Michael Jackson's Pop Rock Song Beat It

On February 14, 1983, a passionate, fierce pop-rock song was released by a man who was known as the King of Pop. “Beat It” instantly skyrocketed and was a complete success, winning two Grammy’s and holding the top spot in the Top 40 for three weeks (Whitaker). Michael Jackson, the pop and R&B star, wanted to broaden his audience and wrote “Beat It” after his producer advised him to write something like, “My Sharona,” which was a great success for The Knack in 1979 (Songfacts). Jackson’s popular tune was covered by several artists, but one particularly stood out to many rock fans. 25 years after the release of “Beat It,” Fall Out Boy and John Mayer released their rendition of the song and it hit #19 on the US charts and performed it live at
The drums are heavier and involve loud snares and crash cymbals. The climax of the song consists of not just a strong drum set and a blaring, electric guitar solo, but a loud cow bell that seems to give a tempo to the guitarist. The heavier and louder electric guitar may be enjoyed strictly rock fans and not all listeners. The band concentrates more on their instrumentation than on the lyrics that are sung. However, anyone who hears the beginning of Michael Jackson's "Beat It" will recognize the tune instantly. It starts out with these low, electronic bass notes that make the song seem intense and mysterious because the notes do not show a direction of what kind of genre the song is. Then suddenly a quicker drum beat arises, making it sound like an electronic beat that creates a dancing atmosphere. As the song continues, a steady electric guitar gets added in that gives the song a pop-rock feel. Jackson’s version can be enjoyed by all sorts of music tastes because it is a mixture of pop, rock, and electronic, while Fall Out Boys’ version is limited to one genre. Michael Jackson satisfies all ears by finding that perfect median by incorporating the catchy guitar and beats that makes the song very