Rock with You

"Rock with You"
Artwork for 2000s European reissue, also used for early German and Dutch singles
Single by Michael Jackson
from the album Off the Wall
B-side"Working Day and Night"
ReleasedOctober 1979
RecordedDecember 1978
Genre
Length
  • 3:38 (album version)
  • 3:20 (single/video version)
LabelEpic
SongwriterRod Temperton
ProducerQuincy Jones
Michael Jackson singles chronology
"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"
(1979)		 "Rock with You"
(1979)		 "Off the Wall"
(1979)
Alternative release(s)
Side A of US seven-inch vinyl single
Music video
"Rock with You" on YouTube

"Rock with You" is a song by the American singer Michael Jackson, written by Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones. It was first offered to Karen Carpenter, while she was working on her first solo album, but she turned it down. It was released in October 1979 by Epic Records as the second single from Jackson's fifth solo studio album Off the Wall (1979). It was also the third number-one hit of the 1980s, a decade in which the pop singles chart would quickly be dominated by Jackson.

It reached number one on both the US pop (Jackson's third number-one on this chart) and R&B charts (Jackson's second number one on that chart). It spent a total of four weeks at the top position on the former chart from January 19 to February 9, 1980, and five weeks (from January 5 to February 9, 1980) on the latter chart. According to Billboard, the song was the fourth biggest single of 1980. It is also considered one of the last hits of the disco era.

In Europe, the song was released as the third single from Off the Wall, released on 1 February 1980.

"Rock with You" was re-released as a single on February 27, 2006, as part of the Visionary: The Video Singles box set. In 2021, Rolling Stone placed it at number 354 on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time·

Composition

"Rock with You" is a disco, funk and pop song.

Critical reception

The track received generally positive reviews from music critics. J. Edward Keyes of Rolling Stone said "What's remarkable about 'Rock with You' is how unobtrusive it is: a silky string section and barely-there twitch of guitar — Michael doesn't even hit the word 'Rock' all that hard — he just glides over it, preferring to charm with a wink and a smile rather than with aggression or ferocity." Steven Hyden called it his "favorite song", and noted the line "Girrrrrrl, when you dance, there's a magic that must be love" as being "the most purely joyful moment [Hyden] has ever heard in a pop song". AllMusic highlighted the song on the album itself. Robert Christgau called it a "smooth ballad". Cash Box praised the production, calling the song a "soft, classy number" with "multi-tracked harmonies," "a modified dance beat," "shimmering flute tones and jazzy guitar work."

Music video

A music video was released for the song, using the shorter single version. It features Michael in a sparkly sequined suit singing the song with a bright laser behind him. The video was directed by Bruce Gowers and filmed in 1979 at the 800 Stage in Los Angeles, California.

The music video was included on the video albums: Video Greatest Hits – HIStory, Number Ones and Michael Jackson's Vision.

Live performances

Michael Jackson first performed the song on the Jacksons' Destiny World Tour on the second leg. He performed the song on the Jacksons' Triumph Tour and Victory Tour. He performed the song on his solo world tour Bad. He also performed the song during the HIStory World Tour, as a part of the Off the Wall medley (also featuring "Off the Wall" and "Don't Stop Til' You Get Enough") in certain concerts. "Rock with You" was rehearsed for the Dangerous World Tour, but was not performed. Jackson also would have performed it for the This Is It concert series, but the shows were canceled, due to his sudden death.

Mixes

Track listing and formats

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for "Rock with You"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) Gold 35,000^
Canada (Music Canada) 2× Platinum 160,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) Platinum 90,000‡
Mexico (AMPROFON) Diamond 300,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ) 4× Platinum 120,000‡
Spain (Promusicae) Gold 30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) 2× Platinum 1,200,000‡
United States (RIAA) 5× Platinum 5,000,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Other notable versions

