Billie Jean (1982)

"Billie Jean" is a song by the American singer Michael Jackson, released by Epic Records on January 2, 1983, as the second single from Jackson's sixth studio album, Thriller (1982). It was written by Jackson and produced by Jackson and Quincy Jones. "Billie Jean" blends post-disco, R&B, funk and dance-pop. The lyrics describe a young woman, Billie Jean, who claims that the narrator is the father of her newborn son, which he denies. Jackson said that the lyrics were based on groupies' claims about Jackson's older brothers when Jackson toured with them as members of the Jackson 5.

"Billie Jean" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, topped the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart within three weeks, and became Jackson's fastest-rising number one single since his time as a member of the Jackson 5. It reached number one in the UK, Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, Switzerland and Belgium, and the top ten of the music charts in many other countries. "Billie Jean" was one of the best-selling singles of 1983, helping Thriller become the best-selling album of all time, and became Jackson's best-selling solo single. "Billie Jean" is certified diamond in the US and with 18 million copies worldwide, is one of the highest-selling singles of all time. In 2026, following the release of the biopic Michael, "Billie Jean" surged on streaming platforms globally and became Jackson's first number-one single on the Billboard Global 200 chart.

Jackson's performance of "Billie Jean" on the TV special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever was nominated for an Emmy Award. It introduced a number of Jackson's signatures, including the moonwalk, rhinestone glove, black sequined jacket, and high-water pants, and was widely imitated. The "Billie Jean" music video, which was directed by Steve Barron, was the first performance by a black artist to be aired in heavy rotation on MTV. Along with the other videos produced for Thriller, it helped establish MTV and make videos an integral part of popular music marketing. The spare, bass-driven arrangement helped pioneer what one critic called "sleek, post-soul pop music".

"Billie Jean" received honors including two Grammy Awards and an American Music Award. Billboard ranked it as the No. 2 song for 1983. A list compiled by Rolling Stone and MTV in 2000 ranked "Billie Jean" the sixth-greatest pop song since 1963. Rolling Stone placed it at number 58 on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004, and at number 44 in its updated 2021 list. The song was also included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

Background

Jackson said that "Billie Jean" was based on groupies he and his brothers encountered while they performed as the Jackson 5. "They would hang around backstage doors, and any band that would come to town they would have a relationship with, and I think I wrote this out of experience [sic] with my brothers when I was little. There were a lot of Billie Jeans out there. Every girl claimed that their son was related to one of my brothers."