The song “Thriller” by Michael Jackson was written by English songwriter Rod Temperton.

Quick Scoop

  • The track “Thriller” was composed and written by Rod Temperton, a British songwriter and former member of the band Heatwave.
  • It was produced by legendary producer Quincy Jones for Michael Jackson’s 1982 album Thriller.
  • Temperton originally considered other titles (like “Starlight”) before settling on the now-iconic name “Thriller.”

A Bit Of Background

  • Rod Temperton had already written major hits for Jackson such as “Off the Wall” and “Rock with You” before crafting “Thriller.”
  • On the song “Thriller,” Michael Jackson is the lead vocalist and performer, but the official songwriting credit goes solely to Temperton.

TL;DR: Rod Temperton wrote “Thriller,” Quincy Jones produced it, and Michael Jackson turned it into a global pop-culture phenomenon.

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