Claim: Michael Jackson released an album in 1982.

Thriller is the sixth studio album by American singer Michael Jackson , and the best-selling album of all time .   Thriller was released on November 30 , 1982 in the United States by Epic Records and internationally by CBS Records . The follow-up to Jackson 's successful previous studio album , Off the Wall -LRB- 1979 -RRB- it explores genres similar to those of its predecessor , including pop , post-disco , rock and funk . Recording sessions for the album took place from April to November 1982 at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles , with a production budget of $ 750,000 -LRB- US$ in dollars -RRB- . Quincy Jones produced the album , while Jackson wrote four of its nine songs .   In just over a year , Thriller became -- and currently remains -- the world 's best-selling album , with estimated sales of 65 million copies . It is the best-selling album in the United States and the first album to be certified 33x multi-platinum , having shipped 33 million album-equivalent units . The album won a record-breaking number of eight Grammy Awards in 1984 , including Album of the Year . Seven singles were released from the album , all of which reached the top 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart . Thriller also enabled Jackson to break down racial barriers in pop music , via his appearances on MTV and meeting with the US 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 of the album was released , which contains additional audio interviews , demo recordings 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 remixes that feature contemporary artists , a previously unreleased song and a DVD , which features the short films from the album and the Motown 25 performance of `` Billie Jean '' . That same year the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame , along with Jackson 's Off the Wall album . In 2012 , Slant Magazine placed Thriller at number one on its list of `` Best Albums 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 list of the `` Definitive 200 albums of all time '' . 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 '' .