serious reflection ''. The album won a record - breaking eight Grammy Awards in 1984, including Album of the Year. Jackson won seven of the Grammys for the album, while the eighth Grammy went to Bruce Swedien. That same year, Jackson won eight American Music Awards, the Special Award of Merit and three MTV Video Music Awards. Thriller was recognized as the world 's best - selling album on February 7, 1984, when it was inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records. It is one of four albums to be the best - seller of two years ( 1983 -- 1984 ) in the US. On December 16, 2015, Thriller was certified 30 × platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, for shipments of at least 30 million units in the US. After the inclusion of streaming and tracks sales into the RIAA album awards in 2017, Thriller was re-certified 33 × platinum for a total of 33 million album - equivalent units. The album topped the charts in many countries, sold 4.2 million copies in the UK, 2.5 million in Japan, and was certified 15 × Platinum in Australia. Still popular today, Thriller sells an estimated 130,000 copies in the US per year ; it reached number two in the US Catalog charts in February 2003 and number 39 in the UK in March 2007. Influence and legacy Music Industry Thriller platinum record on display at the Hard Rock Cafe, Hollywood in Universal City, California Blender described Jackson as the `` late 20th century 's preeminent pop icon '', while The New York Times gave the opinion that he was a `` musical phenomenon '' and that `` in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else ''. Jackson changed the way the industry functioned : both as an artistic persona and as a financial, profitable entity. His attorney John Branca observed that Jackson achieved the highest royalty rate in the music industry to that point : approximately $2 ( US $4.71 in 2017 dollars ) for each album sold. As a result, Jackson earned record - breaking profits from compact disc sales and from the sale of copies of the documentary, The Making of Michael Jackson 's Thriller, produced by Jackson and John Landis. Funded by MTV, the film sold over 350,000 copies in its first few months. In a market then driven by singles, Thriller raised the significance of albums, yet its multiple hit singles changed perceived notions as to the number of successful singles that could be taken from an individual album. The era saw the arrival of novelties like the Michael Jackson doll, that appeared in stores in May 1984 at a price of $12 ( US $28 in 2017 dollars ). Thriller retains a position in American culture ; biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli explains, `` At some point, Thriller stopped selling like a leisure item -- like a magazine, a toy, tickets to a hit movie -- and started selling like a household staple ''. At the time of the album 's release, a press statement from Gil Friesen, the then President of A&M Records, read that, `` The whole industry has a stake in this success ''. Time magazine speculated that `` the fallout from Thriller has given the ( music ) business its best years since the heady days of 1978, when it had an estimated total domestic revenue of $4.1 billion ''. Time summed up Thriller 's impact as a `` restoration of confidence '' for an industry bordering on `` the ruins of punk and the chic regions of synthesizer pop ''. The publication described Jackson 's influence at that point as, `` Star of records, radio, rock video. A one - man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style and color too ''. When Thriller and `` Billie Jean '' were searching to reach their market demographic, MTV and cable TV had a smaller market share than the much larger reach of broadcast television stations in the United States. A national broadcast TV audience on ABC, NBC and CBS affiliate stations, as well as major independent TV stations, was desired by CBS / Epic Records to promote Thriller. The national broadcast TV premiere of the Thriller album 's first video, `` Billie Jean '', was during the week of Halloween in October 1984 and was the idea of Video Concert Hall executive producers Charles Henderson and Jerry Crowe. Video Concert Hall, the first nationwide music video TV network, taped the one - hour special in Hollywood and Atlanta, where the TV studios of Video Concert Hall were located. The Thriller TV special was hosted by Thriller video co-star Vincent Price, distributed by Henderson - Crowe Syndications, Inc. and aired in the top 20 TV markets and much of the United States, including TV stations WNEW ( New York ), WFLD ( Chicago ), KTTV ( Los Angeles ), WPLG ( Miami ), WQTV ( Boston ) and WXIA ( Atlanta ), for a total of 150 TV stations. From the moment Thriller was released, it set the standard for the music industry : artists, record labels, producers, marketers and even choreographers. The music video was ahead of its time and it is considered a monumental one -- not only in Jackson 's career, but also in the history of pop music. Epic Records ' approach to creating a song and video that would appeal to the mass market ended up influencing the way that professionals now market and release their songs. John Landis ' production of a mini-movie, rather than the usual short music video, would raise the bar for other directors and producers. Music videos and racial equality Thriller 's music videos and singles -- including the Paul McCartney duet `` The Girl Is Mine '' -- are credited with helping promote racial equality in the United States. Before the success of Thriller, many felt Jackson had struggled to get MTV airing because he was black. In an effort to attain air time for Jackson, CBS Records President Walter Yetnikoff pressured MTV and declared, `` I 'm not going to give you any more videos and I 'm going to go public and fucking tell them about the fact you do n't want to play music by a black guy. '' His position persuaded MTV to begin airing `` Billie Jean '' and later `` Beat It '', ( along with Prince 's `` Little Red Corvette '' ) which led to a long partnership and later helped other black music artists to gain mainstream recognition. MTV denies claims of racism in their broadcasting. The popularity of his videos, such as `` Beat It '' and `` Billie Jean '', helped to place the young channel `` on the map '' and MTV 's focus shifted in favor of pop and R&B. Jackson transformed the medium of music video into an art form and promotional tool through the use of complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and cameo appearances by well known personalities. When the 14 - minute - long Thriller video aired, MTV ran it twice an hour to meet demand. The short film marked an increase in scale for music videos and has been routinely named the best music video ever. The popularity of the video sent the album back to number one in the album chart, but Jackson 's label did not support the release of the third music video from the album. They were already pleased with its success, so Jackson convinced MTV to fund the project. Author, music critic and journalist Nelson George wrote in 2004, `` It 's difficult to hear the songs from Thriller and disengage them from the videos. For most of us the images define the songs. In fact it could be argued that Michael is the first artist of the MTV age to have an entire album so intimately connected in the public imagination with its imagery ''. Short films like Thriller largely remained unique to Jackson, while the group dance sequence in `` Beat It '' has been frequently imitated. The choreography in Thriller has become a part of global pop culture, replicated everywhere from Bollywood to prisons in the Philippines. For a black artist in the 1980s to that point, Jackson 's success was unprecedented. According to The Washington Post, Thriller paved the way for other African - American artists to achieve mainstream recognition, such as Prince. Christgau credited `` The Girl Is Mine '' for giving radio exposure to the idea of interracial love. Time noted, `` Jackson is the biggest thing since the Beatles. He is the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley. He just may be the most popular black singer ever ''. Contemporary appeal Today, Thriller is still viewed in a positive light by critics some three decades later. