2. “Beat It,” Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson understood how to fashion, bend and deliver a hook better than nearly anyone in the history of modern music; “Beat It,” more than any of his other smashes, is his hook-stuffed opus. The fiery chant of the chorus is not just a battle cry, but a challenge for the music world at large to top him. We’re still waiting for someone to come close.
3. “Dancing Queen,” ABBA
In a modern era of pop music in which the Swedes so clearly understand what the people want (thanks, Max Martin!), it’s easy to see where they get their inspiration. ABBA created a monumental hook with “Dancing Queen,” a chorus that resonated far beyond the group’s native country and is now beloved around the world.
10. "Under Pressure," Queen and David Bowie
This hook even made Vanilla Ice a star! We kid, but in all seriousness, 99 percent of this hook -- along with the repeated "Under Pressure" refrain -- is that dum-dum-dum-di-di-dum-dum beat borrowed by "Ice Ice Baby" 10 years later. There's a reason this beat works across genres and decades.