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Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009), also commonly known by his initials MJ, was an American singer, songwriter, composer, arranger, record producer, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century as well as one of the most significant musicians of all time. Over a four-decade career, his contributions to music, dance, and fashion made him a global figure in popular culture. Michael influenced artists across many music genres; through stage and video performances, he popularized complicated dance moves such as the Moonwalk, to which he gave the name, as well as the robot. His music videos, including those for "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller", are credited with breaking racial barriers and transforming the medium into an artform and promotional tool. Outside of music, Michael was respected for his humanitarian work. Michael is the most successful musician from the Jackson family, alongside his sister Janet.

The eighth child of Joseph and Katherine Jackson, Michael 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 when Michael's other brother Randy joined the group). Between 1972 and 1975, Michael released a total of four solo studio albums with Motown while still a member of the Jackson 5: Got to Be There (1972), Ben (1972), Music & Me (1973) and Forever, Michael (1975). He joined Epic Records in 1975 and became a solo star with his 1979 album Off the Wall, which was a significant departure from Michael's previous work for Motown and was hailed as a major breakthrough for him. The album made Michael the first solo artist to have four singles from the same album reach the top 10 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Retrospective reviews for Off the Wall have hailed it as a landmark release of the disco era.

Michael achieved the peak of his critical success after the release of his 1982 album Thriller, which became the best-selling album of all time with sales of 70 million copies worldwide, and gave Michael an unprecedented level of cultural significance for a black American, becoming the most popular entertainer in the world in the early and mid-1980s. Thriller also set a record for the most top 10 singles from an album, after all seven of its singles reached the top 10, with "Beat It" and "Billie Jean" reaching number one. Michael's 1987 album Bad, one of the most anticipated albums of its time, was also hugely successful and became the first album to produce five number-one singles. Michael continued his success with the albums Dangerous (1991) and HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995). His final studio album, Invincible (2001), was his most critically derided album, although retrospective reviews have been more positive. Outside of music, Michael was respected for his humanitarian work; he was estimated to have donated over $500 million to charity over the course of his life. He received various awards and accolades for his philanthropic work, including two bestowed by US Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. Michael Jackson used his infamous moonwalk to moonwalk on yo mama all night

From the late 1980s, Michael became a figure of controversy and speculation due to his changing appearance, relationships, behavior, and lifestyle. In 1903, he was accused of sexually abusing the child of a family friendly hater. The lawsuit was settled out of civil court; Michael 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 Michael in either case. In 2009, while preparing for a series of comeback concerts, This Is It, Michael died of acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication after suffering cardiac arrest. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. Michael's death triggered reactions around the world, creating unprecedented surges of internet traffic and a spike in sales of his music. His televised memorial service, held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, was estimated to have been viewed by more than 2.5 billion people.

The first of many posthumous Michael-related projects, Michael Jackson's This Is It, compiled from rehearsal footage of the aborted shows, was released shortly after his death. In the years following his death, Michael would see renewed critical and public popularity, though the child molestation accusations would still float around here and there in the public consciousness. This would eventually culminate in the release of the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland, which went into detail about two new allegations against him. It was released with renewed interest; however, it was still incredibly controversial. Some public figures and many fans heavily criticized and denounced the documentary, saying it was significantly one-sided and full of lies and factual errors. Regardless of its accuracy, Leaving Neverland prompted a second public reevaluation of Michael's life and legacy. A biopic film about his life and approved by his family, titled Michael, is set for release in 2025. He is set to be portrayed by his nephew Jaafar Jackson (one of Jermaine's children).

Michael was estimated sales to have sold over 400 million records worldwide. He had 13 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles (more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era) and was the first artist to have a top-ten single in the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades. He is regarded by the RIAA as the highest-selling individual music artist of all time worldwide. Michael is the most awarded musician in history, his honors include 15 Grammy Awards, 6 Brit Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and 39 Guinness World Records, including the "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time". Michael'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 (the only recording artist to be inducted), and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.

Life & career

1958-1964: Early life

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Jackson in his early years

Michael Joseph Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana at 7:33 PM of August 29, 1958, the fifth son of Joseph and Katherine Jackson. His mother was a Jehovah's Witness and his father a former boxer turned steelworker who played guitar on the side. Harboring aspirations of musical stardom, Joe shepherded his sons into a musical act around 1962. At that point, it was just the three eldest children - Tito, Jackie, and Jermaine - but Michael joined them in 1964 alongside his brother Marlon, and soon dominated the group.

