S. Samuel
Entertainment mogul Quincy Jones has ranked late pop icon Michael Jackson's Off The Wall album over the singer's record-breaking, multi-platinum selling 1982 LP, Thriller.
Although he favors Off The Wall, Jones admitted to strong feelings for both projects.
Commercial success aside, the general consensus is usually torn when it comes to picking the better MJ album. To let Quincy Jones tell it, “Wall” edges “Thriller” as Michael’s ultimate masterpiece. “I’m proud of both of them, don’t get me wrong,” Jones told BET.com. “But, we had musical bridges in ‘Off the Wall’ and a lot of things of that nature, ‘Thriller’ too, you know, it’s just different. But, I like all of them. Once you do them, you gotta like them.” Fans who favor “Off the Wall” often debate that it tells a more complete story than “Thriller.” “Absolutely, I’d agree with that,” Jones said. (BET)
Jones also revealed that a portion of Off The Wall was intended for famed Rat Pack singer Frank Sinatra.
The producer went on to say that there was some material Jackson sang on Off the Wall that had been intended for Frank Sinatra. He explained: “Michael was singing about a real romance with a woman, so much so that he cried. I was saving the song for [Frank] Sinatra and I gave it to Michael, ’cause I wanted to hear him sing about a real, true, warm relationship. He was very affected. He cried, every take he made, he cried. I just left it on the record.” (Examiner)
The debate over Off The Wall versusThriller as the superior Jackson LP has been carried on for many years by music fans.
Michael Jackson’s first two albums as a liberated man were Off the Wall and Thriller. Even though released in 1979 and 1982 respectively, the pair still stand as the barometers by which all other R&B albums are measured. Innovative, groundbreaking and inventive production was layered with Jackson’s crisp voice which dramatically morphed from tenor to falsetto at the drop of a hat. The song writing is brilliant on both and the spectrum of sounds, mind boggling. But as good as each is, everyone has a favorite. (Planet Ill)
Last year, Rick Ross spoke with SOHH about the impact Thriller had on his career.
“You know, I named Trilla after Thriller,” Ross told SOHH. “I feel like one of the best things about Michael Jackson is he crossed color lines. I think that was big for a black musician, to really open up the doors. You know, when you’re making music, you’re making music for the masses, not just one specific person or people or genre, you really making music to move people. But I think that’s what Michael Jackson did and the greatest performer ever, man.” (SOHH)
To date, Off The Wall has sold over 20,000,000 copies globally while Thriller has reportedly sold up to 110,000,000 albums worldwide, retaining its accolade as the best-selling album of all time.
Check out tracks from both albums down below:
