michael jackson career biography

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Michael Jackson Biography

Despite achieving his goal to be a music performer, Michael’s childhood was far from happy. He was regularly beaten and threatened by his authoritarian father. This legacy of abuse left Michael scarred throughout his adult life.

Solo Career Michael Jackson

His second solo album, Thriller , launched Michael Jackson into a position as the most famous pop singer in the world. With little commercial advertising and promotion, Thriller rose to number one on album sales and remained at the number one spot for a total of 37 weeks. It gained one of many Guinness World Records for Michael Jackson, attaining 110 million global sales and 29 million sales in the US. Thriller included number one hits such as Beat It, Billie Jean .

Michael Jackson with the Reagans

In March 1983, Michael Jackson performed live on Motown 25, ‘Yesterday, today, forever’, – a TV special. He performed his distinctive and memorable dance move – the Moonwalk. In the dance routine, he effortlessly moves backwards with seemingly keeping one leg perfectly straight. His performance made him a global icon of not just music, but dance. Michael Jackson pioneered the importance of music video in promoting a pop artist. This iconic performance has been compared to the famous Beatles’ appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964.

By the late 80s, there was an increasing number of stories speculating on Jackson’s personal life, health and physical appearance. Michael Jackson underwent numerous operations of plastic surgery to fix his nose and add a dimple in his chin. During the 1980s, his skin started to lighten; this was due to a rare skin pigment disease, but it didn’t stop a wave of speculative press stories that he was bleaching his skin colour. The press covered a range of speculative stories about Michael Jackson, including imaginary stories Michael had invented himself (such as sleeping in an oxygen tent to avoid the ageing process)

“I’ve been in the entertainment industry since I was six-years-old, and as Charles Dickens would say, “It’s been the best of times, the worst of times.” But I would not change my career… While some have made deliberate attempts to hurt me, I take it in stride because I have a loving family, a strong faith and wonderful friends and fans who have, and continue, to support me.”

—Michael Jackson

The press attention made Michael increasingly reclusive, spending much of his time in his ‘Never Land’ ranch.

Speaking on the Oprah Winfrey show, Jackson addressed the issue of skin colour change:

“OK, number one. There, as I know of, there is no such thing as skin bleaching…I have a skin disorder that destroys the pigmentation of the skin, it’s something that I cannot help, OK? But, when people make up stories that I don’t want to be who I am, it hurts me…it’s a problem for me, I can’t control it.”

He married Lisa Marie Presley in 1994; it lasted two years though they remained friendly after the divorce. In 1996, he married Deborah Rowe in Sydney. Together they had two children. They divorced in 1999 and Rowe gave full custody of children to Jackson.

Allegations of child abuse were first raised in the 1980s and re-appeared in the 1990s. This led to the trial of The People v Jackson on 31 Jan 2005, in Sante Maria, California. After five months of high publicity, Jackson was acquitted. Though the experience left him physically weak and emotionally stressed. He departed America for the Persian Gulf Island of Bahrain.

“The minute I started breaking the all-time record in record sales—I broke Elvis’s records, I broke Beatles records—the minute it became the all-time best-selling album in the history of the Guinness Book of World Records, overnight they called me a freak. They called me a homosexual. They called me a child molester. They said I bleached my skin. They made everything to turn the public against me.”

– Remarks at National Action Network headquarters (9 July 2002)

Towards the end of his life, he was increasingly plagued by money troubles and ill health. He increasingly became dependent on a variety of drugs, which was said to have contributed to his ill health and premature death. Despite concerns over finance, he is said to have made career earnings of $500m and had assets in Sony/ATV Music Publishing catalogue worth over $300m alone.

“In a world filled with hate, we must still dare to hope. In a world filled with anger, we must still dare to comfort. In a world filled with despair, we must still dare to dream. And in a world filled with distrust, we must still dare to believe”

– M. Jackson Quoted by CNN June 2009.

Michael Jackson died on 25 June 2009, at a rented mansion in the district of Los Angeles.

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan . “Biography of Michael Jackson”, Oxford, UK.  www.biographyonline.net , 28th Jul 2010. Updated 11th February 2018.

Charity Work of Michael Jackson

• Michael Jackson supported many charities. This included a burns charity in Culver City, California. This followed an incident where Michael Jackson was burnt in filming a Pepsi commercial in 1984.
• He also supported HIV / AIDS charities at a time when it was still unfashionable.
• In 1984, he received an award from President Ronald Reagan for his support of charities which help overcome alcohol and drug abuse.
• From his 1984, Victory Tour he donated all funds (around $8million to charity)
• In 1985, he also co-wrote the charity single “We are the World” with Lionel Richie. It sold over 30 million copies, and the proceeds were sent to the poor in the US and Africa.
• He continued his charity work to the end of his life supporting charity concerts such as Aid for victims of Kosovo war.

The Essential Michael Jackson

The Essential Michael Jackson at Amazon

The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson

The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson at Amazon

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• Top 100 famous people
• Michael Jackson.com

Michael Jackson

Michael Joseph Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and one of the most influential and iconic pop music entertainers of all time. He was nicknamed the “King of Pop” by his close and long-time friend Elizabeth Taylor, a title that stuck after striking a chord with fans.      

Born on August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana, Michael Jackson was the eighth of ten children (one died shortly after birth) to Joseph (Joe) and Katherine Jackson. His father worked as a crane operator in a steel mill and his mother at a Sears department store. Music was a source of escape from their daily life and both parents were musical themselves. Joe played guitar in a local R&B group, which rehearsed in the family’s tiny house at 2300 Jackson Street (coincidentally named after the U.S. president). His mother sang and played clarinet and piano. Joe’s band rehearsals, combined with their lively stream of music in the home, had a big impact on the Jackson children from an early age.   

All eight of Michael Jackson’s siblings — Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Randy and Janet — made marks in the music industry. However, Michael’s talent was evident from a very young age and with his father’s encouragement, Michael started his career at the age of five. He joined his brothers’ musical group in the 1960s, which became The Jackson 5. 

Once Michael joined as lead singer and performer of The Jackson 5, they were on the fast track to fame and fortune. Michael’s voice, combined with his signature dance moves, entertained and thrilled audiences. His earliest musical influence was James Brown, known for his mesmerizing dance moves on stage. Brown personally taught Jackson how to drop the microphone and then catch it before it hit the stage. Michael also adopted the dance moves and dramatic postures of Sammy Davis Jr. and Jackie Wilson. Jackson admired the choreographic innovations of Gene Kelly and how Smokey Robinson wrote and produced his own material. 

The success of The Jackson 5, later renamed The Jacksons, drove Michael to be an illustrious artist. He started his solo artist career in 1971, but it wasn’t until 1979 when he teamed up with Quincy Jones to record his solo album “Off the Wall” that he earned entry into the level of influential R&B singer/songwriters. Now, “Off the Wall” is one of the greatest albums of all time and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008. Its release was the first time an album by a solo artist had ever struck four hits in the top 10 Billboard Hot 100 charts. The single “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” landed Michael his first Grammy Award for best male R&B vocal performance. The black-and-white style featured on the cover of “Off the Wall” helped brand his image that would lead to global fame. Michael used this same style for his breakthrough music videos, including “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” and “Billie Jean,” and would later tap the iconic style for the entirety of his solo career.       

Reunited with Quincy Jones for his follow-up 1982 album, “Thriller,” Michael wanted to create the biggest selling pop album ever. Ever since he was young, he studied composition and was inspired to create “Thriller” like Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker suite, where every song was a massive hit. He fulfilled his dream as “Thriller” launched him into superstardom. He won eight Grammy Awards for “Thriller,” including Album of the Year and Record of the Year. Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” is the all-time best-selling album worldwide and was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. 

Michael Jackson is equally known for his innovative dance moves. One of Jackson's most iconic dance moves was performed on March 25, 1983 for Motown 25 where he first unveiled the "moonwalk" during the performance of “Billie Jean.” He learned it from Jeffrey Daniel who pioneered the dance move known previously as the backslide. It would be five years later, during the making of the music video “Smooth Criminal,” where a dance routine that paid homage to Fred Astaire in the 1953 film, The Band Wagon, highlighted his inventive spirit.  

For his live performances, Jackson wanted to create an anti-gravity illusion of leaning from the ankle at a 45-degree angle while keeping his body straight. Audiences were wowed by the “anti-gravity lean” dance move that is physically impossible, but made possible through his shoes. The shoes were designed with ankle supports and cutouts in the heels, that were temporarily attached to pegs rising from the stage at the appropriate moment. The effect was a seemingly impossible forward lean. The shoes were  patented  by Michael Jackson and his co-inventors on October 26, 1993. 

Michael married Lisa Marie Presley in 1994, but they divorced in 1996. He then married Debbie Rowe with whom he had two children, Michael Joseph Jackson II (known as Prince Jackson) and Paris Jackson. They divorced in 1999 and Michael fathered a third child in 2002 known as Blanket Jackson. Michael’s groundbreaking creativity and stardom was shadowed by a controversial personal life. Jackson died of cardiac arrest at his home on June 25, 2009 at the age of 50. 

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Michael Jackson

American singer (1958–2009) / from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, dear wikiwand ai, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:.

Can you list the top facts and stats about Michael Jackson?

Summarize this article for a 10 year old

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Known as the " King of Pop ", he is widely regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century . During his four-decade career, his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture. Jackson influenced artists across many music genres. Through stage and video performances, he popularized complicated street dance moves such as the moonwalk , which he named, as well as the robot .

