Beyond the serious accusations in which Michael Jackson has been involved in recent years, the “King of Pop” remains one of the most remembered music legends, and his hits remain in the culture as a legacy that inspires other artists.
One of the biggest hits in his career is undoubtedly Thriller, an album released in 1984 from which the single of the same name was taken. The song broke records, as it surpassed 100 million copies sold, making it the most-sold album in the history of music. It also won eight Grammy Awards and remained number one on the charts in several countries such as the United States, Spain, France, and Italy, among others.
Also, seven singles from the album that were released on radio entered the Billboard Hot 100 and remained for almost two and a half years on this list. That’s why it’s not surprising that this album and the single mentioned above have had an impact on popular culture and have endured to this day, even in fashion.
Michael Jackson’s Thriller jacket
The iconic red jacket with a futuristic style became a garment that is one of the most used Halloween costumes. The garment was designed by Deborah Nadoolman Landis, who created some other iconic costumes in films such as Indiana Jones.
The designer has revealed that the red color was not a coincidence, as she wanted a shade that made sense with the zombies, the night scenery, and the music. She also wanted the color to combine with the aesthetics of a horror movie.
After the premiere of the video, this piece became one of the most replicated in history and currently belongs to tycoon Milton Verret, who bought it at auction for a price of 1.8 million dollars. The garment was signed on the inside of the sleeve with the phrase: “Love, Michael Jackson.”
The first video by a black musician on MTV
With this song, Jackson also accomplished a feat: being the first African-American to appear on MTV. It should be remembered that in the 1980s, there was still more racism than there is now, so it was quite an achievement for him and his community. The clip, which lasts 14 minutes, and cost 500 thousand dollars, was directed by John Landis and was released in Hollywood if it were a movie.
The theme generated a stir because Michael was inspired by 1950′s horror films to create the video for his biggest hit, in which he tells the story of a boy who, along with his partner (Ola Ray), runs out of gas near a dark forest. They get out of their car, and as they walk through the woods, he asks her if she wants to be his steady girlfriend. She accepts and receives a ring. However, he warns her that he is different. The full moon appears, and Michael transforms into a werewolf. From there continues the story that uses basic horror elements such as werewolves, howling, and creaking doors, as well as a choreography in which Michael dances with zombies.
The reception from critics and the public was quite good, but since in those years there was still a more conservative society, the artist was forced to put a message at the beginning of the video, in which he assured that it was only to illustrate the song and that it made no reference to the occult.
Story originally published in Spanish in Cultura Colectiva
