michael jackson early life biography

• History & Society
• Science & Tech
• Biographies
• Animals & Nature
• Geography & Travel
• Arts & Culture
• Games & Quizzes
• On This Day
• One Good Fact
• New Articles
• Lifestyles & Social Issues
• Philosophy & Religion
• Politics, Law & Government
• World History
• Health & Medicine
• Browse Biographies
• Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates
• Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates
• Environment
• Fossils & Geologic Time
• Entertainment & Pop Culture
• Sports & Recreation
• Visual Arts
• Demystified
• Image Galleries
• Infographics
• Top Questions
• Britannica Kids
• Saving Earth
• Space Next 50
• Student Center
• Introduction & Top Questions

The Jackson 5

The “king of pop”, child molestation accusations, financial difficulties, and death.

How did Michael Jackson become famous?

What were michael jackson’s accomplishments.

• What is rock music?
• How did rock music influence the emergence of folk rock?

Michael Jackson

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

• Official Site of Michael Jackson
• CNN - Michael Jackson Fast Facts
• Turner Classic Movies - Michael Jackson
• GRAMMY.com - Michael Jackson
• AllMusic - Michael Jackson
• LiveAbout - Michael Jackson Biography and Profile
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Biography of Michael Jackson
• Michael Jackson - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
• Michael Jackson - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
• Table Of Contents

Who was Michael Jackson?

Michael Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer who was the most popular entertainer in the world in the early and mid-1980s. Even today he is widely regarded as the “King of Pop .”

How did Michael Jackson die?

On June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson died of cardiac arrest in Los Angeles, California, at age 50. Jackson’s death, which was caused by a lethal combination of sedatives and propofol , an anesthetic , was ruled a homicide. In 2011 Conrad Murray, Jackson’s personal doctor, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

Where was Michael Jackson born?

Michael Jackson was born in Gary , Indiana , on August 29, 1958.

Michael Jackson got his start in a group called the Jackson 5 . After signing with Motown Records in 1969, the Jackson brothers produced such hits as “ABC” and “I Want You Back.” Michael Jackson’s first solo album, Off the Wall , was released in 1979 and contained the massive hit “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough” and others.

Michael Jackson won 13 Grammy Awards , including 8 for the album Thriller . Jackson was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice: in 1997 as a member of the Jackson 5 and in 2001 for his solo career. Jackson also helped open the doors for Black artists on the radio and on television (particularly MTV ).

Recent News

Michael Jackson (born August 29, 1958, Gary, Indiana, U.S.—died June 25, 2009, Los Angeles , California) was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer who was the most popular entertainer in the world in the early and mid-1980s. Reared in Gary , Indiana , in one of the most acclaimed musical families of the rock era, Michael Jackson was the youngest and most talented of five brothers whom his father, Joseph, shaped into a dazzling group of child stars known as the Jackson 5 . In addition to Michael, the members of the Jackson 5 were Jackie Jackson (byname of Sigmund Jackson; b. May 4, 1951, Gary), Tito Jackson (byname of Toriano Jackson; b. October 15, 1953, Gary), Jermaine Jackson (b. December 11, 1954, Gary), and Marlon Jackson (b. March 12, 1957, Gary).

Motown Records president Berry Gordy, Jr. , was impressed with the group and signed them in 1969. Sporting the loudest fashions, the largest Afros, the snappiest choreography, and a youthful, soulful exuberance, the Jackson 5 became an immediate success. They scored four consecutive number one pop hits with “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” “The Love You Save,” and “I’ll Be There” in 1970. With Michael topping the pop charts as a solo performer with “Ben” and reaching number two with “Rockin’ Robin,” and with the Jackson 5 producing trendsetting dance tracks such as “Dancing Machine,” the family’s string of hits for Motown lasted through 1975. As Michael matured, his voice changed, family tensions arose, and a contract standoff ensued. The group finally broke with Motown, moving to Epic Records as the Jacksons. Jermaine remained at Motown as a solo performer and was replaced by his youngest brother, Randy Jackson (in full Steven Randall Jackson; b. October 29, 1961). As a recording act, the Jacksons enjoyed consistent success through 1984, and their sister Janet Jackson embarked on her own singing career in the early 1980s; however, Michael’s solo albums took on an entirely different status.