The eighth child of the Jackson family , Jackson made his public debut in 1964 with his older brothers Jackie , Tito , Jermaine , and Marlon as a member of the Jackson 5 (later known as the Jacksons). Jackson began his solo career in 1971 while at Motown Records . He became a solo star with his 1979 album Off the Wall . His music videos , including those for " Beat It ", " Billie Jean ", and " Thriller " from his 1982 album Thriller , are credited with breaking racial barriers and transforming the medium into an art form and promotional tool. He helped propel the success of MTV and continued to innovate with the videos for his subsequent albums: Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995), and Invincible (2001). Thriller became the best-selling album of all time , while Bad was the first album to produce five US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles. [nb 1]

From the late 1980s, Jackson became a figure of controversy and speculation due to his changing appearance , relationships , behavior, and lifestyle. In 1993, he was accused of sexually abusing the child of a family friend. The lawsuit was settled out of civil court; Jackson was not indicted due to lack of evidence. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further child sexual abuse allegations and several other charges. The FBI found no evidence of criminal conduct by Jackson in either case. In 2009, while he was preparing for a series of comeback concerts, This Is It , Jackson died from an overdose of propofol administered by his personal physician, Conrad Murray , who was convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter for his involvement in Jackson's death. His death triggered reactions around the world, creating unprecedented surges of internet traffic and a spike in sales of his music. Jackson's televised memorial service , held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, was estimated to have been viewed by more than 2.5   billion people.

Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with sales estimated around 500   million records worldwide. [nb 2] He had 13 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles ( fourth highest of any artist in the Hot 100 era ) and was the first artist to have a top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades. His honors include 15 Grammy Awards , six Brit Awards , a Golden Globe Award , and 39 Guinness World Records , including the "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time". Jackson's inductions include the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (twice), the Vocal Group Hall of Fame , the Songwriters Hall of Fame , the Dance Hall of Fame (making him the only recording artist to be inducted) and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame .

Michael Jackson: A Look Back at His Life and Career

By Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone

Michael Jackson (center) photographed with the Jackson 5.

Michael Jackson photographed inside a recording studio.

Michael Jackson photographed in the 1970s.

Michael Jackson photographed with pet mice in the early 1970s.

Michael Jackson and his brothers photographed with their father, Joe.

The Jackson 5

Jackson during concert rehearsals at Modern Musical Services in Hollywood circa 1971.

Jackson at a photo shoot in Los Angeles on June 12, 1971, when the future King of Pop was only 12 years old.

Michael and Jermaine Jackson prepare for a photo shoot in Los Angeles on June 12, 1971.

A Jackson close-up from a 1972 photo shoot at the family's Hollywood Hills home.

An outtake from a photo shoot circa 1972 at the Jackson's Hollywood Hills home.

A photo of Michael Jackson with sister Janet at a 1972 shoot at the Jackson's Hollywood Hills residence.

Michael and Marlon Jackson relaxing backstage at the Forum in Inglewood, California, on August 26, 1972.

A shot from the Jackson 5's August 26, 1973 concert at the Forum in Inglewood, California.

The Jackson 5 perform on Soul Train in 1973.

Michael, Tito and Jackie Jackson see the sights in Tokyo on May 7, 1973.

Jackson during a June 6, 1974 concert at the Forum in Inglewood, California.

Jackson dries off on the set of the  Rock n' Roll Sports Classic in 1978.

Michael and Randy Jackson chat on the set of the Rock n' Roll Sports Classic , a slightly different version of ABC's Battle of the Network Stars . The show was taped in Los Angeles and aired on May 3, 1978.

Jackson receives an award for his four Top 10 singles from Off the Wall from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce on September 3, 1980, as Jackie looks on.

Michael Jackson and Brooke Shields attend the 53rd Annual Academy Awards on March 31, 1981 in Los Angeles.

Jackson and his brothers perform during the 1984 Victory Tour.

Jackson and Quincy Jones at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards on February 28, 1984 in Los Angeles, where Jackson picked up eight trophies.

Jackson greets cheering fans as he arrives at London's Madame Tussards Waxwork Museum to unveil his wax figure in 1985.

Quincy Jones, Dionne Warwick, Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Lionel Richie backstage at the Grammys in Los Angeles on February 25, 1986. Jackson and Richie won Song of the Year for "We Are the World."

Jackson performs in Japan, 1987.

Jackson poses with his pet boa constrictor on September 15, 1987.

 Jackson with 10-year-old fan Jimmy Suchcraft on his tour plane on July 10, 1988.

Jackson performs during his Bad tour at London's Wembley Stadium on July 15, 1988. He achieved a Guinness World Record during the run, with 504,000 people attending seven sold-out shows at Wembley.

Michael Jackson performs at the Richfield Coliseum during the Bad tour in 1988.

Jackson with Macaulay Culkin at Disneyland in June 1991.

Jackson kisses his sister, Janet, after she presented him with Grammy's Legend Award on February 24, 1993.

Elizabeth Taylor and Jackson hold one of the two trophies he won on January 25, 1993 at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles.

Jackson performs during the half-time show of Super Bowl XXVII at Pasadena, California's Rose Bowl on January 31, 1993.

Jackson holds an unidentified child in a limo on May 13, 1993 after attending the World Music Awards in Monaco the night before.

Jackson takes a stroll with his then-wife Lisa Marie Presley on April 18, 1995 at his Neverland Ranch in Los Angeles.

Jackson performs during his "HIStory" world tour at New Zealand's Ericsson Stadium on November 10, 1996.

Jackson backstage during a 1997 "HIStory" tour stop in New York.

Usher joins Jackson at one of his two September, 2001 30th anniversary celebrations in New York.

Jackson performs with his brothers at his 30th anniversary celebration on September 10, 2001 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Jackson performs with 'NSYNC during his "30th Anniversary Celebration, The Solo Years" concert at New York's Madison Square Garden on September 7, 2001.

Jackson revisits some of his most famous moments during the "30th Anniversary Celebration, The Solo Years" concert New York's Madison Square Garden on September 7, 2001.

Jackson performs with Britney Spears at Madison Square Garden on September 7, 2001. It was the first of two New York gigs he played as part of his "30th Anniversary Celebration, the Solo Years."

Jackson waves to fans from his limo in the Harlem neighborhood of New York on July 6, 2002.

Jackson arrives at Santa Maria Superior Court on November 13, 2002 to stand trial for breach of contract and fraud for allegedly backing out of two New Year's Eve shows in 1999.

Britney Spears reacts as Michael Jackson walks onstage to celebrate his birthday at the MTV Video Music Awards on August 29, 2002 in New York. Jackson mistakenly thought he was receiving an "Artist of the Millennium Award" based on something Spears said in her introduction.

Jackson's mug shot: the singer was booked on multiple counts of child molestation on November 20, 2003 in Santa Barbara, California.

Jackson undergoes a security check as he enters the courthouse in Santa Maria, California for his arraignment on child-molestation charges on January 16, 2004. Jackson pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Jackson and his father Joe wave to fans as they exit court, where the singer was facing child molestation charges on June 13, 2005 in Santa Maria, California.

Jackson with sisters LaToya and Janet exit the Santa Maria courthouse on August 16, 2004 in Santa Maria, California.

Jackson greets fans as he arrives at the 2006 World Music Awards at Earls Court on November 15, 2006 in London.

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The King of Pop

Michael Jackson

Thirteen Grammys; wrote over 200 songs

Michael Jackson's remarkable 30-year career scaled unparalleled musical, commercial and critical heights. His myriad achievements included being responsible for the best-selling album of all time, pioneering the music-video medium, and virtually redefining the concept of the modern pop star. As a songwriter, he penned more than 150 songs, with more than 20 reaching multi-million performance status on American radio and television. Jackson came a long way since bursting onto the charts in 1969 as the Jackson Five's magnetic 10 year-old lead singer. The seventh in a family of nine children in Gary, Indiana, Michael began performing at the age of five when his father Joe, a musician turned steel mill worker, assembled the Jackson Five with Michael, and his o1der brothers Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon and Tito. Thanks in large part to Michael's precocious talent, the Jackson Five quickly progressed from performing in local talent shows to landing a record deal with Motown. The group scored 13 Top 20 singles for Motown and continued to turn out hits through the 1970’s while Michael spun off into a parallel solo career. Michael began to exercise an unprecedented level of control of his musical and business affairs following the Jacksons' departure from Motown in 1975. He achieved substantial solo success with his 1979 album Off the Wall , which marked the beginning of a long and fruitful collaboration with producer Quincy Jones and spawned the hits “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough” and “Rock With You.” Those singles previewed the distinctive rock/soul fusion that Jackson would later explore more fully on his 1983 blockbuster album Thriller . It was the 45 million-selling Thriller that marked Jackson’s ascendancy to superstar status, establishing him as pop’s preeminent presence, both on the radio and on the still-new MTV, where his innovative song and dance videos for “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” and “Thriller” helped pioneer the rock video form. In 1984, Jackson temporarily re-teamed with his brothers for the successful Victory album and tour. Jackson’s new status was underlined by his involvement with the all-star USA For Africa benefit single “We Are the World,” which he co-wrote with Lionel Richie . His subsequent solo albums Bad and Dangerous further expanded his musical legacy, as did the 1995 double CD HIStory: Past, Present and Future: Book One , which combined 15 previously released hits with 15 new songs. That collection was followed two years later by Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix , which combined new material with dance mixes of his hits. 2001’s Invincible , a collection of original songs, spawned multiple chart hits. Michael Jackson spent four decades as a songwriter, performer, recording artist and public figure, and will be remembered as a consistent musical innovator and stylistic trendsetter.

