Is it Still a Thriller?

Before the dangling babies, changes in skin color and accusations of child molestation, Michael Jackson was the king of Pop! He achieved this status by creating one of the best albums of all time, Thriller. At the time of its release, it was groundbreaking. It sold over 50 million copies and is the biggest album of all time! It featured state of the art production by Quincy Jones, great hooks and melodies, and evolutionary videos. The album was made to be a hit. In fact, most of the songs were; seven of the nine tracks cracked the top ten on the pop charts.

Michael Jackson recently rereleased his earth shattering album in order to celebrate the 25^th anniversary. Question is, how can you make one of the best albums of all time better? Better yet, is the semi-new set worth purchasing? Well the answer is simple; you can't, and yes, it is. The Greatness of Thriller can't be enhanced by a couple of remixes by artists of the moment. Especially artists like Will I.Am , Fergie and Akon. None of those artists have ever been accused of being musically gifted. Fergie screeching beat it is a little hard to stomach. Akon's rendition of the album's opener, Wanna Be start'n Something is slightly better, but is shabby in comparison to the original version of e album. Hell, even the Brilliant Kanye West couldn't recreate magic in his remix of Billie Jean.

The album is still worth purchasing. It is a reminder of why Michael was a star in the first place. It also shows a glimpse of his brilliance before it turned into insanity. The semi complex themes of Wanna Be Start'n Something, Billie Jean, and Human Nature display the beginnings of a troubled life. Songs like Beat it and Thriller are just as magnificent. Thriller also reminds listens who the originator was. Before Michael, albums were not produced to perfection. Michael Jackson created what popular music is today. Britney, Justin, Usher, Chris Brown, Beyonce, and several others attempt to recreate the sound, performances, and overall persona of the king of pop but none have captured the essence. Why? Perhaps it's because they are missing one key element, originality. Thriller was good because it was fresh and complex. It sounded like something that had never been heard before. Can you think of an artist these days that can be described as original?