"Thriller" – Michael Jackson

You'll Hear It: Full Album Deep Dives with Jazz Musicians

Peter Martin

Musicians React, Video Podcast, Tutorials, Album, Vocal Stems, Song Breakdown, Album Breakdown, Jazz Musicians React, Song Stems, Music, Musical Life, Reaction, Live Music, Fresh Spin Fridays, Peter Martin, Isolated Stems, Jazz, 194861, Album Analysis, Adam Maness, Kid A Harmony Analysis, Music Commentary, Jazz Tutorials, Music Theory, Jazz Lessons, Track-by-track, Album Deep Dive, Best New Jazz, Chords, Jazz Courses, Music Analysis, Music Advice, Jazz Education, Music Education

4.9 • 770 Ratings

🗓️ 27 October 2025

⏱️ 80 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In 1981, Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones set out on one of the most ambitious projects in pop music history: an album where every song was a hit. The result was Thriller. The record-breaking, chart-topping masterpiece produced six top-ten hits, became the best-selling album of all time, and propelled Black American music into global pop dominance.

Watch as jazz musicians Peter Martin and Adam Maness react to this iconic '80s pop album. They break it down track-by-track: MJ's timeless ad-libbed melodies, Ndugu Chancler's drum intros (the greatest in pop history?!), Greg Phillinganes's synths, and Rod Temperton's songwriting.

Thriller is so much more than "Thriller". Listen with us, and you'll never hear this record the same way again.

Michael Jackson unveils the moonwalk at NBC's Motown 25 special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB7TqzPVt_M&t=538s

Greg Phillinganes breaks down the bass line on "Thriller": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UqxOg3M-OM

Adam and Peter analyze Off the Wall: https://youtu.be/jR9zxGueeq4

Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi

Transcript

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0:00.0	Peter?
0:01.0	Yes? Peter, what are you doing? Just playing some chords. Let's not do this. Why not? Peter, I don't think this is such a good idea. You don't like where it's leading? Peter, Caleb's just a kid, man. Don't do this to Caleb. That dude's 33 years old. Peter, okay, I'm begging you. Let's not do this.
0:21.7	Please, let's not do this. The
0:40.3	The The
0:57.0	The I'm I'm I'm
1:11.6	The
1:12.6	I'm
1:13.6	I'm I'm I'm
1:28.3	The
1:30.3	I'm
1:32.3	I'm
1:33.3	I'm
1:35.3	I'm
1:36.3	I'm
1:37.3	I'm
1:39.3	I'm
1:40.3	I'm
1:41.3	I'm
1:43.3	I'm I'm Adam Anus.
1:54.8	And you're listening to the You'll Hear in podcast.
1:57.5	Music Explorer.
1:58.8	Explored, brought you today by Open Studio.
	...

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