Jackson’s first solo effort for Epic, Off the Wall (1979), exceeded all expectations and was the best-selling album of the year (it eventually sold more than 20 million copies). Produced by industry veteran Quincy Jones , Off the Wall yielded the massive international hit singles “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough” and “Rock with You,” both of which showcased Michael’s energetic style and capitalized on the contemporary disco dance fad. Three years later he returned with another collaboration with Jones, Thriller , a tour de force that featured an array of guest stars and elevated him to worldwide superstardom. Thriller captured a slew of awards, including a record-setting eight Grammys; remained on the charts for more than two years; and sold more than 40 million copies, long holding the distinction of being the best-selling album in history. The first single on the album, “ The Girl Is Mine ,” an easygoing duet with Paul McCartney , went to number one on the rhythm-and-blues charts and number two on the pop charts in the fall of 1982. The follow-up single, “ Billie Jean ,” an electrifying dance track and the vehicle for Jackson’s trademark “moonwalk” dance, topped the pop charts, as did “ Beat It, ” which featured a raucous solo from famed guitarist Eddie Van Halen . Moreover, “Beat It” helped break down the artificial barriers between Black and white artists on the radio and in the emerging format of music videos on television.

By 1984 Jackson was renowned worldwide as the “King of Pop.” His much anticipated Victory reunion tour with his brothers was one of the most popular concert events of 1984. In 1985 Jackson and Lionel Richie cowrote “ We Are the World ,” the signature single for USA for Africa, an all-star project aimed at famine relief. Further solo albums— Bad (1987), which produced five chart-topping hits (among them the title song and “Man in the Mirror”), and Dangerous (1991), much of which was produced by New Jack Swing sensation Teddy Riley —solidified Jackson’s dominance of pop music . In 2001 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ; the Jackson 5 were inducted in 1997.

Jackson’s eccentric , secluded lifestyle grew increasingly controversial in the early 1990s. His reputation was seriously damaged in 1993 when he was accused of child molestation by a 13-year-old boy he had befriended; a civil suit was settled out of court. In 1994 Jackson secretly married Lisa Marie Presley , daughter of Elvis Presley , but their marriage lasted less than two years. Shortly thereafter Jackson married again, this marriage producing children, though it too ended in divorce. While he remained an international celebrity, his image in the United States was slow to recover, and it suffered even more in November 2003 when he was arrested and charged with child molestation. Called to testify in Jackson’s defense during the trial that ensued was actor Macaulay Cuklin , who had met and become friends with Jackson when he was nine years old and Jackson was an adult. Culkin said they bonded over their common experiences of having to deal with fame at a young age and having overbearing fathers. Culkin maintained that he had never experienced anything inappropriate with Jackson. After a 14-week trial that became something of a media circus, Jackson was acquitted in 2005.

In the wake of these events, Jackson suffered a financial collapse that resulted in the sale of many of his considerable assets, including, ultimately, his lavish Neverland ranch. He was preparing for a series of high-profile concerts he hoped would spark a comeback when he died suddenly of cardiac arrest on June 25, 2009—prompting a widespread outpouring of grief from his fans that culminated in a memorial celebration of his life and legacy on July 7 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, featuring tributes by friends and luminaries such as Stevie Wonder , Berry Gordy, Jr. , Brooke Shields , and Al Sharpton . In August 2009 the coroner ruled Jackson’s death a homicide; the cause was a lethal combination of sedatives and propofol, an anesthetic. In November 2011 Jackson’s personal physician was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

The documentary film This Is It , which drew from more than 100 hours of footage compiled during rehearsals for Jackson’s scheduled 50-concert comeback engagement in London, premiered in October 2009. Also in 2009 Jackson’s 14-minute music video “Thriller” (1983), directed by John Landis, was inducted into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress —the first music video to be so honoured. Later documentaries included Leaving Neverland (2019), which centres on two men who allege that Jackson sexually abused them when they were children.

History Cooperative

Michael Jackson Bio: Life, Career, and Death of the King of Pop

Michael Jackson, often hailed as the “King of Pop,” was more than just an iconic American singer, songwriter, and dancer; he was a global phenomenon who reshaped the landscape of music, dance, and popular culture.

His influence extended beyond his Michael Jackson-level dance moves and vocals, touching the hearts and souls of millions worldwide.

Table of Contents

Early Life, Family, and Musical Beginnings

Born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, Michael Joseph Jackson was the seventh child of Katherine Jackson and Joe Jackson. The Jacksons were a large, working-class family, with Michael growing up alongside his brothers and sisters, including notable siblings like Jermaine Jackson and Janet Jackson. From a young age , Michael showed an extraordinary amount of charisma and energy, often charming every room he entered with his smile and lively personality.

