"Beat It" is a song written and performed by American recording artist Michael Jackson and co-produced by Quincy Jones for the singer's sixth solo album, Thriller (1982). Eddie Van Halen was drafted to add the song's distinctive overdriven guitar solo. Following the successful chart performances of the Thriller singles "The Girl Is Mine" and "Billie Jean", "Beat It" was released on February 14, 1983 as the album's third single. The song was promoted with a short film that featured Jackson bringing two gangs together through the power of dance.
A commercial success, "Beat It" was awarded two Grammy Awards and two American Music Awards and was inducted into the Music Video Producers Hall of Fame. "Beat It" (along with the song's music video) propelled Thriller into becoming the best-selling album of all time. The single was certified platinum in 1989. Rolling Stone magazine placed "Beat It" in the 337th spot on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time[2] and on the list of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
In the decades since its release, "Beat It" has been covered, parodied, and sampled by numerous artists including Fergie, Weird Al Yankovic, and Fall Out Boy. The song was also featured in the National Highway Safety Commission's anti-drunk driving campaign.