"Thriller" is a song by the American singer Michael Jackson. It was released by Epic Records on November 11, 1983, in the UK and on January 23, 1984, in the US, as the seventh and final single from his sixth studio album, Thriller (1982).
"Thriller" is a disco song featuring a synthesizer bassline, lyrics, and sound effects evoking horror films. It includes a spoken-word sequence performed by the horror actor Vincent Price. It was produced by Quincy Jones and written by Rod Temperton, who wanted to write a theatrical song to suit Jackson's love of film.
The "Thriller" music video, directed by John Landis, depicts Jackson dancing with a horde of zombies. It has been named the greatest music video of all time by various publications and readers' polls, and doubled sales of Thriller, helping it become the best-selling album in history.
Jackson decided to release "Thriller" as a single after Thriller left the top of the Billboard 200 chart. It became the seventh Thriller single to enter the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number four, and reached number one in Flanders, France, Portugal, and Spain, and the top ten in many other countries. In the week of Jackson's death in 2009, it was Jackson's best-selling track in the United States, with sales of 167,000 copies on the Billboard Hot Digital Tracks chart. It entered the Billboard Hot Digital Singles Chart at number two, and remained in the charts' top ten for three weeks. It appears on several of Jackson's greatest-hits albums. "Thriller" is one of the best-selling singles of all time and is certified diamond in the US. It has returned to the Billboard Hot 100 chart multiple times due to its popularity around Halloween.
Composition
thumb|258x258px|Horror actor [[Vincent Price provided the spoken-word sequence around the mid-point of the song "Thriller".]]
"Thriller" is a disco-funk song. It was written by the English songwriter Rod Temperton, who had previously written "Rock with You" and "Off the Wall" for Jackson's 1979 album Off the Wall. Temperton wanted to write something theatrical to suit Jackson's love of film. He improvised with bass and drum patterns until he developed the bassline that runs through the song, then wrote a chord progression that built to a climax.
It has been noted how similar the song's bassline is to that of "Give It To Me Baby" by Rick James, which was released on Motown the year prior to Thriller's release.
Temperton's first version was titled "Starlight", with the chorus lyric: "Give me some starlight / Starlight sun". The production team, led by Quincy Jones, believed the song should be the title track, but they thought that "Starlight" was not a strong album title. Instead, they wanted something "mysterious" to match Jackson's "evolving persona". Temperton composed the words for Price's part in a taxi on the way to the studio on the day of recording. It was recorded at Westlake Recording Studios on Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. The percussion was created with a LinnDrum drum machine modified with sound chips from two other drum machines: a snare, hi-hat and congas from an LM-1 and a clap from a TR-808. The Rhodes piano was performed by Greg Phillinganes and the guitar by David Williams.
To record the howls, Swedien set up tape recorders up around his dog in a barn overnight, but it never howled. Instead, Jackson recorded the howls himself, combined with coyote sound effects, as seen in the original track sheets. For the creaking doors, Swedien rented doors designed for sound effects from the Universal Studios Lot and recorded the hinges.
Release
The album Thriller was released in November 1982 on Epic Records and spent months at the top of the Billboard 200. The Epic executive Walter Yetnikoff asked: "Who wants a single about monsters?"
By mid-1983, sales of the album had begun to decline. Jackson, who was "obsessive" about his sales figures, It was the final single from the album, released in the US in January 1984. The 2025 song "Wake Me Up" by the Canadian singer the Weeknd and French electronic duo Justice contains an interpolation of "Thriller".
Music video
The music video for "Thriller" references numerous horror films and stars Jackson performing a dance routine with a horde of the undead. It was launched to great anticipation and played regularly on MTV.
Many elements have had a lasting impact on popular culture, such as the zombie dance and Jackson's Thriller jacket, designed by Landis's wife Deborah Nadoolman Landis.
Chart performance
"Thriller" entered the Billboard Hot 100 charts at number 20. It reached number seven the following week, number five the next, and peaked the next week at number four, where it stayed for two weeks. It finished at number 78 on the Hot 100's year-end chart for 1984. "Thriller" reached number 19 on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart. On March 10, 1984, it reached its peak at number 3. "Thriller" debuted on the UK singles chart on November 19, 1983, at number 24, and the following week peaked at number ten; it appeared on the chart for 52 weeks. From February 5, 1984, "Thriller" was at number one on the French Singles Chart for four weeks. It also topped the Belgian VRT Top 30 Chart for two weeks in January 1984.
Following Jackson's death in 2009, his music surged in popularity. In the week of his death, "Thriller" was Jackson's best-selling track in the US, with sales of 167,000 copies on the Billboard Hot Digital Singles Chart. In the United Kingdom, it reached number 23 the week of Jackson's death and climbed to number 12 the following week. and was later certified gold by the Federation of the Italian Music Industry. "Thriller" reached at number three on the Australian ARIA Chart and Swiss Singles Chart and topped the Spanish Singles Charts for one week. It reached number nine on the German Singles Chart, seven on the Norwegian Singles Chart, eight on the Irish Singles Chart, In the third week of July, "Thriller" reached number 11 in Finland.
"Thriller" has returned to the Billboard Hot 100 chart multiple times due to its popularity around Halloween. It re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 in October 2013 at number 42, number 31 in November 2018, and number 19 in November 2021, its highest placement since 1984. This gave Jackson at least one top-20 hit across seven consecutive decades from 1969 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Thriller" was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on December 4, 1989, for sales of over one million physical units in the US As of August 2016, the song had sold 4,024,398 copies in the US. The song was later certified Diamond by RIAA for sales over 10 million equivalent-units. "Thriller" reached number one on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs, R&B Streaming Songs and R&B Digital Song Sales charts the week of November 8, 2023, more than a decade after Jackson's death. On the week of November 9, 2024, "Thriller" topped a Billboard multimetric chart for the first time, reaching the top spot on Hot R&B Songs.