Growing up in a small house on Jackson Street in Gary, Michael’s early life was marked by close family bonds and a shared love of music , although his home life had its complexities, largely due to his father’s strict discipline. Despite these challenges, Michael’s childhood was filled with moments that showcased his artistic talents. He would spend hours singing with his siblings and exploring different dance moves that hinted at his future in entertainment. His lively spirit and natural talent made him stand out even in his large family, setting the stage for his later success on global platforms.

Michael was introduced to music through his family, particularly under the guidance of his father, Joe Jackson, who recognized early on the potential in his children. The musical atmosphere of his household was Michael’s first school , where he and his siblings would rehearse rigorously, encouraged by their father’s ambition for them. The ensemble of brothers soon formed the Jackson 5 , a group that would lay the groundwork for Michael’s illustrious career.

The Jackson 5 was more than just a family band; it was the launchpad for Michael’s future. Under Joe’s management, young Jacksons honed the skills through constant practice and by participating in local talent shows. Michael, even as the youngest member of the group, quickly became the standout performer with his impressive vocal range and dynamic stage presence.

This early phase was crucial, as it not only showcased his natural talent but also ignited his passion for performing. As the Jackson 5’s popularity soared in their community, they began to attract more significant attention, which eventually led to their first major break in the music industry, marking the start of Michael’s journey to becoming a global icon.

Rise to Fame and Important Moments in His Career

Michael Jackson’s fame skyrocketed in the late 1970s and 1980s when he pursued a solo career. Michael Jackson was most popular during the 1980s, a decade in which he transformed the landscape of pop music. Yes, Michael Jackson wrote many of his songs; he has hundreds of songs credited to his name, showcasing his prolific talent as both a songwriter and performer.

Michael’s solo career began with the release of his first solo album , ‘Off The Wall,’ which marked a pivotal turn in his journey to stardom. This album included hits like Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough and Rock with You , which became a #1 single. These songs not only showcased his unique vocal prowess but also his ability to blend pop and funk. His follow-up album, ‘Thriller,’ barely needs an introduction but deserves a mention for setting new records: it won an unprecedented eight Grammys in a single night and became the best-selling album of all time .

As Michael’s career progressed, he continued to release hit after hit. Albums like Bad , Dangerous , and HIStory were all monumental in their own rights. ‘Bad’ was significant as it produced five #1 singles, making Michael the first artist to achieve this feat. His 1993 performance at the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show set new standards for live performances, and his interview with Oprah Winfrey in 1993 became the most-watched interview ever.

Thriller Era and Global Stardom

The Thriller era marked a monumental phase in Michael Jackson’s career, propelling him to global stardom unlike any other artist before. Released in 1982, the Thriller album broke all records and set new benchmarks for success in the music industry. It became the best-selling album of all time, a title it still holds, with sales exceeding 66 million copies worldwide.

This incredible achievement was a testament to Jackson’s genius as a performer and an innovator, solidifying his status as a global superstar. The album’s success was driven by a blend of pop, rock, and post-disco sounds that appealed to a broad audience, transcending age, race, and geography.

Thriller featured a lineup of hit songs that became cultural phenomena, each contributing to the album’s massive success. Tracks like Billie Jean , Beat It , and the album’s titular song, Thriller , were not just popular but became iconic pieces of 20th-century music. Billie Jean and Beat It each topped the charts in many countries, with Billie Jean holding the #1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for seven weeks. The music video for Thriller , directed by John Landis, was a masterpiece of visual storytelling, blending music and cinematic effects to create a 14-minute horror-themed performance that was unprecedented at the time.

This period of his career was marked by memorable live performances, including the moonwalk during Billie Jean on the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever television special, which remains one of the most iconic moments in live entertainment history. The album earned Michael a record-breaking eight Grammy Awards in 1984, including Album of the Year, further cementing its place in music history.

READ MORE: Backward Steps: Unraveling Who Invented the Moonwalk

During the 1980s, Michael Jackson’s impact on popular culture was evident across various fronts, from his live performances to his fashion and dance moves.

His live performances often featured the moonwalk , a dance move that became synonymous with Jackson himself. This particular dance move, along with his complex choreography in music videos such as Thriller and Beat It , influenced a generation of dancers and pop artists who sought to emulate his style. Michael’s concerts were not just musical events; they were spectacular visual experiences that often incorporated advanced technology, elaborate costumes, and detailed set designs, setting a new standard for live pop performances.

