Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ by Michael Jackson was released on May 8, 1983, with an instrumental version of the song as the B side. It was a single from Jackson’s sixth studio album, Thriller.

The song became Jackson’s fifth consecutive Top 10 single in the United States, peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. It reached No. 8 on the UK Singles chart and No. 1 on the Canada Top Singles chart.

Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ was originally recorded in 1978 for inclusion on Jackson’s Off the Wall album, but it was later re-recorded in the fall of 1982. It’s one of four songs from Thriller on which Jackson receives a writing credit.