Thriller
Michael Jackson'sThrilleris the bestselling album of all time, with 45 million worldwide sales powered by seven Top 10 U.S. singles and eight Grammy Awards. The 1982 album was also a success from which the pop superstar never really recovered--subsequent albums seemed to have no other goal than to beat the records set byThriller. The highly-polished sound of Quincy Jones's production sounds almost organic compared to Jackson's more recent work, and in the same regard,Thrillerwas significantly slicker than its predecessor,Off the Wall. Both albums established a Jackson style that aimed for the dance floor with songs built on a state-of-the-art bed of percussion and keyboards. Elements of milestoneThrillertracks like "Billie Jean" (arguably Jackson's best-ever performance) and "Beat It" (with its hard-rock solo by guitarist Eddie Van Halen) influenced not just Jackson's records, but those of the entire dance-pop world. On the song "Thriller," Jackson indulged his taste for the juvenile and invited Vincent Price to rap in a really scary voice. WithThrillerthe album, Jackson created a different kind of monster--a hit album of such magnitude that it would have an irrevocable impact not just on the singer's art, but on his altogether kooky life.--John Milward