Thriller Continues to Impress 40 Years Latre

Paul McCartney (left) and Michael Jackson (right) in a recording booth for the song “That Girl is Mine”. Credit: theguardian.com

In honor of Moeller’s Marching Band announcing Michael Jackson’s Thriller as next year’s performance theme, we here at The Moeller Crusader wanted revisit this classic with it’s own review. Enjoy.

We all know Michael Jackson. Whether it’s listening to him in the car with your parents or your older brother showing you the Thriller music video when you were little, scaring you to death. With this, we begin to question exactly what made him become THE popstar god? Why is Moeller playing the album Thriller in the ‘22-‘23 school year? The reason why Thriller was a mark in the timeline of music is due to the sheer magnitude of impact that every part of the album produced. From billboard shattering singles to revolutionary music videos, Michael Jackson does it all. In this review, we will go through the impact of this album in the medium of cultural relevance, music videos, features, and total sales.

Firstly, you can’t bring up Thriller without mentioning the title track’s music video. In this music video, it goes against whatever was considered normal at the time in terms of music videos. Rather than just doing a video where you show a bunch of colors and dance around, it takes on this horror spoof, with Michael Jackson turning into both a werewolf and zombie throughout the duration of the video. Along with this, there was also a bit of a story alongside the song. This was huge in the 80s, with the increasing popularity of both MTV and horror films, the album hit a pot of gold, grossing over 900,000 total sales. Both Beat it and Billie Jean had music videos as well, which all three contributed to the takeoff of MTV. This paved the way for music videos for years to come, giving them a platform to get recognition. In a way, Nirvana owes a thank you to Michael Jackson for giving MTV the clout of a century.

Thriller has 3 of the most popular pop songs of all time. While many lists you may find on the internet are somewhat different in what they consider to be the best, many of them have the Thriller hits such as Billie Jean, Thriller, and Beat It at least in the top one hundred pop songs of all time. Some lists made even have Billie Jean as one of the top ten songs of all time, let alone just the pop category. The catchy hook of Beat It with Eddie Van Halen playing guitar, Billie Jean and its iconic baseline, and Thriller with its 80s-stereotypical keyboard sound, they all just worm into your brain to make it impossible to even think about any other song. That’s just the top three songs off the album, there is still songs like Baby Be Mine, The Girl is Mine, P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing), and especially Human Nature that really define this short forty-two-minute album as a landmark in the music timeline.

Why is the Moeller band doing this in 2023? Thriller is a journey of its own right, bringing you through an emotional rollercoaster of highs and lows. This album single handedly made Michael Jackson, solidifying him as the king of pop. To pay tribute to this, it would make sense why the Moeller Band is playing songs off of this album.

For the next section, we will take a closer look at each individual track and its significance to the album.

Poster about the Thriller music video. Credit: grammy.com

Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ – With most albums, it’s important to start off strong to set the mood for the rest of the record. Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ does this perfectly, starting off with a catchy, upbeat tempo. Through the use of this techno-style we are introduced to Michael Jackson’s catchy chorus, filled with adlibs going “yeah yeah”. Definitely a great start to the record.

Baby Be Mine – This song is a bit slower than the first, but we get to really hear the vocal range of Michael Jackson throughout the duration of this song. It starts off with a drum riff then leads into a jazz-style bassline that just makes you tap your foot to the rhythm. When you listen to the song, it’s like being in a 70s disco bar. The groovy bass and heavy lyrics make this song a personal favorite off the album. Definitely excited to hear the Moeller band play this one.

The Girl Is Mine (with Paul McCartney – Even slower than Baby Be Mine, this song starts off with a light drum riff into a fitting baseline with a quiet piano in the back. It’s clear to see that this song is focusing on the vocals much more than the first two tracks, and you can see why. Michael Jackson starts the first verse, with Paul McCartney coming in to intertwine in this battle of deciding whether or not “the girl is mine”. This focus on the vocals pays off in a big way, with both voices complementing each other perfectly. They also have a conversation mid-song, to which it then transitions smoothly back into the original song. This song is like watching a romantic comedy with a song right in the middle of it. Excellent way to integrate someone with as much popularity as Paul McCartney.

Thriller – Being the title track, you’d expect this song to embody the entirety of the album. Wrong. Thriller starts off with a creaky door, to which it then starts playing the signature keyboard riff that’s instantly recognizable to any person. The chorus is the single best show of Michael Jackson’s iconic voice. Him hitting that high note when he says “Thriller” instantly gets stuck in your head, really getting the point across that Michael Jackson is here to take the pop throne. Very excited to hear the Moeller band play this.

Beat It – You can’t talk about Thriller without bringing this track up. With Eddie Van Halen playing a guitar solo, it’s easy to understand why this was such a popular song. It starts off with a synth riff, then goes into the signature guitar line. There isn’t a lot to criticize Beat It on, it’s a catchy song with an even catchier guitar riff. This is arguably the most popular song on the album, being played on the radio like every twenty minutes. It has a little something from everyone, which is the beauty of Beat It.

Billie Jean – Another popular hit, Billie Jean starts off with its signature bass riff, arguably the most recognizable of the whole record. Billie Jean is one of those songs where it’s impossible to not sing along with the chorus. If someone ever asks you to show them a Michael Jackson song, it has to be this one. Very excited to see how the Moeller band does this one.

Michael Jackson’s “P.Y.T” single cover. Credit: wikipedia.com

Human Nature – Right after the amazing Billie Jean, this song is like walking home from a party. Rather than being catchy, this song is Michael Jackson telling you a story about a girl and not understanding, well, human nature. While it’s not the best song on the album, it is for those who love a slow dance song with an emphasis on that signature vibe you get from a slower song.

P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) – This song does a really good job of starting slower then building up to Michael Jackson’s classic of hooking you into whatever he’s putting down. This is also the first track where we get a beat change mid-song. The latter half of the song is excellent, encapsulating even more of what Michael Jackson’s all about.

The Lady in My Life – This song should be an example for every artist of how to end an album. It’s slow, with a theme of treasuring a girl. It’s upbeat enough to where it isn’t sad, yet slow enough to appreciate the journey that is the album Thriller. Think of a date ending with looking at the stars on a hill, the perfect way to end a day. Fading out into silence, that does it for the album.

What should I expect next year? Well, expect to hear a lot of bass, keyboard, and vocals. The songs you should be most excited about are Thriller, Billie Jean, and Beat It. It’s going to be very big shoes to fill, but if the Moeller band can pull it off it will be a year to remember for sure. I recommend listening to this album in its entirety, you’ll be able to appreciate the Moeller band more and I promise you won’t regret it.