In terms of fashion, Michael Jackson developed a signature style that became instantly recognizable. His military-style jackets, adorned with badges, zippers, and sequins, paired with the iconic single white glove, sparked fashion trends that flooded the streets and nightclubs. Even his choice of wearing black loafers with white socks became a trend, emphasizing the intricate footwork of his dance routines.

Discography

Got to be there (1972).

• Ain’t No Sunshine
• I Wanna Be Where You Are
• Girl Don’t Take Your Love From Me
• In Our Small Way
• Got to Be There
• Rockin’ Robin
• Wings of My Love
• Maria (You Were the Only One)
• Love Is Here and Now You’re Gone
• You’ve Got a Friend
• Greatest Show on Earth
• People Make the World Go ‘Round
• We’ve Got a Good Thing Going
• Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool
• What Goes Around Comes Around
• Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day
• You Can Cry on My Shoulder

Music & Me (1973)

• With a Child’s Heart
• All the Things You Are
• Happy (Love Theme from Lady Sings the Blues )
• Doggin’ Around
• Johnny Raven
• Morning Glow
• Music and Me

Forever, Michael (1975)

• We’re Almost There
• Take Me Back
• One Day in Your Life
• Cinderella Stay Awhile
• We’ve Got Forever
• Just a Little Bit of You
• You Are There
• Dear Michael
• I’ll Come Home to You

Off the Wall (1979)

• Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough
• Rock with You
• Working Day and Night
• Get on the Floor
• Off the Wall
• She’s Out of My Life
• I Can’t Help It
• It’s the Falling in Love
• Burn This Disco Out

Thriller (1982)

• Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’
• Baby Be Mine
• The Girl Is Mine (with Paul McCartney )
• Billie Jean
• Human Nature
• P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
• The Lady in My Life
• The Way You Make Me Feel
• Speed Demon
• Liberian Girl
• Just Good Friends
• Another Part of Me
• Man in the Mirror
• I Just Can’t Stop Loving You
• Dirty Diana
• Smooth Criminal
• Leave Me Alone (CD Bonus Track)

Dangerous (1991)

• Why You Wanna Trip on Me
• In the Closet
• She Drives Me Wild
• Remember the Time
• Can’t Let Her Get Away
• Heal the World
• Black or White
• Give In to Me
• Will You Be There
• Keep the Faith
• Gone Too Soon

HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995)

Disc 1 – HIStory Begins (Greatest Hits)

Disc 2 – HIStory Continues

• Scream (duet with Janet Jackson)
• They Don’t Care About Us
• Stranger in Moscow
• This Time Around
• Come Together
• You Are Not Alone
• Childhood (Theme from Free Willy 2 )
• Tabloid Junkie
• Little Susie / Pie Jesu

Invincible (2001)

• Unbreakable
• Heartbreaker
• Break of Dawn
• Heaven Can Wait
• You Rock My World
• Butterflies
• You Are My Life
• Don’t Walk Away
• The Lost Children
• Whatever Happens

Awards and Honors and Other Accomplishments

Michael Jackson’s career was marked by numerous awards and honors. Among the most significant was his record-breaking sweep at the 1984 Grammy Awards , where he won a total of eight Grammys in a single night, a feat that set a record for the most Grammys won by an artist in one evening. These awards included Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for Thriller and Album of the Year for the same album. This achievement highlighted the critical acclaim that matched his commercial success.

In addition to his Grammy wins, Michael Jackson also made history with his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice; first as a member of the Jackson 5 in 1997 and again as a solo artist in 2001. If that wasn’t enough, he was also awarded the Legend Award at the 1993 Grammy Awards.

READ MORE: Who Invented Rock And Roll? The History and Origin of Rock ‘n’ Roll

Musical Style and Influence

Known for his distinctive voice, complex dance moves, and a strong sense of rhythm, Jackson’s approach to music and performance reshaped the pop genre. His albums often merged elements of pop, soul, rock, and funk, a synthesis most evident in tracks like Billie Jean and Black or White . This ability to blend different musical styles not only broadened his appeal across diverse audiences but also set a new standard for what pop music could achieve. His production techniques, particularly his pioneering use of the multi-track recording system, allowed him to create intricate, layered sounds that became a hallmark of his albums.

His video for Thriller , complete with a storyline and complex dance sequences, turned music videos into mini-movies, a concept that has since become a staple in music video production.

In terms of vocal style and musical impact, contemporary artists like The Weeknd have often been compared to Jackson. The Weeknd’s use of falsetto and his emotive delivery bear a resemblance to Jackson’s vocal technique, a similarity acknowledged by both critics and fans alike.