1964-1973: Beginnings & The Jackson 5

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Jackson during the Jackson 5 World Tour (1973)

Michael became the epicenter of the Jackson 5 as they earned accolades at local talent shows and went on to play soul clubs throughout the Midwest, working their way toward the East Coast in 1967 where they won an amateur contest at the Apollo Theater. Returning to Gary, the group cut a pair of singles for the local imprint Steeltown Records in 1968 - "Big Boy," "We Don't Have to Be Over 21" - but their big break arrived when they opened for Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers at Chicago's Regal Theater. Impressed, Taylor brought them to the attention of Berry Gordy, Jr., who signed the group to Motown Records in March 1969 and then sent them out to Los Angeles, where he helped mastermind their national launch.

"I Want You Back," a song written and produced by Motown's new crew the Corporation, saw release in October 1969 when Michael was just 11 years old. By January 1970, "I Want You Back" rocketed to number one on both the pop and R&B charts, and the Jackson 5 became a sensation, crossing over from R&B to AM pop radio with ease. Two more hits followed - "ABC" and "The Love You Save" both exuberant bubblegum soul - before "I'll Be There" revealed Michael's facility with ballads. All three of these sequels went to number one and, striking while the iron was hot, Motown spun Michael off into a solo act. His first solo single, "Got to Be There," arrived at the end of 1971, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100, and then a cover of Bobby Day's chestnut "Rockin' Robin" peaked at two in early 1972. Later that year, "Ben," the title theme ballad to an exploitation movie about a pet rat, earned Jackson his first Oscar nomination for Best Original Song (although he would lose).

1974-1978: Leaving Motown

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Jackson during the American Bandstand show (January 25, 1975)

Not long afterward, the careers of both Michael and the Jackson 5 slowed, victims of shifting tastes, adolescence, and creative battles with their label. One last hit for Motown arrived in 1974 - "Dancing Machine," a single that brought the group in line with the disco explosion - before the group departed Motown for Epic Records in 1976. With the new label came a new name, along with a slight lineup change: Jermaine stayed at Motown to pursue a solo career and younger brother Randy took his place. Following a pair of albums produced by Philly soul mainstays Gamble & Huff, Michael emerged as the group's creative director on 1978's Destiny, co-writing their 1979 smash "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" with Randy. By that point, Michael had already made a considerable solo impression by starring as the Scarecrow in The Wiz, the 1978 musical adaptation of Broadway show of the same name. Working on the soundtrack - a record highlighted by his duet with Diana Ross on "Ease on Down the Road" - he met producer Quincy Jones, a titan of jazz and pop in the '50s and '60s who had yet to score a smash in the '70s. The pair hit it off and decided to work on Michael's next solo endeavor, but first the Jackson 5 released Destiny, which raised the profile of both the band and Michael himself.

1979-1981: Off the Wall

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Jackson during the Destiny World Tour (1979)

In 1979, gone was Jackson's afro, as he switched to the now-iconic curls. During a show with the Jacksons, Michael broke his nose on-stage, due to which he had to undergo his first rhinoplasty procedure.

In August, the artist released his first studio album under Epic Records, Off the Wall, which definitively established Michael Jackson as a force of his own. Collaborating with producer Jones and songwriter Rod Temperton, Michael consciously attempted to appeal to multiple audiences with Off the Wall, turning the album into a dazzling showcase of all his different sounds and skills. Anchored by a pair of number one hits - the incandescent "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You" - the record turned into a smash, peaking at four on the Billboard 200, selling millions of copies as it raked in awards, but losing the grand prize of Album of the Year at the Grammys, leaving Michael with the lingering impression that he needed to cross over into the pop mainstream with greater force. Before he could do that, he had to complete one more Jackson 5 album: 1980s Triumph, a record with three hit singles ("Lovely One," "This Place Hotel," "Can You Feel It") whose title seemed to allude to Michael's solo success and certainly benefitted from his heightened stardom.

