Michael Jackson's "Thriller": The Rankdown (COMPLETE)

[Soulsista]

In honor of its 40th anniversary, I've decided to do a rankdown of the biggest-selling album of all time. "Thriller" was the album that made Michael Jackson the biggest star on the planet, racking up eight Grammys (including Album Of The Year), eight American Music Awards, and was the first album to produce seven Top 10 hits on the Hot 100, with two hitting #1. In addition, it was Billboard's top album for 1983 and 1984.

Here are the nine songs we'll be ranking:

Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
Baby Be Mine
The Girl Is Mine
Thriller
Beat It
Billie Jean
Human Nature
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
The Lady In My Life






Final rankings will use an inverse point system.

Submissions are tentatively due December 16.

Tagging those who have participated in my Billboard #1 Soul/R&B Songs Rankdown series, but as always, anyone can participate!

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}312999 aerodynamite annoymous1 anthony11554 bat1990 BB🌕 beyoncelover Linnethia Monique Private Dancer ccarter1023 chanman CF15 Verisimilitude craziaskowboi Unhinged divasummer DJDaveMick69 Glove Slap Doc Indie Party Rock Enyasurvivor 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 Troublemaker singingrulebritannia God gonecountry Gonza'90 newpower Sambalada ilikemilk .indulgecountry Jay D83 jenglisbe Juanca jtd Thee Stallion peacebone Ky legend1982 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 mamooshka #LisaRinna Sir Benji Mayman SHOOTER Kelly's 10th Fan razorshark Red rowellfarm490 samo🦕 sergejdordij stallie Ivy Leegue™ toomuchboy Mirago Ty Mic Technique B-Boy wavey. wyckyd

[gonecountry]

ohhh, you went there. This seems like ranking Van Gogh's paintings...

That said, I know what my #9 is. Not sure about anything else...

[312999]

Yea I’m definitely doing this.

[B-Boy]

This is going to be so easy.

[312999]

And I sent already! One of my quickest sends in a Rankdown so far. Short and easy so I said might as well just get it over with now.

[HamedM1 💔]

You'd think a 9 song rd would be easy but their are so many classics here lol

[🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲]

I'm in.

[zippy]

I won’t have to listen to every song on this album again to come up with my ranks.

[wyckyd]

Definitely in for this!

[M5AGTS]

In for sure!!!!!

[chanman]

Great stuff. Immediately to submit >>>>>

[RoseColoredGirl]

Just sent! Can't wait for the results!

[beyoncelover]

Oooh yes, I definitely want to participate in this. So many legendary and iconic songs that will be quite tough to rank, as all of these songs are so good!

[Soulsista]

10 DAYS LEFT!

Participants:
1. Soulsista
2. HamedM1 💔
3. 312999
4. bat1990
5. Mayman
6. emerald
7. chanman
8. God
9. mamooshka
10. willapted33
11. RoseColoredGirl
12. wyckyd
13. Mirago
14. M5AGTS
15. .indulgecountry
16. khan
17. zippy
18. singingrulebritannia
19. theyaintready

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}312999 aerodynamite annoymous1 anthony11554 bat1990 BB🌕 beyoncelover Linnethia Monique Private Dancer ccarter1023 chanman CF15 Verisimilitude craziaskowboi Unhinged divasummer DJDaveMick69 Glove Slap Doc Indie Party Rock Enyasurvivor 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 Troublemaker singingrulebritannia God gonecountry Gonza'90 newpower Sambalada ilikemilk .indulgecountry Jay D83 jenglisbe Juanca jtd Thee Stallion peacebone Ky legend1982 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 mamooshka #LisaRinna Sir Benji Mayman SHOOTER Kelly's 10th Fan razorshark Red rowellfarm490 samo🦕 sergejdordij stallie Ivy Leegue™ toomuchboy Mirago Ty Mic Technique B-Boy wavey. wyckyd HamedM1 💔 emerald willapted33 RoseColoredGirl M5AGTS khan zippy

[🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲]

Just sent!

[SHOOTER]

How the hell am I supposed to rank this!?

[gonecountry]

just submitted. #1 was easy as was #9. everything else was pretty challenging...

[Soulsista]

There were a number of songs that were recorded for the Thriller album that for some reason or another didn't make the final cut. I'll feature some of them here, starting with a song co-written by Michael Sembello that was passed over for "Human Nature". A snippet was included on the 2001 special edition re-release, with the full version being released on Thriller 40.

