Michael Jackson’s estate commemorates 40th anniversary of ‘Thriller’ with deluxe release

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Michael Jackson’s seminal album, Thriller, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. In commemoration, Jackson’s estate and Sony Music announced they will release a double-CD edition of the album on Nov.18.

Thriller 40 will feature the original nine tracks from the biggest-selling studio album of all time by a solo artist on its first disc. The second CD will be comprised of never-before-heard tracks from the Thriller recording sessions. The estate will announce the tracklist for the second disc at a later date.

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Walmart stores will carry Thriller 40 with an exclusive alternative 40th-anniversary cover. Target stores will carry an exclusive version of the original album with a commemorative Thriller 40 vinyl slip mat.

Mobily Fidelity will remaster the album from its original analog master tapes for both a One-Step 180g 33RPM LP and a hybrid SACD. A double-vinyl version of the 180g 33RPM LP will be available at a later date.

In addition to Thriller 40, Jackson’s estate is planning several other activations to celebrate the landmark recording beginning with new merchandise featuring the special Thriller 40 logo, including hats, T-shirts, fleeces, and hoodies, available now on the estate’s official website.

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Released on November 30, 1982, Thriller was Jackson’s sixth solo album. Produced by Quincy Jones, Thriller became an unprecedented musical juggernaut. Containing classic cuts like the title track, “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” “PYT,” “Human Nature,” “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” and “The Girl is Mine,” it became the first album to have seven top 10 Billboard 100 hits beating the previous record of four, held by Jackson’s previous solo album, 1979’s Off the Wall.

Thanks to Jackson’s groundbreaking performance of “Billie Jean” on the Motown 25 telecast, and the innovative music videos of “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” and the title track, “Thriller” spent 37 weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200.

By 1984, Jackson won eight Grammy Awards, and Thriller became the biggest-selling album of all time with 20 million copies sold, a distinction that has become controversial in recent years. Today, that sum has risen to 34x platinum, with an estimation of 100 million sold worldwide.

A 25th-anniversary deluxe version of Thriller was released in 2008, the year before Jackson’s death on June 25, 2009. The double-CD featured remixes of the album’s songs, featuring guest artists like Will.I.Am, Fergie, and Akon.

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