Fact Finder - Music

Fact
The 'Thriller' World Record
Category
Music
Subcategory
Hit Songs
Country
United States
Description
Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' is one of the most famous hit songs ever, but it was its 14-minute music video that changed the industry forever. Directed by John Landis, the video was the first of its kind to have a plot and high production values, essentially becoming a short film. It cost $800,000 to produce, which was an unheard-of amount for a music video at the time. To help pay for it, the 'Making of Thriller' documentary was sold to MTV and Showtime, inventing the 'behind-the-scenes' music documentary genre. The song features a spoken-word sequence by horror movie legend Vincent Price, who recorded his part in just two takes. The 'Thriller' album remains the best-selling album of all time worldwide. The song and video are credited with transforming music videos from simple promotional tools into a legitimate art form and a massive commercial industry.