| “ | I’ve been in the entertainment industry since I was 6 years old. As Charles Dickens says, ‘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. | ” |
–Jackson reflecting on his own career[1] | ||
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, actor, businessman, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he's 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 the span of four decades, his contributions to music, dance, and fashion made him a global figure in popular culture, as well as breaking the color barrier in the US with his musical achievements. Jackson 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 art form and promotional tool. Outside of music, Jackson was respected for his humanitarian work. Jackson is the most successful musician from the Jackson family, alongside his sister Janet.
Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated sales of over 500 million records worldwide. He has 13 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles—a joint record for a male solo artist—and is the first artist to have a top-ten single on the chart in five different decades. Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Dance Hall of Fame. One of the most-awarded artists in popular music, his accolades include 13 Grammy Awards, the Grammy Legend Award, and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award; 26 American Music Awards, including Artist of the Century; 12 World Music Awards; six Brit Awards; the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award, and three presidential honors. As a philanthropist, Jackson donated an estimated $500 million to charity throughout his lifetime.
Biography
1958-1964: Early life
Jackson in his early years
Michael Joseph Jackson was born as the eighth child of Joseph and Katherine Jackson in Gary, Indiana, on August 29, 1958, at 7:33 PM.[2] His mother, a Jehovah's Witness, played clarinet, cello, and piano, and had aspirations as a country-and-western performer. She also worked part-time at Sears.[3] His father, a former boxer, worked as a crane operator at US Steel, and was also a guitarist for local rhythm and blues band the Falcons.[4][3] Jackson grew up with three sisters (Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet) and five brothers (Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy).[4] A sixth brother, Marlon's twin Brandon, died shortly after his birth.[5]
1964-1973: Beginnings & The Jackson 5
Around 1962, Joe was harboring aspirations of musical stardom, so he shepherded his sons into a band, named the "Jackson Brothers". At that point, it was just Tito, Jackie, and Jermaine, but eventually, Jackson and his older brother, Marlon, joined them in 1964, as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine. Jackson said his father physically and emotionally abused him during rehearsals; he recalled Joe often sitting in a chair with a belt in his hand, prepared to punish any mistakes made.[6][7] Joe acknowledged that he regularly whipped Jackson. Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon, however, denied that their father was abusive and said that the whippings, which had a deeper impact on Jackson because he was younger, kept them disciplined and out of trouble.[8] Jackson also said that during he was lonely and isolated in his youth days.[3]
Jackson during The Jackson 5 World Tour (1973)
In 1965, Jackson began sharing lead vocals with Jermaine, and around the same time, the group name was changed to The Jackson 5. The group won a talent show in the same year; Jackson performed the dance to Robert Parker's 1965 song "Barefootin'" and sang the Temptations' "My Girl".[9] From 1966 to 1968, The Jackson 5 toured the Midwest, frequently playing at a string of black clubs known as the Chitlin' Circuit as the opening act for artists such as Sam & Dave, the O'Jays, Gladys Knight and Etta James. The Jackson 5 also performed at clubs and cocktail lounges, where striptease shows were featured, and at local auditoriums and high school dances.[3][10] In August 1967, while touring the East Coast, they won a weekly amateur night concert at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.[3]
Returning to Gary, The Jackson 5 released a pair of singles for the local imprint Steeltown Records in 1968 - "Big Boy" and "We Don't Have to Be Over 21 ( To Fall in Love)"[3] - but their big break arrived when they opened for Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers at Chicago's Regal Theater. Impressed, Taylor (who produced some of The Jackson's early Motown recordings, including a cover of "Who's Lovin' You"[11]) brought them to the attention of Berry Gordy, who signed the group to his record label, Motown, in March 1969, and then sent them out to Los Angeles,[9] where he helped mastermind their national launch.
In 1969, Motown executives decided Diana Ross should introduce The Jackson 5 to the public—partly to bolster her career in television—sending off what was considered Motown's last product of its "production line". The Jackson 5 made their first television appearance in 1969 in the Miss Black America pageant, performing a cover of "It's Your Thing".[12] Rolling Stone later described the young Jackson as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts" who "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer".
"I Want You Back," a song written and produced the newly formed group, The Corporation, was released in October 1969 when Jackson was just 11 years old. By January 1970, "I Want You Back", breezed 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. It also became the first Jackson 5 song to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100; it stayed there for four weeks. Three more hits followed - "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There", all of which, topped the charts. Motown also decided to make Michael 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).