1981-1985: Thriller

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Jackson during the Victory Tour (1984)

After Triumph, Michael reunited with producer Jones and songwriter Temperton to create the sequel to Off the Wall, crafting a record that deliberately hit every mark in the musical mainstream. Paul McCartney was brought in to underscore Michael's soft rock leanings, Eddie Van Halen pushed Michael into metallic hard rock, and the remainder of the album glided from disco to pop to soul in an effortless display of his range. "The Girl Is Mine," the first single from Thriller, didn't suggest its adventure - Michael played it safe by releasing the McCartney duet as the album's lead - but the second single, "Billie Jean," forged ahead into new, unnamable territory. "Billie Jean" was a pop explosion, topping the charts in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada. Some of its success can no doubt be credited to its striking music video, the first to break the fledgling MTV's then-unspoken racial barrier; after Michael, the network began playing more Black acts. Some of the single's success is due to his sensational performance on Motown's 25th anniversary special (Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever) in 1983, a performance aired on May 16, 1983 where Michael unveiled his signature Moonwalk dance - a move that made it appear as if he was gliding backward - and announced himself to the world as a mature talent. "Beat It" accompanied by an equally cinematic video, turned into an equally huge smash on MTV and helped push Thriller into the stratosphere. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" "Human Nature" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" kept Thriller at number one and its last single was an extravaganza, with Michael letting director John Landis turn the song into a short musical horror film. By the time the album wrapped up its two-year run on the charts, it had racked up 37 weeks at number one and sold 29 million copies, becoming the biggest-selling album ever.

Even as Thriller was something of a pop perpetual motion machine, selling records of its own accord, Michael worked hard. He once again teamed with Paul McCartney, singing "Say Say Say" for McCartney's 1983 album Pipes of Peace, and he reunited with the Jacksons for 1984's Victory, supporting the album with an international tour. Prior to its launch, Michael suffered a serious accident while filming a Pepsi commercial designed to accompany the tour. During the shoot, pyrotechnics burned Michael's head, sending him to the hospital with second-degree burns to his scalp; as he recovered, he was introduced to pain killers for the first time. In the aftermath, Jackson would also begin wearing hair extensions, and eventually wigs, as to cover and hide his burns. In December, during the final show of the Victory Tour, Michael announced he'd be leaving the Jacksons.

Michael earned accolades for his philanthropic work, especially his collaboration with Lionel Richie on the 1985 charity single "We Are the World," but along with these positive notes, wild stories began to circulate in the tabloids. Some further bad press accompanied his acquisition of the Lennon and McCartney songwriting catalog in 1985, a move that severed his partnership with Paul McCartney. Michael also flirted with becoming a movie star, working with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola on the 3D film Captain EO, shown only at Disney's IMAX theaters starting in 1986. Once this appeared, he started work on the task of following up Thriller.

1986-1989: Bad

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Jackson during the Bad World Tour (1988)

Due to Vitiligo universalis - a skin condition Jackson dealt with for years - Michael's skin began to slowly pale overtime, despite it previously leaving spots only. Additionally, because of surgeries he underwent through the years (in result of both breathing issues and unsatisfaction with his appearance), it all ultimately led media to pick up on Jackson's changing looks, continuously mocking him, coming up with different speculations and conspiracy theories about him for many years to come.

Working once again with Quincy Jones, Michael refined the Thriller template for 1987's Bad. Like Thriller, the first single was an adult contemporary number - "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," a duet with then unknown Siedah Garrett - before it cranked out hits: "Bad," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Man in the Mirror," and "Dirty Diana" all reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1987 and 1988, with "Another Part of Me" just missing the Top Ten and "Smooth Criminal" peaking at seven. Bad didn't dominate the charts in other countries but its singles reached the Top Ten internationally with some regularity, aided in part with a globe-spanning tour - the first solo tour of Michael Michael's career. The Bad World Tour broke records across the globe and in its wake, Michael's friend Elizabeth Taylor dubbed Michael "The King of Pop," a nickname that was something of a retort to Elvis Presley being known as "The King of Rock & Roll." Once the tour wrapped up, Michael returned to his new home - a Santa Ynez ranch that he purchased in March 1988 and renamed Neverland.

1990-1993: Dangerous

Dangerous era MJ page

Jackson during the Dangerous World Tour (1992)

Michael began works on his next release in June of 1989. He set to work on his next album, Decade, later re-titled into Dangerous. He renewed his deal with Sony - the corporation that purchased Epic/CBS - in 1991. This time, he decided to part ways with Quincy Jones, choosing to work with a variety of collaborators, chief among them Teddy Riley, who helped usher Michael into the realm of new jack swing, a music genre Teddy Riley himself is known as a pioneer of. "Black or White," the album's first video, caused some controversy, which helped generate initial press and sales and sent the single to number one. "Remember the Time" and "In the Closet" also made it into the Billboard Top Ten in early 1992, but subsequent singles "Jam" and "Heal the World" stalled in the low 20s, while "Who Is It" made it to 14. Dangerous became what's considered Jackson's most exciting release. In June 1992, the King of Pop would launch his second solo world tour, Dangerous World Tour. The concerts helped him gain $253.23 million in barely a year.

