With the new release of the Michael Jackson movie, it’s important to recognize how the proclaimed “King of Pop” iconically transformed the pop music genre forever. His famous spunky moves like the moonwalk and unique movie-esque music videos, such as the one for “Thriller,” make Jackson a true stand-out star of the 80s. He brought a fresh, catchy energy that music was missing.
My personal favorite album of his is the “Thriller” album, which includes revolutionary hits such as “Beat It” and “Billie Jean.” This was Jackson’s sixth studio album, and became one of his most successful albums, along with “Bad” and “Off the Wall.” While some songs are better than others, “Thriller” was a beautiful addition to Jackson’s discography and put him in his own musical league.
One of my favorite tracks is “Human Nature”, which has a very classy, 80s feel to it. Jackson overlaps his vocals well, and lyrics like “I love livin’ this way, I love lovin’ this way” provide a carefree, unapologetic vibe. The verses have a subtle beat that develops in complexity and volume before climaxing at the chorus. I enjoy this musical style because I feel that it makes the chorus extra special, and the beat develops with the listener’s energy. Considering that most of the album is pretty upbeat, this song continues the overall musical precedent established by the earlier tracks.
One of these earlier tracks, titled “Wanna Be Startin’ Something,” actually sets this enthusiastic precedent, as it is the first song on the album. Jackson again incorporates his famous, familiar background vocals, and this song is arguably the most cheerful of the album because it opens with a loud, sassy chorus. By opening with “I said you wanna be startin’ something,” he is indicating the start of the album, and ironically starting one of the most iconic albums of all time. The song puts you in a mood to dance and moves listeners to a confident, vibrant atmosphere. Personally, not only do I love this song’s tone, but it is somewhat sentimental because my mom also enjoys this song and used to sing it to me when I was growing up.
Another hit that strikes some sentiment for me is “Thriller,” because I heavily associate it with Halloween and going trick-or-treating with my friends in my childhood. As children, my friends and I frequently, but poorly, attempted Jackson’s iconic moonwalk. “Thriller” has a truly thrilling vibe because the lyrics, such as “And you feel the cold hand and wonder if you’ll ever see the sun,” set an eerie tone, while the chorus has a lighter atmosphere. The verses match the zombie-esque music video and create a spooky scene for viewers and listeners. Then, the chorus talks about a “thriller” (a monster, to accompany the Halloween vibe) with a very fun beat, contrasting the actual lyrics. Jackson also created an iconic dance in the music video that added to the visual element of the music. Jackson’s ability to gauge multiple senses in his art played a major role in his pop-cultural and musical influence.
The album grapples with general themes such as fun, love and lust through a mix of songs like “P.Y.T.,” “Human Nature,” and “Baby Be Mine,” but also explores a fear factor in hits like “Thriller” and “Billie Jean.” Jackson took artistic risks through his flashy dance moves and costumes, along with untraditionally blending certain genres. For instance, “The Girl is Mine” smoothly integrates pop and R&B. Jackson transforms his art from great to excellence with this album by producing such iconic hits, but what truly makes Jackson a great artist is that he was able to replicate this success with his album “Bad.” Overall, this music makes me and other viewers have pure fun, showing that music doesn’t have to be relatable or even emotional to still be excellent. I would recommend this album to anyone who wants to listen to something truly energetic, wants to dance or just wants to have fun.