1974-1977: Leaving Motown
Jackson during the American Bandstand show (January 25, 1975)
Not long afterward, the careers of both Jackson and The Jackson 5 slowed. The brothers were victims of shifting tastes and adolescence. They were also frustrated by Motown's refusal to allow them creative input.[13]
In 1974, the last Motown single would arrive - "Dancing Machine," a single that brought the group in line with the disco explosion, with a performance on Soul Train introducing the now-popular robot dance, which Jackson would perform.[14][15]
In 1975, The Jackson 5 left Motown, signing with Epic Records the year after.[16] The band also changed their name to The Jacksons, with Jermaine staying with Motown due to two reasons: he wanted to pursue a solo career, and had married Gordy's daughter Hazel.[9] As a result, Randy, the youngest brother, took his place.[9] Gamble & Huff produced the first two albums by The Jacksons: the self-titled album (1976) and Goin' Places (1977).
In 1977, Jackson moved to New York City to star as the Scarecrow in The Wiz, a musical film directed by Sidney Lumet, which was a box-office failure.[9] During his time in New York, Jackson frequently visited the Studio 54 nightclub, where he heard early hip hop; this influenced his beatboxing on future tracks such as "Workin' Day and Night".[17] 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 Jackson's next solo endeavor.
1978-1980: Off the Wall
Jackson during the Destiny World Tour (1979)
In 1978, Destiny, the third album by The Jacksons, was released, with Jackson emerging as the group's creative director. One of the hits from the album, "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)", was written by Jackson and his younger brother Randy. In 1979, Jackson cut his afro, and switched to the now-iconic curls. During a show with The Jacksons, he broke his nose while performing, due to which he had to undergo his first rhinoplasty procedure.
In August, Jackson released his first studio album under Epic, Off the Wall, which definitively established him as a force of his own. Collaborating with Jones and songwriter Rod Temperton, Jackson 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 #3 on the Billboard 200, and evenutally selling 20 million copies. The album did rake in awards, but lost the grand prize of Album of the Year at the Grammys, leaving Jackson with the lingering impression that he needed to cross over into the pop mainstream with greater force.[9] Also in August, Jackson wanted to be the biggest and wealthiest star in show business, so he hired John Branca to be his manager. In 1980, Jackson worked with his brothers on the fourth studio album by The Jacksons - Triumph, which had three hit singles ("Lovely One," "This Place Hotel," "Can You Feel It"). The album's title seemed to allude to Jackson's solo success, certainly benefitting from his heightened stardom.
1981-1984: Thriller
Jackson posing for a press photo (1983)
After Triumph, Jackson reunited with Jones and Temperton to create Off the Wall's sequel, a record that deliberately hit every mark in the musical mainstream. In 1981, Jackson and Jones began working on multiple songs for the future album at Hayvenhurst, creating songs like "Billie Jean". In the same year, Jackson was featured alongside James Ingram on Jones' song "The Dude", from the latter's album of the same name. On April 14, 1982, the album, named Thriller, started production at Westlake Recording Studios. During these sessions, some artists were brought in as features: Paul McCartney was brought in to sing with Jackson in "The Girl Is Mine", and Eddie Van Halen was brought in to record a solo for "Beat It". Vincent Price was also brought in to record a spoken piece, written by Temperton, for the title track.[18] Around the same time, Jackson recorded "Someone in the Dark", for the audiobook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Production continued until November 8, and 28 days later, Thriller was officially released. The album become a instant sucess, topping the Billboard 200 chart for 37 weeks, going in the top 10 of said chart for 80 consecutive weeks, and helping Jackson tranform into a dominant force in the global pop scene. It also eventually became the best-selling US album of all time, and the best-selling album in history worldwide, selling an estimated 70 million copies.[19] Thriller produced seven singles, all of them going on to become top-10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, and two of them peaking at #1.
