‘Thriller’ Was Best-Selling Album of All Time

Remembering Michael Jackson

Everyone who has ever owned a radio, television or computer knows who Michael Jackson is. He has millions of fans, millions of critics, but very few who were ignorant to his existence. I grew up listening to Michael Jackson, and still sing his songs at karaoke.

He has always been there. He’s always been in the news, even when he wasn’t making albums. He was always a presence. The second CD I ever owned was “Dangerous.” In fact, “Thriller,” which sold more copies than any other album in the world, came out the year I was born. On that album alone, Michael made enough money go go through life without ever thinking of taking out a short-term loan.

100 million thrilled by ‘Thriller’

“Thriller” has not only sold more copies than any other album, but it did so by a long shot. “Thriller” has sold 109 million copies. The second highest-selling album in the world sold 45 million copies. “Thriller” the music video won Greatest Music Video of All Time.

“Thriller,” the video, the song, the album and the dance might be responsible for earning Michael the title King of Pop.

Memories of Michael

I think I first started listening to Michael Jackson when I was 8 or 9 years old. My friends and I memorized many of the songs on “Dangerous” even before I owned the CD. I had one friend who particularly loved to sing “Will You Be There.”

I remember everyone getting a big kick out of it when one of my friends dedicated “Black or White” to another friend of ours at a junior high dance.

Big name

Michael Jackson sure did know how to make a big production out of things. All of his music videos were larger than life. His concerts were gigantic spectacles. I never got to see the King of Pop in person, but I have seen enough video to know they were quite the big deal.

Everything with Michael was always pretty extreme. The albums, the lawsuits, the scandals, the marriages, everything. Every move he made was captured by the paparazzi, and many of them were blown out of proportion. From catching his hair on fire in 1984 to holding his baby over a balcony, the world’s attention was always on Michael Jackson.

Me and Michael

I went backward as far as familiarizing myself with Michael Jackson’s music. I was into “Dangerous” first, and though I never owned any other albums, I eventually became familiar with all of his previous singles. I didn’t ever get into the music that he wrote and performed after “Dangerous,” but I guess I just didn’t believe that he could beat “Bad” or “Beat It” or “Billy Jean.”

Later I came across the Jackson  5 song “I Want You Back,” and it instantly became my favorite song. “Black or White,” “I Want You Back,” “The Way You Make Me Feel” and “Beat It” are regulars in my karaoke repertoire. In fact, my favorite Michael Jackson song of all, ”The Way You Make Me Feel,” is the ringtone on my phone.

Very few people’s lives were untouched by Michael Jackson. I have seen all manner of different reactions to his death, from jokes or outright glee to utter sadness. In my circle of friends, and by everyone who went to that junior high dance, I know he will be missed.