Michael Jackson: Thriller

Thriller: MOFI's UltraDisc One-Step Fails to Justify Its Premium Price

Michael Jackson's sixth studio album "Thriller" stands as a cultural monument that may never be surpassed in terms of sales and critical acclaim. Jackson achieved his ambitious vision to create an album where "every song was a killer," blending pop, post-disco, rock, funk, synth-pop, and R&B into a cohesive masterpiece.

The Album's Cultural Impact
While foreshadowing the darker themes that would later emerge in Jackson's personal life, "Thriller" became his first number 1 album on the Billboard Top Albums chart, where it spent an unprecedented 37 weeks at the top position. The album produced seven top ten singles, with "Beat It" and "Billie Jean" reaching number one. Propelled by Jackson's iconic moonwalk during the Motown 25 television special and the groundbreaking "Thriller" music video on MTV, the album sold 32 million copies worldwide by the end of 1983, eventually reaching 70 million copies by 2021—solidifying its position as the best-selling album of all time.

The album's critical acclaim matched its commercial success, winning eight Grammy Awards including Album of the Year. Individual tracks also earned recognition: "Beat It" won for Record of the Year and Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male; "Thriller" claimed Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male; and "Billie Jean" took home Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male and Best Rhythm & Blues Song. Additionally, Jackson won eight American Music Awards for this landmark release.

"Thriller" has been included in countless "greatest albums of all time" lists and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008. That same year, the Library of Congress added it to the National Recording Registry of "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant recordings."

The MOFI UltraDisc One-Step Pressing
To honor this landmark album, Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs released "Thriller" on their UltraDisc One-Step platform in 2023. This premium audiophile pressing incorporates a digital step in the transfer from analog tape to vinyl—a controversial production approach that led to a class-action lawsuit against MOFI for false advertising, as their products were marketed as "all analog" when they in fact included digital processing.
Ironically, "Thriller" was the release that initially raised suspicions among audiophile collectors. MOFI's announcement that they would press approximately 40,000 copies made many question whether Warner Bros. would permit the original master tapes of such an iconic and valuable release to be used for such a relatively large pressing run.

Sound Quality Assessment
Like most MOFI UltraDisc One-Step pressings we've reviewed, this version of "Thriller" offers impressive detail retrieval. The low frequencies are well-represented, and the midrange is appropriately positioned in the mix. However, where this pressing—like many others in the series—falls short is in its treatment of high frequencies, which tend to be pushed too far forward, creating a less satisfying listening experience than one should expect from a premium audiophile release.

The Vinyl Verdict
For collectors seeking a quality copy of Michael Jackson's "Thriller," the considerable premium commanded by the MOFI UltraDisc One-Step pressing may not be justified by its sonic performance. Prospective buyers might be better served by either an original pressing or the more affordable 40th anniversary release.
While the MOFI version delivers good sound quality, it falls short of greatness—particularly given its premium price point. Like the album itself, which explored themes of paranoia, the controversy surrounding MOFI's production methods adds an ironic dimension to this particular audiophile reissue of one of pop music's defining masterpieces. 💵

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