His "Thriller" best selling album of all time; 65 million copies

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Michael Jackson

• Born August 29 , 1958 · Gary, Indiana, USA
• Died June 25 , 2009 · Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA (acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication and involuntary manslaughter)
• Birth name Michael Joseph Jackson
• The Gloved One
• Wacko Jacko
• King Of Pop
• Smelly - called this by Quincy Jones because " Michael wouldn't say ‘funky.’ He’d say ‘smelly jelly.’"
• Height 5′ 9″ (1.75 m)
• Michael Joseph Jackson was born on August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana, and entertained audiences nearly his entire life. His father, Joe Jackson (no relation to Joe Jackson , also a musician), had been a guitarist, but was forced to give up his musical ambitions following his marriage to Michael's mother Katherine Jackson (née Katherine Esther Scruse). Together, they prodded their growing family's musical interests at home. By the early 1960s, the older boys Jackie, Tito and Jermaine had begun performing around the city; by 1964, Michael and Marlon had joined in. A musical prodigy, Michael's singing and dancing talents were amazingly mature, and he soon became the dominant voice and focus of the Jackson 5 . An opening act for such soul groups as the O-Jays and James Brown , it was Gladys Knight (not Diana Ross ) who officially brought the group to Berry Gordy 's attention, and by 1969, the boys were producing back-to-back chart-busting hits as Motown artists ("I Want You Back," "ABC," "Never Can Say Goodbye," "Got to Be There," etc.). As a product of the 1970s, the boys emerged as one of the most accomplished black pop / soul vocal groups in music history, successfully evolving from a group like The Temptations to a disco phenomenon. Solo success for Michael was inevitable, and by the 1980s, he had become infinitely more popular than his brotherly group. Record sales consistently orbited, culminating in the biggest-selling album of all time, "Thriller" in 1982. A TV natural, he ventured rather uneasily into films, such as playing the Scarecrow in The Wiz (1978) , but had much better luck with elaborate music videos. In the 1990s, the downside as an 1980s pop phenomenon began to rear itself. Michael grew terribly child-like and introverted by his peerless celebrity. A rather timorous, androgynous figure to begin with, his physical appearance began to change drastically, and his behavior grew alarmingly bizarre, making him a consistent target for scandal-making, despite his numerous charitable acts. Two brief marriages -- one to Elvis Presley 's daughter Lisa Marie Presley -- were forged and two children produced by his second wife during that time, but the purposes behind them appeared image-oriented. Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. His passion and artistry as a singer, dancer, writer and businessman were unparalleled, and it is these prodigious talents that will ultimately prevail over the extremely negative aspects of his troubled adult life. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / [email protected]
• Spouses Debbie Rowe (November 15, 1996 - April 2000) (divorced, 2 children) Lisa Marie Presley (May 26, 1994 - August 20, 1996) (divorced)
• Children Prince Michael Jackson Bigi Jackson Paris Jackson
• Parents Joe Jackson Katherine Jackson
• Relatives Jackie Jackson (Sibling) Tito Jackson (Sibling) Jermaine Jackson (Sibling) Marlon Jackson (Sibling) Randy Jackson (Sibling) Brandon Jackson (Sibling) La Toya Jackson (Sibling) Janet Jackson (Sibling) Rebbie Jackson (Sibling) Yashi Brown (Niece or Nephew) Austin Brown (Niece or Nephew) Siggy Jackson (Niece or Nephew) Jermaine Jackson II (Niece or Nephew) Jaafar Jackson (Niece or Nephew) Marlon Jackson Jr. (Niece or Nephew) Billie Bodega (Niece or Nephew) Brittany Jackson (Niece or Nephew) Taj Jackson (Niece or Nephew) TJ Jackson (Niece or Nephew) Jermajesty Jackson (Niece or Nephew) Donte Jackson (Niece or Nephew) Genevieve Jackson (Niece or Nephew) Taryll Jackson (Niece or Nephew) Eissa Al Mana (Niece or Nephew) Autumn Joy Jackson (Niece or Nephew) Stacee Brown (Niece or Nephew) Brandi Jackson (Niece or Nephew)
• The Moonwalk
• Single sequined white glove
• He always wore white socks with black shoes
• Often wore a black hat and a jacket with a ribbon around one sleeve
• Lyrics reflecting his social concerns and hopes for a better world
• At his peak, Jackson was reportedly worth around $1 Billion.
• He claimed to have given $300 million to charity, more than any other celebrity apart from Oprah Winfrey .
• His 1982 album "Thriller" is the biggest selling album of all time, with confirmed sales of over 51 million, and claimed sales of over 100 million copies worldwide. His 1987 album "BAD" is one of the biggest selling albums of all time, with over 20 million copies sold worldwide. His 1991 album "Dangerous" is one of the biggest selling albums of all time, with over 20 million copies sold worldwide.
• He was the first artist to generate seven top ten hits (USA) on one album with "Thriller".
• Following the week of his death, his album sales collectively spiked over 2000%.
• I can't think of a better way to spread the message of world peace than by working with the NFL and being part of Super Bowl XXVII.
• I don't like pop music.
• I'll always be Peter Pan in my heart.
• People think they know me, but they don't. Not really. Actually, I am one of the loneliest people on this earth. I cry sometimes, because it hurts. It does. To be honest, I guess you could say that it hurts to be me.
• "Just because you read it in a magazine or see it on a TV screen doesn't make it factual. To buy it is to feed it." - about tabloid magazines.

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Michael Jackson Biography

Born: August 29, 1958 Gary, Indiana African American entertainer, singer, and songwriter

Aperformer since the age of five, Michael Jackson is one of the most popular singers in history. His 1983 album, Thriller, sold forty million copies, making it the biggest seller of all time. Through his record albums and music videos he created an image imitated by his millions of fans.

Career planned in advance

Michael Joe Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana, on August 29, 1958, the fifth of Joe and Katherine Jackson's nine children. The house was always filled with music. Jackson's mother taught the children folk and religious songs, to which they sang along. Jackson's father, who worked at a steel plant, had always dreamed of becoming a successful musician. When this failed to happen, he decided to do whatever it took to make successes of his children. He tried to control his children's careers even after they were adults. The struggle for the control of the musical fortunes of the Jackson family was a constant source of conflict.

The Jackson boys soon formed a family band that became a success at amateur shows and talent contests throughout the Midwest. From the age of five Michael's amazing talent showed itself. His dancing and stage presence caused him to become the focus of the group. His older brother, Jackie, told Gerri Hershey in Rolling Stone, "It was sort of frightening. He was so young. I don't know where he got it. He just knew. "

Discovered by Motown

The Jacksons' fame and popularity soon began to spread. While performing at the Apollo Theater in New York City's Harlem neighborhood in 1968, Motown recording artist Gladys Knight (1944–) and pianist Billy Taylor discovered them. Later that year singer Diana Ross (1944–) became associated with the boys during a "Soul Weekend" in Gary. With Ross's support, the Jacksons signed a contract with Motown Records. Berry Gordy (1929–), the famous head of Motown, took control of the Jacksons' careers.

By 1970 the group, known as the Jackson Five, was topping the charts and riding a wave of popularity with such hits as "ABC," "The Love You Save," and "I'll Be There," each of which sold over one million copies. The group also appeared on several televised specials, and a Jackson Five cartoon series was created. Gordy quickly recognized Michael's appeal and released albums featuring him alone. These solo albums sold as well as those of the Jackson Five. The group managed to survive Michael's voice change and a bitter break with Motown Records in 1976, but as the Jackson family they continued to fight with each other and with their own father.

Unbelievable success

While working on The Wiz, Jackson met producer Quincy Jones (1933–). They worked together on Jackson's 1979 album Off the Wall, which sold ten million copies and earned critical praise. In 1982 Jackson and Jones again joined forces on the Thriller album. Thriller fully established Jackson as a solo performer, and his hit songs from the album—"Beat It," "Billie Jean," and "Thriller"—made him the major pop star of the early 1980s. The success of Thriller (with forty million copies sold, it remains one of the best-selling albums of all time) and the videos of its songs also helped Jackson break the color barrier imposed by radio stations and the powerful music video channel MTV. By 1983 Jackson was the single most popular entertainer in America.

In 1985 Jackson reunited with Quincy Jones for USA for Africa's "We Are the World," which raised funds for the poor in Africa. Jackson's next two albums, Bad (1987) and Dangerous (1991), were not as hugely successful as Thriller, but Jackson remained in the spotlight throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s. In 1992 he founded "Heal the World" to aid children and the environment. In 1993 he was presented with the "Living Legend Award" at the Grammy Awards ceremony and with the Humanitarian (one who promotes human welfare) of the Year trophy at the Soul Train awards.

Rocked by scandal

Despite Jackson's popularity and good works, he became the subject of a major scandal (action that damages one's reputation). In 1993 a thirteen-year-old boy accused Jackson of sexually abusing him at the star's home. Jackson settled the case out of court while insisting he was innocent. The scandal cost Jackson his endorsement (paid public support of a company's products) contract with Pepsi and a film deal. His sexual preference was called into question, and his public image was severely damaged.

In 1995 Jackson was criticized following the release of his new album HIStory: Past, Present, and Future, Book I. One of the songs on the album, "They Don't Care About Us," seemed to contain anti-Semitic (showing hatred toward Jewish people) lyrics (words). To avoid further criticism, Jackson changed the lyrics. He also wrote a letter of apology to Rabbi Marvin Hier, head of the Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies, who had protested the lyrics.

Marriage and fatherhood

In 1994 Jackson shocked the world when he married Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of the late (deceased) rock legend Elvis Presley (1935–1977). Many felt that the marriage was an attempt to improve his public image. In August 1996 Jackson and Presley divorced. In November 1996 Jackson announced that he was to be a father. The child's mother was Debbie Rowe, a long-time friend of Jackson. They married later that month in Sydney, Australia. On February 13, 1997, their son, Prince Michael Jackson, Jr., was born in Los Angeles, California. The couple's second child, daughter Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, was born in 1998. Rowe filed for divorce from Jackson in October 1999.

Jackson and his brothers were elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1997. Later that year another album, Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, containing new versions of songs from HIStory along with five new songs, was released. The album received good reviews, and the world continued to be fascinated by the talent and career of Michael Jackson.

In 2000 Jackson's promoter sued him for $21.2 million for backing out of two planned concerts the previous New Year's Eve. In 2001 Jackson, while delivering a lecture at Oxford University in England to promote his Heal the Kids charity, described his unhappy childhood and proposed a "bill of rights" for children that would provide for the right to an education "without having to dodge bullets." Later that year Jackson was again elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, this time as a solo performer. Jackson also released a new album, Invincible, in October 2001.

For More Information

Grant, Adrian. Michael Jackson: The Visual Documentary. New York: Omnibus Press, 1994.

Graves, Karen Marie. Michael Jackson. San Diego, CA: Lucent Books, 2001.

Jackson, Michael. Moonwalk. New York: Doubleday, 1988.

Marsh, Dave. Trapped: Michael Jackson and the Crossover Dream. New York: Bantam, 1985.

