Thriller was undoubtedly one of the most important albums in music history, and the stakes for its success were incredibly high. Michael Jackson had already established himself as one of the biggest stars in the world, and with Thriller, he aimed to solidify his position as the King of Pop. The budget for the album was a whopping US$750,000, an unheard-of sum at the time, but one that was deemed necessary to achieve the desired outcome.
The recording process for Thriller was extensive, spanning seven months and utilising some of the best talent in the music industry. The result was an album that was an instant classic, with songs like Thriller, Beat It, and Billie Jean becoming iconic hits that continue to be played and revered to this day.
It’s hard to overstate just how successful Thriller was. At its peak, the album was selling 1 million copies per week, a feat that was simply unprecedented. By the end of 1983, it had sold over 32 million copies worldwide, breaking all previous records and setting a new standard for album sales.
Thriller was not only a commercial success, but also a critical one. The album won a staggering 8 Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, a feat that has only been achieved by a handful of other albums in history. Beat It also won Single of the Year, cementing Michael Jackson’s position as a true superstar.
The production of Thriller was a true team effort, with Quincy Jones serving as producer and the legendary Bruce Swedien handling the recording and mixing. Swedien was known for his aversion to compressors and limiters, instead preferring to ride levels in the mix to achieve the desired sound. The result was an album that was clean, dynamic, and incredibly powerful, with the EMT 250 Digital Reverb being the only effect used.