Thriller — Do we really need to go here? The story has been told millions of times. Thriller was released quietly in December 1982 and began with the Top Two hit “The Girl is Mine,” a duet with Paul McCartney. Rod Temperton again wrote the album’s title track, but this time Jackson wrote the album’s biggest hits, including “Beat It,” “Billie Jean” and “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'”. It is the album that became an veritable institution, staying atop of the charts for a mind-blowing 37 weeks. At one point in 1984 — a year-and-a-half after its release — Thriller was selling up to a million copies a week. Most albums today cannot even get to a million copies sold on its debut.
Jackson’s commercial masterpiece is now certified as the best selling album in America (more than 30 million) and in the world (an estimated 100 million copies sold).