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic wrote that the record had something to interest everyone. He believed it showcased harder funk and hard rock while remaining `` undeniably fun ''. He went on to compliment `` Billie Jean '' and `` Wanna Be Startin ' Somethin ' '' and said, `` The record 's two best songs : ' Billie Jean,... and the delirious ' Wanna Be Startin ' Somethin ' ', the freshest funk on the album ( but ) the most claustrophobic, scariest track Jackson ever recorded. '' Erlewine gave the opinion that it was an improvement on the artist 's previous album, although he was critical of the title track, describing it as `` ridiculous '' and as having the effect of `` arriving in the middle of the record and sucking out its momentum ''. In The New Rolling Stone Album Guide ( 2004 ), Jon Pareles commented that Jackson `` doubled his ambitions and multiplied his audience '' with the album and wrote of its legacy, `` Thriller had extramusical help in becoming the best - selling noncompilation album of all time : Jackson 's dancing feet and dazzling stage presence, amplified by the newfound promotional reach of music video and the Reagan era 's embrace of glossy celebrity. But especially in the album 's seven hit singles ( out of nine songs ), the music stands on its own. '' Sputnikmusic reviewer Tyler Fisher noted that Thriller `` stands one of Jackson 's greatest efforts, giving him an eternal legacy in pop music. '' Culture critic Nelson George wrote that Jackson `` has educated R. Kelly, Usher, Justin Timberlake and countless others with Thriller as a textbook ''. As a sign of the album 's longevity, in 2003 Thriller was ranked at number 20 on the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list and was listed by the National Association of Recording Merchandisers at number three of the `` Definitive 200 '' albums of all time. In 2008, 25 years after its release, the record was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and, a few weeks later, was among 25 recordings preserved by the Library of Congress to the National Recording Registry as `` culturally significant ''. In 2009, music critics for MTV Base and VH1 both listed Thriller as the best album released since 1981. Thriller, along with other critic favorites, were then polled by the public. 40,000 people found Thriller to be the Best Album of all time by MTV Generation, gaining a third of all votes. Reissues and Catalog sales Thriller was reissued on October 16, 2001, in an expanded set titled Thriller : Special Edition. The original tracks were remastered and the album included a new booklet and bonus material, including the songs `` Someone in the Dark '', `` Carousel '' and Jackson 's original `` Billie Jean '' demo, as well as audio interviews with Jones and Temperton discussing the recording of the album. Sony also hired sound engineer and mixer Mick Guzauski to work with Jackson on creating 5.1 - channel surround sound mixes of Thriller, as well as all his other albums, for release on the then - new Super Audio CD format. Despite numerous retries, the artist never approved any of the mixes. Consequently, Thriller was issued on SACD only in a stereo version. In February 2008, Epic Records released Thriller 25 ; Jackson served as executive producer. Thriller 25 appeared on CD, USB and vinyl with seven bonus tracks, a new song called `` For All Time '', a snippet of Vincent Price 's voice - over and five remixes featuring American artists Fergie, will.i.am, Kanye West and Akon. It also included a DVD featuring three music videos, the Motown 25 `` Billie Jean '' performance and a booklet with a message from Jackson. The ballad `` For All Time '' supposedly dates from 1982, but is often credited as being from the Dangerous sessions. Two singles were released from the reissue : `` The Girl Is Mine 2008 '' and `` Wanna Be Startin ' Somethin ' 2008 ''. Thriller 25 was a commercial success and did particularly well as a reissue. It peaked at number one in eight countries and Europe. It peaked at number two in the US, number three in the UK and reached the top 10 in over 30 national charts. It was certified Gold in 11 countries including the UK, received a 2 × Gold certification in France and received platinum certification in Poland. In the United States, Thriller 25 was the second best - selling album of its release week, selling one hundred and sixty six thousand copies, just fourteen thousand short of reaching the number one position. It was ineligible for the Billboard 200 chart as a re-release but entered the Pop Catalog Charts at number one ( where it stayed for ten non-consecutive weeks ), with the best sales on that chart since December 1996. With the arrival of Halloween that November, Thriller 25 spent an eleventh non-consecutive week atop the US catalog chart. This brought US sales of the album to 688,000 copies, making it the best - selling catalog album of 2008. This was Jackson 's best launch since Invincible in 2001, selling three million copies worldwide in 12 weeks. After Jackson 's death in June 2009, Thriller set additional records. It sold more than 100,000 copies, placing it at number two on the Top Pop Catalog Albums chart. Songs from Thriller also helped Jackson become the first artist to sell more than one million song downloads in a week. According to Nielsen SoundScan, Thriller was the 14th best - selling album of 2009 in the United States, with 1.27 million copies sold. For one week beginning November 20, 2015, Google Play Music offered a free copy of the album to its users in the U.S. It is called Thriller ( Google Play Exclusive Version ). It adds a tenth track to the original, Billie Jean ( Home Demo from 1981 ). To date, Thriller remains the best - selling album of all time, selling over 66 million copies worldwide. Track listing Side one No. Title Writer ( s ) Producer ( s ) Length 1. `` Wanna Be Startin ' Somethin ' '' Michael Jackson Quincy Jones Jackson 6 : 02 2. `` Baby Be Mine '' Rod Temperton Jones 4 : 20 3. `` The Girl Is Mine '' ( with Paul McCartney ) Jackson Jones Jackson 3 : 41 4. `` Thriller '' Temperton Jones 5 : 57 Side two No. Title Writer ( s ) Producer ( s ) Length 5. `` Beat It '' Jackson Jones Jackson 4 : 18 6. `` Billie Jean '' Jackson Jones Jackson 4 : 54 7. `` Human Nature '' Steve Porcaro John Bettis Jones 4 : 07 8. `` P.Y.T. ( Pretty Young Thing ) '' James Ingram Jones Jones 3 : 58 9. `` The Lady in My Life '' Temperton Jones 4 : 59 Total length : 42 : 19 Notes signifies a