Thriller (Digital download)

~ Release by Michael Jackson (see all versions of this release, 85 available)

Tracklist

1▼Digital Media
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
Michael Jackson6:03
2Baby Be Mine
Michael Jackson34:20
3The Girl Is Mine
Michael Jackson; Paul McCartney33:42
4Thriller
recording engineer and mixer:
Bruce Swedien
synthesizer programming:
Anthony Marinelli (Soundtrack composer)
producer:
Quincy Jones
drum machine [LinnDrum], background vocals and lead vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
flugelhorn and trumpet:
Gary Grant (brass) and Jerry Hey
flute and saxophone:
Larry Williams (jazz keyboard, sax, flute & clarinet; producer, composer, arranger, and multi‐instrumentalist)
guitar:
David Williams (session guitarist and songwriter)
synthesizer:
Brian Banks (American keyboardist), Greg Phillinganes and Rod Temperton
trombone:
Bill Reichenbach, Jr. (jazz trombonist)
spoken vocals:
Vincent Price (US horror film actor)
horn arranger and wind instruments arranger:
Jerry Hey
percussion arranger and synthesizer arranger:
Rod Temperton
sound effects:
Bruce Cannon and Bruce Swedien
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MJJ Productions Inc. (rights holder, not an imprint) (in 1982)
recorded at:
Westlake Recording Studios (founded as Westlake Audio in the early 1970s) in West Hollywood, California, United States (in 1982)
music videos:
Thriller by Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
part of:
Billboard Hot 100: 2025-11-15 (number: 10) and Billboard Hot 100: 2025-11-08 (number: 32)
recording of:
Thriller
lyricist and composer:
Rod Temperton
publisher:
Almo Music Corp. (USA, affiliated with ASCAP), Chrysalis Music Ltd. (music publisher, affiliated with PRS), Rodsongs (publisher), Rondor Music (London) Ltd., Universal Music Publishing France (not for release label use!) and ワーナー・チャペル音楽出版 Synch事業部 (Warner/Chappell Music Japan K.K., Synch Division)
is based on:
Starlight
part of:
MJ: The Musical
Michael Jackson4.455:58
5Beat It
Michael Jackson44:18
6Billie Jean
recording engineer and mixer:
Bruce Swedien
synthesizer programming:
Bill Wolfer (record producer, songwriter, musician and synthesizer programmer from USA)
co-producer:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
producer:
Quincy Jones
bass guitar:
Louis Johnson (bass, member of Brothers Johnson)
drums (drum set):
Leon Ndugu Chancler
guitar:
David Williams (session guitarist and songwriter)
Rhodes piano and synthesizer:
Greg Phillinganes
synthesizer:
Bill Wolfer (record producer, songwriter, musician and synthesizer programmer from USA)
lead vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
conductor:
Jeremy Lubbock
percussion and synthesizer arranger and synthesizer arranger:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
strings arranger:
Jerry Hey
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MJJ Productions Inc. (rights holder, not an imprint) (in 1982)
recorded at:
Westlake Recording Studios (founded as Westlake Audio in the early 1970s) in West Hollywood, California, United States (in 1982)
edit of:
Billie Jean (long version) by Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
music videos:
Billie Jean by Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
part of:
VH1: 100 Greatest Songs of the 80’s (compiled in 2006) (number: 4), Billboard: The 500 Best Pop Songs (as of October 2023) (number: 7), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-05-23 (number: 15), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – 500 Songs That Shaped Rock, Billboard Hot 100: 2026-05-16 (number: 17), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-06-20 (number: 18), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-06-06 (number: 19), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-06-13 (number: 19), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-05-30 (number: 32), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-05-09 (number: 38), Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 44), Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 58) and Billboard: Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Songs (number: 95)
recording of:
Billie Jean
lyricist and composer:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
publisher:
Mijac Music, Warner–Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (publisher; do NOT use as release label) and Warner/Chappell North America Limited (formerly incorporated as Marmalade Music Ltd., from 1968/09/19–1999/11/09)
sub-publisher:
Neue Welt Musikverlag GmbH & Co. KG (– 2017) and ソニー・ミュージックパブリッシング A事業部 (Sony Music Publishing (Japan) Inc., A Division)
part of:
MJ: The Musical
Michael Jackson4.14:53
7Human Nature
Michael Jackson44:05
8P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
Michael Jackson43:58
9The Lady in My Life
Michael Jackson34:58

Credits

Release group

associated singles/EPs:Beat It
Billie Jean
Human Nature
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
The Girl Is Mine by Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”) & Paul McCartney (The Beatles)
Thriller
Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’
Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ / Beat It
covers:Easy Star’s Thrillah by Easy Star All-Stars
Thriller Recovered by Various Artists (add compilations to this artist)
part of:Billboard Decade End Chart: Billboard 200 (1980s) (number: 1) (order: 1)
Music Canada Certified Double Diamond Albums (number: 1984-04-01) (order: 1)
Apple Music: 100 Best Albums (number: 2) (order: 2)
Pitchfork: The 200 Best Albums of the 1980s (number: 2) (order: 2)
Brit Award for British Album of the Year (winners) (number: 1984) (order: 4)
Rolling Stone: 100 Best Albums of the Eighties (published November 16, 1989) (number: 7) (order: 7)
Z-Trip’s Top Nine 80s Records (number: Honorable Mention) (order: 10)
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 2020 edition (number: 12) (order: 12)
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 2023 edition (number: 12) (order: 12)
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 2003 edition (number: 20) (order: 20)
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 2012 edition (number: 20) (order: 20)
Grammy Award: Album of the Year nominees (number: 1984 winner) (order: 109)
Discothèque Idéale Qobuz / Qobuz Ideal Discography (order: 131)
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2005 edition) (number: 506) (order: 507)
Wikipedia:en: Thriller 25 [info]
en: Thriller 40 [info]
Discogs:https://www.discogs.com/master/8883 [info]
lyrics page:https://genius.com/albums/Michael-jackson/Thriller [info]
reviews:https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/649p [info]
https://www.rollingstone.de/reviews/michael-jackson-thriller/ [info]
other databases:https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/michael_jackson/thriller/ [info]
https://www.musik-sammler.de/album/23365/ [info]
https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-details-12 [info]
Allmusic:https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0000056882 [info]
Wikidata:Q44320 [info]
discography entry:https://www.last.fm/music/Michael+Jackson/Thriller [info]