10 Perfect Albums That Defined The '80s
3. Thriller - Michael Jackson
Right...like we're going to make an entire list of the albums that define the '80s and not bring up the King of Pop at some point. Granted, it wasn't set in stone that Jacko was going to become the King of Pop right out of the gate, with his last album Off the Wall having more in common with the disco sounds of the '70s than the stylish sounds of the '80s. Instead of changing with the times though, Michael hooked up with Quincy Jones and made the rest of the music world bend to his will.
From a raw song standpoint, very few albums can boast such a strong lineup of classics like Thriller, much less ones that still hold up just as well today. Starting with Wanna Be Startin Somethin, this entire record is a nonstop party, with Michael casually pulling from the biggest stars in the world to create his masterpiece, from Paul McCartney guesting on The Girl is Mine to Eddie Van Halen sprinkling in some amazing guitar licks over Beat It.
And even with years of it playing over the radio, it feels like we're still learning more about the perfection of Billie Jean, one of the single greatest hits to ever come out of the '80s. The disco era of Michael may have still been accounted for, but his journey into the future of pop was just a moonwalk away.