Michael Jackson’s Thriller Turns 40!

Wait, what? Michael Jackson's Thriller turns 40!?

Forty years ago this month on November 30, 1982 the world saw history in the making: the release of Michael Jackson's Thriller.

According to Wikipedia:

With 32 million copies sold worldwide by the end of 1983, Thriller became the best-selling album of all time. It was the best-selling album of 1983 worldwide. In 1984 it became the first album to become the best-selling in the United States for two years. It set industry standards with its songs, music videos, and promotional strategies influencing artists, record labels, producers, marketers, and choreographers. 

Thriller broke every record breakable, too numerous to mention. Subsequently my favorite is this. The hit single Billie Jean was SO popular, it forced MTV to change their policy. Before Billie Jean, MTV did not play videos from black artists. Michael Jackson broke down the wall for hundreds of black artists. Could you imagine NOT seeing a black artist on The MTV Video Music Awards today? We have Michael Jackson to thank for that.

Another first was achieved with Thriller-The Video. Michael Jackson was the first artist whose music video was actually, a movie, directed by an actual famous movie director John Landis. Landis was perfect for the video, as he was well known for directing An American Werewolf In London. 

Did you know that the frightful, spoken word narration at the end of Thriller is horror movie actor Vincent Price? They paid him $1000, according to reports!

Billie Jean, Thriller, PYT, Beat It, Human Nature, Wanna Be Startin' Somethin, The Girl Is Mine (with Paul McCartney)

Yes, SEVEN hit songs on ONE album. You can almost call it a greatest hits album. But, that's what you got with almost EVERY Michael Jackson album.

I can't believe it either: Michael Jackson's Thriller turns 40! It stands the test of time, and will be enjoyed for generations to come.

Here's my favorite song off Thriller!

What......no way! NO number ones for these 16 iconic artists?

I have been on the radio for a LONG time. Many of the songs on 1057 WROR I played when they were NEW!

So imagine MY shock when I found this list of ICONIC artists who have NEVER HAD A NUMBER ONE SONG!

It's 100% true. Bruce Springsteen has NEVER had a #1 that HE recorded. Surely I thought that Dancing In The Dark hit #1 in the 80s. NOPE.

In a recent interview Bruce shared how HIS recording of the song he wrote, Blinded By The Light DID NOT hit number one for him. The Manfred Mann cover version DID hit #1 in February of 1977.

The Bruce Springteen version was the first single off of his 1973 debut album Greetings From Asbury Park.

Reports say that Bruce said: "They (Manfred Mann) kind of messed up the song. They sang revved up by a DOOCHE. The lyric is DEUCE." But he's happy THEY got it to number one.

In response. reports say Manfred Mann said: "Yes, my version of the word DEUCE sounds like DOOCHE. We couldn't back in and re-record it. I regret that."

According to Wikipedia:

The song came about when Columbia Records president Clive Davis, upon listening to an early version of Greetings from Asbury Park N.J., felt the album lacked a potential single. Springsteen wrote this and "Spirit in the Night" in response.

Well, if you dare, scroll down to be as shocked as I was when you see NO number ones for THESE 16 iconic artists!

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Not even Dancing In The Dark? Nope. It hit #2 June 30, 1984, but stalled at #2 thanks to Duran Duran's The Reflex. In defense of Bruce, it DID hit #1 on CASHBOX. 

Nope. Not even Stairway To Heaven. Not one of Led Zeppelin's 16 singles has reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

But in all fairness, it was never released as a commercial single. It's considered one of the greatest songs of all time.

The closest they ever got to the top of the Hot 100 was "Smells Like Teenage Spirit," which peaked at No. 6.

Quit playin games with my heart

We were fooled again

Jimi Hendrix might be one of the greatest guitar players of all time, but he never had a single make it to the top 10, let alone the top of the chart.

Sheryl Crow came close with "All I Wanna Do," but ultimately fell short.

Bob Dylan may have won a Nobel Prize, but he's never had a No. 1 song on the Hot 100.

Shania Twain is the best-selling female country music star of all time, but that doesn't translate to Hot 100 chart-toppers.

Johnny Cash's 49-year career resulted in millions upon millions of albums sold, but just one top 10 hit.

Though they were the biggest band in the world at one time, One Direction never achieved a No. 1. Maybe we should call them TWO Direction?

Modern rock legends Green Day have had plenty of No. 1s on the Alternative chart, but on the Hot 100? Not so much.

James Brown had dozens of songs make it to the Hot 100, but none ever reached No. 1.

Missy Elliot is one of the most prolific rappers of all time, but has yet to reach No 1 on the Hot 100.

Bob Marley's music is beloved around the world, but he didn't have that much chart success.

Demi Lovato has more than a few inescapable songs, but none of them have reached No. 1.