It produced Michael Jackson four Top Ten singles, including the number one hits "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You," and went platinum (it went on to sell over seven million copies); even so, Michael Jackson remained loyal to his brothers and stayed with the group. No group could have contained Michael Jackson's rapidly rising star for long; however, there was still no sign (if there ever could be) that his next album would become the biggest in history. Released in 1982, the Quincy Jones-produced Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall; Michael Jackson the dance and rock tracks were more driving, the pop tunes and ballads softer and more soulful, and all of it was recognizably Michael. Jackson brought in Paul McCartney for a duet, guitarist Eddie Van Halen for a jaw-dropping solo, and Vincent Price for a creepy recitation. It Michael Jackson was no surprise that Thriller was a hit; what was a surprise was its staying power. Jackson's duet with McCartney, "The Girl Is Mine," was a natural single choice, and it peaked at number two; then "Billie Jean" and the Van Halen track "Beat It" both Michael Jackson hit number one, for seven and three weeks, respectively. Those latter two songs, as well as the future Top Five title track, had one important Michael Jackson feature in common: Jackson supported them with elaborately conceived video clips that revolutionized the way music videos were made.
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