10 Hard Rock Songs By Non-Hard Rock Artists

Michael Jackson is most likely not the first man to come to mind when it comes to rip-roaring rock and roll. It's right there in his nickname that Jackson is the King of POP, with the rock genre put on the side. Though Jackson's Thriller brought him worldwide pop success, "Beat It" shows the more aggressive Jackson at his best.

The track plods along with an insistent dance beat before a priceless guitar lick kicks the song into high gear. The guitar fills in between Jackson's vocal are some of the greatest ear-worms of the 80's, as they color the sound without getting in the way. Jackson's performance is also incendiary, offering an incredibly harsh bite as he (somewhat ironically) calls for an end to gang violence.

What gives the song special hard rock street cred is the guitar solo, which was done absolutely free-of-charge by Eddie Van Halen. It's not very often that you have one of the greatest singers of the decade and the greatest guitarists on the same track, but sometimes life can, in fact, be that awesome. Though Jackson notched countless pop hits on the charts in his lifetime, "Beat It" was always upfront in his live performances as one of his most infectious slices of rock force.