Michael Jackson is one of the most iconic artists of all time, and his contributions to the music industry are still influential today. In December 1983, Michael Jackson released his iconic “Thriller” music video (or short film, as he called it), which caused quite a controversy. Jackson was raised a Jehovah’s Witness, so when the video was set to premiere, they threatened to excommunicate him over “demonology” accusations.
The video depicts members of the occult, such as zombies and werewolves. While these are popular creatures in horror and American culture, especially around Halloween, the religious organization did not approve. Jackson almost had the video footage destroyed to avoid conflict with his religion.
However, production team members hid the footage to protect it, and Jackson did everything he could to prove that the project was just for fun. The singer did an interview with Awake! magazine, reassuring audiences that the video did not reflect his personal beliefs and was done with good intentions. He also put a disclaimer before the music video letting viewers know it is not meant to endorse the occult. It’s a good thing Jackson followed through with the video premiere because Jackson’s “Thriller” would change music videos forever.
Thriller Transformed Music Videos Into An Art Form
Jackson’s Work Changed The Way Videos Were Made
Despite the initial controversy, the “Thriller” video went on to become one of the most iconic music videos of all time. In fact, Jackson’s project changed the way music videos were made forever. It’s hard to pinpoint where the art of music videos that Jackson mastered all began, as online opinions vary from Tony Bennett’s 1953 video for “Stranger In Paradise” to Bob Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues” – and some even trace music videos back to the 1800s.
However, there’s no arguing that Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” was the first long-form video with a complex storyline. Before Jackson, the majority of music videos featured artists standing in front of the camera performing their songs, some even exclusively featuring concert footage. Jackson was among the first artists to introduce fully developed storylines into his videos, especially with “Thriller.” The music video, which became a cultural phenomenon, is 14 minutes long and had an $800,000 budget.
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The video has a 4-minute intro before the song’s beat even kicks in, and, of course, iconic choreography that has been recreated everywhere in pop culture from movies like 13 Going on 30 to New York City’s annual Halloween parade. Today’s pop stars like Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and Sabrina Carpenter have been praised for their creative, fully-fledged videos. Both Swift and Grande have even released short films in recent years, but none of this would have been possible without Jackson’s “Thriller.”
The John Landis-directed video made music videos a serious art form that artists, after Jackson, have put a lot of thought into. In 1984, the Grammys introduced the categories Best Video, Short Form, and Best Video Album. Unfortunately, since “Thriller” was released at the end of 1983, it didn’t make the cut-off, but Jackson would win both awards later in his career. However, the introduction of those awards showcased how Michael Jackson’s contribution to music videos brought them to prominence in pop culture.
Thriller Inspired “Making Of” Documentaries
Jackson Popularized The Documentary Style
In 1985, Michael Jackson won the Grammy for Best Video Album for Making Of Michael Jackson’s Thriller. The 45-minute documentary showcased the behind-the-scenes work that went into bringing the “Thriller” music video to life. These days, it’s common for directors to release behind-the-scenes footage of their films and for musicians to give fans a look behind the scenes of their music videos. While Michael Jackson was not the first person to make a “making of” documentary, he popularized the art form in music.
It’s now somewhat expected of artists to show their fans what went into the creation of their videos.
The Making Of Michael Jackson’s Thriller gave fans an inside glimpse into Jackson’s artistic vision as one of the most innovative artists of all time. It pushed other pop artists to want to be as creative as him and showcased how hands-on Jackson was with his art, something the pop stars who came after him would continue to mimic throughout their careers.
Taylor Swift regularly releases BTS videos from her music video shoots, and in December 2024, she released nine BTS videos from various shoots throughout recent years. It’s now somewhat expected of artists to show their fans what went into the creation of their videos. Of all the mainstream pop artists today, the majority of them have mimicked Jackson’s “making of” documentary.
Thriller Was The First Music Video Inducted Into The Library Of Congress
The Video Was Considered Culturally Significant In US Culture
In 2009, the year of Jackson’s death, the “Thriller” music video became the first music video inducted into the Library of Congress. The video was inducted into the National Film Registry because of its impact on US culture. According to Billboard, Steve Leggett, the coordinator of the National Film Preservation Board, wanted to induct the film since the industry was shifting in the late 2000s, and he wanted to honor the video that contributed to “an earlier seismic shift.“
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On YouTube, the music video reached 1B views in 2024 and is currently at 1,055,554,023 views. However, Jackson’s impact has far exceeded YouTube views, as “Thriller’s” legacy began years before the platform launched. Its induction into the Library of Congress solidified its legacy in the music industry.
Thriller Changed MTV Forever
Thriller Made MTV A Cultural Phenomenon
Aside from Jackson, MTV was another pop culture element that changed music videos forever. However, Michael Jackson was intertwined with the network’s success. MTV was launched on August 1st, 1981, and would become the main network for consuming music videos. Decades before it would turn into a reality TV hub, MTV stood for Music Television, and it was an honor for artists to have their videos played on the station. The first music video ever aired on MTV was The Buggles “Video Killed The Radio Star,” a pretty symbolic choice.
However, MTV would soon face allegations over its lack of Black artists. The network seemingly excluded Black artists due to their dedication to rock music and the lack of Black musicians in 80s rock music. While MTV denies they purposely didn’t play Black artists, it wasn’t until Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” that Black musicians began regularly appearing on the channel. Jackson and his videos had become so popular that fans demanded to see them played, making it impossible for MTV to ignore Jackson’s work.
However, “Thriller” was especially influential in breaking down racial barriers for Black artists. As The Guardian put it, “Thriller” solidified MTV’s place as “a cultural force.” MTV also later ended up paying $250,000 for the rights to The Making Of Michael Jackson’s Thriller. There’s no denying that with its impact on MTV and pop culture as a whole, Michael Jackson changed music with his 1983 “Thriller” music video.
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