Jada McGlothin, ’27
Who does it best? Mariah Carey in “All I Want For Christmas is You,” Wham! in “This Christmas,” Frank Sinatra’s “Have Yourself a Merry Christmas,” or someone else entirely? Every year, as the holidays roll around, the question of the best Christmas song turns into a tame but passionate debate. However, unlike this conflict, the song of the season for the month of October is indisputable: “Thriller” by Michael Jackson.
The “Thriller” album itself, released on November 30, 1982, included an arrangement of non-holiday hits such as “P.Y.T” and “Billie Jean.” While other holiday music is often fitted into an on theme album, Jackson was able to formulate a historic Halloween classic alongside tunes about paternal ambiguity and others.
The lore of “Thriller” goes deeper than just a Halloween song. According to Vox, “Thriller” was a part of the greatest selling album to this day. Additionally, the music video accompanying the song pushed boundaries of its own. Considering the music video came out during the Satanic Panic, an American moral frenzy that pushed the idea of satanic persons and rituals infiltrating prominent institutions, its depictions of horror and denial of occult associations created a shock factor. Nevertheless, the unorthodox nature of the video didn’t stop it from creating a higher demand for video-rentals across America.
“Thriller” itself derives its significance from both its popular longevity and its creator. On the creation side, the fact that a Black artist was able to reach a wider audience was monumental for the era. Established in 1959, according to Britannica, the Motown record label was a mainstay for Black artists such as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, the Supremes, the Jackson 5, and Michael Jackson after he went solo. While this label was successful among Black audiences, it was often brushed off by other American listeners. As the country moved from radio to video entertainment, entities such as MTV became critical to the music game. However, as reported by Vox, MTV was initially not made for Black inclusion.
According to Britannica, when a somewhat struggling MTV began showing videos of rhythm and blues artists such as Michael Jackson, they gained a whole new audience, and helped garner even more support for Jackson. When “Thriller,” a 14 minute short film music video costing $500k, debuted on MTV on December 2, 1983, it changed the game forever, as reported by Rolling Stone.
Although the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences reports that songs such as “Monster Mash” also top Halloween song lists, no other piece of work has the prestige and revolutionary added plus like “Thriller” does. Through its catchy lyrics, iconic short film video, and accompanying dance, in a league of its own, “Thriller” is a cornerstone of both Black achievement as well as spooky holiday spirit.
