Michael Jackson 25th Anniversary of Thriller (CD+DVD)

The 25th Anniversary edition of Thriller is a must own CD. The presentation of the CD is great, with top-notch production evident throughout. The original tracks still sound amazing. And the new remixed song versions should introduce younger R&B fans to the man who started it all.

There are many reasons to buy this version of the album even if you already own it. This version includes remastered mixes that sound great. This album also came out at the height of vinyl and casettes, so a lot of people may not own the album on CD. Old school fans will be seduced by the awesome holographic CD dust jacket, sharper re-mastered original tracks and included bonus DVD videos.

Younger music fans who love will.i.am, Kanye West, Fergie and Akon will be attracted by the remade versions. Hard-core Michael Jackson fans might not like those new versions as much. Still, no matter how you slice it, this 25th Anniversary edition belongs in your collection.

It's clear to anybody who follows R&B that so many artists over the past 10 years have made careers essentially emulating Michael's singing style and dance moves. You can include on that list:
- Justin Timberlake - FutureSex / LoveSounds
- Chris Brown - Chris Brown
- Usher - My Way
- Omarion - O

THE TRACKS AND EXTRAS

It's impossible not to hear the songs from this album from time to time, yet it had been a long time since I heard the original album in total, tracks 1-10 on this CD. When you listen to it again, it's impossible not to realize how amazing of a production this truly was, and still is even 25 years later. Every single song is a number one hit, and Michael moves through genres including pop, rock and R&B with ease. See my awards summary at the bottom for more on this.

The remakes can't possibly match Michael's original accomplishment. Yet they are not as bad as many say. I actually like the Akon version of "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin." And Kanye West's "Billie Jean" mix highlights his abilities as a producer.

The included DVD includes the short film music video versions of "Billie Jean," "Beat It" and "Thriller." These videos are historic in their own right, each one a high budget production better than a lot of the movies made in 1982. There's also a nice liner jacket with all the original lyrics and cool album art.

There's also the Motown 25 performance of "Billie Jean." For those that don't remember this performance, it's the one where Michael first does the moonwalk on stage. It takes quite a performer to pull off a rhinestone shirt, rhinestone socks, sparkly jacket, high-waters and one white glove!

It's amazing to note that Michael Jackson actually wrote most of the biggest hits on this album, something today's R&B artists rarely do. Most of the biggest hits from the album are his original works, including "Wanna Be Startin' Something," "The Girl Is Mine," "Beat It," and "Billie Jean." "Baby Be Mine," "Thriller," and "The Lady In My Life" were written and composed by Rod Temperton. "PYT" was the work of the legendary James Ingram and Quincy Jones. And Steve Porcato wrote both "Human Nature" (with John Bettis) and the newly released "For All Time" (with Michael Sherwood), number 16 on this edition.

I really liked this previously unreleased track, and it definitely has a sound akin to Human Nature. I can only speculate that that similarity is what kept it off of the original release.

AWARDS

It's amazing to think this album won 8 Grammys, and I don't even believe it was close in any category.

+ Album of the Year
+ Record of the Year ("Beat It")
+ Best Male Pop Vocals ("Thriller")
+ Best Male Rock Vocals ("Beat It")
+ Best Male R&B Vocals ("Billie Jean")
+ Best R&B Song ("Billie Jean")
+ Producer of the Year (Qunicy Jones and Michael Jackson)
+ Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical (Bruce Swedien)

If there had been awards for best music video back then, "Thriller," "Billie Jean," and "Beat It" would have all been nominated.

CHOOSING THE BEST EDITION

The basic 25th anniversary edition includes the original album tracks, new remixed tracks, videos and a a liner jacket with all the original lyrics and album art. Even more album art and an extended text is included with the fold-out book version of this release, the Thriller Deluxe Casebook Edition). That version is worth getting for die-hard fans who want the case-book as a collector's item. Luckily I was able to get one of each when they were on sale the week of their release. At regular prices though, the regular edition is probably the way to go for most people.

CONCLUSION

This is a pivotal album that is well done here at an affordable price when you factor in all the cool stuff that's included. While some collectors will want to own both this version and the Deluxe Casebook Edition, I think the regular 25th Anniversary Edition has enough extras to satisfy most fans. The new tracks, previously unreleased original tracks, videos and great album art make this a great purchase for new and old fans alike.