The first single from Thriller was "The Girl Is Mine". It made the impression that the album didn't suggest its adventure, though this was just Jackson playing it safe by releasing the McCartney duet. The second single on the other hand, "Billie Jean", forged ahead into new, unnamable territory. It was a absolute sucess topping the charts in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada. It was also one of the two songs that was #1 in the Billboard Hot 100. Some of its success can undoubtedly be credited to its striking music video, the first to break the fledgling MTV's then-unspoken racial barrier. Following "Billie Jean" was "Beat It", the other song that went #1 in the Billboard Hot 100. It was accompanied by an equally cinematic video, turned into an equally huge smash on MTV and helped push Thriller into the stratosphere. The next three singles: "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin''" "Human Nature" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)", kept Thriller at number one with its last single, the title track, being a huge sucess also, mostly due to the short film, Michael Jackson's Thriller.
On March 25, 1983, Jackson reunited with his brothers for Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, an NBC television special. The show aired on May 16 to an estimated audience of 47 million, and featured The Jacksons among other Motown stars.[20] Jackson's solo performance of "Billie Jean" is where he debute his signature moonwalk dance, which Jeffrey Daniel had taught him three years earlier.[21] Jackson had originally turned down the invitation to the show, believing he had been doing too much television. However, Gordy insisted that Jackson should perform, in exchange for an opportunity to do a solo performance.[9] Evenutally, Jackson gave in at Gordy's request. His performance was heavily praised, with Gordy specifically being "mesmerized" by the performance.
At the 26th Annual Grammy Awards, Jackson received the most award nominations in a single night, with 12 (later tied by Babyface). He evenutally won 8 of them, breaking the record for most wins in a single night (later tied by Santana). Thriller received the most album nominations, with 13, and won 8 awards. Jackson won seven awards related to the album. At the 11th Annual American Music Awards, Jackson won another eight awards and became the youngest artist to win the Award of Merit.[22] On December 2, 1983, Michael Jackson's Thriller was released, helping Thriller double it's sales.[23]
In November 1983, Jackson and his brothers partnered with PepsiCo in a $5 million promotional deal that broke records for a celebrity endorsement. The first Pepsi campaign, which ran in the US from 1983 to 1984 and launched its "New Generation" theme, included tour sponsorship, public relations events, and in-store displays. Jackson helped to create the advertisement, and suggested using "Billie Jean", with revised lyrics, as its jingle.[24]
On January 27, 1984, Jackson and his brothers filmed a Pepsi commercial, overseen by Phil Dusenberry and Alan Pottasch, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. During a simulated concert before a full house of fans, pyrotechnics accidentally set Jackson's hair on fire, causing second-degree burns to his scalp. Jackson underwent treatment to hide the scars and had his third rhinoplasty shortly thereafter. Pepsi settled out of court, and Jackson donated the $1.5 million settlement to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California.
Jackson during the Victory Tour (1984)
Jackson toured with his brothers later in the same year, with the Victory Tour. Multiple of Jackson's songs were included in the setlist, and was heard by two million Americans. It was the last tour he did with his brothers.[25] However, the Victory Tour was shrouded by controversies, particularly the ticket sales for the concert. After said particular controversy, Jackson donated his share of the proceeds, an estimated $3 to 5 million, to charity. During the last concert of the Victory Tour at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Jackson announced during the "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" performance, that he'd leave The Jacksons.[26]
1985-1988: Bad
Jackson 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.
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, surgeries he underwent through the years (in result of breathing issues and unsatisfaction with his appearance) led media to pick up on Jackson's changing looks, continuously mocking him, making up different speculations and conspiracy theories about him for years to come.
Once again working 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. At the time, Jackson had also abandoned the Church of Jehovah's Witness, and didn't follow any one religion afterward, although he still stayed very spiritual.
1989-1993: Dangerous
Jackson during the Dangerous World Tour (1992)
In June 1989, Jackson began works on his next album, Decade, later re-titled into Dangerous. He renewed his deal with Sony - the corporation that purchased Epic/CBS - in 1991. Michael decided to part ways with Quincy Jones, choosing to work with a variety of different collaborators, chief among them Teddy Riley, who helped usher Michael into the realm of new jack swing, a music genre 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. The show was watched by 133.4 million people, making it one of the most watched events in America's history.
As vitiligo patches further spread through his body, Michael became completely pale, which prompted tabloids to spread more false rumors on him. The public's view on Jackson changed overtime, as many accused 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 often visit the Neverland Ranch throughout the months prior. The allegations deeply affected Jackson's mental health, and with it his physical health as well, further worsening his addiction to pain killers. Michael was eventually forced to cancel the ongoing concert tour on November 11, as he was left physically and emotionally exhausted.[27] Soon after, he headed towards a drug rehabilitation program. Jackson had to deal with multiple lawsuits during that year as well, such as one filed by the Chandler family for "emotional distress due to negligence", and those regarding supposed "plagiarism" in "The Girl Is Mine" and "Dangerous".[28] The latter were eventually won by Jackson, although the Chandlers case still persisted.
