Thriller 25

Thriller 25
Studio album (reissue) by
ReleasedFebruary 8, 2008
Recorded
  • April–November 1982
  • 1990
  • November 2007
Length
  • 67:11 (CD)
  • 28:32 (DVD)
Label
Producer
Michael Jackson chronology
Visionary: The Video Singles
(2006)
Thriller 25
(2008)
King of Pop
(2008)
Alternative cover
Singles from Thriller 25
  1. "The Girl Is Mine 2008"
    Released: January 14, 2008
  2. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008"
    Released: January 23, 2008

Thriller 25 is the 25th-anniversary edition reissue of Thriller (1982), the sixth studio album by American singer and songwriter Michael Jackson. The original album has sold 70 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling album of all time. Thriller 25 was released by Sony BMG's reissue division, Legacy Recordings. Along with the original material, the reissue contains remixes, new material, a DVD (for some versions)[1] and collaborations with contemporary artists. Thriller 25 was one of the last recorded works released during Jackson's lifetime, and the last he was extensively involved with, as Jackson co-produced all of the newly remixed tracks.

The prospect of a "second chapter" to Thriller was first publicly discussed on Access Hollywood in late 2006. Jackson said he would discuss the idea with collaborator will.i.am. Thriller 25 was released on February 8, 2008 in Australia,[2] on February 11, 2008 internationally, and on February 12, 2008 in the United States, by Epic Records, Legacy Recordings and MJJ Productions.[3] To help promote Thriller 25, Jackson's website was recreated and accounts on both MySpace and Facebook were set up. On February 3, 2008, a SoBe advertisement was aired during Super Bowl XLII to an audience of over 95 million viewers. The ad aired again at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards on February 10, 2008.[4]

Thriller 25 debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Pop Catalog Albums and in nine other countries. It was a commercial success, selling three million copies worldwide until Jackson's death in June 2009, and was generally well received among critics, despite their view that the new material was not as inspiring as the original. Thriller 25 was the best-selling catalog album in the US of 2008. Two singles, "The Girl Is Mine 2008" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008", were released from the album to moderate success, and a number of the other remixes charted despite no physical release.

  1. ^ In the United Kingdom, the BBFC gave it a '15' certificate because of the "Thriller" music video.
  2. ^ "Thriller 25th Anniversary Edition (Deluxe Digipack)". Sony BMG. Retrieved April 6, 2008.
  3. ^ "Epic Records/Legacy Recordings Unveil The 25th Anniversary Edition of Michael Jackson's the mixes created from the demos of the songs ..." reuters.com. November 30, 2007. Archived from the original on June 30, 2009. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Super Bowl advert was invoked but never defined (see the help page).