Nicholson, Lois. Michael Jackson. New York: Chelsea House, 1994.

Wallner, Rosemary. Michael Jackson: Music's Living Legend. Edina, MN: Abdo & Daughters, 1991.

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A michael jackson timeline, michael jackson: full npr music archive, read and hear the archive of npr stories on michael jackson, photo timeline.

Follow a chronology of the singer's life, highlighted by breathtaking commercial success, intense public scrutiny and odd lifestyle choices:

Aug. 29, 1958: Michael Joseph Jackson is born to Katherine and Joe Jackson in Gary, Ind. His older siblings are Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, LaToya and Marlon. Later, brother Randy and sister Janet join the family. Katherine Jackson raises her children as Jehovah's Witnesses.

1962: Michael, Marlon, Jackie, Tito and Jermaine combine to form a band. At first, their father does not approve, but later changes his mind and manages the band. Jackson sings lead vocal on most of the songs.

1968: Motown signs The Jackson 5.

1969: The song "I Want You Back" jumps to the number-one singles spot. "ABC (1970)," "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There" follow suit.

1971-1972: Jackson goes solo, and his singles "Got to Be There," "Rockin' Robin" and "I Wanna Be Where You Are" storm the charts — as does "Ben," a ballad about a pet rat featured in the horror movie Ben .

1978: Jackson makes his film debut as the Scarecrow in The Wiz , an urban retelling of the classic film The Wizard Of Oz . Diana Ross co-stars as Dorothy. Jackson is said to wear his makeup long after production hours.

1979: Jackson records Off The Wall , his first album as a solo artist. The singles "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock With You" both shoot to number-one hits.

1980: Jackson nabs his first Grammy Award for Best R&B Male Vocal Performance.

1982-1983: Jackson releases the album Thriller , and it tops the charts for 37 weeks. Seven singles dash into the top 10, including "Billie Jean," "Beat It," "Thriller" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'." The extended video sequence on "Thriller" has Jackson morph into a werewolf. Jackson unveils his signature dance move, the moonwalk.

1984: Questions arise about Jackson's changing appearance, and some wonder if the singer has had plastic surgery. He builds a home on 2,700 acres in Central California, complete with its own amusement park rides, and calls it Neverland.

1985: Jackson and Lionel Richie pen "We Are The World," with the proceeds from sales of the single slated for hunger relief in Africa. Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Cyndi Lauper and other prominent artists lend their voices to the song. It sells a record seven million copies.

1987: Bad , Jackson's third album, hits the shelves. He embarks on a world tour.

1988: Doubleday publishes Jackson's autobiography, Moonwalk .

1990: Thriller goes platinum for the 21st time and the Guinness Book of World Records certifies it as the best-selling album ever. To date, it has sold 65 million copies.

1992: Jackson tells Oprah Winfrey he has vitiligo, a skin disorder that destroys melanin and, in severe cases, can leave a victim devoid of skin color. He also reveals that his father emotionally abused him as a child.

1993: Jackson is accused in civil court of molesting an 11-year-old boy. Police descend on Neverland and subject Jackson to a full body search. "It was the most humiliating ordeal of my life," he says in a televised statement in December.

1994: Jackson settles the molestation case out of court. The boy is paid more than $15 million, to be held in trust until he is an adult. The parents of the boy receive $1.5 million each.

May 26, 1994: Jackson and Lisa-Marie Presley tie the knot. The marriage will last less than two years.

1995: Sony releases HIStory: Past, Present and Future Book I . Janet Jackson performs a duet with her older brother on "Scream."

1996: Jarvis Cocker of the British band Pulp accosts Jackson in mid-act at the BRIT Awards. Jackson was surrounded by children and a rabbi performing "Earth Song." Cocker claims Jackson had attempted to imitate Christ.

1997: Jackson marries Debbie Rowe, a nurse. Rowe gives birth to a son, Prince Michael. Jackson is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

1998: Rowe bears a girl, Paris Michael Katherine.

1999: Jackson and Rowe split.

2000: "Billie Jean," "Rock With You," "I Want You Back" and "Beat It" make Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 greatest songs of all time.

2001: Sony releases Invincible, which is panned by critics and does not sell well. Jackson battles a $21-million civil suit by a German concert promoter who says the singer backed out of two concerts and pocketed an advance.

2002: Jackson lifts his newborn son, Prince Michael, over a hotel room terrace so fans can glimpse — and is roundly criticized for endangering his child. The identity of the child's mother is never revealed. Jackson says the child is the result of artificial insemination from a surrogate mother and his own sperm cells.

2003: Jackson is charged with seven counts of child sexual abuse and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent. All charges were made by the same boy, Gavin Arvizo, who was under 14 at the time of the alleged crime.

2005: Jackson is acquitted on all counts in the Arvizo case in the the People v. Jackson trial in Santa Maria, Calif.

2006: Financial troubles force closure on the main house on the Neverland Ranch. Jackson agrees to a Sony-backed refinancing deal. Jackson makes his first public appearance since the Arvizo trial to accept eight records from the Guinness World Records in London, including "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time." In late 2006, Jackson agrees to share joint custody of his first two children with ex-wife Debbie Rowe.

2007: Jackson and Sony buy Famous Music LLC from Viacom, which gives him rights to songs by Eminem, Shakira, Beck and others.

2008: Jackson issues Thriller 25 , celebrating 25 years of the iconic album. The reissue hits number one in eight countries and reached number two in the U.S. Sony releases King of Pop , a fan-curated compilation.

June 25, 2009: Jackson dies in Los Angeles at 50 after going into cardiac arrest.

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Michael Jackson’s life and career

Little boy Michael

Signs of success

All in the family

A wonderful Wiz

Wanna be startin' somethin'?

Fright night

Moment of stardom

Handfuls of glory

A scary day

Gloved love

Crowd control

They were the world

Victory lap

Who's bad?

A difficult year

Black and white at the Super Bowl

Clowning around

Power marriage

Marriage 2.0

Best of friends

Sharing his testimony

Not so invincible

One big mistake

Arresting development

Family support

MJ's PJs

Singin' with the kids

Fans in uniform

Father figure

Concert tour planned

Reaching for redemption

Happy to perform

All the world's a stage

Michael Jackson's Top 10 Career Highlights

A Look Back at the Amazing "King of Pop"

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Since his shocking death on June 25, 2009, we remember the "King of Pop" as the greatest entertainer of our generation.

Michael Jackson is the most awarded artist in history. Among his hundreds of awards are:

• 13 Grammy Awards including winning a record eight Grammys in 1984. Also, a Grammy Living Legend Award and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
• 86 Billboard Awards
• 26 American Music Awards, more than any other artist. He was named American Music Awards "Artist of the Century" and "Artist of the 1980s."
• 31 Guinness World Records including Best Selling Album in History Thriller which has sold an estimated 65 million copies worldwide.
• 85 MTV Awards
• 8 World Music Awards
• 13 number one singles on the Billboard 100, more than any other male artist

Other major accomplishments include:

• First artist to have a Billboard 100 top ten single in five different decades: 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s
• Estimated 400 million records sold worldwide
• Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as a member of The Jackson Five and as a solo artist
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Jackson Five and as a solo artist

Here is a list of Michael Jackson's top 10 career highlights.

Jackson Five Debuts With Four Number One Hits 1970

From the album  Diana Ross Presents The Jackson Five,  the first single, "I Want You Back," hit number one on the Billboard   Hot 100 in January 1970. The group's next singles "ABC" and "The Love You Save" from their ABC  album also hit number one. The following single, "I'll Be There" from  The Third Album, continued their dominance at the top of the charts. The Jackson Five, with eleven-year-old Michael as their lead singer, became the first recording act to reach the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with their first four singles.

"Motown 25-Yesterday, Today, Forever" 1983

One of the most memorable performances of Michael Jackson's legendary career took place on March 25, 1983, during the taping of the  Motown 25-Yesterday, Today, Forever TV special at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. The program aired May 16, 1983, and was viewed by 47 million people.

After Michael performed with his brothers, he commanded the stage solo and electrified the audience. His performance of "Billie Jean," featuring the debut of his signature dance move, the "moonwalk," earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program. 

Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. said, "From the first beat of 'Billie Jean,' I was mesmerized, and when he did his iconic moonwalk, I was shocked. It was magic, Michael Jackson went into orbit, and never came down."

Record Eight Grammy Awards February 28, 1984

Thriller   was released November 30, 1982, and became the best selling album in music history selling an estimated 65 million copies worldwide. The album earned Jackson seven Grammys and eight American Music Awards, including the Award of Merit.

He also won an additional Grammy in 1984 for Best Recording for Children, "Someone In The Dark" from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial  storybook

Thriller topped the  Billboard  200 chart for 37 weeks and was in the top 10 of the 200 for 80 consecutive weeks. It was the first album to contain seven  Billboard  Hot 100 top 10 singles. 

Jackson also starred in the fourteen-minute Thriller  mini-movie that defined music videos.

Thriller was one of three Jackson albums produced by Quincy Jones. Off The Wall in 1979 was the first album with four number one hits: "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," "Rock With You," "She's Out Of My Life" and the title tune.  Bad in 1987 broke that record as the first album with five number one singles: "Just Can't Stop Loving You," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Man In the Mirror," "Dirty Diana," and the title tune.

The Bad concert tour spanned 16 months, included 123 concerts witnessed by 4.4 million fans across 15 countries.

1984 Grammy Awards Won By Michael Jackson:

• Album of the Year- Thriller
• Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male-"Thriller"
• Record of the Year-"Beat It'
• Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male-" Beat It"
• Best Rhythm and Blues Song-"Billie Jean"
• Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male-"Billie Jean"
• Producer of the Year (with Quincy Jones)
• Best Recording for Children-"Someone In The Dark"

Victory Tour 1984

The Jacksons reunited for the "Victory" stadium tour in 1984 featuring 55 concerts enjoyed by two million people. It was the only tour featuring all six Jackson brothers-- Michael, Jermaine, Marlon, Tito, Jackie, and Randy. The tour, which was the group's final tour with Michael, kicked off July 6, 1984, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri and ended December 9, 1984, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. The concerts grossed $75 million and Michael donated his share of the proceeds, estimated at $3 to $5 million, to charity.