Carousel

---

Next, a song written by Rod Temperton that was left off because he and Quincy Jones felt it wasn't strong enough for the album. It also wasn't included on Thriller 40.

Hot Street



And here's an early demo of "Hot Street" called "Slapstick":

[beyoncelover]

Finally got around to working on this and sent my list! This was insanely hard to work on. I really love my Top 6 songs and those were tricky to rank. I do like my Bottom 3 too and even those were tricky to figure out.

[Soulsista]

5 DAYS LEFT!

Participants:
1. Soulsista
2. HamedM1 💔
3. 312999
4. bat1990
5. Mayman
6. emerald
7. chanman
8. God
9. mamooshka
10. willapted33
11. RoseColoredGirl
12. wyckyd
13. Mirago
14. M5AGTS
15. .indulgecountry
16. khan
17. zippy
18. singingrulebritannia
19. theyaintready
20. 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲
21. jenglisbe
22. jtd Thee Stallion
23. gonecountry
24. trilogy
25. beyoncelover

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}312999 aerodynamite annoymous1 anthony11554 bat1990 BB🌕 beyoncelover Linnethia Monique Private Dancer ccarter1023 chanman CF15 Verisimilitude craziaskowboi Unhinged divasummer DJDaveMick69 Glove Slap Doc Indie Party Rock Enyasurvivor 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 Troublemaker singingrulebritannia God gonecountry Gonza'90 newpower Sambalada ilikemilk .indulgecountry Jay D83 jenglisbe Juanca jtd Thee Stallion peacebone Ky legend1982 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 mamooshka #LisaRinna Sir Benji Mayman SHOOTER Kelly's 10th Fan razorshark Red rowellfarm490 samo🦕 sergejdordij stallie Ivy Leegue™ toomuchboy Mirago Ty Mic Technique B-Boy wavey. wyckyd HamedM1 💔 emerald willapted33 RoseColoredGirl M5AGTS khan zippy trilogy

[Soulsista]

This song was originally recorded for Thriller, but didn't make the cut. It was later recorded by The Pointer Sisters and Randy Crawford.

Nite Line

---

This song was recorded for the storybook album E.T. The Extra Terrestrial. MJ's label Epic allowed it under the conditions that MCA wouldn't release the album until after Christmas 1982 so that it wouldn't compete with Thriller, and that MCA wouldn't release the song as a single. MCA broke both of those conditons, releasing the album in the same month as Thriller and sending the song to radio stations. As a result, MCA had to withdraw the album and could not officially release the song as a single. It was later included on the 2001 special edition re-release of Thriller.

Someone In The Dark

[Ivy Leegue™]

A no-brainer for me!!

[Soulsista]

This song was written by Rod Temperton and produced by MJ and Quincy Jones. It later surfaced on the Japanese edition of Thriller 25 and on Thriller 40.

Got The Hots



Siedah Garrett recorded it with updated lyrics in 1988 as "Baby's Got It Bad" for her album Kiss Of Life.

[Soulsista]

3 DAYS LEFT!

Participants:
1. Soulsista
2. HamedM1 💔
3. 312999
4. bat1990
5. Mayman
6. emerald
7. chanman
8. God
9. mamooshka
10. willapted33
11. RoseColoredGirl
12. wyckyd
13. Mirago
14. M5AGTS
15. .indulgecountry
16. khan
17. zippy
18. singingrulebritannia
19. theyaintready
20. 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲
21. jenglisbe
22. jtd Thee Stallion
23. gonecountry
24. trilogy
25. beyoncelover
26. Ivy Leegue™
27. ccarter1023
28. rowellfarm490
29. alexcuse

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}312999 aerodynamite annoymous1 anthony11554 bat1990 BB🌕 beyoncelover Linnethia Monique Private Dancer ccarter1023 chanman CF15 Verisimilitude craziaskowboi Unhinged divasummer DJDaveMick69 Glove Slap Doc Indie Party Rock Enyasurvivor 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 Troublemaker singingrulebritannia God gonecountry Gonza'90 newpower Sambalada ilikemilk .indulgecountry Jay D83 jenglisbe Juanca jtd Thee Stallion peacebone Ky legend1982 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 mamooshka #LisaRinna Sir Benji Mayman SHOOTER Kelly's 10th Fan razorshark Red rowellfarm490 samo🦕 sergejdordij stallie Ivy Leegue™ toomuchboy Mirago Ty Mic Technique B-Boy wavey. wyckyd HamedM1 💔 emerald willapted33 RoseColoredGirl M5AGTS khan zippy trilogy alexcuse

[Soulsista]

This song was first recorded as an instrumental by Yellow Magic Orchestra. MJ recorded it and intended for it to be included on Thriller, but due to royalty issues was left off. It was later included on Thriller 40, and a remixed version appeared on the 2010 album Michael. The song has also been recorded by Eric Clapton and Greg Phillinganes.

