The Michael Jackson album set for release in 1982 in Michael is Thriller. The album follows Jackson’s breakthrough with Off the Wall and becomes the film’s centerpiece of his rise to global superstardom.
Released in November 1982, Thriller was produced by Quincy Jones and blended pop, rock, funk and R&B. Its singles included “Billie Jean,” “Beat It” and “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” while the title track later received an influential horror-themed music video directed by John Landis.
The film also connects Thriller to Jackson’s growing influence on music television. “Billie Jean” helped make him a defining MTV-era performer, and his performance of the song at Motown 25 in 1983 became famous for introducing his moonwalk to a mass television audience. Dangerous and Bad belong to later stages of Jackson’s career, while Off the Wall preceded Thriller.