Although it was a group tour, it is best remembered for Michael's solo performance of his songs from Thriller and Off The Wall .

"We Are the World" Released March 7, 1985

Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie wrote " We Are The World ," produced by Quincy Jones, which earned $63 million for famine relief in Africa and the United States. The song for the USA For Africa project was released March 7, 1985, featuring 45 stars including Jackson, Richie, Stevie Wonder , Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Tina Turner , Ray Charles, Billy Joel , Kenny Rogers and Diana Ross. It sold 20 million copies and won three Grammys, including the 1985 Song of the Year.

Super Bowl 27 Performance January 31, 1993

On January 31, 1993, Michael Jackson performed the halftime show of Super Bowl 27 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California and set the standard for Super Bowl entertainment.

Jackson was the NFL's remedy for the television audience dwindling during halftime, and he became the first superstar to perform solo during a Super Bowl halftime. It was the first Super Bowl where the ratings increased during halftime.

Jackson sang "Jam," "Billie Jean," "Black or White," and "Heal the World." The performance catapulted his  Dangerous  album 90 positions up the Billboard 100  album chart.

Grammy Living Legend Award February 24, 1993

On February 24, 1983, Michael Jackson's sister Janet Jackson presented him with the "Living Legend Award" at the 35th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. He is one of only fifteen artists to receive the honor which recognizes "ongoing contributions and influence in the recording field."

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 1997 and 2001

Michael Jackson was inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, first as a member of The Jackson Five on May 9, 1997, and again as a solo artist on March 19, 2001.

In 1997, Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. presented the award to the group. Gordy stated, "They not only had hit records, they were a cultural revolution. For the first time, young Black kids had their own heroes in their own image to idolize and emulate."

Michael said, "I'd like to say to our family, our children and, most of all, our mother and father: You were there to protect us with unselfish love, and because you were there, we are here."

In 2001, Michael Jackson was inducted into the Hall of Fame by 'NSYNC member Justin Timberlake who said in his introduction, "There ain't no stoppin', there ain't no enough, he's the King of Pop, the one, the only, Michael Jackson."

In receiving the honor, Michael said, "For me, the gift of music has been a blessing from God from the time I was a child."

Michael Jackson 30th Anniversary Concerts September 2001

On September 7, 2001, and September 10, 2001, two concerts celebrating Michael Jackson's 30th anniversary as a solo artist were taped for a TV special at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Called Michael Jackson: An All-Star Salute , the concerts featured a who's who of entertainment including Elizabeth Taylor, Liza Minnelli, Marlon Brando, Whitney Houston, Britney Spears, 'NSYNC, Destiny's Child , Luther Vandross, Gladys Knight , Dionne Warwick, and Slash from Guns N' Roses .

The Jacksons performed several of their hits including "ABC," "The Love You Save," "I'll Be There," I Want You Back," and "Shake Your Body." This was the first time Michael sang with his brothers since the "Victory Tour" in 1984. He dazzled the crowd with his solo hits "Beat It," "Billie Jean," "Black or White," "The Way You Make Me Feel," and "You Rock My World." The show closed with several artists joining him in singing "We Are The World."

The morning after the final concert, terrorist attacks shocked the United States on September 11, 2001. Jackson responded by helping to organize the "United We Stand: What More Can I Give" benefit concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The concert took place on October 21, 2001, and included performances from dozens of artists. Jackson performed "Man In The Mirror" and was joined by all the artists for the finale, "What More Can I Give." 

American Music Awards "Artist of the Century"

On January 9, 2002, Michael Jackson received the American Music Award for Artist of the Century from comedian Chris Tucker at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. He was previously named The American Music Awards Artist of the 1980s. Jackson is also one of only seven artists to receive the American Music Awards International Artist Award of Excellence. During his career, he won a record 26 American Music Awards.

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Michael Jackson

• Occupation: Singer
• Born: August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana
• Died: June 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California
• Best known for: Thriller , the best-selling album in history
• Nickname: King of Pop

• He was the best selling artist in the United States for 2009, the year of his death. Around 35 million of his albums were sold worldwide in the 12 months after he died.
• He had two pet llamas on his ranch called Lola and Louis.
• The album Thriller was number one on the Billboard Chart for 37 weeks.
• He purchased the rights to the Beetles catalogue in 1985 for $47 million.
• His skin doctor said that his skin tone changed because he had a disease called vitiligo.
• He was burned when his hair caught fire during the filming of a Pepsi commercial.
• Listen to a recorded reading of this page:

Michael Jackson: His Life and Career Essay (Biography)

Introduction, solo career, pepsi, bad, and never land, molestation allegations and career decline, final months, works cited.

Michael Jackson was a very famous singer, songwriter, and dancer who won several prizes before his sudden death in 2009. He was praised globally for transforming the pop music and many respected him as the king of pop since he actually changed the music industry and the popular culture. He was born in Gary, Indiana on 29 August 1958 and his music career started when he was a child singing alongside his family under Motown group.

The group became famous in the city, as well as nationally, something that made the family to be admired. With time, Michael Jackson started writing his own songs based on the plight of women and the blacks in society. He was the first singer to have produced a single album on popular music in 1982 and this placed him in his own class even though he was still considered a young person with a great potential 1 .

In 2009, the entire world was shocked by the announcement of his death since he was believed to be in good health shortly after the news. It was difficult for the family and friends to accept his death, something that sparked a controversy leading to legal tussles.

Consequently, his personal doctor was charged with manslaughter since a postmortem revealed that his body contained dangerous drugs. In 2011, the doctor was handed out a four-year jail imprisonment for unintentional killing. This article gives an account of Michael Jackson’s life with focus on the controversies that surrounded his death in 2009.

Michael Jackson was from a working class African-American family that resided in Gary, Indiana. He was born on 29 August 1958 being the last born in the family of four children. His other brothers were Jermaine, Jackie, and Tito. When he was five years old, he was incorporated into the family band and went on to become the group’s leader, as he was extremely vocal. At this tender age, he showed an extraordinary range of depth that electrified audiences with his capability of conveying intricate feelings.

His father was a guitarist and he wanted his children to succeed in the music industry that served as an inspiration to the young Michael. His father was hard on the family and demanded perfection forcing the group to spend several hours rehearsing and polishing its skills before performing in the public. In 1968, Jackson 5 was signed by Gordy, which was a local producer having been impressed by the activities of the group in the town.

The family was forced to relocate to Los Angeles due to the hard financial times experienced in the hometown. 2 The group established itself as a live performing music group in the new city while Michael’s father, Joseph, was the manager. Gordy and the Supremes singer Diana Ross hosted Michael’s family for several months in Los Angeles upon arrival in 1969. The family was later introduced to the aggressive music business in an extraordinary event.

Michael Jackson is said to have started performing alone at the age of thirteen when he released a single album. In 1971, he launched an album titled, “Go to be there,” which impressed several individuals making it one of the best selling in the country. In 1972, he released another album with the name Ben. The album featured eponymous ballad concerning the rat and the song was the first single.

From early 1970s, Michael Jackson and his family band was busy touring various cities recording the songs and performing with Gordy as the manager. The manager played a critical role in Jackson’s music career since he wrote several songs that made the singer famous. Between 1971 and 1973, the group was so popular to an extent of being immortalized through cartoons in famous media stations. While the popularity of the group was rising, Michael Jackson had issues with the recording company.

The main problem was the handling of finances since Joseph, Michael’s father, wanted a considerate share of his children’s efforts. Joseph was of the view that the company was not doing enough to develop the talents of his children, as their participation was never recognized appropriately.

The Jackson family wished to manage the production of music, which forced it to terminate all contracts with the Motown group in 1975 3 . This had an impact on the family as well since the elder brother, Jermaine Jackson, decided to continue working with the Motown group having produced several albums with it, even though they did not match those of Michael.

Michael and his two brothers set up a new band referred to as the Jacksons, which ended up signing a contract with the Epic Records. In 1978, Jackson and his two brothers produced an album titled Destiny. The album earned the fame for the group as they had been termed as talented songwriters because they wrote all the records without external assistance.

The new producer, Quincy Jones, helped Jackson in producing the new single album titled “Off the wall” in 1979 containing hit song, such as “Don’t stop till you get enough”, “Rock with you”, and “She’s out of my life”. From mid 1970s to early 1980s, Michael’s music career received an overwhelming support when he released a new album by the name “Triumph” since it was received with praises and over one million copies were sold away across the country.

His brothers realized that Michael’s career would develop better in case they engaged in marketing of the albums and recording more songs, something that made them quit singing and concentrate on supporting Michael 4 . With time, Michael became independent in the sense that he did recording of songs, as well as performing. In 1982, he produced a heart touching song with the rock legend, Paul McCartney named ‘The Girl is mine’, and this raised his popularity.

In the same year, the hit song appeared in the thriller with at least ten songs that were voted the best songs in his entire life. His Grammy victories proved that his artwork was exceptional, as it demonstrated talent in rhythm and blues. At this time, he broke the records of various artistes in the country, as he found himself in the Guinness Book of Record.

In his entire life, he won thirteen Grammy Awards and this was surprising since eight of them were won in a single night in 1984. Before his new record, no artist had managed to reach the finals with more than two songs 5 .

The world’s famous companies, such as Pepsi, approached him to sign contracts for promotional purposes having recognized his contributions to music. In 1984, he signed a lucrative contract worth five million dollars. Unfortunately, this progress did him more harm than good, as he was badly injured while performing on stage. He had an operation to remodel the broken muscles and this was the time when debates about his everyday life begun since he tried plastic surgery.

He requested for a surgical procedure that altered the shape of his nose, something that was met with mixed reactions from fans. In the same year, he worked with the Jacksons in producing a new album titled “Victory” and his partnership with Mick Jagger was surprising in the production of ‘State of shock’, the song that became a hit. In 1985, he shocked the entire world when he urged the US to offer support to the African continent through the song ‘We are the world’.

