Michael Jackson He has released a lot of music throughout his career. But if one song stands out, it must be a “thriller” released in 1982. No one knew it would become an iconic track that lasted for decades. However, since its release, it has been chartered to number one in multiple countries and became a certified platinum record, and became the singer’s sixth studio album title. But beyond its initial release, the song had a chokehold in pop culture, allowing the track to transcend over decades, evolving from funk tracks to something more eternal.
Thriller vs. Devil’s Panic
In the 80s, a fatal panic occurred, known as demonic panic. There, people will believe in the conspiracy theory that anything that includes the occult is equivalent to a demon worshipping to some extent, and that follower is abusing children. Something like Dungeons and Dragons It would raise doubt, and this phenomenon was revisited in the Netflix series Stranger Things.
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This moral panic is mentioned because Jackson was called out by Jehovah’s Witnesses before the release of the music video. Vanity Fair reported that the church threatened to excommunicate Jackson. This is more specifically because the part involving werewolves is “promoting the devil.” This threat affected Jackson, who was willing to destroy the music video. But instead of canceling it, they placed a disclaimer stating it “does not support its belief in the occult.”
At the time of writing, the music video currently has 1 billion views on YouTube. People praised the choreography, the story attached to it, and how it tried to do something different, which captivated the audience. It has become one of Jackson’s most memorable music videos. It was something different while trying by chance to be unaware of the moral and religious panic of the time.
Thrillers played a role in many viral moments
Despite its success, the thriller plays a role in many other viral moments, both on the internet and on traditional media, showing that this song creates memorable events beyond music. In 2007, a virus video was distributed on YouTube, with prisoners from Cebu detention and rehabilitation centre dancing in the thriller. In this video, all of the prisoners dancing on Jackson’s tracks were in sync, wearing orange jumpsuits. What I admire about many was the number of performers featured in this video and how it was a perfect performance. The video currently has 59 million views on YouTube, with many celebrating the prisoner’s performance and Jackson’s range of music. Additionally, this viral video plays a role in another notable moment in entertainment, traditional media.
Dancing Prisoner was referenced in an episode of Season 2 GreeSuissylvester shuffle. The Glee Club and the soccer team were inspired by viral inmate dance videos with the goal of mashing up “thriller” and “head will roll” during the halftime show, with the goal of forming some unification for the two clubs. “Thriller/Head Will Roll” became the first song Glee: Music, Vol. 5generates over 26 million streams on Spotify. Furthermore, the episode in question attracted 26.8 million viewers in the US, making it “the highest rated scripted television broadcast in three years,” according to the Hollywood Reporter.
How Thrillers Inspire a New Generation of Artists
Since its release, “Thriller” has been sampled and covered by many artists, and has become an inspirational point for many. But if there’s one musician worthy of attention, that’s true. weeknd. It is no secret that Jackson had an impact on his career. His latest album, Hurry tomorrow“Wake Me Up” (feature justice), contains samples of 80’s trucks. The same can be said about the 2022 album Dawn FM. According to MusicRadar, Timbaland commented on the album and focused on the mention of “thriller” on the track. The Weeknd shows his appreciation for Jackson’s art by sampling and transforming iconic songs, showing how influential the king of pop music will be for the next generation. It won’t take long until other artists follow suit.
Thriller will take on a strong position in pop culture 40 years from now
From breaking the boundaries of a music video and pushing back moral panic, to inspire viral moments and shaping the sounds of future artists. “Thriller” continues to have a pop culture place in 40 years That release. Its persistence isn’t just about catchy hooks and recognizable sounds, but also about its ability to be timeless. Whether you’re listening to it for the first time or the 100th, “thriller” gives the same electric shock that many people can dance to. It is proof that it is not just a hit, it is a legacy.