co-producer Personnel Personnel as listed in the album 's liner notes are : Tom Bahler -- synclavier ( track 5 ) Brian Banks -- synthesizer ( track 4 ), synthesizer programming ( 2 ) Michael Boddicker -- synthesizers ( tracks 1 -- 2 ), Emulator ( 6 -- 9 ), Vocoder ( 8 ) Bruce Cannon -- effects ( track 4 ) Leon `` Ndugu '' Chancler -- drums ( tracks 2, 6, 8 ) Paulinho da Costa -- percussion ( tracks 1, 7 ) David Foster -- synthesizer ( track 3 ), synthesizer arrangement ( 3 ) Gary Grant -- trumpet ( tracks 1 -- 2, 4 ), flugelhorn ( 1 -- 2, 4 ) Nelson Hayes -- bathroom stomp board ( track 1 ) Howard Hewett -- background vocals ( track 8 ) Jerry Hey -- trumpet ( tracks 1 -- 2, 4 ), flugelhorn ( 1 -- 2, 4 ), horn arrangements ( 1 -- 2, 4 ), string arrangements ( 3, 6 ), strings conductor ( 3 ) Bunny Hull -- background vocals ( tracks 1, 8 ) James Ingram -- background vocals ( tracks 1, 8 ), keyboards ( 8 ), handclaps ( 8 ), musical arrangements ( 8 ) Janet Jackson -- background vocals ( track 8 ) La Toya Jackson -- background vocals ( track 8 ) Michael Jackson -- co-producer ( tracks 1, 3, 5 - 6 ), lead vocals ( all tracks ), programming ( 1, 4 ), drum case beater ( track 5 ), bathroom stomp board ( 1 ), background vocals ( 1, 4 -- 6 ), handclaps ( 8 ), vocal arrangements ( 1, 3, 5 -- 6 ), rhythm arrangements ( 1, 5 -- 6 ), horn arrangements ( 1 ), synthesizer arrangements ( 6 ) Paul Jackson Jr. -- guitar ( tracks 5, 8 -- 9 ) Louis Johnson -- bass guitar ( tracks 1, 3, 6, 8 -- 9 ), handclaps ( 8 ) Quincy Jones -- producer ( all tracks ), rhythm arrangements ( tracks 1, 3, 5 ), vocal arrangements ( 3 ), musical arrangements ( 8 ) Becky Lopez -- background vocals ( tracks 1, 8 ) Jerry Lubbock -- strings conductor ( track 6 ) Steve Lukather -- guitar ( tracks 3, 5, 7 ), bass guitar ( 5 ), musical arrangements ( 7 ) Anthony Marinelli -- synthesizer, synthesizer programming ( tracks 2, 4 ) Paul McCartney -- lead vocals ( track 3 ) David Paich -- synthesizers ( tracks 2, 7, 9 ), piano ( 3 ), rhythm arrangements ( 3 ), musical arrangements ( 7 ) Dean Parks -- guitar ( tracks 3 ) Greg Phillinganes -- keyboards ( 2, 4 ), synthesizers ( 1 -- 2, 4 -- 6, 8 ), piano, Fender Rhodes ( 1, 3, 5 - 6, 9 ), synthesizer programming ( 8 ), handclaps ( 8 ) Jeff Porcaro -- drums ( tracks 3, 5, 7, 9 ) Steve Porcaro -- synthesizers ( tracks 5, 7, 9 ), synthesizer programming ( 2 -- 3, 5, 7 ), musical arrangements ( 7 ) Vincent Price -- voice - over ( track 4 ) Steven Ray -- bathroom stomp board ( track 1 ), handclaps ( 8 ) Bill Reichenbach -- trombone ( tracks 1 -- 2, 4 ) Greg Smith -- Synergy ( track 5 ), synthesizer ( 6 ) Bruce Swedien -- recording engineer ( All tracks ), audio mixer ( All tracks ), effects ( 4 ) Chris Shepard -- vibraslap ( track 5 ) Rod Temperton -- synthesizer ( track 4 ), rhythm arrangements ( 2, 4, 9 ), vocal arrangements ( 2, 4, 9 ), arrangements ( 2, 4, 9 ) Eddie Van Halen -- guitar solo ( track 5 ) Jerry Vinci -- concertmaster ( track 3 ) Julia Waters -- background vocals ( track 1 ) Maxine Waters -- background vocals ( track 1 ) Oren Waters -- background vocals ( track 1 ) David Williams -- guitar ( tracks 1 -- 2, 4, 6 ) Larry Williams -- saxophone ( tracks 1 -- 2, 4 ), flute ( 1 -- 2, 4 ) Bill Wolfer -- keyboards ( track 5 ), synthesizer ( 1, 6 ), programming ( 6 ) Charts Year - end charts Original release Chart ( 1983 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) Canada ( RPM Top Albums ) France ( IFOP ) Germany ( Official German Charts ) Italy ( FIMI ) Japan ( Oricon ) Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) UK Albums ( OCC ) US Billboard 200 US Hot Black Albums Chart ( 1984 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) Canada ( RPM Top Albums ) Germany ( Official German Charts ) 5 Japan ( Oricon ) Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) UK Albums ( OCC ) 6 US Billboard 200 US Hot Black Albums Reissue Chart ( 2009 ) Peak position Australia ( ARIA ) 32 Germany ( Official German Charts ) 40 US Billboard Comprehensive Albums 16 US Billboard Top Internet Albums 16 US Billboard Top Pop Catalog Albums 16 Chart ( 2010 ) Peak position Australia ( Top 100 Singles ) 47 US Billboard 200 137 US Billboard Top Pop Catalog Albums 7 Decade - end charts Chart ( 1980 -- 1989 ) Position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) Japan ( Oricon ) UK Albums ( OCC ) Certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales Argentina ( CAPIF ) Diamond 500,000 Australia ( ARIA ) 16 × Platinum 1,150,000 Austria ( IFPI Austria ) 8 × Platinum 400,000 Canada ( Music Canada ) 2 × Diamond 2,400,000 Denmark ( IFPI Denmark ) 2 × Platinum 100,000 Finland ( Musiikkituottajat ) Platinum 129,061 France ( SNEP ) Diamond 3,760,000 Germany ( BVMI ) 3 × Platinum 1,500,000 Hong Kong ( IFPI Hong Kong ) Platinum 20,000 Italy ( FIMI ) Platinum 1,000,000 Japan ( RIAJ ) Gold 2,500,000 Mexico ( AMPROFON ) Platinum + Diamond + Gold 1,600,000 Netherlands ( NVPI ) 8 × Platinum 1,400,000 New Zealand ( RMNZ ) 12 × Platinum 180,000 Portugal ( AFP ) Platinum 50,000 South Korea 50,000 Sweden ( GLF ) 4 × Platinum 400,000 Switzerland ( IFPI Switzerland ) 6 × Platinum 300,000 United Kingdom ( BPI ) 13 × Platinum 4,400,000 United States ( RIAA ) 33 × Platinum 33,000,000 Summaries Europe ( IFPI ) For sales in 2009 Platinum 1,000,000 Worldwide 66 million sales figures based on certification alone shipments figures based on certification alone sales + streaming figures based on certification alone See also Book : Thriller ( album ) Michael Jackson portal List of best - selling albums List of best - selling albums in Australia List of best - selling albums in France List of best - selling albums in Germany List of best - selling albums in Japan List of best - selling albums in New Zealand List of best - selling albums in the United Kingdom List of best - selling albums in the United States List of number - one dance singles of 1983 ( U.S. ) Notes Jump up ^ Representatives for Sony and Jackson 's estate say that Thriller has sold 105 million copies globally. Although sales estimates for Thriller have been as high as 110 million copies, these sales figures are unreliable according to various music specialists. References Jump up ^ Greenberg, Steve ( November 29, 2012 ). `` Michael Jackson 's ' Thriller ' at 30 : How One Album Changed the World ''. Billboard. Retrieved April 26, 2016. Jump up ^ Dyson 1993, p. 60. ^ Jump up to : `` Best - selling album ''. Guinness World Records. Retrieved June 29, 2017. Jump up ^ Caulfield, Keith ( February 16, 2017 ). `` Michael Jackson 's ' Thriller ' Extends Reign as Highest Certified Album in U.S. History ''. Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2017. Jump up ^ Durchholz, Daniel ( November 30, 2012 ). `` Michael Jackson 's ' Thriller ' At 30 : Classic Track - By - Track Review ''. Billboard. Retrieved October 28, 2014. Jump up ^ Wyman, Bill ( January 4, 2013 ). `` Did `` Thriller '' Really Sell a Hundred Million Copies ? ``. The New Yorker. Retrieved January 10, 2013. Jump up ^ Bialik, Carl ( July 14, 2009 ). `` How Many Albums Did Michael Jackson Sell ? ''. