Thriller Revives 'Prettiest Star'

Thriller's 25th anniversary reissue shows why Michael Jackson was once "the coolest, slinkiest, prettiest pop star alive,” Rob Sheffield writes in Rolling Stone. Six “lame” remixes by stars like Fergie, Akon, and Kanye West apparently indicate the best-selling album of all time "cowed" the cover artists, who "know nobody will ever play their versions twice," he adds.

"The rhinestone glove, too-short pants, red jacket and Jheri curl juice are back," writes the Chicago Tribune’s Kevin Williams, who applauds the DVD add-on with Jackson's "legendary" moonwalking performance of "Billie Jean" in a 1983 Motown special. "It's pretty rare to see a reissue loaded with as much contemporary appeal as this one," says
MTV's Kurt Orzeck. (More Michael Jackson stories.)