Enjoy!!!

The sound quality of the original CD release of "Thriller" was already pretty great (I remember it being used as a demo disc when I bought my first CD player in 1985), but it's been goosed and buffed up here a bit - mostly in the removal of background hiss, etc. The contents of the original album are well known enough to go without comment. The additions are not much of an attraction, however : 2 previously unreleased session songs and one home demo ("Billie Jean") that are interesting but don't shake the rafters. The rest are interviews (try listening to those twice) and the "missing" second verse of the "Thriller" rap by Vincent Price. Booklet does have some nice new notes, but if you have the original "Thriller" CD there really isn't much here to make this an essential purchase, just a luxury.

I woke up from a nap and there were three text messages on my phone. Nobody ever texts me, so I knew it must have been big news. I thought there was a fire or something. Turned out, Michael Jackson is dead. I was startled, to say the least, because MJ never seemed like the kind of person that could, you know, die. To be honest, he never really registered in my consciousness as being a person; Michael Jackson was the androgynous sexual panic of "Billie Jean," the breathless seduction of "P.Y.T.," the thrilling kitsch of "Thriller," the chattering afro-popisms of "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'." The idea that he had a human body, one that needed food and air and sleep, never really clicked in my mind. But then again, I guess that's to be expected. I mean, how can a mere human being really be thought to be capable of creating something as monstrous, as mechanical, as all-encompassing, and as awesome as Thriller? This kid wasn't the king of pop; he was the whole damn kingdom. And we, the audience, are not his loyal subjects; we're just reading the travel brochures.

The point is, Thriller is one of the greatest moments in the history of pure pop. Which is to say, it's plastic, mass-produced, jugular-grabbingly commercial, and completely unconcerned with originality, artistic merit, or honesty. And goshdarnit, I wouldn't have it any other way! With songs and performances as irresistible and ecstatic as the ones found here, artfulness will only get in the way. Because when you have a song as swooping, as ethereal, as hypnotic, and as unashamedly romantic as "Baby Be Mine," there's really no need to question its validity. Just let those labyrinthine keyboards and yearning vocals carry you away to a shiny place. And when "Beat It" comes roaring out of the gates, it does so with such force and brutal eloquence that you completely forget how absurd it is for Michael Jackson to take on the role of a street-smart hoodlum. As a vision of ghetto reality, it's a nonsensical failure; but the important thing to remember is that, on a purely visceral level, it SOUNDS more convincing and more immediate than its more authentic counterparts.

And then there's "Billie Jean," whose lyrics are either shockingly amoral or completely uneventful, but which still manages to be one of the most magical, irresistible, and emotionally charged moments in the history of music. And if we found ourselves getting annoyed by the idea of having to root for a child-abandoning father, then we can just remind ourselves that it's only a pop album. An stunning pop album, to be precise.

The re-issued package includes a gold-pressed CD, a new booklet, and alot of bonus material:
1. interviews with co-producer quincy jones.
2. ***DEMO OF BILLIE JEAN***! AMAZING STUFF! you gotta hear it to belive it, there weren't any lyrics yet to the song, so MJ just hums and makes up words along the way! a classic!
3. a demo of Michael with Vincent Price, for the rap part of "Thriller". you can hear an entire new verse from the rap, never before released.
4. brand new song from the thriller era that was originally recorded for the album but was taken out (vinyl's time limitations, i guess). the song's called "Carousel". it very beautiful, although i'm a bit disappointed it wasn't the entire song (only 1:50 minutes).

In short? a must have. needless to say, all the wonderful tracks have been remastered by engineer Bruce Sweiden, under the direction of Michael himself.
Enjoy the King of Pop!
Oded S.

Well... THRILLER came out in 1983 and if you wanna know what's the importance of this album, just think about this: not only it summed up the best things about American popular music so far but it also revolutionized the way pop music was marketed and regarded. Perhaps, in the History of American music, there are only two phases: before THRILLER and after THRILLER.

If we try to break down the album, we can see each song as the outstanding corollary of certain styles and influences... R&B, Motown, TSOP, Blues, Disco, Gospel, Electro and anything else you can think of. It's all there. And that is the proof that both Michael and his producer Quincy Jones were, at that time, a match made in heaven.

