Michael Jackson’s Epic Music Videos

One of Michael Jackson’s most obvious legacies is the singer’s impact on the craft of music video production; his videos were elaborate, expensive and phenomenally successful, both in saturating MTV and selling records. Here are 10 of the best.

Jackson 13-minute Thriller video was the most expensive of its time; MTV’s heavy rotation of Billie Jean was seen as a win for black artists; the intricately-choreographed Beat It in the 1980s seemed poised to eclipse West Side Story, on which it was based, as a cultural touchstone. The singer continued to push the envelope through his albums Bad, Dangerous and HIStory.

In no particular order, here are ten of the singer’s best videos.

Thriller

Billie Jean

Beat It

Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough

ABC (a performance rather than a video)

Bad

Black or White

The Way You Make Me Feel

Smooth Criminal

Scream