Just in time for spooky season, Michael Jackson’s iconic 1983 music video for “Thriller” has surpassed one billion YouTube views.
The milestone marks the King of Pop’s fourth visual to join the Billion Views Club after “Beat It,” “Billie Jean,” and “They Don’t Care About Us.” Directed by John Landis and boasting a voiceover from Vincent Price, the 13-minute clip aired on MTV in December 1983.
The video follows Jackson watching a scary movie with his date, which ultimately leads to a ghoulish full moon transformation and some now-instantly recognizable choreography by Michael Peters that Jackson performs alongside his fellow monsters and zombies.
Following its release, in 1984, the single peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at No. 3 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Following Jackson’s death in 2009, the song returned to Billboard’s tallies, climbing to No. 2 on Hot Digital Songs. The same year, the video was inducted into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress — the first music video to ever receive this honor — for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant. “Thriller” is also the is the most-downloaded Halloween-themed hit of all-time, according to data from Nielsen SoundScan.
Since its release 40 years ago, the “Thriller” music video is often referenced in pop culture, most notably in the 2004 rom-com 13 Going on 30, where Jennifer Garner’s character reignites a boring party by recruiting the attendees into a venue-wide rendition of the choreography.
Rewatch Michael Jackson’s beloved “Thriller” music video above.
