Music of the decade

Michael Jackson: Thriller (1982)

Michael Jackson: Thriller (1982). The kid with the high-pitched voice and the Afro haircut grows up to make the biggest-selling record in pop history. Remarkable for three things: its plundering of the despised, defunct disco form; its glossy, sophisticated production values; and the unprecedented crossover appeal of its creator, black but not black, male but not macho. All this and a brilliant dance video, too.

Arminta Wallace

Arminta Wallace

Arminta Wallace is a former Irish Times journalist