‘Thriller’ Turns 40: How Michael Jackson Moonwalked the Music Business Out of a Recession

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“It helped pull us out of the disco days and it became a whole new world,” says one former Epic Records exec of the landmark album.

and, later, hair-metal bands. At the end of 1981, CBS Records, which owned Epic at the time, took in $1 billion in revenue, its worst earnings since 1971; by the end of 1983, its net income increased 26% to $187 million., then Epic’s West Coast marketing vp. “It helped pull us out of the disco days and it became a whole new world.”

Stessel, who worked closely with Jackson on music videos, says the industry recession from roughly 1979 to 1983 helped his staff learn to economize — which made Epic and other labels leaner and stronger when the business came back. “It allowed us to utilize our dollars more efficiently, develop local campaigns — if you could break an artist out of Kansas City, then obviously your next goal was to spread it to St. Louis, and maybe your next stop would be Milwaukee or Chicago or Detroit, depending where the airplay was,” he recalls.

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you’re irrelevant.

Cute headline, trashy article

Is it a hard demand for working at billboard To be a nambla cultists/ pedophiles? Your boys you supported almost 4 years ago are debunked with over 60 proven lies and ere thrown out of court multiple times.

Please make up your minds about MichaelJackson one minute your are praising his name next time you are bashing his name!! Which is it?!!!

shameful. you guys are transparent. you just couldn’t not mention the documentary could you? you want him to be guilty so bad, even after being proved innocent.

Billboard, how michael jackson became so big and powerfull that some in the industry needed him demonised or gone. You are helping. THIS IS IT was to be his last album for sony. He would then be an Independent black artiste with over half of sony's music. When did he die ?

: regarding MJ you really need to give these accusations a rest. Unless the FBI decides to re-open this case the case is closed OK? I didn’t see you all have a problem with Vince Neil killing somebody in the mid-80s and nitpicking on motley Crue over the years! 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

His legacy would not be tainted if presstitutes actually did what journalists are meant to do. Serious allegations must always be subjected to serious scrutiny. Thankfully,some journalists still understand this

Nice words Billboard, you admit that MJ saved the music industry back then. Now also after 40 years its sales are almost at the peak. But after the LN movie, you were brutal, calling for MJ's cancellation. What is the music industry without MJ! These things are not forgotten!

Billboard pushing that racist lie again I see. Do you have any idea how much it hurts real victims of sexual assault when you push the bullshit of five proven liars? MJInnocent

Billboard u so trashy. Michael is innocent

'Even as Jackson’s legacy is tainted with allegations of child sexual abuse in HBO’s 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland'. NO, it was not contaminated at all because it was 'documentary' garbage. Only fools and hypocrites were 'shocked'.

You still had to pay lip-service to that discredited documentary! Y not then mention that the two subjects lost their court cases? 🤦🏾‍♂️

knopps We are tired of having to do the journalism for you guys. Listen to the podcast Case4Innocence & argue the facts. You should objectively investigate the claims against Jackson before bringing them up, else you are abusing your platform to perpetrate ignorant injustice.

See how they will push a lie about a black man but hide all evidence and all the lies by the lying non black accusers. Some folks are not wrong about who tries to control the media narrative'. This is a perfect example to show how some push lies on certain people who are black.

LN was exposed as a scam three years ago, so why bring up that crap?

Ya'll have become a joke....Keep THE KING out of your mouths

His music was stolen by the yt devil like many other black artists.

When this disclaimer actually comes in handy

Why this picture, though?

ALWAYS trying to diminish , the most successful and influential artist in the music business , by bringing up, accusations, PROVEN FALSE, topped off with a lousy picture ..lol MJ popularity never depended on Corporate America The audacity of his iconic status , galls at them

Could y’all have used ANY other photo? Everything you have access to, and THIS is how you celebrate the legacy of the biggest selling record in history. We love y’all, but do better. 🤬

Billboard pls piss off

The fake 'documentary' 'Leaving Neverland' contains multiple proven lies and has no actual evidence. It was debunked over 3 years ago. Michael Jackson is INNOCENT! Watch Square One (on Amazon Prime or Youtube): MJInnocent

Bout time u stopped regurgitating the LN nonsense. And apologise and all media should do some journalism investigation in the hoax of that mockery they helped promoted. You all could do the right thing and help put the actual truth out & correct the many untruths been written.

There is seriously something wrong with I feel sorry for you, trying to sap the joy this man brought the world.

IsaiasThoughts Where is apologize ? Otherwise ⬇️ beefboard.

We are here to educate and learn 😌

Billboard is Trash!

I won't even click on it because I know it'll be biased and not faithful at all.

Garbage L*aving N*verland Michael Jackson is innocent Michael Jackson family in peace

MJISRL O que diaxos tem a ver as falsas alegações Michael Jackson é inocente! Isso não deve ser acompanhando ao seu brilhante trabalho!!!! RACISTAS!

You have to be kidding. PYT is about a girl, MJ did not even write it. Did you even read the lyrics? MJ does not have songs about boys. Not one. Does not have one song that is perverted. (unlike other artists you don't malign) Thriller40Day

When will y’all stop bringing this mockery of “documentary” every time you mention Michael It’s like you WANT him to be guilty when in fact it was proven again and again that he’s innocent.

You guys are a f***ing lynch mob. You’d love to see an innocent Black man hanged by his neck, right? Take this down immediately and apologize.

Michael Jackson un talento y genio de la música, baile y del entretenimiento.

Your racism is showing again, you never waste an opportunity to diminish Michael. Where’s your reporting of white musicians that have been accused of sexual abuse ? The documentary that you referred to has long been debunked. Where is your reporting on that ?

Yawn. You have proven time and time again you can't be fair to Michael Jackson and write a decent article about him. 'Thriller' is a masterpiece that changed the industry forever. Billboard was once a respected music medium now turned into tabloid nonsense.

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