Search - Michael Jackson :: Michael Jackson 25th Anniversary of Thriller

Thriller - Michael Jackson's Masterpiece, Better Than Ever!

Mark | East Coast | 03/19/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Michael Jackson 25th Anniversary of Thriller



The 25th Anniversary edition of Thriller is a must own CD. Some new versions should introduce younger R&B fans to the man who started it all.



There are many reasons to buy this album, even if you already own it. First of all, this album came out at the height of vinyl, so there are a lot of people who don't own the album on CD. Younger music fans who love will.i.am Songs About Girls, Kanye West Graduation, Fergie The Dutchessand Akon Konvicted will be attracted by the remade versions, even if hard-core Michael Jackson fans don't like them as much. Old school fans will be seduced by the awesome holographic CD dust jacket, sharper re-mastered original tracks and included bonus DVD videos. No matter how you slice it, this 25th Anniversary edition belongs in your collection.



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 now 25 years later. Every single song is a number one hit, and Michael moves through genres including pop, rock and R&B with ease, nailing each one. See my awards summary at the bottom for more on this.



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



Record labels have an army of very intelligent number crunchers that clearly realized the marketing potential of putting some top stars together to add remakes to this anniversary edition. 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 really 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 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. Let me tell you, it takes quite a performer to pull off a rhinestone shirt, rhinestone socks, sparkly jacket, high-waters and one white glove!



There's also a nice liner jacket with all the original lyrics and cool album art. Even more is included with the fold-out casebook version of this release. Michael Jackson 25th Anniversary of Thriller(Deluxe Casebook Edition)



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.



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)



And there must not have been awards for best music video back then because "Thriller," "Billie Jean," and "Beat It" would have all been nominated.



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.



Enjoy!!!

"

Originals Still Sound Great, "Remixes..." Not So Much

Danielle Turchiano | Van Nuys, CA United States | 02/13/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"There isn't much more that can be said about the tracks on this re-release of "Thriller" that are from the original 1983 album. Everything from "Wanna Be Startin' Something" to "The Lady In My Life" holds up extremely well even a quarter of a century later. This 25th Anniversary Edition also gives us both the single release version and the long version of "Billie Jean," as well as a previously unrecorded track called "For All Time." With all new technology employed to clean up the tracks and make the sound crisper, Michael sounds fresh and new and revived (which I'm sure he is hoping will be a metaphor for this stage in his career, as well).



Unfortunately, though, the so-called remixes are very disappointing and do not enhance the value of this album at all. The two tracks that feature will.i.am ("The Girl Is Mine" and "P.Y.T.") suffer from Will's lack of creativity in his verses and really only remind you how great the songs were when they were untouched. "Beat It" featuring Fergie isn't really a remix so much as a few lines in a verse or two laid down by Fergie over the old track. Lame and boring. And don't let the "featuring Kanye West" tag on "Billie Jean" fool you: Kanye does not do a guest rap verse but rather he produced the new mix, adding a heavier beat and a couple of introductory grunts. Ironically, the one stand out was Akon's version of "Wanna Be Startin' Something," which is a unique approach to the song, breathing new life for a new generation, and of course the second disc, which gives you also three music videos ("Beat It," "Billie Jean," and "Thriller") and a live performance by Michael at an awards show, is a must-have for any collector, as well.



It may be a little sad to say the only "new" music you're getting excited about is an album you actually already own, but with the case of this er-release, it's true. Buy this album only if you want to hear rejuvenated versions of classics. You can skip most of the "new" stuff."

Not Thrilled

S. Zimmermann | Seattle, WA USA | 02/14/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"My learning about the new album release was first met with shock: wow, thriller? *the* Thriller Album?!? Then with anxiety: how could something as great as "Thriller" be re-released in a way that *adds* value to the absolute best dance album of all times? Finally, with excitement: could Michael possibly have a stroke of genius and leverage the 25th anniversary of Thriller to do something new and absolutely, positively amazing? Could this be the return of *the* Michael?



Short answer: no, it's not. Of course, the original songs are still as good. But then, I'm like: that's it? A couple lousy remixes, with artists like Fergie and Akon that came to light as solo artists in the last five years and are probably going to be passé in the next two? That's all Michael has in store? Where is the new material? Where is the amazement? Where is the thrill? Where is the innovation that we were served with, back in 1983?



And then, if remixing is the way to go, where is the Thriller remix? Is it missing so we can spend more money in the near future? Or because this track is of such historical importance that touching it would be sacrilegious? I'm afraid to guess.



The original Thriller album is what kept me liking Michael because regardless of who the artist is in real life, on the musical level, it's pure genius. But now I'm angry and offended: how could Michael show so little respect for an album that music professionals and fans alike have utmost respect for, and do something that's all too common today: remixing to death? Now, not only is my pristine image of the original album tainted, but because kids will grow up listening to those remixes instead of the originals, those tracks could actually start aging and stop being classics.



What an irresponsible risk to take, and how frustrating. This totally infuriates me."