10 Albums Saved By Ridiculously Last Minute Changes
1. Quincy Jones Demands Stronger Material - Thriller
When it comes to 80's pop, it doesn't really get much better than Michael Jackson. His unique brand of rock, R&B, and funk created the pop rock sound as we know it today. Though Thriller is heralded as a true masterpiece of pop hookiness, the best cuts came close to not making the record.
Throughout the entire recording process, Jackson was taking his songs and putting more broad arrangements around them from the funky "Wanna Be Startin Somethin" to the horrorshow classic title track. While everything seems to be off-the-cuff when listening to it, producer Quincy Jones was pivotal in whipping the songs into shape. As the recordings were taking their final form, Jones actually felt the need to tell Jackson that the material on the record could be a little stronger.
Frustrated but determined, Jackson took a break from recording and came up with what are arguably the best tracks of his career: "Billie Jean" and "Beat It." The songs came to Jackson so spontaneously that he didn't even realize that the car he was riding in was on fire. Once Jackson returned to the studio, he set to work and created the cornerstones on what is the greatest pop album ever written.