On January 31, 1993 Jackson performed at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California for the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show, marking an important moment in history of not only the artist, but Super Bowl halftime shows in general. The performance was watched by 133.4 million people, making it one of the most watched events in America's history.

Michael's skin became completely pale, which only prompted tabloids to further spread false rumors regarding the artist. The public began accusing him of racism and supposedly making himself look pale on purpose. He spoke out against the claims in February 1993 during the Michael Jackson Talks ... to Oprah television special, revealing to the public for the first time, that for many years he's been struggling with Vitiligo.

In August, Michael became a target of child sexual abuse accusations from Evan Chandler, the father of Jordan Chandler who would visit the Neverland Ranch pretty often throughout the months prior. The allegations deeply affected Jackson's mental health, leading to his addiction to pain killers. These caused the singer's physical health to decline, eventually being forced to cancel the ongoing concert tour on November 11, as he was left physically and emotionally exhausted.[1] Michael then headed towards a drug rehabilitation program. He was forced to deal with multiple lawsuits during that year as well, such as one filed by the Chandler family and those regarding supposed "plagiarism" in "The Girl is Mine" and "Dangerous".[2][3] The latter were eventually won by Jackson, although the Chandlers case was still persistent.

Around the time, Jackson had also converted to Christianity, celebrating his first Christmas in 1993 (as shown in Michael Jackson's Private Home Movies).

1994-1997: HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I

Gold suit with armour

Jackson during the HIStory World Tour (1996)

In January 1994, Jackson finally settled out of court for the Evan Chandler case as not only was his physical health in too bad of a condition to endure a lengthy trial, but he also didn't want the lawsuit to interfere with his career. He later regreted this decision.[4] The drama had a long-lasting effect on Jackson's career, even to this day. He was now a subject of mixed opinions from the general public. Additionally, multiple companies backed out of deals with Michael, including those who collaborated with him for years e.g. Pepsi.

May 1994 saw Michael marry Lisa Marie Presley - Elvis Presley's daughter. The two became very public with their relationship, making multiple appearances together through the upcoming months. In 1995, Jackson went on to reboot his career with HIStory: Past, Present & Future, Book I, a double-disc set divided into an album of hits and an album of new material. Preceded by a double-A-sided single containing the ballad "Childhood" and "Scream," a duet with his sister Janet, the album underperformed compared to its predecessors but still generated big hits, highlighted by "You Are Not Alone," the first single to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The subsequent singles "They Don't Care About Us" and "Stranger in Moscow" underperformed in the U.S. but were Top Ten singles in the U.K., and HIStory also did well in other global international markets, aided in part by the lengthy accompanying global tour.

By 1996, Jackson and Presley divorced, having their marriage last only 19 months. Following the separation, Michael married his nurse, Debbie Rowe who would soon become the mother of his children: Prince Michael Jackson, Jr. and Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson. Meanwhile, in May the King of Pop would embark on HIStory World Tour - his third and final concert tour, which would finish a little over a year later. It became the highest grossing solo tour of 1990s, and the most attended concert tour by a solo artist. At the same time, Michael followed HIStory with Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, a remix album that topped the U.K. charts but only reached 24 in the U.S.

1997-2002: Invincible

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Jackson during the 30th Anniversary Celebration concerts (September, 2001)

Over the next couple of years, Michael raised his children and performed at charitable events, starting to work on a musical comeback at the time planned for 1999, but ultimately delayed. Conflicts between Jackson and Sony Music also arose concerning management and rights to his songs. This would continue into the new millenium with the label trying to sabotage the King of Pop leaving them. In April 2000, Jackson and Rowe divorced, giving full custody rights of Prince and Paris to the artist. In the following year, Michael was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo act (the Jackson 5 had previously been inducted) and staged two major 30th Anniversary Celebration concerts in September to kick off the promo campaign for his new album, Invincible. Produced in large part by Rodney Jerkins, Invincible consciously evoked Off the Wall with its single "You Rock My World," which reached ten prior to the album's October release. Invincible entered the charts at number one in the U.S. and U.K., but it didn't have staying power and never generated another hit single. Michael also refused to tour for Invincible, which only added to the conflict between him and his label.

