Frank Kogan

Don't know if I can cite specific "Beat It"-inspired tracks, but I wouldn't be surprised if Huey Lewis was listening to it before Sports, for one. Could also see Def Leppard, whose tastes were pretty omnivorous at the time; maybe Axl Rose, too. And Billy Idol. And ZZ Top, who judging from year-end Top 10 listening lists they gave Rolling Stone were definitely trying to keep up with the cutting edge of black pop and funk -- they seemed to be major Zapp fans, for instance. Though I've honestly always figured that the really big influence on the more synth-dancey end of mid '80s AOR (including "Jump" and Eliminator) wasn't an artist from the r&b/dance side at all, but rather the Cars. Maybe I should rethink that, though. (I'm sure lots of those bands were listening to Prince, as well.)