 Mike Joseph , in review of Thriller 25 for PopMatters , described the track listing of the reissue as " pleasant " but West 's " lazy " remix was the only exception . He added , " You 've been given the opportunity to remix the most iconic single from one of the most iconic albums of all time , and all you can do is stick a drum machine on top of the song 's original arrangement ? " . Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone disliked the removal of the original bassline , and compared it to " putting Bobby Orr on the ice without a hockey stick " . IGN 's Todd Gilchrist praised West 's remix and stated that it was a " pretty great track " . He added , " it almost overplays the track 's originally understated drama , his additions enhance the song and demonstrate that in a contemporary context . " 