Similarly, Bruno Mars’ stage performances and his retro style, heavily influenced by the disco and funk eras, echo Jackson’s impact on fashion and performance aesthetics.

The moonwalk, a seemingly simple glide backward while the dancer moves as if walking forward, became synonymous with Jackson after he performed it during his performance of Billie Jean on the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever special in 1983. This move, which involves a technique of shifting weight and sliding the feet, absolutely entranced audiences with its illusion of defying physics.

The robot dance move, which Jackson often incorporated into his performances, involves isolating various parts of the body and moving them with mechanical, jerky motions, creating the illusion that the dancer is a robot.

This technique requires significant control and precision, focusing on smooth transitions between fluid dance steps and sudden, sharp movements. Jackson perfected this style, which added a dramatic effect to his performances, captivating audiences with his ability to shift seamlessly between different dance styles within a single routine. The robot became particularly notable during his performances of songs like Dancing Machine .

Perhaps more spectacular was Jackson’s anti-gravity lean, first debuted in the music video for Smooth Criminal . This move, where Jackson and his dancers lean forward to a 45-degree angle with their bodies straight and feet flat on the ground, seemingly defying gravity, left viewers astounded. The secret behind this apparently impossible feat was a clever combination of specially designed footwear and stage mechanisms. Jackson co-invented a shoe with a slot in the heels that could latch onto pegs on the stage floor, allowing him and his dancers to lean forward without toppling over.

His stage presence—a blend of immense energy, precision, and emotion—made his live performances unforgettable. One of his greatest shows in terms of dancing was the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards performance, where he combined multiple hits into a single, continuous dance spectacle that showcased his mastery over his art.

Personal Life, Controversies, and Philanthropy

Michael Jackson’s personal life, while filled with monumental success, also had its share of complexities and hardships, especially concerning his relationships and family life. Jackson was married twice; his first marriage was to Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley, in 1994. The union, which ended in divorce in 1996, was highly publicized and often scrutinized by the media.

His second marriage to Debbie Rowe, a nurse he met while undergoing treatment, resulted in two children: Prince Michael Jackson I and Paris Michael Katherine Jackson. This marriage also ended in divorce, with Rowe giving full custody of the children to Jackson.

Despite his troubled marriages, Jackson was devoted to his three children, including his youngest, Prince Michael Jackson II, known as “Blanket,” who was born via surrogate. His relationship with his family, including his famous siblings and parents, was often close but strained, largely due to the pressures of fame and the dynamics of their shared early career in the Jackson 5.

Michael Jackson’s life was heavily scrutinized by the media, with numerous controversies casting long shadows over his career. The most serious of these were allegations of child molestation that surfaced in the 1990s. Jackson was accused of molesting a young boy who had frequently visited the Neverland Ranch, his elaborate home.

This led to a highly publicized court case in 2005, from which he was acquitted on all charges. Despite being cleared legally, the allegations had a lasting impact on his public image and personal life. Jackson’s fame also made him a target for relentless media scrutiny, which often invaded his privacy and led to various rumors and speculations about his personal life and health.

His struggles with privacy and the invasive nature of his fame were well-documented, including in the 2003 documentary Living with Michael Jackson , which presented a very personal and controversial view of his life.

One of Michael Jackson’s notable efforts was the founding of the Heal the World Foundation in 1992, named after one of his hit songs. This organization was dedicated to providing aid to children and the disadvantaged across the globe. It tackled issues such as poverty, environmental degradation, and children’s welfare. Heal the World was known for its efforts, such as airlifting six tons of supplies to Sarajevo during the Bosnian War and organizing children’s immunizations worldwide.

In addition to his own foundation, Michael Jackson supported numerous other charities and causes during his lifetime, contributing to more than 39 charities as per various reports. His donations were often substantial; for example, he donated the entire profit from his Victory Tour to charity in the 1980s.

Furthermore, the proceeds from his single Man in the Mirror went to Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, a camp for children suffering from cancer. His support extended to massive fundraising efforts, including his role in the song We Are the World , written along with Lionel Richie.

This single generated millions of dollars for famine relief in Africa and is one of the best-selling singles of all time, demonstrating how Jackson leveraged his popularity for charitable causes.

Today, several of Michael Jackson’s philanthropic initiatives continue to influence charitable efforts and maintain functional operations through the Michael Jackson Estate. His estate continues to donate to causes he cared about, maintaining his legacy of philanthropy. For example, proceeds from certain productions and projects related to Jackson’s music and life continue to benefit his favorite charities.

