Rolling Stone | Blackfire Research

Throwback Thursday: Michael Jackson Releases “Thriller”

On this day in 1982, Michael Jackson released his iconic sixth studio album, “Thriller.” Even before recording began, Jackson was looking to create an album where “every song was a killer,” and boy, did he succeed! Featuring hit singles like “Billie Jean,” Beat It,” and “Thriller,” it remains the world’s best-selling album of all time, with over 105 million copies sold globally. “Thriller” won Album of the Year and seven other awards at the Grammy Awards in 1984. “Thriller” was an international success due to Jackson’s overwhelming star quality, it’s excellent songwriting and it’s combination of several musical genres, including pop, rock and funk. In 2003, Rolling Stone placed “Thriller” at number 20 on their list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” Not only that, the music video for the song “Thriller” is credited as transforming the medium of music video from a promotional tool used by studios to sell records, into an art form.

Throwback Thursday: Metallica Releases The Black Album

On this day in 1991, the self-titled, fifth album (commonly known as “The Black Album”) by iconic heavy metal band, Metallica, hit Number 1 on the Billboard 200 Chart. Released on August 12, the album featured five singles that are considered to be among the band’s best-known songs: “Enter Sandman,” “The Unforgiven,” “Nothing Else Matters,” “Wherever I May Roam,” and “Sad but True.” The album received widespread critical acclaim, becoming the band’s best-selling album (and one of the best-selling albums worldwide). The release of “Metallica” marked a transition in the band’s sound from thrash metal to something a bit more subdued. In 2003, the album was ranked number 252 on Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.”