This is certainly an album to be studied.

This 25th Anniversary Edition puts together a nice package: first comes the CD with all the original tracks plus some new remixes and homages(made by Kanye West, Fergie and Will.I.Am) and a new unreleased track FOR ALL TIME.

Now... honestly... I found all this new material completely delectable. I really prefer the previous THRILLER SPECIAL EDITION which contains other unreleased tracks AND a beautiful demo of BILLIE JEAN that is gorgeous. That edition of THRILLER is, in my opinion, superior to this one. It is richer... while this one focuses on the "homage" side.

BUT... this edition comes with a DVD that cannot be missed. Not only it brings you the THRILLER video - without a doubt, the video that defined what a music video is today (before THRILLER, music videos were something else...) but it also comes loaded with new stuff (like the unreleased song FOR ALL TIME) and the great MOTOWN 25 TV special.

So, in a word, unmissable.

And if you are willing to spend more money, you can even get a DELUXE CASEBOOK EDITION that comes in a hardbound 48-page book full of rare photos, lyrics and more.

A little more expensive, but twice unmissable. (laughs)

Thriller is absolutely a trmendously creative album in MJs catalog. No wonder it became the biggest selling album of all time selling 47 million copies worldwide!

Noone will ever forget the incredible title track with the Vincent Price narration and the timeless video. The same goes for the tile glowing video 'Billie Jean' or the angsty 'Beat It'. MJ really expresses a "don't mess with me" attitude with class. Beat It will last forever.

Most of the rest of Thriller to me is similar to Quincy Jones' 'The Dude' LP.

In fact I often enjoy the lesser known songs on Thriller a bit more. Human Nature is absolutely a lovely song and is almost opposite to Thriller. I consider this one of my favorite love songs of my lifetime. Lady In My Life is my other favorite song on Thriller. Sorry dudes but while the whole album is great, The Lady In My Life and Human Nature share the crown as my top favorite songs.

The remastered edition includes new liner notes, interviews about the albums making, and a few bonus songs. Someone In The Dark is a very beautiful song although the E.T. singing was a bit jarring. There is a demo version of the huge hit 'Billie Jean' that was recorded before the regular version was eventually made. The last bonus track Carasoul is a bit dissapointing. It's only one and a half minutes long. The song should have been at least three and a half minutes long. Oh Well.

At least there are great new liner notes, and great photo stills taken from the video and behind the scenes.

Although the remastered edition could have been better this CD is absolutely incredible.

It's a shame that so many people my age completely missed this album during it's heyday although it's still immensely popular. I was only about 4 weeks old when it came out but it is one of the earliest memories I have of listening to music.

Thriller I bet will more than likely be still available in 2082, 100 years after it's release. It's that good. This CD is timeless.

Although I typically stay in the field of heavy metal, I am a child of the 1980's which spells out that Michael Jackson was a huge influence on my musical taste. The original Thriller album is a classic which deserves 5 stars, hands down. This review is not meant for those songs, but for the additional material for the 25th Anniversary Edition.

Is it possible to ruin Michael Jackon's work? Is it possible to turn something that is perfect into complete and utter garbage? Well, if you add will.i.am, Fergie, Akon and Kanye West to the mix you can. These talentless hacks have done something that was initially thought to be impossible in turning the core Thriller material into laughable throw-aways.

Starting with the girl is mine, the song took Paul McCartney's part out completely. How absurd! Replacing Paul McCartney with will.i.am is a recipe for disaster and had no chance to do anything but crash and burn. Similarly you find the terrible "remix" of PYT with, yet again, will.i.am trashing it with his ridiculous original rap placed in the middle.

Akon and Fergie then appear on Wanna Be Startin Something and Beat It, respectively. The instrumentation on Wanna Be Startin Something has been changed with a completely different tempo and takes away the majority of magic that makes the song what it is. The re-hashed version of Beat It is a one-two punch of Fergie and Michael sharing lines that makes you wish for an actual punch rather than listen any further. The combo is simply sad. Also the guitar part of the song has been completely removed, except for the solo which feels completely out of place now.

The only good part of this disc is the addition of For All Time. The song is a slightly different version of Human Nature. The other good part is having the Billie Jean, Beat It and Thriller music videos on DVD.