Final Years and Death

Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, at the age of 50. He passed away in his home in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, California. The official cause of death was acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication, which led to cardiac arrest. The circumstances surrounding his death were highly controversial, leading to the conviction of his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, for involuntary manslaughter. Jackson’s death was ultimately ruled a homicide due to the circumstances of the administered medications. If he were alive today, Michael Jackson would be 65 years old.

In his final years, Michael Jackson faced numerous challenges, including significant health problems, ongoing legal battles, and mounting pressures related to his planned comeback tour titled This Is It . His health issues were often discussed in the media, with reports of severe insomnia and physical pain that he managed with prescription medications. These issues were partly due to the physical demands of his years of performing. In preparation for his comeback tour, it was reported that Jackson was rehearsing rigorously, which further strained his already fragile health.

Legally, Jackson continued to confront allegations and lawsuits. Despite being acquitted of child molestation charges in 2005, the legal battles took a financial and personal toll, impacting his public image and causing significant stress. Financial pressures also loomed large during this period, as Jackson faced debts reportedly running into hundreds of millions of dollars. These financial and legal issues compelled him to stage the comeback he hoped would revive his career and alleviate his financial distress.

The announcement of the This Is It tour was met with tremendous enthusiasm, demonstrating that his popularity remained high despite the controversies. Tickets sold out within minutes; however, the stress of preparing for such a demanding tour, coupled with his health and legal issues, created a storm that ultimately led to his untimely death.

The news of Michael Jackson’s death sent shockwaves through the music world and among his fans globally. News channels and social media platforms were flooded with reactions as fans and fellow artists alike struggled to process the sudden loss. Major networks interrupted their regular programming to cover the news. Artists across various music genres publicly expressed their sorrow and respect, citing Jackson’s influence on their own careers and on the music industry as a whole.

Many fans found themselves revisiting his music, videos, and performances, causing a significant surge in sales and streaming of his catalog. Fans also turned to online forums and social media to share their memories and discuss the mark he left on their lives.

Memorials and Legacy

Following Michael Jackson’s death, a global outpouring of grief led to numerous memorials and tributes to honor the legendary artist. One of the most notable memorials was the public service held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, which was broadcast live around the world, drawing millions of viewers.

During the service, performances and speeches by family members and celebrities highlighted his influence on music and pop culture, reflecting the depth of his impact. Additionally, fans across the globe organized flash mobs, vigils, and tribute concerts, celebrating his life and contributions to music. The Michael Jackson memorial also saw fans gathering at significant landmarks related to his life, such as his childhood home and the famed 2300 Jackson Street, to pay their respects.

Jackson’s legacy as a cultural icon remains profound and far-reaching, influencing countless artists across various music genres. From pop and hip-hop to R&B, new generations of musicians cite Jackson as an immense influence in their artistic development. His innovative approach to music production, stage performances, and his distinctive vocal style continue to be studied and emulated. Artists like Beyoncé, Usher, and Justin Timberlake have openly expressed how Jackson’s work influenced their own.

Wrapping Up the Michael Jackson Bio

Michael Jackson’s life was a rollercoaster, full of ups and downs, incredible highs, and heartbreaking lows. He was a musical genius, no doubt, and his impact on pop culture is undeniable. There’s no denying that Michael Jackson’s story is one we won’t soon forget.

https://www.chicago-theater.com/news/458828

https://www.truemichaeljackson.com/man/childhood

https://www.rhino.com/article/the-jackson-5

https://www.subjectivesounds.com/musicblog/michael-jackson-off-the-wall-album-review

https://www.revolt.tv/article/2018-08-29/44260/revisiting-how-michael-jacksons-thriller-era-set-the-pop-industry-standard

https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/michael-jackson-60th-birthday

https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/1984-grammys-michael-jackson-highest-rated-recap-1235613583

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/michael-jackson-child-sexual-abuse-allegations-timeline-785746

https://www.truemichaeljackson.com/altruism/charity

https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/michael-jackson-died-deeply-in-debt-268276

https://medium.com/@elexmichaelson/processing-michael-jacksons-legacy-ed5b8ab49194

How to Cite this Article

There are three different ways you can cite this article.