"Thriller" achieved its highest position in the UK Singles Chart in November 2025, reaching number nine, a place higher than its original peak in 1983.
"Thriller" also peaked at number ten on the US Billboard 100 chart in November 2025, solidifying Michael Jackson's entry into the top 10 in six different decades starting from the 70's. This is baring his top ten entry as a member of the Jackson 5 in late December 1969 with the song, I Want You Back. This makes him the only artist in history to achieve this feat.
Critical reception
Ashley Lasimone, of AOL's Spinner.com, noted that it "became a signature for Jackson" and described "the groove of its bassline, paired with Michael's killer vocals and sleek moves" as having "produced a frighteningly great single." Jon Pareles of The New York Times noted that "'Billie Jean', 'Beat It', 'Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' ' and "the movie in the song 'Thriller'", were the songs, unlike the "fluff" "P.Y.T.", that were "the hits that made Thriller a world-beater; along with Mr. Jackson's stage and video presence, listeners must have identified with his willingness to admit terror." Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times described "Thriller" as "adequately groovy" with a "funked-out beat" and lyrics "seemingly lifted from some little kid's 'scary storybook'".
Personnel
- Written and composed by Rod Temperton
Musicians
- Michael Jackson – lead and background vocals
- Vincent Price – spoken word
- Rod Temperton and Brian Banks – synthesizers
- Greg Phillinganes – synthesizers, Rhodes piano
- David Williams – guitar
- Jerry Hey, Gary Grant – trumpets, flugelhorns
- Larry Williams – saxophone, flute
- Bill Reichenbach – trombone
- Michael Boddicker (uncredited) – synthesizers and drum machine
- Leon "Ndugu" Chancler (uncredited) – drums
Technical team
- Produced by Quincy Jones
- Recorded and mixed by Bruce Swedien
- Vocal, rhythm and synthesizer arrangement by Rod Temperton
- Horn arrangement by Jerry Hey
- Effects by Bruce Cannon and Bruce Swedien
- Synthesizer programming by Anthony Marinelli
Charts
Weekly charts
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+
!scope="col"|Chart (1983–1985)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
!scope="row"|Argentina (CAPIF)
| align="center"|1
|-
!scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report)
|4
|-
|-
!scope="row"|Canada Top Singles (RPM)
|3
|-
!scope="row"| Chile (UPI)
| 2
|-
!scope="row"|Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)
|align="center"|4
|-
!scope="row"|Finland (Suomen virallinen singlelista)
|7
|-
!scope="row"|Finland Jukebox (Suomen virallinen singlelista)
|4
|-
|-
|-
|-
!scope="row"|Peru (UPI)
|2
|-
!scope="row"|Portugal (AFP)
|1
|-
!scope="row"|South Africa (Springbok)
|26
|-
!scope="row"|Spain (AFYVE)
|1
|-
!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)
|4
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100
|4
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot Black Singles
|24
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard Album Rock Tracks
|1
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+
!scope="col"|Chart (2006)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
|-
!scope="row"|Germany (Media Control Charts)
|3
|-
!scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 30 Back Catalogue Singles Wallonia)
|2
|-
!scope="row"|Denmark (Tracklisten)
|16
|-
|-
!scope="row"|France (SNEP)
|3
|-
!scope="row"|Ireland (IRMA)
|42
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|14
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+
!scope="col"|Chart (2014)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
|-
|-
!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)
|35
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|9
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+
!scope="col"|Chart (2015)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
|-
|-
!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)
|45
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|16
|}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+
!scope="col"|Chart (2016)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
|-
!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)
|31
|}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+
!scope="col"|Chart (2019)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100
|44
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+
!scope="col"|Chart (2020)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
!scope="row"|Global 200
|51
|-
!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)
|48
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+
!scope="col"|Chart (2021)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
!scope="row"|Canada (Canadian Hot 100)
|16
|-
|-
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100
|19
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard Digital Songs Sales
|9
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+
!scope="col"|Chart (2022)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
!scope="row"|Canada (Canadian Hot 100)
|25
|-
!scope="row"|Global 200
|37
|-
!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)
|26
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+
!scope="col"|Chart (2023)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
!scope="row"|Canada (Canadian Hot 100)
|22
|-
!scope="row"|Global 200
|39
|-
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100
|21
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|3
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+
!scope="col"|Chart (2024)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
!scope="row"|Canada (Canadian Hot 100)
|19
|-
!scope="row"|Global 200
|29
|-
!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)
|20
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|7
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+
!scope="col"|Chart (2025–2026)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
! scope="row"| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)
|8
|-
!scope="row"|Germany (Media Control Charts)
|73
|-
!scope="row"|Global 200 (Billboard)
|18
|-
!scope="row"|Ireland (IRMA)
| 50
|-
! scope="row"| Portugal (AFP)
| 96
|-
!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)
|10
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|3
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+
!scope="col"|Chart (2026)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
! scope="row"| France (SNEP)
| 51
|-
! scope="row"| Greece International (IFPI)
| 32
|-
! scope="row"| Italy (FIMI)
| 68
|}
Year-end charts
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+
!scope="col"|Chart (1984)
!scope="col"|Position
|-
!scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report)
|17
|-
!scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)
|26
|-
!scope="row"|Chile (UPI)
|1
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100
|88
|-
!scope="row"|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)
|81
|-
!scope="row"|UK Singles (Official Charts Company)
|143
|}
Certifications
See also
- List of best-selling singles
- List of highest-certified digital singles in the United States
- List of most expensive music videos
- Michael Jackson's Thriller
- Thriller (viral video)
- Thrill the World