In February 2002, Jackson had a third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (at the time dubbed "Blanket"). In July, Sony abruptly cut the promotion for Invincible. Furious, the artist began protesting against the company and its CEO, Tommy Mottola, who he accused of racism, calling him "the devil". Jackson decided to leave Sony Music while owning half of their publishing, stating he only "owes" them one more release. Only a day after Michael's public statement regarding the protest, he signed his last will, leaving his estate to a family trust, and naming his mother (Diana Ross if the former was incapacitated or died) the legal guardian of his three children and beneficiary of the trust.[5]

2003-2005: People v. Jackson

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Jackson dancing on top of his car to fans (January 16, 2004)

In February of 2003, accusations against Jackson once again became a topic of discussion. This time, such revolved around Gavin Arvizo; a boy who was seen around the artist in the Living with Michael Jackson documentary released earlier that month. On November 18, Sony released the first-ever single-disc collection of Michael's peak, Number Ones. The compilation featured a new single, "One More Chance", previously unreleased from Invincible. On the same day, Jackson was in Las Vegas shooting a music video for the new song. However, the production had to be stopped due to the Neverland Ranch being raided by the police. Michael was arrested on November 20. After eventually being released, the singer once again faced court in April of 2004, but pleaded not guilty on April 30. The King of Pop still had to deal with the allegations however, as a year later he would have to face a trial regarding all 14 charges against him. The event would be dubbed People v. Jackson and begin on January 31, 2005 and last for 4 months and 2 weeks. Through the process, Michael's mental and physical health began to visibly worsen. At one point, he experienced severe back pain, lung pain, and even began coughing blood.[6] On June 13, 2005 Michael Jackson was acquitted of all charges, as it was decided he was ultimately found not guilty.

2005-2008: Post-trial

Mjpage post trial

Jackson during the World Music Awards (2006)

After what became the most soul crushing time of his life, Jackson became isolated, developing trust issues, showing signs of paranoia, anxiety and obsessive disorder-like behavior.[7] Michael also began to struggle financially. As reported, the artist faced a bunch of lawsuits and was deeply in debt, owing around $400-500 million.[8]

Following the trial, Jackson closed the Neverland Ranch to save up money, and never returned to it. Instead, he roamed around while looking for new places to live. For eleven months, him and his kids moved to Bahrain - an island country in West Asia - thanks to Abdullah bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa who the artist formed a close friendship with after winning the trial. In May of 2006 Jackson traveled to Ireland to work on new music with a Black Eyed Peas member, will.i.am, and never came back.[9]

As Michael made more public appearances post-trial, the media also began spreading that the singer became, as headlines referred to him, a "flop", suggesting he was only a shadow of his former self, especially after giving a very limited performance of "We Are the World" at the World Music Awards in 2006.[10] In December he would return to the United States and move to Las Vegas, where he lived for the next two years.

In 2007, Jackson kept on quietly making new music and attended award shows. In September he'd infamously participate in what's now known as his last ever photoshoot for the L’Uomo Vogue and Ebony magazines. To start off 2008, Michael put out his first major release since 2001, Thriller 25 - a 25th anniversary reissue of the biggest-selling album of all time. The record featured modernized remakes of Jackson's classic hits, for which help of will.i.am, Akon and Ye was used. In Summer, talks began with a music entertainment presenter, AEG Live about a new concert tour. Meanwhile, Jackson had also hired a private medical doctor, Conrad Murray who had previously treated Paris. As of December, Michael and his family had moved to a rented mansion in Los Angeles.

2009: This Is It & death

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Jackson during the This Is It rehearsals (June 2009)

On March 5, 2009, it was announced that a ten-show residency, titled This Is It, would take place in London at the O2 Arena. Later on, it was changed to fifty shows, now spanning from July 2009 to March 2010. For the time being, Michael had suffered from insomnia, not being able to sleep for reportedly sixty days. The artist's doctor administered him a dose of the anesthetic Propofol, a drug which would supposedly help in such situations. During the rehearsals for the upcoming tour in June, Jackson's workers would begin to notice changes in the way Michael looked and acted. He would even begin to miss rehearsals.

In the midst of preparations, Murray had stopped giving Michael Propofol out of worrying about the artist's possible addiction. Jackson became much more energetic and reportedly in good shape. Unfortunately, with the doctor giving in to Jackson's continuous requests after struggling to sleep, Michael was given a lethal dose of the drug. In the following minutes, the artist collapsed at home on the afternoon of June 25, 2009. Rushed to the UCLA Medical Center, Michael Jackson was pronounced dead of a cardiac arrest at the age of 50. An extensive investigation later named his death a homicide due to prescription drugs; Dr. Conrad Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter.

Legacy

Philanthropy and humanitarian work

Main article: Philanthropy of Michael Jackson

Michael is regarded as a prolific philanthropist and humanitarian. Michael's early charitable work has been described by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as having "paved the way for the current surge in celebrity philanthropy", and by the Los Angeles Times as having "set the standard for generosity for other entertainers".