1. To cite this article in an academic-style article or paper , use:

<a href=" https://historycooperative.org/michael-jackson-bio/ ">Michael Jackson Bio: Life, Career, and Death of the King of Pop</a>

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Michael Jackson Biography

Birthday: August 29 , 1958 ( Virgo )

Born In: Gary, Indiana, United States

“When they say the sky is the limit, to me that's really true”, these lines by Michael Jackson beautifully suffice his life and his love for music. A music aficionado and enthusiast, Jackson changed the way people looked at music and created a never-ending craze with his chartbusters and best-sellers. He gave pop and rock their life and blood and wrote chapters in the history of music that would long live for centuries to come. A music propeller in the truest sense, it was his outstanding gift and prodigious talent that made him a sensation globally. His countless awards and honorific titles, such as ‘King of Pop’ and ‘Artist of the Decade, Generation, Century and Millennium’ are a glaring testimony to his enthralling musical career. His supremely endowed music won the hearts of millions worldwide, making him a global figure in popular culture for almost four decades. While his distinctive sound and style have been of great influence to numerous hip-hop, post-disco, contemporary R&B, pop, and rock artists, it was his angelic dance style that continues to be one of the popular styles of dance. He was the man behind today’s popular dance styles, moonwalk, and Robot, both of which bear the name MJ style. It was for his relentless contribution to music, dance, and fashion that he was named ‘the most successful entertainer of all time’.

Recommended For You

Nick Name: Wacko Jacko, The Gloved One

Also Known As: Michael Joseph Jackson

Died At Age: 50

Spouse/Ex-: Debbie Rowe (m. 1996; div. 1999), Lisa Marie Presley (m. 1994; div. 1996)

father: Joseph Jackson

mother: Katherine Jackson

siblings: Brandon Jackson, Jackie Jackson, Janet Jackson , Jermaine Jackson, La Toya Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Randy Jackson , Rebbie Jackson , Tito Jackson

children: Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., Paris Jackson , Prince Michael Jackson II

Born Country: United States

African American Singers Pop Singers

Height: 5'9" (175 cm ), 5'9" Males

Died on: June 25 , 2009

place of death: Los Angeles, California, United States

Personality: ISFP

Cause of Death: Drug Overdose

City: Gary, Indiana

U.S. State: Indiana

Founder/Co-Founder: Heal the World Foundation

You wanted to know

What was michael jackson's most iconic dance move.

The moonwalk, which he popularized during a performance of "Billie Jean" on the TV special "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever" in 1983.

What was the significance of Michael Jackson's album "Thriller?"

"Thriller" is the best-selling album of all time, with over 66 million copies sold worldwide, and it revolutionized the music industry with its groundbreaking music videos.

What was Michael Jackson's impact on pop culture?

Michael Jackson was known for breaking racial barriers in the music industry, influencing countless artists with his innovative music videos and dance moves, and setting the standard for pop music excellence.

What was Michael Jackson's involvement in humanitarian work?

Michael Jackson was a prominent philanthropist who supported numerous charitable causes, including children's charities, HIV/AIDS research, and disaster relief efforts around the world.

What challenges did Michael Jackson face during his career?

Michael Jackson faced intense media scrutiny, allegations of child molestation, health issues, and financial troubles, which often overshadowed his musical accomplishments.

Recommended Lists:

Born in an African-American working-class family, he was eighth of the ten children of the couple Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson and Katherine Esther Scruse. While his father worked as a steel mill worker, his mother was a sincere Jehovah's Witness.

From a very young age, he was a music lover. Initially starting as a backup musician, he soon found his way as a lead singer in the family band, the Jackson 5.

The Jackson 5 started touring the Midwest, extensively performing at black clubs. In 1967, they released their first single, ‘Big Boy’ with a Steeltown record label but the same failed to interest the audience.

In 1968, they signed a contract with Motown Records, which required them to relocate to Los Angeles. The following year, they came up with their first album, ‘Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5’. Their first single, ‘I Want You Back’ was a chartbuster and was followed by bestsellers ‘ABC’, ‘The Love You Save’, and ‘I'll Be There’, each of which peaked at No 1 on Billboard Hot 100.

In addition to the band, he launched his solo career as well - his first-ever solo single being ‘Got to Be There’. The song met with runaway success and established his reputation as a solo artist.

The Jackson 5 band withdrew its association with Motown Records in 1975. The same year, they tied up with Epic Records under a new name ‘the Jacksons’.

From 1976 to 1984, the band toured internationally and released six new albums. He became a leading songwriter for the group, writing numerous hits one after the other.