Analysts observed that this was a show of altruism since he was not singing for money, but instead he was passing a special message to the world’s superpower to extend economic, social, and political support to the continent whose people were suffering from poor governance, low standards of living, economic challenges, and ignorance. In his view, the US was in a position to help the poor countries in developing their infrastructure, which would in turn improve the conditions of living on the continent.

In late 1980s, he had created a private ranch referred to as never land, which specialized in keeping pets, chimpanzees, and bubbles. This attracted various views from analysts as some observed that he was exploring a second childhood having been raised as a Jehovah Witness with strict rules. He welcomed children in his ranch to play and some pundits accused him of trying to abandon his black race in favor of the white race 6 .

Additionally, Michael was believed to care about his life so much to an extent of sleeping in an improvised chamber to increase the life expectancy. This was another challenge that Michael had to live with given the fact that racism was a major issue in the American society at the time and people of his caliber were expected to fight it through music instead of supporting it by adopting a different lifestyle.

In 1991, he released another album full of controversies regarding gender since his gesturing towards the end of the video was a sign of violence against women. In 1993, he was invited to perform in Super bowl XXVII and Winfrey Oprah had an opportunity of interviewing him for the first time.

He was met with tough questions regarding his behavior and conduct towards the black race, but he was quick to respond that a disease named vitiligo had affected his skin color and that he was never negative towards the black race 7 . In the interview, he accused his father of not taking proper care of the family, which had led to poor relationships among its members 8 .

Claims of child abuse and molestation were raised against Michael in 1993 when a thirteen-year-old boy alleged that the singer had fondled him. It emerged that the music star had a habit of spending the night with young boys in his Never land ranch. However, the police moved in to find any supporting evidence with little success. Since the allegations were affecting his career, Michael was never concerned with authenticating the claims, but instead he moved in to settle the case with the boy’s family.

Another child alleged to have been molested, but the singer insisted on his innocence. In 1994, Michael made up his mind to tie a knot with Lisa Marie Presley, but the union was short lived since a divorce was granted in 1996. Pundits were quick to mention that the marriage was simply for publicity to restore confidence among the fans. He entered into another marriage in 1996 shortly after divorcing with Presley and ended up having two children through artificial insemination.

Two years later, the pair separated and the court gave Michael full guardianship of the two children. In 1995, his career was said to be in last stages when he released a song titled ‘History’. In 2002, he was blamed for coarseness on the stage when he appeared perplexed during the MTV prize show. In the same year, he was accused of child abuse when he dangled his son, Prince Michael II in the balcony in Germany.

Even though he tried to explain the situation by claiming that he wanted the fans to see the boy, many were reluctant to buy his story to an extent of requesting the government to adopt the child. In 2004, the singer was charged with a variety of offenses, including kidnapping of a minor, giving alcohol to a young person with an aim of molestation, false incarceration, and extortion.

The court conducted its investigation and acquitted the singer of all claims, but this never changed people’s mind given the fact that his reputation had been destroyed while he was struggling financially to meet the expenses of his luxury lifestyle. In fact, he was not in position to maintain a basic bank account because of the soaring court cases. One of his fans, the Prince of Salman Bin Hamad, donated several dollars to cater for Michael’s expenses in the ranch.

Consequently, Michael was invited to the Middle East as a guest of the state to perform for the prince. He was rewarded lucratively since he received at least seven million dollars excluding the living expenses. Michael promised to produce a single album with the prince and entertain his family during special occasions. In 2008, Jackson was unable to sustain the cost of the ranch and he failed to pay an approximated twenty-three million dollars loan.

The prince of Salman believed that the singer was a conman and that he was supposed to be jailed since he had entered into a contract yet he was reluctant to honor it. In the US, he had failed to settle a loan worth millions of dollars. The bank decided to auction his property, but the singer moved to court to block the court sentence. He announced that he would be performing in London to raise the much-needed finances to prevent the auctioning of the ranch and other personal properties, something he termed as the final curtain call.

Many analysts never expected the fragile pop star to handle the pressure of over fifty concerts in the English capital 9 . The singer proved that he was in a position to handle pressure once again since he agreed to appear at the O2. Surprisingly, his reception in London was awesome since the tickets were sold in less than four hours.

The London tour was expected to restore the public confidence towards the star, but the announcement of his sudden death made this a dream. Doctors gave a testimonial classifying that Michael had suffered a cardiac arrest while being in his Los Angeles house. The medics tried everything to save his life, but it was impossible and he died at the age of fifty. Many people across the world expressed great sympathy and grief and memorials were placed globally, especially in his hometown and the places he was expected to perform.

The government, in collaboration with fans, held a televised monument on 12 July 2012 at the Staple Center to mark the death of the pop star. It was approximated that over one billion fans watched the live memorial online while at least seventeen-thousand five-hundred tickets were sold out through gambling.

The family decided to conduct a private funeral service for Michael on 3 September 2009 with only family members and two-hundred being invited. The songwriter had dictated in his will that the two children would be handed over to his mother, Katherine Jackson. The wish of Michael’s father was that the three children were to be kept out of the public limelight 10 .

In February 2010, the family of the pop singer was met with sorrow when they learned that their loved one was indeed killed accidently upon the release of the official document detailing the cause of the death. The report claimed that Michael had succumbed to propofol intoxication, which is a dangerous chemical used to induce sleep. The doctor had failed to offer proper prescription since the patient was not supposed to mix the chemical with other substances used in reducing pain.

Further police investigations established that the doctor was not licensed to offer such prescriptions meaning he had violated the professional codes of conduct expected of any medical doctor. Again, the physician never took proper measures to ensure that Michael survived given the fact that he never undertook any monitoring as recommended when prescribing the drug. Consequently, the court ruled that the pop star had been killed accidently in what is often referred to as homicide.

The doctor had to be investigated to establish whether he was guilty of manslaughter and the results indicated that he was indeed responsible for the death of the music icon of the country, something that handed him a jail term of four years from 7 November 2011.

The family has since accepted the situation and moved on with life. In 2012, the family was engaged in a tussle once more when the guardianship issue emerged. Various members of the family wanted a share of Michael’s estate and the only way of achieving this was through guardianship.

Michael Jackson was a talented singer and songwriter who inspired many young people to further their careers in music, but just as any other human being, he had controversies. He lived a comfortable life full of praises until early 1990s when he was first time accused of molesting children.

Soon after, he tried to cover up the claims by entering into consensual unions with members of the opposite gender, but this never restored his image as a renowned public figure. He died suddenly at the age of fifty and he will forever be remembered for changing the music industry and the society.

Abimboye, Demola 2009, The Man, His Weird Ways. Newswatch . Web.

Cocks, Jay 1984, W hy He’s a Thriller . Time. Web.

Giambusso, David. “Michael Jackson memorabilia owner recalls turbulent past with musical family.” The Star-Ledger 3.1 (2009): 1-21. Print

Grant, Adrian. Michael Jackson: The Visual Documentary . New Jersey: Omnibus Press, 2005. Print.

Hidalgo, Susan, and Weiner, Robert. “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’: MJ in the Scholarly Literature: A Selected Bibliographic Guide”. The Journal of Pan African Studies 3.7 (2010): 14–28. Print.

Jackson, Michael. My World, the Official Photobook, Vol. 1 . Los Angeles: Triumph International, 2006. Print..

Margo, Jefferson. On Michael Jackson . New York: Vintage Books, 2007. Print.

Orth, Maureen. “The Importance of Being Famous: Behind the Scenes of the Celebrity-Industial Complex.” Henry Holt and Company , 1.4 (2005): 34-21. Print.

Williams, Janette, 2009, Michael Jackson left indelible mark on Pasadena . Whittier (Calif.) Daily News . Web.

Taraborrelli, Randy. Michael Jackson: The Magic, the Madness, The Whole Story, 1958–2009 . Terra Alta: Grand Central Publishing, 2009. Print.

1 Grant, Adrian. Michael Jackson: The Visual Documentary . New Jersey: Omnibus Press, 2005. Print.

2 Taraborrelli, Randy. Michael Jackson: The Magic, the Madness, The Whole Story, 1958–2009 . Terra Alta, WV: Grand Central Publishing, 2009.

3Jackson, Michael. My World, the Official Photobook, Vol. 1 . Los Angeles: Triumph International, 2006. Print.

4 Margo, Jefferson. On Michael Jackson . New York: Vintage Books, 2007. Print.

5 Williams, Janette. “Michael Jackson left indelible mark on Pasadena”. Whittier (Calif.) Daily News, 2009. Retrieved April 23, 2014.

6 Cocks, Jay. “Why He’s a Thriller”. Time, 1984.

7 Hidalgo, Susan, and Weiner, Robert. “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’: MJ in the Scholarly Literature: A Selected Bibliographic Guide”. The Journal of Pan African Studies, 3.7 (2010): 14–28. Print.

8 Orth, Maureen. “The Importance of Being Famous: Behind the Scenes of the Celebrity-Industial Complex.” Henry Holt and Company , 1.4 (2005): 34-21. Print

9 Giambusso, David. “Michael Jackson memorabilia owner recalls turbulent past with musical family.” The Star-Ledger , 3.1 (2009): 1-21. Print

10 Abimboye, Demola. “The Man, His Weird Ways”. Newswatch , 2009.

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The Final Days of Michael Jackson

Jackson’s Thriller has sold 66 million copies, making it the most popular selling album worldwide. But in 2009, as he prepared for his 50-show comeback tour, This Is It , at London’s newly opened O2 Arena, Jackson was battling an addiction to prescription drugs, riddled with self-doubt and deeply in debt. With his heralded return rapidly approaching, Jackson’s final days were spent rehearsing and preparing for the spotlight as he battled his inner demons.

On June 25, 2009, less than three weeks before the debut performance of This Is It , Jackson died at age 50, having suffered cardiac arrest in his rented Los Angeles home. In early 2010, an official coroner’s report revealed the cause of death as acute propofol intoxication. Propofol, often marketed as Diprivan, can be used for general anesthesia and sedation for medical procedures. Jackson had been administered the drug by his personal physician to reportedly help him sleep at night.

