Track Listing 1. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2. Baby Be Mine 3. Girl Is Mine, The 4. Thriller 5. Beat It 6. Billie Jean 7. Human Nature 8. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) 9. Lady in My Life, The 10. Quincy Jones Commentary 11. Someone in the Dark - (bonus track) 12. Quincy Jones Commentary 13. Billie Jean - (previously unreleased, 1981 demo) 14. Quincy Jones Commentary 15. Rod Temperton Commentary 16. Quincy Jones Commentary 17. Voice-Over Session From "Thriller" 18. Rod Temperton Commentary 19. Quincy Jones Commentary 20. Carousel - (previously unreleased) 21. Quincy Jones Commentary
| Details | | Playing Time: | 42 min. | | Contributing Artists: | David Foster, Eddie Van Halen, Janet Jackson, Jeff Porcaro, Paul McCartney, Steve Lukather, Vincent Price | | Producer: | Quincy Jones | | Distributor: | Sony Music Distribution ( | | Recording Type: | Studio | | Recording Mode: | Stereo | | SPAR Code: | AAD |
Album Notes Personnel includes: Michael Jackson (vocals, percussion); Paul McCartney (vocals); Vincent Price (spoken vocals); Steve Lukather (guitar, bass); Eddie Van Halen, Dean Parks, Paul Jackson (guitar); Larry Williams (flute, saxophone); Jerry Hey (trumpet, flugelhorn); Bill Reichenbach (trombone); David Paich (piano, synthesizer); Greg Phillinganes (Fender Rhodes piano, synthesizer, programming); Steve Porcaro (synthesizer, programming); David Foster, Rod Temperton (synthesizer); Tom Bahler (Synclavier); Louis Johnson (bass); Ndugu Chancler, Jeff Porcaro (drums); Paulinho Da Costa (percussion); Brian Banks (programming); LaToya Jackson, Julia Waters, Maxine Waters, Oren Waters, Becky Lopez, Janet Jackson (background vocals). Principally recorded at Westlake Audio, Los Angeles, California. The finest example of perfect disco pop, and a record that should be prescribed to musical snobs and manic depressives. The album is a true ambassador of what pop music can be. Jackson whoops and dances through a suite of unforgettable melodies that should be danced to with a smile on your face. Each track offers at least one musical hook, whether it is the beauty of 'Human Nature' (who can resist the 'dada dada da da da') or the 'whoo whoo' of 'Billie Jean'. It's all too good. The finest example of perfect disco pop, and a record that should be prescribed to musical snobs and manic depressives. The album is a true ambassador of what pop music can be. Jackson whoops and dances through a suite of unforgettable melodies that should be danced to with a smile on your face. Each track offers at least one musical hook, whether it is the beauty of 'Human Nature' (who can resist the 'dada dada da da da') or the 'whoo whoo' of 'Billie Jean'. It's all too good.
Editorial Reviews Ranked #7 in Rolling Stone's 100 Best Albums Of The 80s survey. Rolling Stone (11/01/1989)
Included in Vibe's 100 Essential Albums of the 20th Century Vibe (12/01/1999)
5 stars out of 5 - ...The music stands undimmed by time....delivers some of the greatest ever pop-soul-dance-whatever...hardly a weak moment, and still no one goes 'aow' quite like Michael Jackson. Q (01/01/2000)
Included in Q Magazine's 100 Greatest Albums Ever Q (01/01/2003)
Ranked #20 in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time - ...There was a time when he was truly the King of Pop. This is it... Rolling Stone (12/11/2003)
3 stars out of 5 -- [T]racks like 'Wanna Be Starting Something' remain slabs of total pop, whose genius should never by obscured by a blizzard of sales stats. Uncut
[A] magnificent helping of pop history, due in no small part to Quincy Jones's immaculate production. The Word
4 stars out of 5 -- [I]t's genius....This is a profoundly quirky and omnivorous R&B mash-up, making room for hard-rock guitar and soft-serve balladry. Blender
[A] masterpiece....THRILLER was a collection of songs that cohered as the statement of a young artist proclaiming his freedom... Entertainment Weekly
5 stars out of 5 -- THRILLER was MJ at his breathiest and most salacious, and his most beautifully fragile....[A] work of genius. Rolling Stone
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