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved January 10, 2013. Jump up ^ Lara, David ( May 12, 2012 ). `` Michael Jackson 's ' Bad ' Gets a Revamp and More Inflated Sales ! ''. Impre. ImpreMedia. Retrieved January 10, 2013. Jump up ^ Beaumont - Thomas, Ben ( 2018 - 08 - 20 ). `` The Eagles score biggest - selling album of all time in US, surpassing Thriller ''. the Guardian. Retrieved 2018 - 08 - 21. ^ Jump up to : McIntyre, Hugh ( February 16, 2017 ). `` Michael Jackson 's ' Thriller ' Has Now Been Certified 33 - Times Platinum ''. Forbes. Retrieved February 18, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Grammy Award Winners ''. Archived from the original on January 2, 2008... The Recording Academy. Jump up ^ `` The 100 Best Albums of the 1980s ''. Slant Magazine. March 5, 2012. Retrieved January 22, 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` 20 : Michael Jackson, ' Thriller ' ''. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012... Rolling Stone. May 31, 2012. ^ Jump up to : Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. `` Michael Jackson -- Off the Wall -- Overview ''. AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved June 15, 2008. ^ Jump up to : Holden, Stephen ( November 1, 1979 ). `` Off the Wall : Michael Jackson ''. Archived from the original on December 23, 2007... Rolling Stone. Jump up ^ `` Michael Jackson : Off The Wall ''. Virgin Media. Retrieved December 12, 2008. Jump up ^ Taraborrelli 2004, p. 196. Jump up ^ Taraborrelli 2004, p. 206. Jump up ^ Taraborrelli 2004, p. 190. ^ Jump up to : Taraborrelli 2004, p. 191. ^ Jump up to : Taraborrelli 2004, pp. 220 -- 21. ^ Jump up to : Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Community Development Project. `` Consumer Price Index ( estimate ) 1800 -- ''. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved January 2, 2018. Jump up ^ Jackson, Michael. Thriller 25 ( booklet ). ^ Jump up to : Jackson, Michael. Thriller Special Edition Audio ( CD ). Jump up ^ Taraborrelli 2004, pp. 209 -- 210. ^ Jump up to : Lyle, Peter ( November 25, 2007 ). `` Michael Jackson 's Monster Smash ''. The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved April 20, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Michael : 25 Years After Thriller ''. Ebony. 63 ( 2 ) : 97 -- 98. December 2007. ISSN 0012 - 9011. ^ Jump up to : Jackson, Michael ( March 27, 2005 ). `` Jesse Jackson Interviews Michael Jackson '' ( Interview ). Interviewed by Jesse Jackson. ^ Jump up to : George 2004, p. 23. ^ Jump up to : Connelly, Christopher ( January 28, 1983 ). `` Michael Jackson : Thriller ''. Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 22, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. `` Michael Jackson -- Thriller -- Overview ''. AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved June 15, 2008. Jump up ^ Heyliger, M. `` A State - of - the - Art Pop Album : Thriller by Michael ''. Archived from the original on December 4, 2008... Consumerhelpweb.com. `` Not many artists could pull off such a variety of styles ( funk, post-disco, rock, easy listening, ballads )... '' Jump up ^ Raftery, Brian ( July 7, 2009 ). `` Michael Jackson : The Unlikely King of Rock ''. Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 14, 2013. the lustrous post-disco sound of Thriller seems an unlikely muse for Stump and his bandmates ^ Jump up to : Huey, Steve. `` Michael Jackson -- Artist Biography ''. AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved November 11, 2006. ^ Jump up to : Henderson, Eric ( October 18, 2003 ). `` Michael Jackson -- Thriller ''. Slant Magazine. Retrieved June 15, 2008. Jump up ^ Zimmer, Ben ( June 26, 2009 ). `` Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa ''. Language Log. The story behind these seemingly nonsensical syllables is a fascinating one, originating in the Cameroonian language Duala... Jackson apparently claimed his version was Swahili, but he eventually acknowledged his debt to ( Cameroonian singer Manu ) Dibango... ^ Jump up to : Taraborrelli 2004, pp. 223 -- 25. Jump up ^ The Complete Michael Jackson. International Music Publications. 1997. ISBN 1 - 85909 - 447 - 3. Jump up ^ Pareles, Jon ( September 3, 1987 ). `` Critic 's Notebook ; How Good Is Jackson 's ' Bad ' ? ''. The New York Times. Retrieved April 19, 2007. ^ Jump up to : `` The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born : Number 1 : Michael Jackson, `` Billy Jean '' ``. Archived from the original on March 27, 2009... Blender. April 1, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Michael Jackson -- Biography ''. Archived from the original on January 9, 2008... Rolling Stone. Jump up ^ Hogan, Ed. `` Steve Porcaro -- Artist Biography ''. AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved April 12, 2013. ^ Jump up to : Cocks, Jay ( March 1984 ). `` Why He 's a Thriller ''. Time. Retrieved March 17, 2007. Jump up ^ Brown 1996, pp. 29 - 30. Jump up ^ George 2004, p. 22. ^ Jump up to : Christgau, Robert ( 1990 ). `` Michael Jackson : Thriller ''. Christgau 's Record Guide : The ' 80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0 - 679 - 73015 - X. Retrieved October 17, 2016. Jump up ^ Larkin, Colin ( 2011 ). `` Jackson, Michael ''. Encyclopedia of Popular Music ( 5th ed. ). Omnibus Press. ISBN 0 - 85712 - 595 - 8. Jump up ^ Greenblatt, Leah ( July 3, 2009 ). `` Michael Jackson 's albums ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 21, 2016. Jump up ^ Graff, Gary ; du Lac, Josh Freedom ; McFarlin, Jim, eds. ( 1998 ). `` Michael Jackson ''. MusicHound R&B : The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. ISBN 1 - 57859 - 026 - 4. Jump up ^ `` Review ''. Q. January 2000. p. 138. Jump up ^ Pareles, Jon ( 2004 ). `` Michael Jackson ''. In Brackett, Nathan ; Hoard, Christian. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. p. 414. ISBN 0 - 7432 - 0169 - 8. Archived from the original on June 23, 2011. Retrieved October 17, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Christgau, Robert ( December 28, 1982 ). `` Christgau 's Consumer Guide ''. The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved July 3, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Sold On Song Top 100 : Billie Jean ''. BBC. Retrieved April 5, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Sold On Song Top 100 : Thriller ''. BBC. Retrieved April 5, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Artist ''. Steve Lukather. Retrieved January 22, 2016. Jump up ^ `` The Creation of the `` Thriller '' Album Cover ``. Dick Zimmerman. Retrieved September 2, 2016. Jump up ^ Chandy, Ann Marie ( February 12, 2010 ). `` Ferociously popular ''. The Star. Retrieved September 2, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Rockwell, John ( December 19, 1982 ). `` Michael Jackson 's Thriller ' : Superb Job ''. The New York Times. Retrieved July 3, 2008. Jump up ^ MacInnis, Craig ( August 5, 1989 ). `` The Top 100 Albums of the ' 80s ''. Toronto Star. Toronto, Ontario. p. G1. ISSN 0319 - 0781. Jump up ^ `` Winners : Michael Jackson ''. Grammy.com. Retrieved November 12, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Winners : Winners : Bruce Swedien ''. Grammy.com. Retrieved November 12, 2016. Jump up ^ Guinness World Records 2007. New York : Guinness World Records Ltd. 2006. ISBN 1 - 904994 - 12 - 1. ^ Jump up to : Jackson, Michael. Michael Jackson : The Ultimate Collection ( booklet ). Jump up ^ Taraborrelli 2004, p. 482 ( pictures ). Jump up ^ `` The Year In Pop 2012 : Adele Repeats as Top Artist, Gotye Scores No. 1 Hot 100 Song ''. Billboard. December 14, 2012. Retrieved April 14, 2013. Jump up ^ Stutz, Colin ( December 16, 2015 ). `` Michael Jackson 's ' Thriller ' Becomes First - Ever 30 Times Multi-Platinum Album : Exclusive ''. Billboard. Retrieved December 16, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Michael Jackson 's ' Thriller ' First Ever 30X Multi-Platinum RIAA Certification ''. