Michael JacksonBillie Jean (4:53)

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About This Track

Billie Jean is a 1983 hit single from Michael Jackson’s Thriller album. A number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, the song was also the number-one R&B single for nine weeks in the United States and is one of Jackson’s most critically acclaimed songs. It was voted best single of the year in The Village Voice Jazz & Pop critics’ poll, and received two Grammy Awards in 1984 in the categories Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best New Rhythm & Blues Song. It was nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, along with “Beat It”, at the Grammy Awards of 1984. In 2005, Blender magazine recognized Billie Jean as the greatest song since 1980. It’s also his best-selling single worldwide, with 5.25 million copies sold, and contributed to the immense sales of the album Thriller.

Jackson started writing the first demo of the song in his home in Wilson, North Carolina in the fall of 1981. When he presented the song to his co-producer Quincy Jones, Jones had problems with the title and wanted to call the song “Not My Lover”. He thought when audiences heard it they would assume Jackson was referring to tennis superstar Billie Jean King. He also had complaints about the length of the song’s intro, believing it was too long; Jackson replied that the long intro made him want to dance. Jackson won both arguments: he got to keep the title of the song and the intro.

The introduction of the character Billie Jean is foreshadowed by a four-line reference from the album’s first track Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’, another Jackson-penned song.
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Albums featuring this track

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  • EricValeev

    MJ is the best!

    2 hours ago
  • WilsonTyrie

    This will always be one of my all time favorite tracks this track has inspired so much of music career in every way

    Wednesday morning
  • surelymaggie

    Doesn't get more perfect than this. [2]

    Monday afternoon
  • bod9I

    Ukraine with Jackson!!! I Like it)

    Friday evening
  • Gabriel_Opeth

    The greatest pop song of all times!!

    last week
  • othersider95

    I am the one

    last month
  • MadgeErotica

    E P I C , JUST!

    last month
  • sivetoblake

    LOVE HIM

    last month
  • bakaneko90

    KING OF POP :3

    last month
  • ELIAS72

    ..grande..

    last month
  • oOChildhoodOo

    One of the greatest songs of all-time. Long live the King! <3 [2]

    last month
  • IHeartIdol

    One of the greatest songs of all-time. Long live the King! <3

    April 2012
  • licoricepizza

    Doesn't get more perfect than this.

    April 2012
  • TylerSymes

    I used to go to a gym and every time i went there we needed to walk in a circle and this played

    April 2012
  • supermediadave

    Wow, I wore this album out. Wish I still had it.

    April 2012
  • sterntaler123

    >>>>>>>>>>HAST RECHT KRISSI<<<<<<<<<<!!!!!!!!!!

    April 2012
  • rikrijean

    THE KING OF POP EVER~.~.~.~.

    April 2012
  • alisback43

    The King of Pop and All Music We Know Today.

    April 2012
  • thesleepycloud

    those strings... that synth... that bassline... those vocals... everything ♥

    April 2012
  • Its_bitch

    reminds me of GTA Vice City ♥ [2] TOTAL, IMPOSSIVEL NÃO LEMBRAAAAAAAA

    April 2012
See all 1,994 shouts

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