1994-1997: HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I
Jackson during the HIStory World Tour (1996)
In January 1994, Jackson settled out of court for the Chandler case. He later stated he regretted this decision.[29] The accusations left a long-lasting effect on Jackson's career, even to this day. He was now a subject of mixed opinions from the general public, and multiple companies backed out of deals with Michael, including those who collaborated with him for years e.g. Pepsi.
In May, Michael married Elvis Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie. They became very public with their relationship, making multiple appearances together through the upcoming months. In 1995, Jackson revived 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.
By 1996, Jackson and Presley had divorced, and their marriage lasted only 19 months. Following the separation, Michael married his nurse, Debbie Rowe who soon gave birth to his children: Prince Michael Jackson, Jr. and Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson. In May, the King of Pop embarked on his third and final concert tour, the HIStory World Tour, which finished 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. In February 1997, Jackson released 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
Jackson during the 30th Anniversary Celebration concerts (September, 2001)
Over the next couple of years, Michael continued raising his children, and performed at charitable events, while also working on a musical comeback. A conflict between him and Sony Music arose as well. concerning management and rights to his music. In April 2000, Jackson and Rowe divorced, and the artist was given full custody rights of Prince and Paris. 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 decided not to tour for Invincible, which only added to the conflict between him and the record label.
In February 2002, Jackson had a third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (first dubbed "Blanket", later changed to "Bigi"). In July, Sony abruptly cut the promotion for Invincible. Furious, Michael began protesting against the company and its CEO, Tommy Mottola, who he accused of racism, and claimed to be "devilish" in a public statement. Jackson decided to leave Sony Music while owning half of their publishing, stating he only "owes" them one more release. Only a day later, 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.[30]
2003-2005: People v. Jackson
Jackson on top of his car (January 16, 2004)
In February 2003, Jackson's image was further hurt after holding hands with the 13 year old Gavin Arvizo in a televised documentary titled Living with Michael Jackson, released earlier that month. They were investigated shortly after, but it was decided any claims were unfounded. 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". On the same day, Jackson was shooting a music video for it in Las Vegas. The production had to be stopped as the Neverland Ranch was raided by the police, and Michael was arrested on November 20. A month later, he was charged on multiple counts, and was set to face court in April 2004.
After being released, Jackson released a statement saying he was mistreated by the police, although the California attorney general's office denied his claims. He pleaded not guilty in court on April 30, but still had to face a trial regarding all fourteen charges against him. It began on January 31, 2005 and lasted for 4 months and 2 weeks. Through the process, Michael's mental and physical health began to visibly worsen, and at one point, he experienced severe back pain, lung pain, and began coughing blood.[31] 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
Jackson during the World Music Awards (2006)
As he fully regained his freedom, Jackson became isolated and developed trust issues, showing signs of paranoia, anxiety and obsessive disorder-like behavior.[32] Michael also began to struggle financially, as he still faced a bunch of lawsuits and was deeply in debt, owing around $400-500 million.[33]
Jackson closed the Neverland Ranch to save up money, and never returned to it. Instead, on June 29, 2005, he and his children moved to Bahrain, West Asia for eleven months. In May 2006, Jackson left Bahrain for Ireland, and began working on new music with the Black Eyed Peas member, will.i.am.[34]
As Michael made more public appearances, headlines began 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.[35] In December, Jackson returned to the United States and moved to Las Vegas, where he lived for the next two years.
In 2007, Jackson kept on quietly making new music, and made a couple public appearances at award shows. 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 takes on Jackson's classic hits, for which help of will.i.am, Akon and Ye (then known as Kanye West) was used. To cover his debts, Michael began talks with the music entertainment presenter, AEG Live about performing live again. Meanwhile, Jackson had also hired a private medical doctor, Conrad Murray who had previously treated his daughter Paris. In December, Michael and his family had moved to a rented mansion in Los Angeles.
2009: This Is It & death
Jackson during the This Is It rehearsals (June 2009)
On March 5, 2009, Jackson made a public announcement of a concert residency, titled This Is It, which would take place at the O2 Arena in London. For the time being, Michael had suffered from insomnia, and reportedly had troubles with sleeping for sixty days. Murray administered him a dose of the anesthetic Propofol.