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 22, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Adele overtakes Michael Jackson in all - time biggest selling albums chart '' ( PDF ). Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved February 28, 2012. ^ Jump up to : `` Michael Jackson Remains A Global Phenomenon ''. Billboard. July 2, 2009. Retrieved July 3, 2009. Jump up ^ `` ARIA Charts -- Accreditations -- 2009 Albums ''. Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved June 6, 2009. Jump up ^ Pareles, Jon ( January 14, 1984 ). `` Michael Jackson at 25 : A Musical Phenomenon ''. The New York Times. Retrieved May 15, 2007. Jump up ^ Taraborrelli 2004, p. 226. ^ Jump up to : `` Vincent Price 's Halloween Thriller '' ( fact sheet ). Atlanta : Henderson - Crowe Syndications, Inc. September 24, 1984. ^ Jump up to : `` Vincent Price Hosts His First American Halloween Special '' ( news release ). Henderson - Crowe Syndications, Inc. September 24, 1984. Jump up ^ McCullaugh, Jim ( May 3, 1980 ). `` Atlanta Firm Claims First Ever Nationwide Cable Music Show '' ( PDF ). Billboard : 1, 38. Jump up ^ King, Bill ( June 3, 1980 ). `` Atlantans Pioneering Cable Video Music Show ''. The Atlanta Constitution. pp. 1 -- B, 10 -- B. Jump up ^ Werts, Dianne ( May 23, 1980 ). `` Din of Modern Hit Parade Invades Cable Homes ''. The Dallas Morning News. Jump up ^ Denisoff, Serge R ( 1986 ). Tarnished Gold : The record industry revisited. Oxford, UK : Transaction Books. p. 369. Jump up ^ Mitchell, Gail ; Newman, Melinda ( July 11, 2009 ). `` How `` Thriller '' Changed the Music Business ``. Billboard. 121 ( 28 ) : 121, 22 -- 25. ISSN 0006 - 2510. Jump up ^ Ben - Yehuda, Ayala ( July 11, 2009 ). `` Video Thrilled the Radio Star ''. Billboard. 121 ( 28 ) : 121, 26 -- 27. ISSN 0006 - 2510. ^ Jump up to : Gundersen, Edna ( August 25, 2005 ). `` Music videos changing places ''. USA Today. Retrieved April 6, 2008. Jump up ^ Christian, Margena A. ( October 9, 2006 ). `` Why it took MTV so long to play black music videos ''. Jet. 110 ( 14 ) : 16 -- 18, 53 -- 54. ISSN 0021 - 5996. Retrieved September 2, 2009. Jump up ^ Robinson, Brian ( February 23, 2005 ). `` Why Are Michael Jackson 's Fans So Devoted ? ''. ABC News. Retrieved April 6, 2007. ^ Jump up to : Taraborrelli 2004, pp. 270 -- 71. Jump up ^ `` Jacko Goes Bollywood ''. TMZ. October 3, 2006. Retrieved April 8, 2008. Jump up ^ `` 1500 Prisoners Perform Thriller Dance ''. Archived from the original on February 10, 2010... The Wrong Advices. July 21, 2007. Jump up ^ Harrington, Richard ( October 9, 1988 ). `` Prince & Michael Jackson : Two Paths to the Top of Pop ''. The Washington Post. Retrieved May 21, 2007. Jump up ^ Brackett, Nathan ; Hoard, Christian, eds. ( 2004 ). `` Michael Jackson ''. The New Rolling Stone Album Guide ( 4th ed. ). Simon & Schuster. p. 414. ISBN 0 - 7432 - 0169 - 8. Jump up ^ Fisher, Tyler ( September 27, 2006 ). `` Michael Jackson -- Thriller ''. Sputnikmusic. Retrieved August 21, 2016. Jump up ^ George 2004, p. 24. Jump up ^ `` Definitive 200 ''. Archived from the original on April 6, 2008... The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. 2007. Jump up ^ `` GRAMMY Hall Of Fame -- t ''. Grammy Hall of Fame Award. Archived from the original on January 22, 2011. Retrieved January 14, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Thriller, Joni Mitchell album make the cut for U.S. recording registry ''. Archived from the original on July 24, 2009. Retrieved 2009 - 02 - 03... CBC News. May 14, 2008. ^ Jump up to : `` MTV 's Greatest Album Ever -- Number 1 ''. MTV. April 9, 2009. Retrieved January 22, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Michael Jackson 's album Thriller voted best album since 1981 ''. Daily Mirror. April 9, 2009. Retrieved January 22, 2016. Jump up ^ Jackson, Michael. Thriller Special Edition ( booklet ). Jump up ^ Verna, Paul ( May 1, 2001 ). `` Mick Guzauski ''. Mix. Retrieved July 7, 2009. Jump up ^ Becka, Kevin ( June 1, 2006 ). `` Mix Interview : Mick Guzauski ''. Mix. Retrieved July 7, 2009. Jump up ^ Friedman, Roger ( July 23, 2001 ). `` First Jackson Effort Rejected, New One Not Ready ''. Fox News Channel. Retrieved July 7, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Michael Jackson on SACD ''. PS3SACD.com. July 9, 2009. Retrieved July 26, 2009. ^ Jump up to : `` Epic Records / Legacy Recordings Unveil The 25th Anniversary Edition of Michael Jackson 's... '' Archived from the original on November 3, 2013... Reuters. November 30, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Kanye West, Will.I.Am On New Edition Of Michael Jackson 's Thriller ; Plus Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, ' High School Musical ' & More, In For The Record ''. MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved December 7, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Kanye, Akon Help Jackson Revisit ' Thriller ' ''. Billboard. November 30, 2007. Retrieved June 23, 2008. Jump up ^ Paphides, Pete ( February 8, 2008 ). `` Michael Jackson : Thriller 25 ''. Archived from the original on May 17, 2011... London : The Times. Jump up ^ `` Zona Musical '' ( in Spanish ). Zm.nu. Retrieved April 5, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Michael Jackson 's Thriller 25 -- The 25th Anniversary Edition of the World 's Top - Selling Album of All Time -- Is America 's # 2 Best - Selling Album This Week ! ! ! ''. Digital Producer. PR Newswire. February 20, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Michael Jackson -- Thriller 25 '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 22, 2016. Jump up ^ Grein, Paul ( May 18, 2008 ). `` Week Ending May 18, 2008 : Diva Smackdown Ends With Ingenues On Rise ''. Archived from the original on May 19, 2011... Yahoo ! Music. Jump up ^ Trust, Gary ( February 20, 2008 ). `` Big Grammy Gains For Many ; King of Pop Returns ''. Billboard. Retrieved February 20, 2008. Jump up ^ Hasty, Katy ( February 20, 2008 ). `` Johnson Remains No. 1 ; Winehouse, Hancock Soar ''. Billboard. Retrieved February 20, 2008. Jump up ^ `` US fans shun CD ''. BBC. July 30, 2005. Retrieved April 7, 2008. Jump up ^ Waddell, Ray ( November 7, 2008 ). `` Michael Jackson Eyeing London Run ? ''. Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2008. Jump up ^ Friedman, Roger ( May 16, 2008 ). `` Jacko : Neverland East in Upstate New York ''. Fox News Channel. Retrieved May 22, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Michael Jackson Breaks Billboard Charts Records ''. Billboard. June 30, 2009. Retrieved July 3, 2009. Jump up ^ Caulfield, Keith ( January 6, 2010 ). `` Taylor Swift Edges Susan Boyle For 2009 's Top - Selling Album ''. Billboard. Retrieved January 18, 2010. Jump up ^ Kennedy, Gerrick D. ( November 20, 2015 ). `` Google Play is giving away Michael Jackson 's ' Thriller ' album for free ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 21, 2015. Jump up ^ Thriller ( booklet ). Epic Records. 1982. ^ Jump up to : Kent, David ( 1993 ). Australian Chart Book 1970 -- 1992. St Ives, N.S.W. : Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0 - 646 - 11917 - 6. Jump up ^ `` Jahreshitparade Alben 1983 '' ( in German ). