1. "Beat It"
Jackson never got much credit for being a pioneer, but his melding of rock and R&B preceded the meeting of Run-D.M.C. and Aerosmith by four years. Besides featuring one of the best guitar solos in pop history (provided free of charge by Eddie Van Halen, in a move his accountant no doubt regrets) it's the best example of Jackson's ability to bridge moods and genres. It's tense and spooky, it rocks, and yet you can't help but to dance to it. It's Jackson's best.
Watch TIME's video "Appreciating Michael Jackson, the Musician."
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