- Main article: Unreleased 2000s singles by Michael Jackson
In the meantime, Jackson continued works on new songs with record producer Neff-U. He wasn't keen on making another album, but planned on releasing singles every couple months.[36] These works unfortunately never concluded.
During the rehearsals for the upcoming tour in June, Jackson's workers began to raise concerns regarding the way he looked, acted, and missed a lot of rehearsals. In the midst of preparations, Murray had stopped administering Propofol out of worry for Jackson. Unfortunately, as the doctor gave in to Jackson's continuous requests after struggling to sleep, Michael was given a lethal dose of the drug. In the following minutes, he 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. On July 7, a televised memorial service was held at the Staples Center, where Jackson's family and friends said their goodbyes to the singer. His private burial took place on September 3, and Michael Jackson was laid to rest at Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park cemetery.
Legacy
2009: Public reaction & Michael Jackson's This Is It
Michael Jackson's This Is It documentary (2009)
The public's view on Jackson quickly changed, as many began to give tributes and pay much more respect towards him after his death. On July 7, 2009, Michael's public memorial service was televised to 2.5 billion viewers around the world. Meanwhile, the Michael Jackson Estate was launched. The legal entity owns the rights to everything Michael Jackson-related, including albums, singles, films, merchandise, sales, streams, and more. It didn't take long for posthumous releases to hit the shelves as well, as on October 26, a film documenting the concert rehearsals was released as Michael Jackson's This Is It, along with an accompanying soundtrack. The movie holds the status of the highest grossing documentary film ever at the global box office and the second highest grossing concert movie in history.[37][38]
2010-2015: Posthumous releases
Jackson on the Xscape album cover (2014)
2010 brought the Michael album, a collection of contemporized outtakes, surrounded by controversy regarding the authenticity of vocals featured on three of the tracks. In 2012, the 25th anniversary of Bad brought an expanded reissue of the 1987 album. In the following year, Wade Robson who previously defended Jackson in 2005, filed a lawsuit against MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures regarding supposed child sexual abuse, despite of his loyalty for Michael over the years.
Epic released Xscape in May 2014; a record consisting of old demos reworked by L.A. Reid and Timbaland. Preceded by the single "Love Never Felt So Good" - an electronic duet with Justin Timberlake that went to the Top Ten - Xscape earned gold certification. Following Robson's accusations going public, in August, James Safechuck spoke up regarding supposed similar experiences of his, and joined Wade in court.
2016-2020: Leaving Neverland
Leaving Neverland documentary (2019)
In 2016, Off the Wall received a deluxe reissue highlighted by an accompanying documentary directed by Spike Lee. Michael's son, Prince launched the Heal Los Angeles Foundation, dedicated to his father and his philanthropy, which has been active ever since. In the same year, Sony went purchased the half of their publishing from Jackson's estate, previously owned by the artist himself for three decades.[39] Scream, a loosely Halloween-themed compilation, followed in 2017. That year, it was announced Robson and Safechuck would craft a documentary against Jackson, titled Leaving Neverland, directed by Dan Reed. Meanwhile, the court dismissed their lawsuits for being "past the statute of limitations". In 2018, Michael's daughter, Paris launched her music career with a musical duo, The Soundflowers, but later went solo and has been since.
