thriller song thriller song recorded american singer michael_jackson composed produced seventh final single released studio album thriller minute video showing jackson halloween themed performance premiered november los_angeles california shown mtv december song released single january thriller appeared multiple greatest hits compilation albums jackson including history number ones essential michael_jackson michael_jackson remixed immortal album song voice actor song sound effects door thunder feet walking wooden winds dogs heard lyrics contain frightening themes elements thriller received positive reviews critics jackson seventh single billboard hot chart album reaching charts france belgium countries thriller adapted american london director highly successful music video known independently michael_jackson thriller fourteen minutes video substantially longer song ties narrative featuring jackson actress setting heavily inspired horror films 1950s video iconic scene jackson leads actors zombies choreographed dance routine garnered criticism theme violent imagery video immediately popular received high critical acclaim nominated mtv_video_music_awards winning added music video selected background composition thriller written produced written inspiration hit place hotel early titles include sun title changed thriller michael told wanted appeal kids titled song hook lyrics sun song changed thriller hook rewritten cause thriller thriller night commented originally thriller demo called said managed come title album album said great went hotel wrote titles came title midnight man morning said word head said title billboard charts merchandising word jumped page thriller writing thriller stated envisioned talking section end song know deciding somebody famous voice horror genre vocal jones wife knew suggested price vocal price agreed thriller considered disco funk song set key modern instrumentation consists synthesizer guitar trumpet saxophone flute song moderate tempo beats minute lyrics sound effects thriller elements themes recording production thriller songs thriller recorded jackson course weeks jackson recorded song los_angeles california song engineer said song recorded started thriller day jones producer walked followed michael people turned said guys save recording industry pretty big responsibility meant albums especially thriller sound incredible basic thing everybody involved gave percent like director movie like director photography job cast find people gives inspiration jones stated recorded introduction voice rap song takes jones acknowledging voice song difficult praised price described recording takes fabulous said jackson recording song tried sorts things michael instance sing main vocal double time ask step away time changed room gave michael vocals unique character recorded background vocals shower stall song sound effects door thunder feet walking wooden winds dogs heard sound effects editor thriller said things like lightning come old hollywood movies know movies best sound effects editors desert find feeling real backing track especially bassline certain similarities number hit baby bass modified playing critical reception thriller contemporary critical favourite aol noted signature jackson described groove bassline paired michael killer vocals moves having produced great single jon new_york_times noted jean beat wanna movie song thriller songs unlike hits thriller world jackson stage video presence listeners identified willingness admit terror ann powers los_angeles_times described thriller adequately beat lyrics seemingly lifted little kid scary cent told nme song wished written poster wall bedroom love written michael_jackson song maybe start greatest chart performance prior thriller official release single songs album charted thriller jackson seventh final billboard hot single thriller album billboard issue date february song entered charts number hot song entered following week number week later reached number week rose number peak position held second week song certified platinum recording_industry_association_of_america riaa december sales million physical units requirement gold platinum singles lowered sold million copies digital downloads october issue date february thriller charted number following week song placed number march charted number peaked thriller peaked number billboard adult contemporary chart thriller debuted singles chart november number following week charted number peaked song appeared chart weeks beginning february thriller peaked number topped chart consecutive weeks thriller topped belgian chart weeks january following jackson death music experienced surge popularity week jackson death thriller jackson best selling track sales copies july thriller charted number peak song remained charts consecutive weeks united_kingdom song charted number week jackson death following week song reached peak number single chart july thriller peaked number later certified gold thriller reached number australian topped week song placed irish_singles_chart number number seven number respectively thriller landed number week july thriller peaked number finland song finished year billboard hot song entered billboard hot number music video book jackson expressed interest having director direct music video thriller having seen previous work horror film american london jackson envisioned main character short film undergo similar transitions parallel characters horror film asked direct video seeing michael felt best fit properly conveying personal concepts short feature film accepted invitation production began soon filming locations new_york los_angeles contrary reports million production budgets stated music video excerpt jackson noted personally financed short film thriller pocket technical details production nature video budget nearly doubled costs jackson attorney advisor suggested creating documentary outlining process creating short film scenes documentary aimed seeking party sponsor finance project alleviate costs doubled budget documentary entitled making thriller achieved significant sales audiences jackson said making music video interview