Thriller: 25th Anniversary Edition
Common Sense says
Parents say
Kids say
Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Get it now on
Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...
A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this music.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this anniversary album has the nine tracks from the original album and features remix versions with popular artists Kanye West, Fergie, Will.i.am, and Akon. Also included is a previously unreleased single, "For All Time."
Wondering if Thriller: 25th Anniversary Edition is OK for your kids?
Set preferences and get age-appropriate recommendations with Common Sense Media Plus. Join now
Stay up to date on new reviews.
User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
Some things are better off left alone.
GREAT ALBUM FOR EVERYONE!!!!!
What's the story?
Michael Jackson's THRILLER has been re-released 25 years after it made its way into everyone's homes. In addition to the original nine-song album that has been remastered, there are six remixes featuring Kanye West, Fergie, Will.i.am, and Akon, and a previously unreleased single "For All Time" that didn't make the cut for the first album. There's also a deluxe version with a DVD.
Is it any good?
Akon's "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" is commendable, with an added club beat and a few lyrics. Fergie's rendition of "Beat It" is a waste of time, and Kanye adds little to "Billie Jean" other than an "unh" and "yeh" here and there. (Maybe he wisely realized you shouldn't mess with a good thing.) Will.i.am adds some sleazy lyrics to "P.Y.T." and slows it down to where it barely resembles the original. On "The Girl Is Mine 08," there's no Sir Paul, but there are some annoying chants from Will.i.am saying "she mine she mine/she like the way I rock". Still, this album is Jacko in his element, dazzling and timeless, and reminds us why he was the pre-eminent pop star of a generation.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about the lasting success of Thriller (still the greatest selling album of all time) and what makes it so. What kind of influence and effect did Michael Jackson have on artists and pop music today? Do you think his recent media attention, mostly negative, affects the way people view his music today? Or does his music stand on its own?
Music details
- Artist: Michael Jackson
- Release date: February 12, 2008
- Label: Sony Music
- Genre: Pop
- Parental advisory: No
- Edited version available: No
- Last updated: July 15, 2015
Our editors recommend
For kids who love music
Top advice and articles
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.