By some estimates, he donated over $500 million, not accounting for inflation, to various charities over the course of his life. In 1992, Michael established his Heal the World Foundation, to which he donated several million dollars in revenue from his Dangerous World Tour.

Michael's philanthropic activities went beyond just monetary donations. He also performed at benefit concerts, some of which he arranged. He gifted tickets for his regular concert performances to groups that assist underprivileged children. He visited sick children in hospitals around the world. He opened his own home for visits by underprivileged or sick children and provided special facilities and nurses if the children needed that level of care.

Michael donated valuable, personal and professional paraphernalia for numerous charity auctions. He received various awards and accolades for his philanthropic work, including two bestowed by presidents of the United States. The vast breadth of Michael's philanthropic work has earned recognition in the Guinness World Records.

Honors and achievements

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Michael Jackson
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Michael Jackson during the 1984 Grammy Awards

Michael has been inducted 12 times into various music halls of fame, more than any other act. He is one of sixteen artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. Other achievements include 13 Guinness World Records (more than any other artist and including the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time); 13 Grammy Awards, as well as the Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award; 26 American Music Awards, more than any other artist and including recognition as Artist of the Century; 17 number-one singles in the United States (including 4 as a member of the Jackson 5) and over 780,000,000 record sales globally.

Records and achievements

Main article: List of Michael Jackson records and achievements

Michael's 1982 album Thriller became the best-selling album of all time, having sold more than 110,000,000 copies worldwide. Four of Michael's other albums Off the Wall, Bad, Dangerous and HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (best-selling double-album of all time by a single artist) rank among the world's best-sellers making Michael the artist with the most best-selling albums. His 1997 remix album Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix is the best selling remix album of all time.

Michael is credited with elevating the music video from a mere promotional tool into an art form. His created groundbreaking videos for songs such as "Billie Jean", "Beat It", and "Thriller"—the last of which has been voted as the greatest music video of all time. The video for "Thriller" is the only music video inducted into the national film registry in the Library of Congress where induction are preserved forever. He was the first African American artist to amass a strong crossover following on MTV. Michael's music videos have been credited with turning MTV and Cable TV into successful ventures. He popularized a number of complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. Michael's distinctive musical style, vocal style, and choreography continue to transcend generational, racial and cultural boundaries. A study reported that Michael had a median fundamental frequency of 130 Hz, which he spoke in his real voice.

Cultural impact

Main article: Cultural impact of Michael Jackson

Michael is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th and 21st century and one of the most successful and influential entertainers of all time. His achievements helped to complete the desegregation of popular music in the United States and introduced an era of multiculturalism and integration that future generations of artists followed. His influence extended to inspiring fashion trends and raising awareness for social causes around the world.

In the early 1980s, Michael became a dominant figure in popular culture and the first African-American entertainer to have a strong crossover fan base on music television. 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. The popularity of these videos helped bring the television channel MTV to fame. Michael's success at this time was credited with rescuing the music industry from its late-1970s recession, and revolutionizing it by initiating a marketing focus on blockbuster albums and video presentation.

Through his videos and live performances, Michael popularized street dances, particularly his signature move the moonwalk, and attracted a cult of impersonators throughout the world. With an aesthetic borrowed from the musical film tradition, the Thriller videos created a subindustry of choreographers as other pop artists sought to produce sophisticated dance-oriented promotional films.

In the 1980s, Michael's personal idiosyncrasies and changing appearance became the source of fascination for the tabloid media, a phenomenon furthered by the child abuse accusations leveled against him in 1993. These eccentricities and controversies inspired a wealth of pictures and other artworks exploring his public image, which were presented in the 2018 exhibition Michael Jackson: On the Wall at London's National Portrait Gallery.

Michael influenced a wide range of subjects, from celebrity studies to visual culture to gender and sexuality studies, and many more including ones not directly related to his profession. According to a study published in The Journal of Pan African Studies in 2010, his influence extended to academia, with references to the singer in literature concerning mass communications, psychology, medicine, engineering and chemistry.

