Michael Jackson’s album Thriller came out in late 1982; most music references give its release date as November 30, 1982, though some discographies note November 29, 1982, based on label/region differences.

Exact release date

  • Major music reference sites list the album Thriller as being released on November 30, 1982.
  • A widely used discography source specifies November 29, 1982, as the official Epic Records release date, which is why you sometimes see a one-day discrepancy.

Why dates differ

  • Release dates in the early 1980s could vary slightly between the U.S., Europe, and other markets, leading to multiple “correct” dates in modern references.
  • As a result, both November 29 and November 30, 1982, are cited, but November 30, 1982, is the most commonly quoted date when people answer “when did Thriller come out.”

Bottom line: if you’re answering casually, November 30, 1982, is the standard date people use for when Thriller came out.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.