"Michael Jackson - Thriller" A Classic

 


    Where do I even start with this album? It is rare for me to say an album needs no introduction, even from me who loves making these personal little notes on how I was introduced to artists/albums. The issue with this album is that there's simply nothing personal here. That is how much of a cultural phenomenon Michael Jackson has been in my life. I don't remember a time when he wasn't famous, and he's remained so iconic that there's never been a time I didn't know this album cover, or heard the singles off of this album. I don't even know when I first heard the singles to this song, it's like I've just always known them, and that's rare. It actually took me quite a while to get around to listening to this album in full though, since I listened to it about last year. In my defense, I already knew half of the songs on this album and well it's 9 songs long so it's not like it was a particularly long nor arduous listen. Either way, my friend Shoota recced this album so I thought it'd be a good time to officially record some thoughts on it. So without further ado, my track-by-track review.

Thriller - Michael Jackson

Wanna Be Startin' Something - 75/100 Is it bad that every time I listen to this song/large swaths of this album I can only think about the time Glee covered Michael Jackson for an episode? (also that one Rhianna album that samples this song) I'd say this is a pretty good intro track though. It doesn't reveal all of the cards but is a taster. Can you tell I hate it when an album starts with the best song/shove all the singles to the front of the track list? I mean this song is a bit long but I'm not too bothered.

Baby Be Mine - 85/100 I vaguely remember some electronic song sampling the beginning of this song which is kind of embarrassingly how I found out about it. Either way this song is great though.

The Girl is Mine  (With Paul McCartney) - 45/100 This is easily the low point of the album. It's pretty easy going for most of it and I didn't absolutely hate it until the end where they stop singing and just kind of argue for a bit and you ask yourself "that's it?" It really doesn't even go anywhere sonically or lyrically why does it exist.

Thriller - 80/100 I have weird feelings on this song not because I don't it's good but because it sadly suffers from "Retail Syndrome". Not in the sense that I'm some hipster who refuses to like popular things (I'm working on it) but rather because it's always teetered on the edge of being too overplayed for me to enjoy it. I partially blame all the Halloween dance my school always threw because this song was guaranteed to be played no matter what.

Beat It - 85/100 I promise the score of this very popular single isn't just higher than Thriller because it's shorter and more prominently features a guitar, but it also helps. Is it bad a part of my brain goes to the Fall Out Boy cover first?85

Billie Jean - 90/100 It's kind of insane this three single run exists it's ridiculously iconic. Sometimes I toss up between Beat It and Billie Jean but honestly I think this song is just groovier and catchier. I do love both the basslines and the chorus in this song.

Human Nature - 95/100 Is it kind of insane that I think this is the best song on the album? Perhaps but I really do love it. Fun fact, my sister prefers the Glee version of this song make of that what you will.

P.Y.T. - 95/100 Is it kind of weird that I discovered this song from The Good Life by Kanye West? Yes but I don't think it changes the fact that it's one of my favourite songs from MJ in general and I don't have to think about it twice. It's catchy, danceable, groovy, pretty much everything I'd want from him.

The Lady in My Life - 85/100 Better than I remember to be honest. I was going to say it's no Human Nature but it's better than I remember.

Final Score: 88/100

    I didn't realize my scores would average up exactly to 85 but you know what that's a pretty fair assessment for this album. Honestly, I would say it's quite fairly rated on this website I'm tempted to bump up my score of it too. It's just hard to deny how this album could be another artists greatest hits album and you probably wouldn't blink an eye because this album is that star-studded. It's weird how much I like this album because I don't even really consider myself a Michael Jackson fan either, like I enjoy his music but he's so popular i feel like i should be doing more to call myself a fan of his. Anyways, go listen to the Glee covers of his song. Not because I think the covers are better but I just really like the show.

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