aired december mtv greatest videos idea short film conversation like having beginning middle ending follow story involved complete making creating piece know soul usually know interpretation music delicate thing work remember original approach zombies monsters dance comical said right kind movement doesn laugh level got room choreographer kind imagined zombies making faces mirror come rehearsal monster makeup loved collaborated choreographed piece thought start like kind thing kind step know kind things like ballet music video song included video albums video greatest hits history history film volume number ones bonus dvd thriller michael_jackson vision following release music video minute documentary released provided scenes music video production entitled making michael_jackson thriller like music video shown heavily mtv time selling home video release time point million copies sold mtv paid exclusive rights documentary showtime paid pay cable rights reportedly paid market cassette profit participation agreement concept set 1950s michael unnamed date run gas near dark wooded area walk forest michael asks girl accepts gives ring warns different moon appears michael begins transforming date runs away terror catches knocking begins claws scene cuts modern day movie theater michael date repulsed audience actually watching scene movie called thriller michael date leaves theater michael hands stranger catches assures movie debate follows scared movie walk road michael singing verses thriller pass nearby graveyard zombies begin rise performs zombies corner michael date suddenly michael zombie zombies break elaborate song dance number followed main chorus thriller michael reverted human form frightening date point runs cover michael turned zombie fellow corpses frightened girl corner nearby abandoned house michael reaches date throat lets scream awake realize dream michael offers home happily walk house michael turns looks camera revealing yellow eyes beginning video hear haunting laugh reception entertainment weekly commented music video aspect minute horror musical directed creepy comical iconic michael red leather ensemble immortal pun zombie dance narration video met widespread praise criticized content classified half mtv music videos surveyed violent thriller jackson duet paul_mccartney list los_angeles_times quoted chairman saying hard imagine young viewers seeing thriller saying michael_jackson girlfriend music video nominated awards mtv_video_music_awards winning nominations thriller won viewers choice best choreography lost best male video video year music video listed vh1 vh1 greatest videos mtv listed music video greatest music video list mtv greatest music videos july music video named time best music videos time magazine live performances jackson performed thriller solo world concert tours onwards half song performed masked backup dancer jackson prepared song stage illusion despite jackson performing multiple songs thriller album thriller included set list michael_jackson satisfied way song sounded live jackson performed thriller world tour solo artist bad world tour lasting sixteen months total shows bad tour legs jacket flashing lights middle song end introduction song masked dancer emerges costume tent stage goes hiding jackson masked swings rope stage taking mask thriller performed jackson second world tour stage transition thriller jean middle thriller jackson secretly switched places masked backup dancer finishes song appearing jackson prepares song ends jackson appears fully dressed upper floor jean begins leg upper floor masked dancer performed half song jackson performed thriller shows final world tour history world tour masked dancer posing jackson stage illusion time transition thriller beat dangerous tour jackson switches background dancer middle song end thriller masked dancer taken zombie dancers coffin appears spikes burned jackson appear stage cherry starting beat jackson planned perform thriller concert series fourth concert tour entitled jackson performance song planned stage perform set background looked like graveyard brief setting music video effects jackson emerge giant black widow spider according setlist released march thriller close song film michael_jackson documents concert series lists songs man mirror closing song planned shows live versions song available dvds live july live dangerous tour cover versions 1980s english comedian recorded spoof video thriller entitled thinner american composer recorded orchestral version song 2000s british death metal band covered song album return american born australian singer covered song compilation album musical challenge scottish rock band recorded thriller german cappella group covered song album english electronic music group sampled thriller way covered thriller commented dismiss song listen brown actually pretty great german group recorded cappella version song tenth album stage choreography based michael_jackson music video member thriller covered lead singer industrial metal band covered jackson song album happiness darkness october covered thriller 2010s italian gothic metal band released cover thriller album covered song cappella mash tribute michael_jackson songs pre recorded backing vocals italian jazz released version tribute album dance floor covered stripped slower version song fifth season week cover released single september performance thriller debuted number aria_singles_chart covered song world tour version included remixed dancing end dance fellow background dancers appearances media michael_jackson thriller music video particularly songs dance routine video referenced television series films including beach vampires south_park going usa said january interview song elastic eye played large speakers bass resemble thriller cast american musical series glee rivera cory_monteith new directions performed thriller mash heads roll yeah yeah episode sue shuffle pop singer britney_spears reference thriller music video wanna ending video actor leads spears room turns camera glowing red eyes laugh heard similar personnel charts certifications sales certifications track listing
Thriller (song)