The film was released in January 2019, and featured Robson and Safechuck detailing their supposed traumatic experiences. Its release, despite of gaining mixed reviews from the general public, had a major effect on Jackson's legacy, as he received a massive backlash from the media, which turned their backs on him. Meanwhile, fans organized protests, and new documentaries against not only Leaving Neverland but previous allegations, such as Michael Jackson: Chase the Truth or Square One: Michael Jackson. Jackson's estate filed a lawsuit against HBO for breaching a non-disparagement clause from a 1992 contract, which they won eventually. In 2020, Safechuck went to court with the lawsuit, but was again dismissed.[40]
2021-present: Michael
Jaafar Jackson for the Michael movie (January 2023)
On April 26, 2021, Robson's lawsuit against Jackson's companies was once again dismissed by the court.[41] In May 2022, a 40th-anniversary double-CD reissue of Thriller was announced, and released in November. Similarly to Bad 25, it comprised of the original album, and a bonus disc containing outtakes from the original recording sessions. In January 2023, proper works began on a major biographical film, Michael, starring Jackson's nephew, Jaafar. The film is currently in post-production and is set to be released in theaters worldwide on October 3, 2025. Later in 2023, judges from another California appeals court disagreed with the judges who ruled in Jackson's favour two years earlier, and allowed the accusers' case to move forward to a jury trial, set to take place in 2026.[42]
Michael's second son, Bigi, who just like his father is obsessed with filmmaking and movies, went on to write and direct his first, Amazon Prime Video exclusive film, Rochelles. On February 9, 2024 half of the singer's publishing and recorded masters catalog was purchased by Sony Music for $600 million.[43] A year later, on February 20, 2025 an official sequel to Leaving Neverland, titled Surviving Michael Jackson was announced to be aired by UK's Channel 4 on March 18. Due to the lack of HBO's input following the earlier lawsuit, the documentary saw very little recognition from the general public and media, and did not do as well as its predecessor. Meanwhile, a third film was also confirmed to be released in the near future, focusing on the aforementioned, upcoming trial.[44]
Philanthropy and humanitarian work
- Main article: Philanthropy of Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson is widely recognized as a prolific philanthropist and humanitarian. His early charitable efforts were acknowledged by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, which credited him with paving the way for modern celebrity philanthropy, while the Los Angeles Times noted that he set a new standard for generosity among entertainers.
Throughout his lifetime, Jackson is estimated to have donated over $500 million to various charitable causes, excluding inflation adjustments. In 1992, he founded the Heal the World Foundation, contributing several million dollars from his Dangerous World Tour to support global humanitarian efforts.
His philanthropy extended far beyond financial contributions. Jackson frequently performed at benefit concerts, some of which he organized himself. He donated concert tickets to underprivileged children, visited pediatric hospitals worldwide, and welcomed disadvantaged and ill children into his home, providing specialized care when necessary. Additionally, he contributed personal and professional memorabilia to charity auctions, further supporting various causes.
In recognition of his extensive humanitarian work, Jackson received numerous awards, including two honors from U.S. presidents. His philanthropic achievements are also acknowledged in the Guinness World Records, cementing his legacy as one of the most charitable figures in entertainment history.
Honors and achievements
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 Jackson's 1982 album Thriller remains the best-selling album of all time, with over 110 million copies sold worldwide. Four of his other albums—Off the Wall, Bad, Dangerous, and HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (the best-selling double album by a solo artist)—also rank among the world's best-sellers, making him the artist with the most best-selling albums. Additionally, his 1997 remix album, Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, holds the record as the best-selling remix album of all time.
Jackson is widely credited with transforming the music video from a simple promotional tool into a groundbreaking art form. His innovative videos for Billie Jean, Beat It, and Thriller redefined visual storytelling in music, with Thriller being recognized as the greatest music video of all time. It remains the only music video inducted into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress, ensuring its preservation for future generations.
As the first African American artist to achieve widespread crossover success on MTV, Jackson played a pivotal role in shaping the network's influence and the rise of cable television. His iconic dance moves, including the robot and the moonwalk, set new standards for performance artistry. His distinctive vocal style, musical innovation, and choreography continue to transcend generational, racial, and cultural boundaries. A scientific study also reported that Jackson's median fundamental frequency was 130 Hz, confirming the natural register of his speaking 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
- 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)
Filmography
- Main article: Filmography
- The Wiz (Scarecrow, 1978)
- Captain EO (Captain EO, 1986)
- Moonwalker (Himself, 1988)
- Miss Cast Away and the Island Girls (Agent MJ, 2004)
Tours
- Main article: Tours
- Bad World Tour (1987-1989)
- Dangerous World Tour (1992-1993)
- HIStory World Tour (1996-1997)
Gallery
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Trivia
- When Jackson died, he was 5’9 (175.3 cm).
- According to Harrison Funk, who was Jackson's photographer for many decades, "he didn’t overtly identify as one particular gender", but that "he became a strong man" in the sense of his image changing after becoming a father.[45]
- For many years, Michael continuously bashed the usage of the "Wacko Jacko" nickname the tabloids gave him. The nickname apparently has racist origins, and derives from Cockney slang for "monkey".[46] Michael famously commented on the nickname in the 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."[47]
- According to his personal chef, Michael loved Mexican food.[48]
- According to Paris, and the aforementioned chef, Michael 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.[49] 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 (including still born brother Brandon).[50]
- 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, once even scaring Freddie Mercury away. 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.[51] The tragedy was later explored in the 2020 Tiger King Netflix documentary series about the zoo's controversial owner, Joe Exotic, although excluding any mentions of the animals once being owned by the King of Pop.
