" Beat It " has been recognized with several awards . At the 1984 Grammy Awards , the song earned Jackson two of a record-eight awards : Record of the Year and Best Male Rock Vocal Performance . The track won the Billboard Music Award for favorite dance/disco 12 " LP in 1983 . The single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) , a few months after its release , for shipments of at least one million units . In 1989 , the standard format single was re-certified platinum by the RIAA , based on the revised sales level of one million units for platinum singles . The total number of digital sales in the US , as of August 2018 , stands at 4,000,000
1984 Grammy Awards
26th Annual Grammy Awards
Beat It