What do you think the music and video industries (or even general fashion/pop culture) would've been like for the rest of the decade?

Musically, I think it would've been relateively similar - by late 1982/'83, synthesizers and keyboards were already big, and '70s styled songs were pretty much faded away. However, even though MTV was around and reasonably popular, it was the videos off this album that really "pushed" the medium into overdrive to where you pretty much HAD to make a video for any popular song.

It was the permanent success of videos that made "visual friendly" bands like Duran Duran make it big too. I've heard it said that if it weren't for MTV, many of them probably wouldn't have nearly been as successful just as radio bands.

I don't think Madonna and Cyndi Lauper and Prince would've been anywhere near as successful as they were. I think new wave would've remained popular and some form of commercialized hair metal like heavy metal would've come out, and punk might've become very popular in the mainstream. But I'm sure somebody would've taken advantage of the video medium eventually or about at the same time, even if it wasn't Michael Jackson.

You can be cynical, but it did create a change in the music industry... what sort of change even I can't put into words. It was almost a global phenomenon... the hype was tremendous. And the album itself was just crammed with perfect pop songs and great vocals. His video's were unprecedented.

I don't think Madonna and Cyndi Lauper and Prince would've been anywhere near as successful as they were.

Actually, I don't think you can say that about Prince. He didn't rely too much on videos for his success.

Actually, I don't think you can say that about Prince. He didn't rely too much on videos for his success.


However, his image was a major part of his success...see "When Doves Cry."

Weird Al would have had a much shorter music career.

He had been mostly known for "My Bologna", and was constantly having troubles getting permission from artists to let him parody their work.  The Kinks refused to let him parody Lola, and a lot of others (Rolling Stones, The Police, Billy Joel) refused to let him use their works.

All that changed when Michael Jackson let him parody "Eat It".  And a few years later he did it again, even offering use of the set of "Bad" so Al could make the video for "Fat".

Without Michael, Al would probably have just faded into obscurity, only known to a few die-hard Dr. Demento fans, and as a trivia question as to who made that one-hit-wonder that made fun of "My Sharona".

What do you think the music and video industries (or even general fashion/pop culture) would've been like for the rest of the decade?

Musically, I think it would've been relateively similar - by late 1982/'83, synthesizers and keyboards were already big, and '70s styled songs were pretty much faded away. However, even though MTV was around and reasonably popular, it was the videos off this album that really "pushed" the medium into overdrive to where you pretty much HAD to make a video for any popular song.

It was the permanent success of videos that made "visual friendly" bands like Duran Duran make it big too. I've heard it said that if it weren't for MTV, many of them probably wouldn't have nearly been as successful just as radio bands.


It would have still been noticeably different.  1984 would NOT have been 1984.  '84 being such a cool year had a lot to do with Michael. I know he's a freak today, but back then he was like a superhero.  Michael Jackson inspired the breakdancing craze of the mid-'80s, so it would have been different.  How different I don't know.  Let's also not forget the fact that Michael was the first Black man to be reguarly featured on MTV.  He was so good, that MTV could not ignore him.  He showed everyone how to make good music videos.  You have to remember the times, in that part of the 1980s, no one ever saw anything like that before.  So it was something special.  It was like what you felt the first time you saw The Matrix, that stuff is routine now, but back in 1999 no one ever saw anything like that before.  The same way, in 1983 and '84, no one ever saw anything like what Michael Jackson was doing in his videos.

It would have still been noticeably different.  1984 would NOT have been 1984.  '84 being such a cool year had a lot to do with Michael. I know he's a freak today, but back then he was like a superhero.  Michael Jackson inspired the breakdancing craze of the mid-'80s, so it would have been different.  How different I don't know.  Let's also not forget the fact that Michael was the first Black man to be reguarly featured on MTV.  He was so good, that MTV could not ignore him.  He showed everyone how to make good music videos.  You have to remember the times, in that part of the 1980s, no one ever saw anything like that before.  So it was something special.  It was like what you felt the first time you saw The Matrix, that stuff is routine now, but back in 1999 no one ever saw anything like that before.  The same way, in 1983 and '84, no one ever saw anything like what Michael Jackson was doing in his videos.


Maybe that's why I feel The Matrix is much more of an '00s movie even though it came out at the end of the '90s.

I can imagine exactly how new and amazing Michael Jackson was...I love his early music and videos as a solo artist, from about 1979 to 1987. People forget it now because of what he's become, but he's  one of the most important figures in the history of music.

^I totally agree - Matrix is '00s.  It is so influential on today's movies; it really set the standard for the action movies of this decade.  Besides, even today it's still a popular movie.

Anyway, though, I think "Thriller" was very influential on the '80s, but I do think new wave and hair metal would have still became popular.  But, the '80s would be a little different, that's for sure.

People do underestimate the earlier work of Michael Jackson, based on the freak he's become (well, he's always been creepy, but he wasn't visibly creepy until 1987ish).  "Billie Jean" is a classic, nothing he's personally done could change that.

^I totally agree - Matrix is '00s.  It is so influential on today's movies; it really set the standard for the action movies of this decade.  Besides, even today it's still a popular movie.

Anyway, though, I think "Thriller" was very influential on the '80s, but I do think new wave and hair metal would have still became popular.  But, the '80s would be a little different, that's for sure.

People do underestimate the earlier work of Michael Jackson, based on the freak he's become (well, he's always been creepy, but he wasn't visibly creepy until 1987ish).  "Billie Jean" is a classic, nothing he's personally done could change that.


His first three solo albums are astounding pop masterpieces...though I think Madonna has a better longetivity rating, the density of great songs on Thriller, Bad and Off the Wall is near unequaled for any mainstream pop CD after the '60s. Only Like a Virgin, Like a Prayer, True Blue, and a few others even come close.

Michael Jackson was sort of cute creepy, not scary creepy, until the late '80s.

Thank God there was an album "Thriller".Music videos was a new medium and Micheal Jackson took videos to new heights. The "Thriller" video was revolutionary you never seen that type of production before. Madonna became famous in her videos just by pushing the envelope.

Thank God there was an album "Thriller".Music videos was a new medium and Micheal Jackson took videos to new heights. The "Thriller" video was revolutionary you never seen that type of production before. Madonna became famous in her videos just by pushing the envelope.


Hey! That may've been true for the first few, but my idol was using revolutionary cinematography and themes in masterpieces like "Like a Prayer", "Express Yourself", "Open Your Heart", "Papa Don't Preach", and "Vogue."