Billie Jean

The follow-up single, “Billie Jean,” an electrifying dance track and the vehicle for Jackson’s trademark “moonwalk” dance, topped the pop charts, as did “Beat It,” which featured a raucous solo from famed guitarist Eddie Van Halen. Moreover, “Beat It” helped break down the artificial barriers between Black and…

Singles such as “Billie Jean” and “Beat It” from Michael Jackson’s Thriller (1982) not only showcased the strengths of the music video format but proved that exposure on MTV could propel artists to superstardom.

…including “Beat It” and “Billie Jean,” both of which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Music videos for three of the album’s songs transformed the medium into an art form. After Thriller, Jackson rightfully became known as the “King of Pop.”