In the end, the "remixes" can be thrown away and you can be happy that you have the previously unreleased song and the music videos. The so called talent that has been inspired by Michael Jackson and brought in put a modern spin on the hit songs are so bad that they have actually ruined some of the world's best music.

This second re-issue of Thriller is a better re-issue than the 2001 Special Edition. The sound quality is a lot better. But I still find it a tad lacking. It is missing "Can't get Outta The Rain" Which appeared on side 2/B of the 45 release of Billie Jean and "Got the hots" (Which is appearing on the Japan Release). Those 2 tracks should have been added. I wouldn't be surprised if the album has a 30th anniversary edition 5 years later with those 2 songs adeed. Also, The Kanye West Remix of Billie Jean was a tad disappointing. Kanye gave the song a great new beat but I was hoping to get a rap verse out of him on the track. The Fergie remix to Beat It wasn't too bad either. I have nothing against Fergie but I think that P!nk would have been a better choice for the song. Anyways,Anyways, Like I said, this is a big improvement from the 2001 Special Edition for the sound quality. The Interviews on that edition are better bonus features. I think it's well worth getting for the better sound quality. But Even though the sound is better, I find the DVD lacking. Thriller is missing the making of the video. That should have been added.

"Thriller" isn't simply the greatest selling album of all time. To evaluate an album of this magnitude solely on sales doesn't begin to do it justice. It literally turned the music industry on its head, and it ignited a cultural revolution I haven't seen in my 30+ years on this earth. "Thriller" changed the way we listen to music, it jumpstarted MTV culture, and it took Michael Jackson's celebrity to astonishing heights that not even he could handle. But on its very own merits, "Thriller" is still an excellent album flawlessly crafted by producer Quincy Jones and Jackson. The opener, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," the crossover rock jam "Beat It," the funky "P.Y.T.," the signature hit "Billie Jean," and the stomping title track are nothing short of perfect. Even the somewhat sappy duet with Paul McCartney "The Girl Is Mine" has a playful sweetness that you can't resist. But I think "Thriller"'s most underrated track is the closing ballad "The Lady in My Life," an album cut that's just as good as the seven (yes, seven) tracks that were released as singles. In 2001, Sony reissued "Thriller" as a "special edition." While this release is said to be remastered, the sound quality is virtually identical to the previous CD version, and that's not a bad thing. For a 1982 album, both versions project remarkably well, with booming bass and impressive clarity. But what really sets this "special edition" apart is the bonus material that follows this album which clocks at over 70 minutes. We get interviews with Quincy Jones and songwriter Rod Temperton who discuss "Thriller"'s making, the conception of certain tracks, and so forth. Some comments are more useful than others, but I thought both Jones and Temperton helped provide a somewhat intimate look at the making of this recording. Also, we get some additional tracks. "Someone in the Dark" is a ballad that I personally thought was pretty forgettable. We also have a rough demo version of "Billie Jean" with slightly different lyrics. Vincent Price also drops by in the form of a voice-over session for the song "Thriller." The last track is "Carosel," originally recorded for the album but was eventually dropped. It's actually a pretty decent tune, and I personally believed it would have fit into the rest of the album nicely. Sony clearly gave this album the royal treatment, and deservedly so since it is a definite and untouchable 1980s classic. While Jackson would suffer a slow and steady transformation into self-parody, there's no denying his status as a legend. This album, even after 20 years, remains a thriller.

I heard the devastating news of Michael's passing on the radio as I drove from work. At the age of 50 he died very prematurely. As I digested this devastating news I reflected on his influence in my own life. I owned Thriller when it first came out on vinyl. I had never heard anything that sounded like it before. As for the videos a whole new level of skill,talent and showmanship had just opened in front of our eyes.
Then my 26 Year old son gave me and his mother an anniversary present of this album a few months ago. We watched the video that comes with it and listened to all his songs. I have played those songs over and over again. They sound fresh each and every time. Thriller is an amazing album and goes into the annals of history forever. I recalled the Jackson 5 as a teenager. I grew up on their music and owned most works of MJ.
Michael was the king of Pop. He is dead but for most of us he lives on forever as the greatest gift to the world of music in modern times. The world is poorer for his loss but it's also enriched by the legacy of this talented genius of our time.
Michael rest in peace. Long Live The King!