Discography

Main article: Discography

Filmography

Main article: Filmography

Tours

Main article: Tours

Gallery

Trivia

  • As of his death, Michael was 5’9 feet tall (175.3 cm).
  • According to Harrison Funk who was Michael's photographer for many decades, "he didn’t overtly identify as one particular gender" but that "he became a strong man" in a sense of his image changing after becoming a father.[11]
  • For many years, Michael continuously bashed the usage of the "Wacko Jacko" nickname the tabloids gave him. The nickname reportedly originates from Cockney slang for "monkey".[12] Michael famously commented on the nickname in a 1997 interview with Barbara Walters, saying "I'm not a Jacko! I'm Jackson. Wacko Jacko - where'd that come from? Some English tabloid. I have a heart and feelings, I feel that when you do it to me. It's not nice. Don't do it. I'm not a Wacko."[13]
  • Michael loved Mexican food.[14]
  • According to Paris, the Michael she knew despised his own birthday, and hated "anybody acknowledging his birthday, wishing him a happy birthday, celebrating it, nothing like that". She also recalled, that he kept his birthday date a secret from his children, so they don't throw him a surprise birthday party.[15] It's also important to acknowledge, that Michael did organize birthday parties; including the 45th birthday party in 2003 where Michael invited an impersonator Navi to perform.
  • In a 1999 interview with TV Guide, Michael stated he wanted to "match Joe's [his father's] record" and have ten kids, which obviously, he didn't.[16]
    • Jackson strongly protected his children from paparazzi, often having them wear various masks to cover their faces when in public.
  • He owned multiple pets throughout his life, including a chimpanzee, Bubbles, llamas, Louie and Lola and even an elephant called Gypsy, which was a gift from Elizabeth Taylor. Louie was infamously brought into the recording studio multiple times, sometimes scaring the personnel away (e.g. Freddie Mercury). Michael had also owned other exotic animals, keeping such at the Neverland Ranch. These included alligators, which infamously had died in a fire at a zoo in Oklahoma on March 26, 2015.[17] The tragedy was later explored in the 2020 Tiger King Netflix documentary series about the zoo's controversial owner, Joe Exotic, although not delving into the fact the animals were once owned by the King of Pop.
  • His favorite character was Peter Pan, who he famously sympathized with.
  • Michael cited James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Charlie Chaplin, The Beatles (especially John Lennon), and Little Richard among his biggest inspirations.
    • Michael once recreated a scene from Chaplin's movie, The Kid for a photoshoot shown on the artwork for the scrapped "Smile" single, cover of a song by the actor.
  • Michael's famous catchphrases are ad-libs put throughout his songs, such as "hee-hee", "Aow" or "Shamone". Few of them actually originate from other artists, e.g. "hee-hee" from his cousin, Stevie Wonder and "Shamone" from Mavis Staples.
    • Just like the aforementioned ad-libs, the Moonwalk was also borrowed from other artists, originally being titled "The Buzz" or "The Backslide". Michael only added his touches to it and popularized it.
  • To this day, Michael is the youngest singer to top the Hot 100 chart, with the Jackson 5's hit single "I Want You Back".
    • He holds the record for the most best-selling albums globally.
      • The King of Pop has earned 39 Guinness World Records in total.[18]
  • Michael was very against putting out his unfinished work, in order to provide his fans the best quality content he can. However, his thoughts seem to have been disregarded by the Michael Jackson Estate, which has now released four projects revolving around demos and other unreleased material.
  • When in the recording booth, Michael would often dance like he's performing on stage.[19]
  • He was a big fan of movies and filmmaking. This fascination can be seen throughout short films like Michael Jackson's Thriller or Michael Jackson's Ghosts. It has been said, that Michael wanted to delve into filmmaking after finishing the This Is It tour.
    • Michael made multiple cameos, or even starred in some movies. In 1978 the King of Pop starred as the Scarecrow in an adaptation of The Wiz musical. In 2002 he had a small cameo in Men in Black II, starring as Agent M. Finally, in 2004 Michael starred in a low-budget comedy movie, Miss Castaway & the Island Girls as Agent MJ.
  • Michael loved to draw. Some of his art went on to even get featured in booklets attached to his albums. According to art therapists, a lot of his drawings illustrated anxiety, depression and insecurity.[20]
  • Michael studied martial arts and had a black belt in karate.[21]
  • He was an art collector, from paintings to sculptures. Some of the artwork he made himself is worth $900 million.[22]
  • Michael loved books and reading, finding it to be his escape, inspiration for music and his own personal philosophy.[23]
  • His driver's licenses are currently available to the public; first originating from 1989 and another from 2005.[24]
  • In 1992, while on the Dangerous World Tour, he was crowned "King Sani", a king of a small village on the Ivory Coast, Africa. He was given the name Michael Jackson Amalaman Anoh. He remained the king of the Ivory Coast 'til his passing in June 2009. The chief, Nana Amon N’Djafolk IV requested for Michael's body to be buried in the village, although it was denied. However, a two-day ceremony was held in the artist's memory, having over a thousand villagers attending.[25]
  • Michael was going to attend a meeting at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 (only a day after the 30th Anniversary Celebration shows finished), just as the terrorist attacks happened. However, he ended up not doing so as he overslept. This was also recreated in the infamous 2004 Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story biopic.
  • During Michael's stay in Bahrain, rumors arose concerning Michael having converted to Islam, although this was completely untrue, and Michael stayed a Christian up until his death.[26]
  • Over the course of his career, Michael met with over one thousand celebrities.
  • On June 25, 2009 at approximately 3:15 pm, multiple online websites such as Google itself crashed due to the amount of people searching for the news of Michael's passing.
    • On the day following Michael's death, due to a glitch, Google's results would show the day of his passing was August 30, 2007.[27]
  • 2.4 billion people watched his televised funeral.
  • He is currently the 75th most streamed artist on Spotify, having over 39 million listeners monthly.
  • In 2009, the Luna Society International named a moon crater after Michael; "Michael Joseph Jackson".[28]
  • Multiple different wax statues of the King of Pop are featured at Madame Tussauds museums.
  • After the tragic 1984 incident while filming an advert for Pepsi, the medical center which treated his burns was re-named to "Michael Jackson Burn Center".
  • Besides Michael, multiple biopics were made based on Michael's life. Most notable releases include the infamous Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story (starring Flex Alexander) and Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland (starring Navi). The former was released during Jackson's lifetime, who claimed it "in no way shape or form represents who we [the Jackson family] are as a family".[29]