As Jackson prepared for the tour, his behavior became erratic

This Is It was designed to show the public, who had been consuming a diet of media-driven stories about Jackson’s often bizarre private life for decades, that he still had what it takes as an entertainer. And the proceeds would help him get on top of his mounting debt – reportedly about $400 million at the time ­– due to lavish spending habits and dwindling income.

Jackson had written new songs and was rehearsing multiple hours a day in preparation for This Is It , an arena spectacle that had reportedly incurred $25 million in pre-production costs. But as teams of workers across the globe prepped for the tour, Jackson’s erratic behavior worsened as opening night approached.

Emotionally frail and physically thin, Jackson was described by This Is It makeup and hair artist Karen Faye as paranoid, shivering from chills and repeating himself during his last days. Faye testified as a witness for Jackson’s mother, Katherine , and his children in their wrongful death suit against This Is It concert promoter AEG Live in 2013. He was “very upbeat, but he was on the thin side,” Faye said of an earlier, April 2009 meeting with Jackson. Come June, everything had changed. “He was not the man I knew,” Faye testified. “He was acting like a person I didn’t recognize.”

During a mid-June rehearsal, Jackson appeared “very stoic” but “frightened,” according to Faye. “He kept repeating, ‘why can’t I choose,’ it was one of the things he repeated over and over again,” Faye said, adding that she “had never seen him so emaciated.” At almost six feet tall, Jackson reportedly weighed close to 130 pounds prior to his death.

Faye was part of a working team gathered from Jackson’s past, trusted people from his former glory days including manager Frank DiLeo, show director Kenny Ortega, choreographer Travis Payne, and entertainment lawyer John Branca.

Conrad Murray was entrusted to get Jackson in shape for the tour

New to Jackson’s inner circle was personal physician Dr. Conrad Murray , whom the singer had met in 2006 when Murray treated one of Jackson’s children in Las Vegas. In May 2009, AEG Live hired Murray, via Jackson, to be the singer’s exclusive personal physician for the tour, though AEG would later claim there was never a contract with Murray. It was Murray’s job to ensure the performer was in tour-ready shape.

By the time Jackson was in rehearsals in 2009, he had been treated for ongoing pain for decades, according to Faye’s testimony. The singer had suffered head burns while filming a Pepsi commercial in 1984 and later suffered a back injury when a bridge suspended above a stage that he was standing on collapsed during a concert in Munich, Germany. Jackson also had trouble sleeping, especially following tour performances.

Jackson reportedly took large amounts of Xanax or propofol to help sleep at night

Jackson’s continued use of prescription drugs made headlines in 2007 when a Beverly Hills pharmacy filed a complaint against the singer for not paying a $101,926 prescription drug bill dating back to 2005. As part of an investigation into child molestation charges against the singer, of which he was acquitted in 2005, a former staffer at Jackson’s home reported the singer took 30 to 40 Xanax pills a night, according to court documents.

As the weeks wound down toward the opening of This Is It , Murray admitted to police following Jackson’s death that he had given the singer infusions of propofol in order to help the performer sleep. After a poor rehearsal on June 13, 2009, Jackson missed the following day’s rehearsal on the advice of Murray. According to Ortega’s testimony in the 2013 wrongful death suit against AEG Live, AEG put Murray in charge of getting Jackson to rehearsals. Jackson was a no-show for another week.

Ortega testified that when Jackson returned to rehearsals on June 19, he appeared “lost, cold, afraid,” and the show director believed the best thing to do would be to stop the production; but was torn because he “did not want to break Michael’s heart.” In a series of e-mails to AEG Live executives, Ortega wrote Jackson was showing “signs of paranoia, anxiety and obsessive-disorder-like behavior,” and recommended a psychiatrist be brought in to evaluate the star.

At a meeting at Jackson’s home on June 20, Ortega testified that Murray believed Jackson was “physically and emotionally capable of handling all his responsibility as a performer,” and that Murray should be the only one to make such decisions.

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Just two days before his death, Jackson was in good spirits at the final dress rehearsal

Jackson returned to rehearsals on June 23 a very different man. “I was overjoyed at his energy, his state of mind, his enthusiasm,” Ortega testified. Murray later admitted to investigators he had stopped using propofol to induce sleep for Jackson for the two previous nights. A sleep expert testified during the trial that a person can recover quickly from heavy use of the drug.

On June 24 Jackson left his home around 7 p.m. and traveled to the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles for what would be his final rehearsal. Many in attendance recalled the singer as continuing to be in good shape as he rehearsed the show, which included classics such as “Smooth Criminal,” “Billie Jean” and “Thriller.” The rehearsal ended around midnight and Jackson hugged his dancers and thanked the crew. Jackson returned home where he greeted a small group of fans gathered outside.

After rehearsal, Jackson began to unravel, allegedly begging for propofol

Later that evening Jackson began complaining of fatigue. In attendance was Murray, who was concerned the singer was addicted to propofol and instead administered Valium to Jackson in order to help him sleep, according to a police affidavit. Throughout the night Murray said he gave Jackson further doses of sedatives but no propofol, even though the singer repeatedly requested it.

Murray gave in to Jackson’s demand for the drug mid-morning on June 25, when the doctor added propofol to the singer’s intravenous drip. According to Murray’s June 27 interview with the police, he remained with Jackson for 10 minutes before leaving for the bathroom. Murray returned less than two minutes later and found Jackson not breathing.

Murray attempted to resuscitate Jackson, as did paramedics who arrived shortly on the scene. A team of doctors at UCLA Medical Center, where the performer was rushed to, also attempted resuscitation to no avail and Jackson was pronounced dead. The King of Pop was gone.

Murray was convicted of voluntary manslaughter

Along with an unmatched musical legacy, Jackson left behind three children: Michael Joseph “Prince” Jackson Jr. , Paris-Michael Katharine Jackson and Prince Michael “Blanket Jackson II .

Dr. Conrad Murray was charged and convicted for voluntary manslaughter over Jackson’s death and served two years of a four-year jail term.

A jury found AEG Live not guilty in the wrongful death suit brought by Jackson’s mother and his children.

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Entertainism

A Short Biography of the King of Pop Michael Jackson

Polarizing, controversial, but legendary, the King of Pop Michael Jackson was one of the greatest entertainers ever, and completely redefined pop culture. This biography showcases the moments and events that truly changed his life. Read on to know more in this Entertainism post.

Did You Know?

Michael Jackson has won 15 Grammy awards, including the Legend and the Lifetime Achievement Awards, and 26 American Music Awards. He also had 13 #1 singles in the US. The first two are still-intact records, while the latter is a record for male artists. Jackson is the most awarded musician in history, with more than 200 awards. He also holds the record of having supported 39 charities, with the Guinness Book of Records recognizing his extensive humanitarian work in 2000.

A child prodigy, Jackson, or MJ, as he is more commonly known, continued his progress into adulthood, going on to become a pop culture phenomenon and one of the most iconic dancers in living history. His songs are the stuff of legends, and his various dance moves are ingrained into pop culture. He is also known for his humanitarian efforts, but is, conversely, equally infamous for the various scandals in his life.

Let’s take a deeper look into this legend’s life.

Michael Joseph Jackson was born on August 29, 1958 , in Gary, Indiana. The 8th of 10 children, Michael had his first tryst with music as a singer in the Jackson family band, Jackson 5, in 1964, at the tender age of five. Jackson 5 played at local nightclubs and also participated in competitions. Despite his young age, he soon carved a niche for himself as a singer and dancer of exceptional ability. Jackson 5 ruled the charts in the late ’60s and the early ’70s. After signing a contract with Motown, Jackson 5 had to shift their base to California. This was followed by chart busters like ‘I Want You Back,’, ‘Dancing Machine’, ‘The Love You Save’ and ‘I’ll Be There’ in 1970. Jackson 5 remained with Motown till 1975, while Jackson’s solo career started in 1972. In 1976, Jackson 5, now re-branded as the Jacksons, switched to Epic Records.

Jackson’s childhood was difficult, and had a heavy influence on his life. His father was a very strict disciplinarian, and though Michael later attributed his success to the strict singing practice conducted by his father, it also had a demoralizing effect on the budding entertainer’s mindset. He suffered from various psychological issues, including chronic and persistent sleep problems, due to his childhood.

Solo Career

Collaboration with quincy jones.

Michael first met his future producer, Quincy Jones, on the sets of The Wiz , a musical version of The WIzard of Oz starring an all-African American cast. Despite his later success as a musician, Jackson was an actor in this film; he played Scarecrow.

Jones was influential in Jackson’s most famous release, Thriller , in 1982. This record-busting album is reputed to have sold more than 60 million copies, though certified sales only indicate about 42.4 million. It is the highest-selling album in music history, and established Michael as the King of Pop, a moniker that has now very much become his own. 7 singles from the album reached the top 10 in the Billboard Top 100 chart, which is a joint record. The music video of ‘Billie Jean’ is among the most watched music videos of all time, and received regular airtime, consolidating the reputation of the nascent MTV in the process. It was also one of the very first music videos by a black artist to receive such consistent airtime, and one of the first to become equally popular across the racial divide. His success, aided by the furious efforts of CBS Music directors to get MTV to broadcast a black artist’s song, paved the way for future African American artists to receive as much airtime as white artists.

Quincy Jones first collaborated with Michael in 1979 on the album Off the Wall , a legendary production in its own right. Selling more than 20 million copies, it is also one of the best-selling albums of all time. With the success of Off the Wall , Jackson was able to secure the highest royalty rate in the music world: a whopping 37% of the album’s profits, which later equated to almost USD 2 for each copy!

Five years after Thriller , Jackson released his final album with Jones, Bad , in 1987. It was hugely popular, reputedly selling more than 30 million copies. Though it didn’t outsell Thriller , it bested it in one important aspect: five singles from Bad reached the top spot in the Billboard Top 100, which was the first time this feat had been achieved by a single album. It also became the first album to reach the top spot in 25 countries. The Bad world tour, held from September 1988-January 1989, broke multiple records of attendance in various countries; the 570,000-strong people that watched him in Japan were almost three times the previous record in the country, and his seven sellout shows in Wembley Stadium London, totaling a crowd of 504,000 people, broke a Guinness World Record. In total, he performed 123 shows on this world tour, reaching out to 4.4 million people in the process.