Behind The Mask

[Soulsista]

2 DAYS LEFT!

Participants:
1. Soulsista
2. HamedM1 💔
3. 312999
4. bat1990
5. Mayman
6. emerald
7. chanman
8. God
9. mamooshka
10. willapted33
11. RoseColoredGirl
12. wyckyd
13. Mirago
14. M5AGTS
15. .indulgecountry
16. khan
17. zippy
18. singingrulebritannia
19. theyaintready
20. 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲
21. jenglisbe
22. jtd Thee Stallion
23. gonecountry
24. trilogy
25. beyoncelover
26. Ivy Leegue™
27. ccarter1023
28. rowellfarm490
29. alexcuse
30. samo🦕
31. divasummer
32. Kelly's 10th Fan
33. Gonza'90

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}312999 aerodynamite annoymous1 anthony11554 bat1990 BB🌕 beyoncelover Linnethia Monique Private Dancer ccarter1023 chanman CF15 Verisimilitude craziaskowboi Unhinged divasummer DJDaveMick69 Glove Slap Doc Indie Party Rock Enyasurvivor 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 Troublemaker singingrulebritannia God gonecountry Gonza'90 newpower Sambalada ilikemilk .indulgecountry Jay D83 jenglisbe Juanca jtd Thee Stallion peacebone Ky legend1982 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 mamooshka #LisaRinna Sir Benji Mayman SHOOTER Kelly's 10th Fan razorshark Red rowellfarm490 samo🦕 sergejdordij stallie Ivy Leegue™ toomuchboy Mirago Ty Mic Technique B-Boy wavey. wyckyd HamedM1 💔 emerald willapted33 RoseColoredGirl M5AGTS khan zippy trilogy alexcuse

[Soulsista]

This song is essentially an alternate version of MJ's 1979 song "You Can't Win". It was recorded for Thriller, but was ultimately left off. It was later included on Thriller 40.

Can't Get Outta The Rain

[Soulsista]

1 DAY LEFT!

Participants:
1. Soulsista
2. HamedM1 💔
3. 312999
4. bat1990
5. Mayman
6. emerald
7. chanman
8. God
9. mamooshka
10. willapted33
11. RoseColoredGirl
12. wyckyd
13. Mirago
14. M5AGTS
15. .indulgecountry
16. khan
17. zippy
18. singingrulebritannia
19. theyaintready
20. 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲
21. jenglisbe
22. jtd Thee Stallion
23. gonecountry
24. trilogy
25. beyoncelover
26. Ivy Leegue™
27. ccarter1023
28. rowellfarm490
29. alexcuse
30. samo🦕
31. divasummer
32. Kelly's 10th Fan
33. Gonza'90
34. CagedJuggalo The Third Tanker
35. fearlessarrow
36. B-Boy
37. Doc Indie Party Rock

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}312999 aerodynamite annoymous1 anthony11554 bat1990 BB🌕 beyoncelover Linnethia Monique Private Dancer ccarter1023 chanman CF15 Verisimilitude craziaskowboi Unhinged divasummer DJDaveMick69 Glove Slap Doc Indie Party Rock Enyasurvivor 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 Troublemaker singingrulebritannia God gonecountry Gonza'90 newpower Sambalada ilikemilk .indulgecountry Jay D83 jenglisbe Juanca jtd Thee Stallion peacebone Ky legend1982 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 mamooshka #LisaRinna Sir Benji Mayman SHOOTER Kelly's 10th Fan razorshark Red rowellfarm490 samo🦕 sergejdordij stallie Ivy Leegue™ toomuchboy Mirago Ty Mic Technique B-Boy wavey. wyckyd HamedM1 💔 emerald willapted33 RoseColoredGirl M5AGTS khan zippy trilogy alexcuse fearlessarrow

[Soulsista]

MJ started working on this song for the 1982 Richard Pryor movie of the same name, but couldn't complete it in time due to working on the Thriller album at the same time. The demo would later surface on Thriller 40.

The Toy



MJ would continue working on the song over the years, eventually renaming it "Best Of Joy" which appeared on the 2010 Michael album.

[312999]

Are we also going to rank the Bad album after this too? Would love to do that one as well! Also a great album.