Beat It

The raw energy of Beat It is felt from the first moment, with that repeating synthesizer intro that hooks you. What's interesting is that this initial pattern isn't something Michael Jackson invented out of thin air; it comes from a demo of a synthesizer called the Synclavier II, released in 1981. When Quincy Jones heard the first recorded vocals, he knew it was exactly what he was looking for for the album Thriller. Jones's idea was for Jackson to include a track with a rock sound, something he himself would buy if he were a fan of the genre, thinking that both children and university students would enjoy it. The recording took place in October 1982, primarily at Westlake Studios in Los Angeles, California, and also at Hayvenhurst in Encino, California. The result was a track that fuses hard rock with elements of dance-rock and funk rock, with a duration of 4 minutes and 18 seconds.

The song was officially released on February 21, 1983, becoming the third single from Thriller. It quickly climbed the charts, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and staying there for three weeks. It also topped the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart. Billboard magazine ranked it as the 5th most outstanding song of 1983. Internationally, Beat It was a resounding success in Europe, reaching number one in countries like Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands. With worldwide sales exceeding 10 million, it ranks among the best-selling songs of all time. The impact of Beat It extended beyond the charts; its music video, which brought together members of Los Angeles street gangs, the Crips and the Bloods, helped solidify Jackson's image as a global pop icon. This single, along with its video, was instrumental in making Thriller the best-selling album in history. The song received Grammy Awards recognition in 1984, winning awards for Record of the Year and Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, in addition to two American Music Awards. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine included it on its list of the 500 greatest songs of all time, and in 2021, it was re-ranked at number 185.