Michael Jackson - Thriller - 40 Anos

Summary

In this video, the speaker challenges the widespread belief that Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' is a flawless masterpiece. While acknowledging its groundbreaking influence on pop music and culture, the speaker critiques the album's other tracks, suggesting they are mediocre and overshadowed by the success of a few iconic songs. The speaker emphasizes the album's strategic marketing and its overblown reputation, claiming that many fans and critics overlook the flaws in favor of the album's commercial success and iconic music videos. Ultimately, the speaker calls 'Thriller' overrated and far from the masterpiece it is often touted as.

Takeaways

• 😀 Michael Jackson's album *Thriller* recently turned 40, and while most people consider it a masterpiece, the speaker disagrees and offers reasons why.
• 😀 The speaker criticizes the mass media’s portrayal of *Thriller* as the definitive pop masterpiece, arguing that many fans and professionals have never listened to the full album.
• 😀 While *Thriller* is undeniably influential, the speaker asserts that it isn’t a masterpiece because it is largely based on a few hit singles, with the rest of the tracks being average at best.
• 😀 The success of *Thriller* is attributed to clever marketing strategies, including groundbreaking music videos, and the media campaign that helped crown Michael Jackson as the 'King of Pop.'
• 😀 The speaker suggests that many people only praise *Thriller* for its iconic tracks like 'Billie Jean' and the title track, ignoring other songs like 'Baby Be Mine' and 'The Lady in My Life.'
• 😀 The song 'Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'' is criticized for being a patchwork of previous music influences, particularly rap and Afrobeat, creating a monotonous feel.
• 😀 'Baby Be Mine' is compared to previous works by Michael Jackson's producer, Quincy Jones, suggesting it lacks originality and heavily derives from Jackson’s 1979 album *Off the Wall*.
• 😀 The collaboration with Paul McCartney is called out as weak, with the ballad 'The Girl Is Mine' being described as a pastiche of another famous song.
• 😀 The song 'The Manager' is highlighted as an example of a mediocre track on *Thriller*, with a backstory about how it was created through a demo that didn’t originally impress its band members.
• 😀 The album’s final track, 'The Lady in My Life,' is criticized for being a weak ballad that could have easily been replaced by more innovative songs from other artists like Stevie Wonder.

Q & A

Why does the speaker disagree with the popular opinion that *Thriller* is a masterpiece?

The speaker argues that *Thriller*'s reputation as a masterpiece is largely driven by its marketing and the success of its music videos, rather than the actual quality of the songs. The speaker believes many of the tracks are mediocre and derivative, and that the album's overall impact is overstated.

What is the main critique the speaker has regarding how people view *Thriller*?

The speaker critiques the fact that many people, including fans and critics, focus mainly on the famous singles like *Billie Jean*, *Beat It*, and *Thriller* and the music videos, without giving due attention to the rest of the album, which the speaker believes has average or below-average songs.

How does the speaker describe the impact of *Thriller* on pop culture and music in general?

The speaker acknowledges *Thriller*'s significant impact on pop culture and the music industry, particularly in terms of its groundbreaking marketing strategies and music videos. However, the speaker suggests that this influence often overshadows the actual musical quality of the album.

What does the speaker believe people overlook when they praise *Thriller*?

The speaker believes people overlook the mediocrity of many of the tracks on *Thriller*, particularly those that are not part of the standout singles. They argue that many of the songs are rehashed ideas or derivatives of other works and lack the substance expected from a true masterpiece.

How does the speaker suggest listeners should approach *Thriller* for a more objective perspective?

The speaker encourages listeners to forget the iconic singles and music videos, and instead focus on the rest of the album. By listening impartially to the lesser-known tracks, the speaker believes listeners will see that many of the songs do not live up to the album’s legendary status.

What is the significance of the track *Wannabe Startin' Somethin'* in the speaker’s critique?

The speaker critiques *Wannabe Startin' Somethin'* for its repetitive and monotonous structure, which they feel borrows too much from earlier rap music, mixed with brass and vocal elements that do not add significant value. The song is seen as a patchwork of earlier musical influences, rather than a truly original piece.

Why does the speaker think *Baby Be Mine* is an overlooked song on *Thriller*?

The speaker argues that *Baby Be Mine* is often overlooked because it lacks the attention-grabbing qualities of the album's major hits. The song is described as being derivative of Michael Jackson’s previous work on *Off the Wall*, and the similarities to other tracks are largely ignored by fans and critics.

What does the speaker think of the song *The Girl Is Mine* featuring Paul McCartney?

The speaker views *The Girl Is Mine* as a weak and forgettable ballad. They believe the song only received attention because of Paul McCartney's guest appearance, and even Michael Jackson himself seemed to disregard it, never including it in his live performances.

What is the story behind the song *The Manager* as mentioned in the critique?

The speaker shares that *The Manager* was originally written by Steve Porcaro of Toto and was pitched to Michael Jackson during the production of *Thriller*. It was initially rejected but ended up being included after a fortunate series of events, including the auto-reverse feature of a cassette player that led to the demo being listened to repeatedly.

How does the speaker describe the final track on *Thriller*, *The Lady in My Life*?

The speaker describes *The Lady in My Life* as a weak, overly sweet ballad that feels more like a song that could have been written for Stevie Wonder. They argue that Michael Jackson was attempting to emulate Burt Bacharach's style but ultimately failed to create a song with significant impact or radio appeal.