Album · Michael Jackson
Thriller by Michael Jackson
Thriller is an album by Michael Jackson, released in 1982. 5 songs from it have charted on rock radio countdowns, with 49 countdown appearances in total. The biggest is “Billie Jean”, on 17 lists with a best position of #6.
Thriller, Michael Jackson's album on Epic from November 30, 1982, came after Off the Wall had made him a solo star, and it's pop music built like a skyscraper. Jackson co-produced it with Quincy Jones, and every style gets its own floor: slick post-disco, taut funk, sleek R&B, new wave and synth-pop sheen, and enough rock muscle to crash any party.
"Billie Jean" struts, tense and coiled, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" churns, "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" glides, "Beat It" bares its teeth, and the title track is pure theatre. The videos for "Thriller", "Beat It" and "Billie Jean" changed what a music video could be. The album won Album of the Year at the Grammys, took Best Male Pop Vocal Performance too, and stands as the best-selling album in history.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
Songs from Thriller on radio countdowns
| # | Song | Strength | Lists | Best | #1s | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Billie Jean | 17 | #6 | – | 2001–2026 | |
| 2 | Thriller | 17 | #14 | – | 1988–2026 | |
| 3 | Beat It | 10 | #61 | – | 2012–2026 | |
| 4 | Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' | 4 | #208 | – | 2018–2025 | |
| 5 | P.Y.T (Pretty Young Thing) | 1 | #520 | – | 2018 |
Only songs that appear on at least one countdown are listed. Release data from MusicBrainz.