- His favorite fictional character was Peter Pan, who he famously sympathized with, and has used imagery of a couple times.
- 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 signature ad-libs scattered throughout his songs, such as "Hee-hee", "Aow" or "Shamone" actually originate from other artists, e.g. "hee-hee" from his cousin, Stevie Wonder and "Shamone" from Mavis Staples, lead singer of the family band "The Staple Singers".
- 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.[52]
- Michael was very against making his unfinished work available to the public, as he always intended to provide the best quality content he could. His thoughts seem to have been disregarded by his estate however, which has now released four projects that include demos and other unreleased material.
- When in the recording booth, Michael would often dance like he's performing on stage.[53]
- 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 studied martial arts and had a black belt in karate.[54]
- Michael loved to draw. Some of his art was later featured in booklets attached to his albums, and according to art therapists, a lot of his drawings illustrated anxiety, depression and insecurity.[55]
- He was an art collector, from paintings to sculptures. Some of the artwork he made himself is worth $900 million.[56]
- Michael loved books and reading, finding it to be his escape, inspiration for music and his own personal philosophy.[57]
- His driving licenses can be found online; first originating from 1989 and another from 2005.[58]
- In 1992, while on the Dangerous World Tour, he was crowned "King Sani", a king of a 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 wasn't approved. However, a two-day ceremony was held in the artist's memory, having over a thousand villagers attending.[59]
- 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, but ended up oversleeping. This was also recreated in the infamous 2004 Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story biopic.
- In his final years, Michael was obsessed with "My Prerogative" by Bobby Brown, and his guards (Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard) stated he'd often play the song on repeat. Looking into its themes, it's clear to see it was a song Jackson could easily relate to. He was also considering recording a cover of the track, but he never got to do it.[60]
- During his stay in Bahrain, rumors arose concerning Michael having converted to Islam, although this was completely untrue, and Jackson stayed a Christian up until his death.[61]
- Over the course of his career, Michael met with over a thousand celebrities from across the world.
- On June 25, 2009 at approximately 3:15 pm, multiple online websites, including 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.[62]
- 2.4 billion people watched his televised memorial.
- 9 years after Michael's death, his father Joe was buried at the same cemetery on July 2, 2018.
- Even posthumously, Jackson is still in 100 most streamed artists on Spotify, having peaked at 36 with over 55,000,000 listeners in 2024.
- In 2009, the Luna Society International named a moon crater after Michael; "Michael Joseph Jackson".[63]
- Multiple different wax statues of the King of Pop are featured at Madame Tussauds museums.
- The 1984 incident while filming an advert for Pepsi was only hours after the exact mid-point of Michael's lifetime.
- The medical center which treated his burns was re-named to "Michael Jackson Burn Center".
- Besides the upcoming Michael movie, multiple biopics were made based on Jackson'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 criticized it for "in no way shape or form representing who they [the Jackson family] are as a family".[64]
External links
Social media
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References
- ↑ Michael Jackson says he’s happy with career, despite ‘attempts to hurt me’
- ↑ A Star Idolized and Haunted, Michael Jackson Dies at 50
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 A Hoosier Thriller: Gary, Indiana's Michael Jackson
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Joe Jackson obituary
- ↑ Joe Jackson, Jackson Family Patriarch, Dies at 89
- ↑ Joe Jackson was one of the most monstrous fathers in pop
- ↑ Michael Jackson, the King of Pop: The Big Picture: the Music! the Man! the Legend! the Interviews: an Anthology
- ↑ Jackson Brothers: Was Joe Jackson Abusive?
