“THRILLER is timeless. There is not a single pop star today that was not influenced by it. THRILLER changed the entire industry. No one ever thought an album could be a blockbuster event like THRILLER. It was the first time in history an album sold that many copies and fueled a cultural phenomenon.”
Tamara Conniff Billboard Magazine
MTV Awards
Best Video
Best Choreography
Video Vanguard Award
The Greatest Video in the History of the World
The Greatest Video of All Time
ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE
Video of the Decade
GRAMMY AWARDS
Best Video Album
AMERICAN VIDEO AWARDS
Best Long Form Video
Best Home Video
GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS
Most Successful Music Video of All Time
OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS
VH-1 The Greatest Video of All Time
Music Video of the Millennium
Most Influential Music Video of All Time
“Michael Jackson’s THRILLER video is without any doubt the most successful, most revolutionary, most influential, and most popular music video of all time. This short film is the greatest milestone in music video history. Today, the short film for Michael Jackson’s song THRILLER has cult status. It is also considered legendary, and is still the leveling judgment for all music videos to come.
The THRILLER short film premiered on December 2, 1983, one year after the release of the THRILLER album. Even before that, Michael Jackson had already pioneered the music video genre with his videos for BILLIE JEAN and BEAT IT. The videos were costly and had guest actors, professional directors, different camera angles, an entire storyline, and fascinating dance choreographies showing off Michael’s unique dancing abilities. Michael Jackson’s ideas and visions revolutionized the music industry and the standing of Black artists worldwide.
The video for THRILLER created the genre of short film within the popular entertainment industry. Instead of a standard music video, Michael produced a “Zombie-Epic” that had a price tag of $1,000,000. It became the most aired video in MTV history.”
THRILLER 25
GRAMMY HISTORY
Album of the Year
Record of the Year (BEAT IT)
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (THRILLER)
Best Male Rock Vocal Performance (BEAT IT)
Best Male R&B Performance (BILLIE JEAN)
Best R&B Song (BILLIE JEAN)
Producer of the Year (Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson)
Best Engineered Recording Non-Classical (Bruce Swedien)
Best Children’s Recording (E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial with narration by Michael Jackson)
The Jackson’s Pepsi Commercials are aired during the Grammy Telecast and are amongst the most successful and most popular ads ever, and the FIRST and ONLY set of advertisements ever to be included in the weekly TV Guide listings.
Twenty-eight nominations in eight categories for the 2nd Annual American Video Awards.
Michael’s Thriller spent 37 weeks as Number One
U.S. Presidential Recognition Award
May 14, 1984
To Michael Jackson
With appreciation for the outstanding example you have set for the youth of American and the world. Your historic record-breaking achievements and your preeminence in popular music are a tribute to your creativity, dedication, and great ability.
The generous contribution of your time and talent to the National Campaign Against Teenage Drunk Driving will help millions of young Americans learn that drinking and driving can kill a friendship.
President Ronald Reagan
February 7, 1984
“I’ve always wanted to do great things and achieve many things, but for the first time in my entire career, I feel like I have accomplished something because I’m in the Guinness Book of World Records”
Michael Jackson
The Guinness Book of World Records is the global authority on world-breaking achievements. And, who is more global than Michael Jackson? He is undoubtedly the world’s most famous living human being.” Craig Glenday, Editor-in-Chief Guinness Book of World Records.
BILLBOARD MAGAZINE 1983
POP ARTIST OF THE YEAR
BLACK ARTIST OF THE YEAR
POP ALBUM: THRILLER
POP ALBUM ARTIST
POP SINGLES ARTIST
POP MALE ALBUM ARTIST
POP MALE SINGLES ARTIST
BLACK SINGLES ARTIST
DANCE/DISCO ARTIST
BEST VIDEO: BEAT IT
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ARTIST
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
BEST USE OF VIDEO TO ENHANCE A SONG
BEST USE OF VIDEO TO ENHANCE AN ARTIST’S IMAGE
…a portion of International Honors
Best Artist, Best Male Vocalist, Album of the Year…JAPAN
Album of the Year, Single of the Year…AUSTRALIA
Artist of the Year…ITALY
Record of the Year…GREECE
Album of the Year…HOLLAND
Most Important Foreign Album…SPAIN
International Artist of the Year…BRAZIL
11th AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS
Youngest Recipient of the Award of Merit
Favorite Pop Album
Favorite Soul Album
Favorite Pop Single BILLIE JEAN
Favorite Pop Video
Favorite Soul Video
Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist
Favorite Soul Male Vocalist
BLACK GOLD AWARDS
Top Male Vocalist
Best Video Performance BEAT IT
Best Single Record of the Year BILLIE JEAN
Best Album of the Year
CANADIAN BLACK MUSIC AWARDS
Top International Album
Top International Single BILLIE JEAN
Top Male Vocalist
Entertainer of the Year
…the legend goes on
And the legend goes on! Did you ever see so many awards given to a recording artist? And THRILLER saved the entire music industry…and many people’s jobs. People in the music industry owe much to Michael Jackson…but I have a feeling most will not thank him… (the fans will, of course, his friends and family), but the others will be too occupied with their own lives….and their envy of this great artist….and believe me, he is the greatest artist!
To this day, October 13, 2016 …no one has come close to Michael in the number of awards….or indeed anything else! He was like a rocket…..he took off and then went up, up, up and away! All one could do is watch in admiration! Love you forever, Michael!
And yet today THRILLER stands alone and tall in the realm of best selling albums! And Michael along with it. He is the greatest musical artist! And the most creative as well as productive! He was like a water tap that would not turn off! Bless you dear Michael! I know you are continuing to make music…..I just wish I could hear it!
And here we are at the end of November….almost December of 2017! Michael’s achievements are still the hugest ever! Amazing! There won’t be another like him EVER! Love him to the moon and back!