Michael Jackson‘s “Beat It” proved that the King of Pop could be the King of Rock when he wanted to be. While “Beat It” has an iconic music video, it isn’t Jackson’s best rock tune. It might not even ...

Michael Jackson was looking to broaden his audience base when he invited Eddie Van Halen to play on a track for the follow-up to his best-selling 1979 LP Off the Wall. This unlikely pairing worked ...

The Who guitarist chose not to accept the invitation, but recommended Eddie Van Halen instead, which led to the late guitar legend’s classic contribution to the 1983 hit “Beat It” – one of the most ...

When Michael Jackson was working on Thriller, producer Quincy Jones wanted the album to have a harder-edged rock sound than Jackson’s previous albums. Jackson had written “Beat It” with a rock sound ...

Pop music was never the same once Thriller was released. Though the word “beat” can connote an act of violence, the meaning behind the song, written entirely by Michael Jackson and co-produced with ...

This pretty killer 'Beat It' vocal demo by Michael Jackson offers some keyhole insight into how the late King of Pop wrote and arranged songs. It's pretty much the song a cappella, as Jackson sings ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Hugh McIntyre covers music, with a focus on the global charts. This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more. This voice ...

Michael Jackson's "Beat It" hit No. 1 on the charts 43 years ago today! On April 30, 1983, the song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying at the top spot for three consecutive weeks and ...

Your browser does not support the video. Recommended for You 1New Criterion Closet vid suggests Matthew McConaughey should pivot to ASMR 2How we lost broadcast ...

While the lovebirds were celebrating Valentine’s day, we can’t forget Feb. 14 also marked another significant piece of history: the 42 year anniversary of “Beat It” by Michael Jackson. The song is ...

See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Van Halen's contributions to music goes far beyond the guitar-shredding ...