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 22, 2016. Jump up ^ `` The Top Albums of 1983 ''. RPM. Vol. 39 no. 17. Library and Archives Canada. December 24, 1983. Jump up ^ ( in French ) `` Les Albums ( CD ) de 1983 par InfoDisc ''. Archived from the original on January 7, 2016... InfoDisc. Jump up ^ ( in German ) `` Top 100 AlbumJahrescharts -- 1983 ''. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015... Offiziellecharts.de. GfK Entertainment. Jump up ^ `` Gli album più venduti del 1983 '' ( in Italian ). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved January 22, 2016. Jump up ^ `` 1983 年 アルバム 年間 ヒット チャート '' ( Japanese Year - End Albums Chart 1983 ) ( in Japanese ). Oricon. Entamedata.web.fc2.com. Retrieved January 22, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Jaaroverzichten -- Album 1983 '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 22, 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Talent Almanac 1984 '' ( PDF ). Billboard. December 24, 1983. Retrieved January 22, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Jahreshitparade Alben 1984 '' ( in German ). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 22, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Albums of 1985 ''. RPM. Vol. 41 no. 17. Library and Archives Canada. January 5, 1985. Jump up ^ ( in German ) `` Top 100 AlbumJahrescharts -- 1984 ''. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015... Offiziellecharts.de. GfK Entertainment. Jump up ^ `` 1984 年 アルバム 年間 ヒット チャート '' ( Japanese Year - End Albums Chart 1984 ) ( in Japanese ). Oricon. Entamedata.web.fc2.com. Retrieved January 22, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Jaaroverzichten -- Album 1984 '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 22, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1984 '' ( in German ). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 22, 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Chart Archive -- 1980s Albums ''. Everyhit.com. Retrieved January 22, 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Talent Almanac 1985 '' ( PDF ). Billboard. 96 ( 51 ). December 22, 1984. Retrieved January 22, 2016. Jump up ^ `` ARIA Charts -- End Of Year Charts -- Top 100 Albums 2009 ''. Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 2, 2013. Jump up ^ ( in German ) `` Album Jahrescharts 2009 ''. Archived from the original on January 18, 2010... Mtv.de. Jump up ^ `` Top Comprehensive Albums ''. Billboard. 121 ( 39 ) : 80. October 3, 2009. ISSN 0006 - 2510. Jump up ^ `` Top Internet Albums ''. Billboard. 121 ( 39 ) : 81. October 3, 2009. ISSN 0006 - 2510. Jump up ^ `` Top Pop Catlog Albums ''. Billboard. 121 ( 39 ). October 3, 2009. ISSN 0006 - 2510. Jump up ^ `` 2010 End of Year Charts -- Top 50 Catalogue Albums ''. Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 2, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Top Billboard 200 Albums ''. Billboard. 122 ( 39 ) : 94. October 2, 2010. ISSN 0006 - 2510. Jump up ^ `` Top Pop Catalog Albums ''. Billboard. 122 ( 39 ) : 97. October 2, 2010. ISSN 0006 - 2510. Jump up ^ `` Bestenlisten -- 80er - Album '' ( in German ). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 22, 2016. Jump up ^ Oricon Album Chart Book : Complete Edition 1970 -- 2005. Roppongi, Tokyo : Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4 - 87131 - 077 - 9. Jump up ^ `` Los premiados ''. Archived from the original on March 18, 2005... CAPIF. Jump up ^ `` ARIA Charts -- Accreditations -- 2011 Albums ''. Australian Recording Industry Association. Jump up ^ Dale, David ( January 10, 2013 ). `` THE TRIBAL MIND ARCHIVE : The music Australia loved ''. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved January 22, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Austrian album certifications -- Michael Jackson -- Thriller '' ( in German ). IFPI Austria. Enter Michael Jackson in the field Interpret. Enter Thriller in the field Titel. Select album in the field Format. Click Suchen Jump up ^ `` Canadian album certifications -- Michael Jackson -- Thriller ''. Music Canada. Jump up ^ `` Springsteen Big In Canada, Too ''. Billboard. 98 ( 51 ) : 39. December 20, 1986. ISSN 0006 - 2510. Jump up ^ `` Danish album certifications -- Michael Jackson -- Thriller ''. IFPI Denmark. Click on næste to go to page if certification from official website ^ Jump up to : `` Michael Jackson '' ( in Finnish ). Musiikkituottajat -- IFPI Finland. Jump up ^ `` Les Albums Diamant '' ( in French ). InfoDisc. Retrieved October 24, 2016. Jump up ^ `` France Best Selling Albums Ever : All - Time Ranking ( 2016 ) ''. ChartMasters. February 5, 2017. Retrieved February 20, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Gold - / Platin - Datenbank ( Michael Jackson ; ' Thriller ' ) '' ( in German ). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Jump up ^ `` IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1984 ''. IFPI Hong Kong. Jump up ^ `` Italian album certifications -- Michael Jackson -- Thriller '' ( in Italian ). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Jump up ^ `` RIAJ > The Record > May 1994 > Page 5 > Certified Awards ( March 1994 ) '' ( PDF ). Archived from the original ( PDF ) on October 5, 2013... Recording Industry Association of Japan. Jump up ^ `` Certificaciones '' ( in Spanish ). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved May 20, 2016. Type Michael Jackson in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Thriller in the box under TÍTULO Jump up ^ `` Dutch album certifications -- Michael Jackson -- Thriller '' ( in Dutch ). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld - en geluidsdragers. Enter Thriller in the `` Artiest of titel '' box. Jump up ^ Nauta, Hans ( October 29, 2001 ). `` Een ster in het land van lilliputters ''. Trouw ( in Dutch ). Retrieved January 22, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Latest Gold / Platinum Albums ''. Radioscope. 17 July 2011. Archived from the original on 2011 - 07 - 24. Jump up ^ `` Discos de Ouro e Platina : GALARDÕES 2009 ''. Archived from the original on August 19, 2010... Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Jump up ^ `` 1984 년 3 월 21 일 동아 일보 : : 네이버 뉴스 라이브러리 ver 1.4. 1 '' ( in Korean ). March 21, 1984. Retrieved January 22, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Guld - och Platinacertifikat − År 2008 '' ( PDF ) ( in Swedish ). IFPI Sweden. Jump up ^ `` The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community : Awards ( Michael Jackson ; ' Thriller ' ) ''. IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Jump up ^ `` British album certifications -- Michael Jackson -- Thriller ''. British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Enter Thriller in the search field and then press Enter. Jump up ^ Gumble, Daniel ( July 5, 2016 ). `` UK 's 60 biggest selling albums of all time revealed ''. Music Week. Retrieved November 11, 2016. Jump up ^ `` American album certifications -- Michael Jackson -- Thriller ''. Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH Jump up ^ `` IFPI Platinum Europe Awards -- 2009 ''. International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Bibliography Brown, Geoff ( 1996 ). The Complete Guide to the Music of Michael Jackson & The Jackson Family. New York City, New York : Omnibus Press. ISBN 0 - 7119 - 5303 - 1. Dyson, Michael Eric ( 1993 ). Reflecting Black : African - American Cultural Criticism. University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 0 - 8166 - 2141 - 1. George, Nelson ( 2004 ). Michael Jackson : The Ultimate Collection ( booklet ). Sony BMG. Taraborrelli, J. Randy ( 2004 ). The Magic and the Madness. Terra Alta, WV : Headline. ISBN 0 - 330 - 42005 - 4. Michael Jackson : Thriller Side one `` Wanna Be Startin ' Somethin ' '' `` The Girl Is Mine '' `` Thriller '' Side two `` Beat It '' `` Billie Jean '' `` Human Nature '' `` P.Y.T. ( Pretty Young Thing ) '' Related articles Quincy Jones Victory Tour Michael Jackson 's Thriller Thriller jacket Thriller 25 ( Limited Japanese Single Collection ) Thrill the World Thriller viral video Thriller -- Live John Landis Vincent Price Ola Ray Michael Jackson Albums Singles Songs Videography Unreleased songs Awards Records and achievements Studio albums Got to Be There Ben Music & Me Forever, Michael Off the Wall Thriller Bad Dangerous HIStory : Past, Present and Future, Book I Invincible Posthumous albums Michael Xscape Remix albums The Original Soul of Michael Jackson Blood on the Dance Floor : HIStory in the Mix The Stripped Mixes The Remix Suite Other albums Farewell My Summer Love Looking Back to Yesterday Thriller 25 One Night in Japan Bad 25 Soundtracks The Wiz E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Michael Jackson 's This Is It Immortal Compilations A Collection of Michael Jackson 's Oldies The Best of Michael Jackson 18 Greatest Hits One Day in Your Life The Michael Jackson Mix 20th Century Masters -- The Millennium Collection : The Best of Michael Jackson Love Songs Number Ones The Essential Michael Jackson King of Pop The Definitive Collection Icon Scream Box sets Anthology The Ultimate Collection Visionary : The Video Singles Thriller 25 : Limited Japanese Single Collection 50 Best Songs -- The Motown Years : Michael Jackson & The Jackson 5 The Collection Hello World : The Motown Solo Collection Concert tours Bad World Tour Dangerous World Tour HIStory World Tour This Is It Filmography Michael Jackson 's Thriller Captain EO Moonwalker Michael Jackson 's Ghosts Miss Cast Away and the Island Girls Michael Jackson 's This Is It Michael Jackson : The Life of an Icon Bad 25 Michael Jackson : The Last Photo Shoot Michael Jackson 's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall Video albums Dangerous : The Short Films Video Greatest Hits -- HIStory HIStory on Film, Volume II Number Ones The One Live in Bucharest : The Dangerous Tour Michael Jackson 's Vision Live at Wembley July 16, 1988 Television `` Stark Raving Dad '' ( The Simpsons episode ) Man in the Mirror : The Michael Jackson Story Move Like Michael Jackson Michael Jackson 's Halloween Video games Michael Jackson 's Moonwalker Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Space Channel 5 Ready 2 Rumble Boxing : Round 2 Space Channel 5 : Part 2 Michael Jackson : The Experience Planet Michael Bibliography Moonwalk Dancing the Dream Specials Motown 25 : Yesterday, Today, Forever MJ & Friends Michael Jackson : 30th Anniversary Celebration United We Stand : What More Can I Give Live at the Apollo Michael Forever -- The Tribute Concert Assets Neverland Ranch Northern Songs Sony / ATV Music Publishing ( formerly ) Influence on society Heal the World Foundation Thrill the World Thriller viral video Thriller -- Live Michael Jackson : The Immortal World Tour Michael Jackson : One Related The Jackson 5 Moonwalk Health and appearance Personal relationships 1993 child sexual abuse accusations Living with Michael Jackson People v. Jackson Death Memorial service Trial of personal physician Cover versions Thriller jacket HIStory statue Quincy Jones Kenny Ortega Bubbles Mesoparapylocheles Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award We Are the World Mind Is the Magic : Anthem for the Las Vegas Show Never Can Say Goodbye : The Music of Michael Jackson Queen Forever Relatives Katherine Esther Scruse ( mother ) Joseph Walter Jackson ( father ) Maureen Reillette Brown ( elder sister ) Sigmund Esco Jackson ( elder brother ) Toriano Adaryll Jackson ( elder brother ) Jermaine La Juane Jackson ( elder brother ) La Toya Yvonne Jackson ( elder sister ) Marlon David Jackson ( elder brother ) Steven Randall Jackson ( younger brother ) Janet Damita Jo Jackson ( younger sister ) Nathaniel Austin Brown ( nephew ) Tito Joe Jackson ( nephew ) Lisa Marie Presley ( ex-wife ) Deborah Jeanne Rowe ( ex-wife ) Prince Jackson ( son ) Paris - Michael Katherine Jackson ( daughter ) Book Portal Quincy Jones Discography Awards Albums Jazz Abroad This Is How I Feel About Jazz Go West, Man ! Quincy 's Home Again The Birth of a Band ! The Great Wide World of Quincy Jones I Dig Dancers Around the World Newport ' 61 The Great Wide World of Quincy Jones Live ( in Zurich ! ) The Quintessence Big Band Bossa Nova Quincy Jones Plays Hip Hits Quincy Jones Explores the Music of Henry Mancini Golden Boy I Had a Ball Quincy Plays for Pussycats Quincy 's Got a Brand New Bag Walking In Space Gula Matari Smackwater Jack You 've Got It Bad Girl Body Heat Mellow Madness I Heard That ! ! Roots Sounds... and Stuff Like That ! ! Quincy Jones Live at the Budokan The Dude Back on the Block Miles & Quincy Live at Montreux Q 's Jook Joint Basie and Beyond The Original Jam Sessions 1969 Q : Soul Bossa Nostra Compilations Ndeda The Best From Q with Love Q The Musical Biography of Quincy Jones Singles `` Soul Bossa Nova '' `` Sanford and Son Theme ( The Streetbeater ) '' `` Stuff Like That '' `` Ai No Corrida '' `` Just Once '' `` One Hundred Ways '' `` I 'll Be Good to You '' `` The Secret Garden ( Sweet Seduction Suite ) '' Other works With Michael Jackson Off the Wall E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Thriller Bad With Frank Sinatra It Might as Well Be Swing Sinatra at the Sands L.A. Is My Lady With USA for Africa `` We Are the World '' With Artists for Haiti `` We Are the World 25 for Haiti '' With Lesley Gore `` It 's My Party '' Grammy Award for Album of the Year 1959 -- 1979 The Music from Peter Gunn -- Henry Mancini ( 1959 ) Come Dance with Me ! -- Frank Sinatra ( 1960 ) The Button - Down Mind of Bob Newhart -- Bob Newhart ( 1961 ) Judy at Carnegie Hall -- Judy Garland ( 1962 ) The First Family -- Vaughn Meader ( 1963 ) The Barbra Streisand Album -- Barbra Streisand ( 1964 ) Getz / Gilberto -- Stan Getz, João Gilberto ( 1965 ) September of My Years -- Frank Sinatra ( 1966 ) A Man and His Music -- Frank Sinatra ( 1967 ) Sgt. Pepper 's Lonely Hearts Club Band -- The Beatles ( 1968 ) By the Time I Get to Phoenix -- Glen Campbell ( 1969 ) Blood, Sweat & Tears -- Blood, Sweat & Tears ( 1970 ) Bridge over Troubled Water -- Simon & Garfunkel ( 1971 ) Tapestry -- Carole King ( 1972 ) The Concert for Bangladesh -- Various ( 1973 ) Innervisions -- Stevie Wonder ( 1974 ) Fulfillingness ' First Finale -- Stevie Wonder ( 1975 ) Still Crazy After All These Years -- Paul Simon ( 1976 ) Songs in the Key of Life -- Stevie Wonder ( 1977 ) Rumours -- Fleetwood Mac ( 1978 ) Saturday Night Fever -- Bee Gees / Various ( 1979 ) 1980 -- 2000 52nd Street -- Billy Joel ( 1980 ) Christopher Cross -- Christopher Cross ( 1981 ) Double Fantasy -- John Lennon and Yoko Ono ( 1982 ) Toto IV -- Toto ( 1983 ) Thriller -- Michael Jackson ( 1984 ) Ca n't Slow Down -- Lionel Richie ( 1985 ) No Jacket Required -- Phil Collins ( 1986 ) Graceland -- Paul Simon ( 1987 ) The Joshua Tree -- U2 ( 1988 ) Faith -- George Michael ( 1989 ) Nick of Time -- Bonnie Raitt ( 1990 ) Back on the Block -- Quincy Jones and various artists ( 1991 ) Unforgettable... with Love -- Natalie Cole ( 1992 ) Unplugged -- Eric Clapton ( 1993 ) The Bodyguard -- Whitney Houston ( 1994 ) MTV Unplugged -- Tony Bennett ( 1995 ) Jagged Little Pill -- Alanis Morissette ( 1996 ) Falling into You -- Celine Dion ( 1997 ) Time Out of Mind -- Bob Dylan ( 1998 ) The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill -- Lauryn Hill ( 1999 ) Supernatural -- Santana ( 2000 ) 2001 -- present Two Against Nature -- Steely Dan ( 2001 ) O Brother, Where Art Thou ? Soundtrack ( 2002 ) Come Away with Me -- Norah Jones ( 2003 ) Speakerboxxx / The Love Below -- Outkast ( 2004 ) Genius Loves Company -- Ray Charles and various artists ( 2005 ) How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb -- U2 ( 2006 ) Taking the Long Way -- Dixie Chicks ( 2007 ) River : The Joni Letters -- Herbie Hancock ( 2008 ) Raising Sand -- Robert Plant & Alison Krauss ( 2009 ) Fearless -- Taylor Swift ( 2010 ) The Suburbs -- Arcade Fire ( 2011 ) 21 -- Adele ( 2012 ) Babel -- Mumford & Sons ( 2013 ) Random Access Memories -- Daft Punk ( 2014 ) Morning Phase -- Beck ( 2015 ) 1989 -- Taylor Swift ( 2016 ) 25 -- Adele ( 2017 ) 24K Magic -- Bruno Mars ( 2018 ) Billboard Year - End number one albums 1956 -- 1975 1956 : Calypso -- Harry Belafonte 1957 : Music from My Fair Lady -- Original Cast 1958 : Music from My Fair Lady -- Original Cast 1959 : The Music from Peter Gunn -- Henry Mancini 1960 : Music from The Sound of Music -- Original Cast 1961 : Camelot -- Original Cast 1962 : West Side Story -- Soundtrack 1963 : West Side Story -- Soundtrack 1964 : Music from Hello, Dolly ! -- Original Cast 1965 : Music from Mary Poppins -- Soundtrack 1966 : Whipped Cream & Other Delights -- Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass 1967 : More of the Monkees -- The Monkees 1968 : Are You Experienced -- The Jimi Hendrix Experience 1969 : In - A-Gadda - Da - Vida -- Iron Butterfly 1970 : Bridge over Troubled Water -- Simon & Garfunkel 1971 : Jesus Christ Superstar -- Soundtrack 1972 : Harvest -- Neil Young 1973 : The World Is a Ghetto -- War 1974 : Goodbye Yellow Brick Road -- Elton John 1975 : Greatest Hits -- Elton John 1976 -- 2000 1976 : Frampton Comes Alive ! -- Peter Frampton 1977 : Rumours -- Fleetwood Mac 1978 : Saturday Night Fever -- Soundtrack 1979 : 52nd Street -- Billy Joel 1980 : The Wall -- Pink Floyd 1981 : Hi Infidelity -- REO Speedwagon 1982 : Asia -- Asia 1983 : Thriller -- Michael Jackson 1984 : Thriller -- Michael Jackson 1985 : Born in the U.S.A. -- Bruce Springsteen 1986 : Whitney Houston -- Whitney Houston 1987 : Slippery When Wet -- Bon Jovi 1988 : Faith -- George Michael 1989 : Do n't Be Cruel -- Bobby Brown 1990 : Janet Jackson 's Rhythm Nation 1814 -- Janet Jackson 1991 : Mariah Carey -- Mariah Carey 1992 : Ropin ' the Wind -- Garth Brooks 1993 : The Bodyguard -- Soundtrack 1994 : The Sign -- Ace of Base 1995 : Cracked Rear View -- Hootie & the Blowfish 1996 : Jagged Little Pill -- Alanis Morissette 1997 : Spice -- Spice Girls 1998 : Titanic : Music from the Motion Picture -- James Horner 1999 : Millennium -- Backstreet Boys 2000 : No Strings Attached -- NSYNC 2001 -- present 2001 : 1 -- The Beatles 2002 : The Eminem Show -- Eminem 2003 : Get Rich or Die Tryin ' -- 50 Cent 2004 : Confessions -- Usher 2005 : The Massacre -- 50 Cent 2006 : Some Hearts -- Carrie Underwood 2007 : Daughtry -- Daughtry 2008 : As I Am -- Alicia Keys 2009 : Fearless -- Taylor Swift 2010 : I Dreamed a Dream -- Susan Boyle 2011 : 21 -- Adele 2012 : 21 -- Adele 2013 : The 20 / 20 Experience -- Justin Timberlake 2014 : Frozen -- Soundtrack 2015 : 1989 -- Taylor Swift 2016 : 25 -- Adele 2017 : Damn -- Kendrick Lamar UK best - selling albums ( by year ) ( 1970 -- 1989 ) 1970 : Bridge over Troubled Water ( Simon & Garfunkel ) 1971 : Bridge over Troubled Water ( Simon & Garfunkel ) 1972 : 20 Dynamic Hits ( various artists ) 1973 : Do n't Shoot Me I 'm Only the Piano Player ( Elton John ) 1974 : The Singles : 1969 -- 1973 ( The Carpenters ) 1975 : The Best of The Stylistics ( The Stylistics ) 1976 : Greatest Hits ( ABBA ) 1977 : Arrival ( ABBA ) 1978 : Saturday Night Fever ( original soundtrack ) 1979 : Parallel Lines ( Blondie ) 1980 : Super Trouper ( ABBA ) 1981 : Kings of the Wild Frontier ( Adam and the Ants ) 1982 : Love Songs ( Barbra Streisand ) 1983 : Thriller ( Michael Jackson ) 1984 : Ca n't Slow Down ( Lionel Richie ) 1985 : Brothers in Arms ( Dire Straits ) 1986 : True Blue ( Madonna ) 1987 : Bad ( Michael Jackson ) 1988 : Kylie ( Kylie Minogue ) 1989 : Ten Good Reasons ( Jason Donovan ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thriller_(Michael_Jackson_album)&oldid=856755943 '' Categories : 1982 albums Albums produced by Michael Jackson Albums produced by Quincy Jones Billboard Dance Club Songs number - one singles Epic Records albums Grammy Award for Album of the Year Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients Michael Jackson albums United States National Recording Registry recordings Hidden categories : CS1 Spanish - language sources ( es ) CS1 Dutch - language sources ( nl ) CS1 German - language sources ( de ) Articles with French - language external links Articles with German - language external links CS1 Italian - language sources ( it ) CS1 Japanese - language sources ( ja ) CS1 Finnish - language sources ( fi ) CS1 French - language sources ( fr ) CS1 Korean - language sources ( ko ) CS1 Swedish - language sources ( sv ) Articles with hAudio microformats Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Certification Table Entry usages for Argentina Certification Table Entry usages for Australia Certification Table Entry usages for Austria Certification Table Entry usages for Canada Certification Table Entry usages for Denmark Certification Table Entry usages for Finland Certification Table Entry usages for France Certification Table Entry usages for Germany Certification Table Entry usages for Hong Kong Certification Table Entry usages for Italy Certification Table Entry usages for Japan Certification Table Entry usages for Mexico Certification Table Entry usages for Netherlands Certification Table Entry usages for New Zealand Certification Table Entry usages for Portugal Certification Table Entry usages for unsupported region Certification Table Entry usages for Sweden Certification Table Entry usages for Switzerland Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom Certification Table Entry usages for United States Certification Table Entry usages for Europe Featured articles Talk Contents About Wikipedia Azərbaycanca বাংলা Български Català Čeština Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español Euskara فارسی Français Gaeilge Galego 한국어 Հայերեն हिन्दी Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית ಕನ್ನಡ ქართული Kiswahili Kurdî Кыргызча Latina Latviešu Lietuvių Magyar Македонски മലയാളം Bahasa Melayu Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Română Русский Scots Shqip Simple English Slovenčina Slovenščina Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska ไทย Türkçe Українська Tiếng Việt Winaray 中文 49 more Edit links This page was last edited on 27 August 2018, at 10 : 06 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: when did thriller became the best selling album
Answer: 1984