One of the most famous images in the world, and the one most associated with Michael Jackson, is the fantastic ‘moonwalk’. It was first performed by him in public on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever , a 1983 TV special commemorating the 25 th year of the popular music production company, Motown Records.

Michael at first declined the invitation, due to his reluctance to rejoin his brothers for a mini-reunion of the Jacksons, but was persuaded by Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown, on the condition that Michael be allotted a solo slot in addition to the group gig.

According to some, Jackson only practiced the moonwalk once at his home before brandishing it on air. The iconic movement, where the performer appears to slide backwards while apparently walking forward, was not created by Jackson, but spread like wildfire after it was popularized by one of the premier artists of the time. It was performed during the song ‘Billie Jean’, and became a staple in Jackson’s subsequent live performances. This performance rocketed Jackson onto new heights of fame. In the words of Berry Gordy himself,

From the first beat of Billie Jean, I was mesmerized, and when he did his iconic moonwalk, I was shocked, it was magic, Michael Jackson went into orbit, and never came down.

In 1985, Jackson co-wrote We Are The World with Lionel Richie, for humanitarian purposes primarily in Africa. The song became one of the bestselling singles of all time.

Jackson didn’t relent his pursuit of musical innovation and success, with his album Dangerous selling more than 20 million certified copies. The album contained one of Jackson’s most famous songs, Black or White . This album was notable as the first Jackson album to feature a rapper, as well as one of the pioneering works in the new jack swing genre.

The Dangerous world tour, starting in June 1992 and ending 17 months later in November 1993, drew 3.5 million listeners in 70 concerts. HBO bagged the broadcast rights of the world tour for USD 20 million―a still-intact record.

In January 1993, Jackson also performed at the halftime show at Super Bowl XXVII. His performance, where he sang four songs, was the first halftime show to have more viewers than the match in progress!

HIStory: Past, Present and Future , released in 1995, went straight to the number one slot in several countries. It contained a compilation of MJ’s hit singles, and also featured the lavishly made science-fiction video ‘Scream’. The second single, ‘You Are Not Alone’, surpassed the success of ‘Scream’ by becoming the first ever song to debut at the top spot in the Billboard Top 100. ‘Earth Song’, the third single released from this album, reached the top position and became MJ’s most successful single in the UK. ‘Earth Song’ gave a strong message to the viewers, as it addressed issues related to the environment and poverty. This album was reissued in 2001 as Greatest Hits: HIStory Volume I along with a second installment, HIStory Continues , and became the best-selling double album in history, with more than 20 million copies sold. The HIStory world tour, conducted between September 1996 and October 1997, included 82 concerts for a total audience of 4.5 million.

By Jackson’s astronomical standards, his only original album in the 2000s, Invincible , was not extremely popular. Having said that, it still managed to sell 13 million copies, in spite of being released at a time of a general slump in the music industry, without an accompanying world tour, and with very little promotion.

Solo Discography

Got to Be There (1972) Ben (1972) Music & Me (1973) Forever, Michael (1975) Off the Wall (1979) Thriller (1982) Bad (1987) Dangerous (1991) HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995) Invincible (2001)

Controversies

Due to his fame, Michael Jackson’s life was always under the microscope. His complicated personality and various long-standing psychological issues meant that he was never far from a controversy. He faced multiple child sexual abuse allegations, as well as general rumors about his mental health. His close association with his pet chimpanzee, Bubbles, in particular, spawned worldwide mocking and parody.

Despite his success and influential role as a black musician, Jackson faced widespread rumors that he had repeatedly bleached his skin in order to achieve a lighter complexion―an action that was criticized roundly. He stated that he had vitiligo, an idiopathic condition that brings about a lighter skin, but can also be caused due to chemical bleaching of the skin.

He also underwent two rhinoplasty operations in order to make his nose successively thinner. One of the procedures did not pan out as hoped, and he suffered from breathing issues as a result.

Around the time of the release of Thriller , Jackson suffered from anorexia nervosa, and lost a considerable amount of weight in order to gain a “dancer’s body”.

Child Sexual Abuse Allegations

Michael faced allegations of child sexual abuse twice in his life. The first time was in 1993, when 13-year-old Jordan Chandler accused him of sexual abuse at Michael’s estate, Neverland. Despite conflicting evidence and doubts over Jordan’s father’s intentions in pursuing the case (there was some evidence which hinted that the boy’s father was primarily interested in blackmailing Jackson, rather than fighting for justice for his son), the case was settled out of court by Michael’s insurance company, without having notified him.

Following the depiction of certain encounters in Martin Bashir’s controversial documentary Living with Michael Jackson , Jackson was arrested on charges of child molestation. He was acquitted on all counts on June 13, 2005, and subsequently relocated to Bahrain as a guest of Sheikh Abdulla, son of the King of Bahrain. Jackson, asserting his innocence, later claimed that Bashir had deliberately portrayed him in a negative light.

Despite the absence of a conviction in either of the cases, Jackson’s reputation has been considerably tarnished by these allegations.

Marriages and Children

Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of ‘The King’ Elvis Presley, in 1994. Their acquaintance went back to 1975, but they got close after the renewal of their friendship due to Michael’s ongoing struggles with the child abuse allegations. Presley, who believed steadfastly in Michael’s innocence, married him secretly in 1994.

The marriage, claimed by tabloids to have been a publicity stunt (in spite of the initial secrecy about it) to help Michael’s image as a good-natured family man, lasted less than two years, though Presley later stated that they had reconnected and broken up several times in the next few years.

Jackson married Deborah Rowe, his dermatologist’s nurse, in 1996, during the early stages of the HIStory world tour. She was about six months pregnant at the time, and gave birth to Jackson’s first child, Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., on February 13, 1997. Their second child, Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson, was born on April 3, 1998. Jackson and Rowe divorced in 1999, with Jackson getting full custody of their children.

Jackson had a third child from a surrogate mother on February 21, 2002. He was named Prince Michael Jackson II. He became the center of a controversy in his early days, when Jackson held him aloft in his room’s balcony in the Adlon Hotel in Berlin, in order to allow the gathered public to see him better. The baby dangled beyond the railing, an action which invited widespread criticism for Michael, who later apologized profusely.

This great entertainer died a controversial and mysterious death on his bed in a rented mansion in Los Angeles, on June 25, 2009. The news of his death caused a huge upsurge in internet usage, causing several prominent websites, including Google, Wikipedia, and Twitter, to crash due to user overload.

His death was mysterious, with suspicions of homicide, a drug-induced accidental death or suicide, or some malice on the part of his personal physician, who prescribed his daily medication. The physician was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, and completed a two-year sentence in 2013.

Michael Jackson’s contribution to the world of pop and dance are irreplaceable and irrevocable. This legend’s music has a strong hold on all the music lovers over the globe. It is, therefore, not a surprise that we have his records playing in clubs even today, and wannabes still trying to perfect the moonwalk.

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Michael Jackson Biography

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The Best Michael Jackson Biography. Michael Jackson was an American singer, dancer, and actor who became one of the most popular music artists in history. With his distinctive dance moves, distinctive voice, and distinctive personal style, he transformed popular culture. The King of Pop was the biggest-selling artist of all time, with a fortune estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars.

Michael Jackson Childhood

The story of Michael Jackson begins with the discovery of his talent. When he was two years old, his mother, Katherine, noticed that he could sing and dance. She soon enrolled him in a dance school. From there, he was discovered by The Jackson family, who then took him in and raised him until he was 12 years old. At 12, Michael was a star, and soon became a member of the Jackson family act. He was the youngest member of the Jackson 5, and was their lead singer. As a child, he taught himself how to dance and sing. He was also a member of the Jackson Brothers, a group of children who sang and danced on stage. Michael Jackson was a talented singer, dancer, and musician. He was the youngest member of the Jackson 5 and lead singer of the group. As a child, he taught himself how to dance and sing. He also taught himself how to play the piano and the guitar. He was a member of the Jackson Brothers, a group of children who sang and danced on stage. The story of Michael Jackson begins with the discovery of his talent. When he was two years old, his mother, Katherine, noticed that he could sing and dance.

His Professional debut

He first recorded in 1971 with the Jackson 5 and released the single “I Want You Back”. In 1972, he signed a solo contract with Motown Records. In 1979, he made his film debut in The Wiz. In 1984, he became the first African American to be a solo star in a motion picture, starring in the film “Purple Rain”. In 1990, he was inducted as the first solo artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . In 2001, he released his final album, Invincible. In 2009, he was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame. In 2011, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2014, he was inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame. In 2015, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2016, he was inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame. In 2017, he was inducted into the Soul Train Hall of Fame. In 2018, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2018, he was inducted

His Success

One of the most successful and influential entertainers in the world, Michael Jackson was a musical genius and a cultural icon. His success in music and dance was unparalleled, and his influence on the world of music is still felt today. Achieving success at an early age, Jackson began performing with his brothers at the age of five. He had an early career in music, but his first hit was not until 1971, when he released the song “ABC.” This song was a huge success, and he was soon famous enough to release his first album, “Off the Wall.” Jackson’s success continued to grow, and he released a string of hit albums, including “Thriller,” “Bad,” “Dangerous,” “History,” and “Invincible.”

He was also known for his unusual dance moves, which he started to perform in the early 1970s. Jackson also had a successful career in film, and he is known for starring in a string of blockbuster movies. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor in his role in “The Wiz,” and he also won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “You Are not Alone.” Jackson was also a successful businessman, and

Michael Jackson died on June 25th, 2009. He died at the age of 50 and had been suffering from cardiac arrest for a week. Jackson had a history of drug abuse, which ultimately led to the fatal cardiac arrest. Jackson was found unresponsive in his home by his doctor and paramedics. Jackson was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was given CPR in the ambulance but unfortunately, it was too late. Jackson was the first African American to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and was the recipient of many prestigious awards. He was also the most successful entertainer of all time.

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