Thriller

"Thriller" is a 1982 hit single recorded by Michael Jackson for the Epic label. In the U.S., it reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and number one on the Radio & Records singles charts,[1] while in the UK, it peaked at number ten. On February 20, 2006, the single, as well as the video, was re-released as part of the Visionary: The Video Singles package. The 14-minute video is regarded by MTV[2] as the greatest music video of all-time, and the song itself is considered to be one of Jackson's signature songs. The single was released in the United Kingdom, in November 1983.

The song remains popular as evidenced by sales of over 1,159,000 digital downloads in the U.S. alone[3] and regularly returns to the Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart,[4] since the chart's inception in 2005.

Song information

Written by Rod Temperton, produced by Quincy Jones, and featuring a guest soliloquy from Vincent Price, "Thriller" is one of Jackson's signature songs, in no small part because of its music video.

The original U.S. 7" single does not feature the rap by Vincent Price.

The original name for "Thriller" single was "Starlight Love" and demos put it as "Starlight Sun". The hook was changed to "Thriller! Thriller night..." from "Starlight! Starlight sun..."

The song is included on Jackson's Thriller album, which was released on December 1, 1982, and was the seventh and final single pulled from it.

A voice-over recording session of "Thriller" appears on the special edition version of the album, released in 2001. This session features additional verses of the rap performed by Vincent Price, which were removed from the final version of the song.

The backing track, especially the bassline, has certain similarities to the 1981 number-one R&B hit "Give It to Me Baby" by Rick James.[5]

A new edit of the song, omitting much of the intro, was made in 2003 for the compilation Number Ones.

Jackson performed the song on his Bad Tour, Dangerous Tour, and his HIStory Tour. He would perform it on This is It but it was cancelled due to his sudden death, in the rehearsal for This is It it contains snippets of Threatened of his Invincible album.