https://sandmanjazz.wordpress.com/2020/09/15/30-day-album-challenge-day-15/

Behind every mask there is a face, and behind that a story. – Marty Rubin

How can anyone think of the 80’s without thinking of Michael Jackson? The man behind the mask, the mystique of his life discussed and re-discussed in every cult magazine.

“Thriller was the sixth studio album by American singer Michael Jackson, released on November 30, 1982 by Epic Records. Thriller became Jackson’s first number one album on the Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart, where it spent a record 37 weeks at number one, from February 26, 1983 to April 14, 1984. Thriller remains the best-selling album of all time, with sales of 66 million copies worldwide. It is the second-best-selling album in the United States and was certified 33× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2017″~ wikipeida.

Billie Jean was my favorite song on this album but for the life of me I never understood why it wasn’t the opening song to the album. It certainly soared like a rocket when it was released.

The man himself was an enigma, the media couldn’t decide if he was a monster or an angel. “Before the success of Thriller, many felt Jackson had struggled to get MTV airing because he was black In an effort to attain air time for Jackson, CBS Records President Walter Yetnikoff pressured MTV and declared, “I’m not going to give you any more videos and I’m going to go public and fucking tell them about the fact you don’t want to play music by a black guy. His position persuaded MTV to begin airing “Billie Jean” and later “Beat It“, (along with Prince‘s “Little Red Corvette“) which led to a long partnership and later helped other black music artists to gain mainstream recognition. ” ~ wikipedia

Naturally, MTV denies claims of racism in their broadcasting but I do remember how the early years of MTV white artists dominated.

The world is full of monsters with friendly faces and angels full of scars.

RIP Michael Jackson

August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009