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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Eddie Van Halen considered hanging up when producer Quincy Jones called to ask if he'd perform the now-famous solo on Michael Jackson's "Beat It." Assuming that it was all a prank, Van Halen ...

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 ...

Jackson wrote and recorded “Beat It” in 1982 for his album Thriller. He wanted to have something that was more of a rock song, though rock was never really Jackson’s genre. Nonetheless, he penned ...

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 ...

Eddie Van Halen sits on a sofa in his home studio, smoking an electronic cigarette and reminiscing about the 30th anniversary of Michael Jackson’s masterpiece album, “Thriller.” “It seems like ...

In a recent American Songwriter article, we compared the similarities of Jason Aldean’s controversial single “Try That In A Small Town” to one of pop music’s most celebrated songs in history—Michael ...