In 1998, D'Influence released their version which reached number 30 on the British charts.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Rock With You".
  2. ↑ Vogel, Joseph (2011). Man in the Music. Vintage books. p. 56. ISBN 978-0-525-56658-8.
  3. ↑ "Karen Carpenter Avenue: Behind The Music: Karen Carpenter (Solo)". Karenannecarpenter.blogspot.com. April 21, 2013. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Billboard" (PDF). Americanradiohistory.com. 1980. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  5. ↑ Archived May 20, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ "50 Best Michael Jackson Songs". Rolling Stone. June 23, 2014. Archived from the original on June 26, 2014.
  7. ↑ "New releases: Singles". Music Week. February 2, 1980. p. 24.
  8. ↑ "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. September 15, 2021.
  9. ↑ Breihan, Tom (March 13, 2020). "The Number Ones: Michael Jackson's "Rock With You"". Stereogum. Retrieved August 12, 2025. "Rock With You" is a neat trick. It's clearly a disco song — a four-four strut that fits right into the regular club BPM range
  10. ↑ Fletcher, Harry; Embley, Jochan; Thompson, Jessie; Ellis, David; Paskett, Zoe (March 27, 2024). "From Thriller to Bad, Michael Jackson's 15 greatest songs on the London debut of MJ The Musical". Evening Standard. Retrieved September 6, 2025. Rock With You is pure seduction, a lustrous piece of soulful disco that is as much a call to the dancefloor as it is to the bedroom.
  11. ↑ Gallucci, Michael (March 25, 2026). "The Top 100 Albums of the 1970s". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved September 4, 2026. ...to the twinkling disco of "Rock With You."...
  12. ↑ Wyman, Bill (December 18, 2017). "All 147 Michael Jackson Songs, Ranked From Worst to Best". Vulture. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  13. ↑ Gail Mitchell, Melinda Newman (July 6, 2009). "How Michael Jackson's "Thriller" changed music business". Reuters. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  14. ↑ Martinez, Giovanni (August 12, 2012). "Treble's Top 200 Songs of the '70s". Treble. Retrieved October 4, 2024. Hitting the Billboard chart at No. 1 when it first debuted, Michael Jackson's "Rock With You" is a genuine and impeccably crafted pop song.
  15. ↑ J. Edward Keyes (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson: The Essential Playlist". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  16. ↑ Steven Hyden (March 13, 2009). "Favorite songs". The A.V. Club. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  17. ↑ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Off the Wall - Michael Jackson | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Michael Jackson". Webcitation.org. Archived from the original on February 1, 2010. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  19. ↑ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 20, 1979. p. 20. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  20. ↑ Weingarten, Christopher R. (June 24, 2009). "Michael Jackson's 20 Greatest Videos: The Stories Behind the Vision". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  21. ↑ Lecocq, Richard; Allard, François (2018). "Off the Wall". Michael Jackson All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. London, England: Cassell. ISBN 9781788400572.
  22. ↑ "MichaelJackson.com". Michael Jackson Video Greatest Hits HIStory | The Official Michael Jackson Site. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  23. ↑ "All Music". Number Ones [DVD] - Michael Jackson. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  24. ↑ "MichaelJackson.com". Michael Jackson's Vision | The Official Michael Jackson Site. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  25. 1 2 "National Top 100 Singles for 1980". Kent Music Report. January 5, 1981. Retrieved January 17, 2022 – via Imgur.
  26. ↑ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Chart Positions Pre 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  27. ↑ "Top Singles. Volume 32, Issue 23 (1980-03-01)". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  28. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Michael Jackson". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 113. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  29. 1 2 "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  30. 1 2 "Rock With You | IRMA". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  31. ↑ "Michael Jackson – Rock With You". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  32. ↑ "Official Singles Chart on 24/2/1980 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  33. ↑ "Music: Top 100 - Billboard Hot 100", Billboard, retrieved January 11, 2018
  34. ↑ "Michael Jackson Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. September 21, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  35. ↑ "Michael Jackson Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  36. ↑ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. January 5, 1980. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  37. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending January 12, 1980". Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved June 21, 2016.. Cash Box magazine.
  38. ↑ "Michael Jackson". Archived from the original on January 12, 2012.
  39. 1 2 "Michael Jackson – Rock With You" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  40. ↑ "Michael Jackson – Rock With You". Top Digital Download. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  41. 1 2 "Michael Jackson – Rock With You" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  42. 1 2 "Michael Jackson – Rock With You". Canciones Top 50. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  43. ↑ "Official Singles Chart on 11/3/2006 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  44. ↑ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart on 5/3/2006 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  45. ↑ "Michael Jackson – Rock With You". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  46. ↑ "Michael Jackson - Chart History". Canadian Hot 100. for Michael Jackson. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  47. ↑ "Michael Jackson - Chart History". Japan Hot 100. for Michael Jackson. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  48. ↑ "Michael Jackson – Rock With You". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  49. ↑ "Official Singles Chart on 11/7/2009 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  50. ↑ "Michael Jackson - Chart History". Billboard Digital Songs. for Michael Jackson. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  51. ↑ "Top Singles (Semaine du 8 mai 2026)" (in French). Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  52. ↑ "Michael Jackson Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  53. ↑ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 20, 2026". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  54. ↑ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts - 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  55. ↑ "Top Singles. Volume 34, Issue 6 (1980-12-20)". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  56. ↑ "Official New Zealand Music Chart - End of Year Charts 1980". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  57. ↑ "Top 100 Hits for 1980". longboredsurfer.com. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  58. ↑ "The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1980". Archived from the original on September 15, 2012. Retrieved December 13, 2013.. Cash Box magazine.
  59. ↑ "Australians Metal for Jackson" (PDF). Cash Box. December 19, 1987. p. 31. Retrieved December 8, 2021 – via World Radio History.
  60. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Michael Jackson – Rock with You". Music Canada. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  61. ↑ "Danish single certifications – Michael Jackson – Rock with You". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  62. ↑ "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved October 3, 2026. Type Michael Jackson in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Rock with You in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
  63. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Michael Jackson – Rock With You". Radioscope. Retrieved May 22, 2026. Type Rock With You in the "Search:" field and press Enter.
  64. ↑ "Spanish single certifications – Michael Jackson – Rock with You - Visionary". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  65. ↑ "British single certifications – Michael Jackson – Rock with You". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved June 12, 2026. Select singles in the Formats field. Type Rock with You Michael Jackson in the "Search:" field.
  66. ↑ "American single certifications – Michael Jackson – Rock with You". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  67. ↑ officialcharts.com