Michael Jackson A Dissection into ''thriller''

By

Brian Haynes

Why does Thriller peak our interest at first glance?

What made it so popular?

What do Jackson’s lyrics express?

What’s the economical contents on the album?

How did Thriller break down racial barriers at the time?

Questions to Ponder ''Thesis''

What makes ''Thriller'' so interesting?

Zombie Industry Worth Over $5 Billion

Movies- $2.5 billion

Video Games- $2.5 billion

Comics, Magazines, TV shows- $50 million

Halloween Costumes- $500 million

Books and Novels- $100 million

Conventions and Other Events- $10 million

The Zombie Industry

Economics

Release Date: Nov. 30th 1982

Sold one million copies per week at initial release

Sold between 65-110 millioncopies to date

‘’Due to my strong personal convictions, I wish to stress that this film in no way endorses a belief in the occult.’’

The Disclaimer

‘’It’s close to midnight and something’s lurking in the dark.’’

‘’They’re out to get you, there’s demons closing in on every side/ They will possess you…”

‘’Grisly ghouls… are closing in to seal your doom.’’

Lyrics

Breaking Down Racial Barriers

Linder, Matthew. Blog Entry. Michael Jackson’s ‘’Thriller’’: 30 Years of Fear (but Fear Not). Patheos, 26 Nov. 2012. Web. 1 Aug. 2014. <http://www.patheos.com/blogs/ Christandpopculture/2012/11/Michael-jacksons-thriller-30-years-of-fear-but-

fear-not/> ‘’Michael Jackson’s Thriller: pioneering album that broke down racial barriers in the music industry.’’ Editorial. Telegraph.co.uk. The Telegraph, 26 Jun. 2009. Web. 1 Aug.

2014. <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/michael-jackson/5643920/ Michael-Jacksons-Thriller-pioneering-album-that-broke-down-racial-barriers-in- music-industry.html> Morrison, Shelby. Blog Entry. Top of the Charts: Michael Jackson’s ‘’Thriller.’’ Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, 26 Feb. Web. 1 Aug. 2014. <http://rockhall.com/blog/post/michael- jackson-thriller-album-number-one-video/> Ogg, Jon C. ‘’Zombies worth over $5 billion to economy.’’ NBCnews. NBCnews, 31 Oct. 2011. Web. 1 Aug. 2014. <http://www.nbcnews.com/id/45079546/ns/business-stocks_

and_economy/t/zombies-worth-over-billion-economy/#.U940Hs9tqYN Rockwell, John. ‘’Michael Jackson’s Thriller: Superb Job.’’ New York Times. New York Times, 19 Dec. 1982. Web. 1 Aug. 2014. <http://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/19/ arts/michael-jackson-s-thriller-superb-job.html> ‘’10 Things About Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ 30 Years After Its Release.’’ Editorial. Abcnews. go.com. abcnews, 30 Nov. 2012. Web. 1 Aug. 2014. <http://absnews.go.com/ Entertainment/10-things-michael-jacksons-thriller-30-years-release/story?id= 17827505>

Works Cited