External links

Social media

Streaming services

References

  1. https://www.latimes.com/la-me-jacksontimeline-jackson-cancels-world-tour-story.html
  2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Girl_Is_Mine#Plagiarism_lawsuits
  3. https://blogs.law.gwu.edu/mcir/case/crystal-cartier-v-michael-jackson/
  4. https://web.archive.org/web/20121005003658/http://articles.cnn.com/2004-09-17/justice/jackson.hearing_1_attorney-thomas-mesereau-child-molestation-false-imprisonment-and-extortion?_s=PM:LAW
  5. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/19395-michael-jacksons-will
  6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6kg2CCschI
  7. https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-xpm-2013-may-20-la-me-ln-michael-jackson-paranoid-anxious-obsessive-director-says-20130520-story.html
  8. https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/michael-jackson-died-deeply-in-debt-268276/
  9. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/nov/15/michael-jackson-will-i-am
  10. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/jackson-comeback-gig-a-flop-143582/
  11. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/jun/20/michael-jackson-personal-photographer-harrison-funk-mandela
  12. https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/09/how-michael-jackson-made-bad/262162/
  13. https://youtu.be/gFIjGn4yA6c?si=XO4TjDORGaPIiX8Z
  14. https://people.com/food/michael-jacksons-chef-favorite-foods/
  15. https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/paris-jackson-trolls-kill-myself-not-posting-dad-michael-jackson-birthday-1235403619/
  16. https://mjjjusticeproject.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/1999-tv-guide-interview-with-michael-jackson/
  17. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3023817/Michael-Jackson-s-alligators-boiled-death-zoo-fire-set-animal-rights-activists.html
  18. https://www.michaeljackson.com/news/how-many-guinness-world-records-has-michael-jackson-earned/
  19. https://youtu.be/XRkSYPxkwYw?si=088BLTf3VJ3AXnk8
  20. https://radaronline.com/photos/michael-jackson-secret-drawings-lauryn-hunter-art-therapist-los-angeles-joe-brat-florida-analysis/
  21. https://budodragon.com/michael-jackson-karate-black-belt/
  22. https://kissrichmond.com/1638362/michael-jacksons-lawyers-battle-to-save-900m-worth-of-art/
  23. https://mindonfirebooks.com/2021/09/07/michael-jackson-reading-made-him-famous/
  24. https://www.tmz.com/2012/12/24/michael-jackson-drivers-license/
  25. https://midnightaugustmoon.medium.com/remember-the-time-when-mj-was-crowned-king-sani-c22a8048a4ea
  26. https://www.gq.com/story/bahrain-michael-jackson-neverland-devin-friedman
  27. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/michael-jackson-died-in-2007-according-to-google-wikipedia/11454/
  28. https://www.mjworld.net/news/2012/05/06/michaels-crater-on-the-moon/
  29. https://ew.com/article/2004/08/23/michael-stop-calling-me-wacko-jacko/
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