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story
- ↑ Triumph & Tragedy: The Life of Michael Jackson
- ↑ Bobby Taylor, Motown Singer Who Discovered Jackson 5, Dead at 83
- ↑ Michael Jackson: Rewind: The Life and Legacy of Pop
- ↑ Michael Jackson and Motown: the boy behind the marketing
- ↑ Rave Culture and Religion
- ↑ From Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century
- ↑ AllMusic: The Jackson 5 - Biography
- ↑ 10 Things We Learned From Spike Lee’s New Michael Jackson Doc
- ↑ Michael Jackson's monster smash
- ↑ Adele's 21 overtakes sales of Thriller in UK album list
- ↑ Michael Jackson left indelible mark on Pasadena
- ↑ Michael Jackson 1958 - 2009
- ↑ Michael Jackson sweeps American Music Award
- ↑ How Michael Jackson's Thriller changed music videos for ever
- ↑ Michael Jackson, Pepsi Made Marketing History
- ↑ 1984 Michael Jackson Tour
- ↑ Michael Jackson: All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track
- ↑ Jackson Ends World Tour, Cites Painkiller Addiction - Los Angeles Times
- ↑ Crystal Cartier v. Michael Jackson | Music Copyright Infringement Resource
- ↑ Jackson 'regrets' out-of-court settlements - CNN
- ↑ Michael Jackson's Will | DocumentCloud
- ↑ Michael Jackson on 'Keep Hope Alive With Rev. Jesse Jackson (March 27 2005) - YouTube
- ↑ Michael Jackson paranoid, anxious, obsessive, director says - Los Angeles Times
- ↑ Michael Jackson Died Deeply In Debt
- ↑ New Michael Jackson album is 'disrespectful', says Will.I.Am | Michael Jackson | The Guardian
- ↑ Jackson comeback gig ‘a flop,’ reviews say
- ↑ 052: Michael Prince Special – The MJCast
- ↑ 10 Highest-Grossing Documentaries of All Time, Ranked
- ↑ The Swift Society on X: "👑| The "Eras Tour Film" ($261.4M) is now the highest grossing concert film of ALL TIME — Surpassing "This Is It" ($261.1M)" / X
- ↑ Sony to Buy Out Michael Jackson Estate's Half of Sony/ATV Music Publishing | Billboard
- ↑ Michael Jackson: Court dismisses lawsuit from accuser James Safechuck
- ↑ Michael Jackson: Judge grants estate dismissal of accuser's lawsuit
- ↑ Lawsuits from two Michael Jackson accusers can move to trial, court rules | Michael Jackson | The Guardian
- ↑ Michael Jackson Estate Sells Music Rights to Sony at $1.2B Valuation
- ↑ 'Leaving Neverland' Director Teases 3rd Chapter in Michael Jackson Doc
- ↑ Michael Jackson's personal photographer: 'He didn't identify as one gender' | Photography | The Guardian
- ↑ How Michael Jackson Made 'Bad' - The Atlantic
- ↑ Michael Jackson 1997 Barbara Walters Interview (September 7, 1997) - YouTube
- ↑ Michael Jackson's Former Personal Chef Dishes on His Eating Habits
- ↑ Paris Jackson Told to 'Kill Myself' for Not Posting on Dad's Birthday
- ↑ 1999 TV Guide Interview with Michael Jackson | MJJJusticeProject
- ↑ Michael Jackson's alligators 'boiled to death' in zoo fire 'set by animal rights activists' | Daily Mail Online
- ↑ How Many Guinness World Records Has Michael Jackson Earned? - Michael Jackson Official Site
- ↑ Darkchild on Making Hits for Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Beyonce for 25 Years (Full Interview) - YouTube
- ↑ Looking at the story behind Michael Jackson’s Karate black belt – BudoDragon
- ↑ Michael Jackson’s Secret Pain: Never-Before-Seen Drawings Illustrate Anxiety, Depression & Insecurity, Art Therapist Claims
- ↑ Michael Jackson's Lawyers Battle to Save $900M Worth of Art
- ↑ How Reading Helped Michael Jackson Become a Music Legend - Mind on Fire Books
- ↑ Michael Jackson's Driver's License -- Stone-Faced Stare
- ↑ “Remember The Time” When MJ Was Crowned ‘King Sani!’ | by Midnight August Moon | Medium
- ↑ Remember the Time: Protecting Michael Jackson in His Final Days: Whitfield, Bill, Beard, Javon, Colby, Tanner: 9781602862500: Amazon.com: Books
- ↑ Where's Michael? | GQ
- ↑ Michael Jackson Died in 2007 : According to Google & Wikipedia
- ↑ Michael’s Crater On The Moon – Michael Jackson World Network
- ↑ Michael: Stop calling me ''Wacko Jacko''