Beat It was released in 1983 as a single from Michael Jackson's 1982 album Thriller, written by Jackson and produced by Quincy Jones. The track blended pop, rock and dance, and became famous for Eddie Van Halen's guitar solo and its anti gang violence video. It reached number one in the United States and helped Thriller become a defining pop record. Decades later, short excerpts circulate as reaction sounds online, where the instantly recognisable riff signals defiance, dismissal and cool confidence in just a couple of seconds.