Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' turns 30: How zombies changed pop music's tune

Lisa Brenner | November 30th, 2012, 5:09pm

CBS Records/Epic

"Thriller," Michael Jackson's sixth studio album, was released Nov. 30, 1982.

The fame-changing chart-killing record celebrates 30 years on Friday, and to underscore the album's achievement, Billboard revisited the exceedingly grim context of its release.

Watch the videos below

Jackson's previous record, "Off The Wall," had been a success by all widely accepted measures, but that was 1979.

In 1982, the near-radioactive fallout of disco, combined with the mass-migration of mass-appeal listeners from AM Top 40 to FM stations, led to segregated audiences splintering along musical sub-genre lines.

More to the point, "Thriller" was released at a time when "black artists [were] being ghettoized on urban contemporary radio, while disappearing from pop radio," says Billboard.

Precision targeting of audiences meant that radio stations needed to avoid playing anything that fell outside their target listeners' most narrowly-defined tastes...In all of 1982, only two No. 1 records on the Billboard Hot 100 were by black artists.

Paris Jackson wants to talk to her grandmother

Lisa Brenner | July 24th, 2012, 1:12pm

Michael Jackson's mother Katherine was reported missing over the weekend, but authorities say she is with relatives in Arizona. The late King of Pop's daughter Paris, however, tweeted with alarm this week that she still hasn't talked to spoken to her grandmother/guardian:

8 days and counting . something is really off , this isn’t like her at all .. i wanna talk directly to my grandmother!!<|3
— Paris Jacksoη (@ParisJackson) July 24, 2012

9 days and counting… so help me god i will make whoever did this pay
— Paris Jacksoη (@ParisJackson) July 24, 2012

The executors of Michael Jackson's estate, John Branca and John McClain, issued a statement Tuesday saying they are doing what they can to protect family members from "undue influences, bullying, greed, and other unfortunate circumstances," the Associated Press reports.

Michael Jackson estate sues the King of Pop's former manager

Lisa Brenner with AP | February 17th, 2012, 4:05pm

Dave Hogan/Getty Images

Michael Jackson arrives on stage during his 'HiStory' concert tour held in New York in 1997

On Friday, the estate of Michael Jackson sued the performer's former manager, Tohme R. Tohme.

The ex-advisor, who worked with Jackson from Jan. 2008 until Mar. 2009, is accused of influencing the Grammy-winning megastar to sign "unconscionable contracts" for self-serving financial gain during the final years of the singer's life.

The contracts in question include a self-negotiated producer’s fee for a series of comeback concerts in London, and a debt-related Neverland Ranch deal.

The estate wants Jackson's missing property and financial records returned, as well as a ruling that keeps Tohme away from the estate's money.

Tohme claims he is owed a percentage of the millions collected by the estate in the time since Jackson's death. It is believed he will file his own lawsuit.