As our own Melinda Newman previously noted, Michael Jackson’s 1982 breakthrough album “Thriller” changed the music industry forever, with the title track’s revolutionary 14-minute music video becoming the form’s first bona fide blockbuster.
Now, in honor of the album’s 30th anniversary – and to celebrate Jackson as an innovator of the music video format – we’re counting down the top 10 clips from the late superstar’s extraordinary career. From the heyday of “Thriller” to his years as an increasingly-oddball recluse, few artists can lay claim to a more impressive (not to mention ambitious) visual body of work than the King of Pop.
Check out our full list (with videos embedded) in the gallery below, then sound off with your own picks in the comments.