Episode Three: The Challenge

Episode Three of the album cover series is partly a nomination sent in, and partly my own. Third episodes are frequently when a large paradigm shift occurs in a series. So, in light of that...the Challenge.

Michael Jackson

Thriller vs. Off The Wall




Both were great albums. Anyone who questions that is either too young to remember or too jaded by who or what Michael Jackson has become. Off the Wall came out in 1979 and was produced by Quincy Jones. Quincy had finished being the Musical Director of The Wiz, in which MJ was the Scarecrow. Generally accepted as his first solo album because of his age and the influence on the previous Michael Jackson albums. Song you might know that were on Off the Wall are "Rock With You", "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough", and "Girlfriend" written by Paul McCartney. He followed up that album with 1982's Thriller. Thriller is the top selling album of all time, due to the number of hits on the album. "Beat It", "Thriller", "Billie Jean", "The Girl is Mine and Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" were all big selling singles for Jackson. Again produced by Quincy Jones, Thriller spent 37 weeks at number one on Billboard. At it's peak it would sell a million copies a week. Originally titled Starlight, the title track was a late addition that changed the face of the music video industry forever.