Meanwhile, he launched his solo album in association with Quincy Jones, ‘Off the Wall’ in 1979. The album was a tremendous hit and the first ever to generate four U.S. top 10 hits. It peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and eventually sold over 20 million copies worldwide.

The desire to make a bigger impact than what ‘Off the Wall’ made, led to the 1982 release of the album ‘Thriller’. A grand blockbuster, the album broke all records to become the best-selling album of all time worldwide. It topped the Billboard 200 chart for 37 weeks and was in the top 10 of 200 for 80 weeks at a stretch. The album sold 65 million copies and achieved Double Diamond status in the US.

In 1983, he reunited with his brothers for a live performance. It was there that he showed his signature dance style, the moonwalk, which became an epic. Magic was created on stage as he sang the chartbuster ‘Billie Jean’ whilst performing the moonwalk.

In 1985, along with Lionel Riche, he co-wrote ‘We Are the World’, originally a charity single which became the best-selling single of all time, selling about 30 million copies.

A follow-up to ‘Thriller’ came in 1987 when he released the album, ‘Bad’. Though the album was unable to replicate the runaway success of ‘Thriller’, it nevertheless was a convincing chartbuster. Seven of its singles peaked at No. 1 position on the Billboard Hot 100. The album sold about 45 million copies worldwide.

In 1988, the exemplary pop star released his autobiography titled Moonwalk. The book duplicated the success of his music albums by selling about 200,000 copies and making it to the New York Times best-seller list.

By now, he had achieved an iconic status. Right from his music albums to his autobiography to his cosmetic surgeries, everything made big news. One such news was his buying a 2,700-acre property, which he named Neverland, near Santa Ynez California.

The year 1991 witnessed the release of his eighth album, ‘Dangerous’. Much like its predecessors, ‘Dangerous’ became the best-selling album of the year worldwide, with its singles, ‘Black or White’, ‘Remember the Time’ and ‘Heal the World’ topping the charts.

He founded the ‘Heal the World’ foundation in 1992, and the same year, he released his second literary offering, ‘Dancing the Dream’, which gained commercial success but lacked critical acclaim.

In 1993, he performed at several significant events, including Super Bowl XXVII. The same year, he was charged with molestation but since there was no proof to support the allegation, the charges were withdrawn.

He came up with the album, HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I in 1995. Barring the single, ‘Scream’, which he sang with his sister, Janet Jackson, the album received a lukewarm response.

In October 2001, he released the album, Invincible. This was his last full-length album. Though the album gained decent success, it was his eccentric and disoriented behavior that caught the headlines.

His eight albums have made whooping sales of 1 billion units worldwide and earned him $750 million in his lifetime, with five of his albums gaining the world’s best-selling records. ‘Thriller’ has been the biggest-selling album with reported sales of 65 million units.

He received numerous awards including 31 Guinness World Records, 13 Grammy Awards, Grammy Legend Award and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, 26 American Music Awards, and 18 World Music Awards.

He was inducted into the Hollywood Hall of Fame, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Songwriters Hall of Fame, and Dance Hall of Fame.

He married twice in his lifetime. His first marriage was with Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley, in 1994, but this union did not last long and the two divorced in 1996.

He married his long-time friend Deborah Jeanne Rowe, a dermatology nurse, in 1997. The couple was blessed with two children, Michael Joseph Jackson Jr and Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson. The two separated in 1999. He had a third child, Prince Michael Jackson II, from a surrogate mother through artificial insemination.

The King of Pop passed away unexpectedly following a cardiac arrest due to a propofol and benzodiazepine overdose on June 25, 2009. The medicines were given to him by his personal physician, Conrad Murray, to help him sleep better. Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011 and was sentenced to 4 years in prison. However, he was released in October 2013 after serving close to 2 years behind bars.

A televised memorial was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. While 17,500 free tickets were issued to fans via lottery, an estimated 1 billion viewers watched the memorial on TV or online.

Memorials were constructed and statues were unveiled all over the globe in the aftermath of his death. The Lunar Republic Society renamed a crater on the moon, Michael Joseph Jackson, in his honor.

Michael Jackson owned a pet chimpanzee named Bubbles, who would often accompany him on tour and even appear in music videos.

He once tried to buy the bones of the Elephant Man, Joseph Merrick, but was ultimately outbid by someone else.

Michael Jackson patented a special shoe to help him perform his signature dance move, the anti-gravity lean.

He held a record-breaking seven Guinness World Records, including Most Successful Entertainer of All Time.

See the events in life of Michael Jackson in Chronological Order

How To Cite

People Also Viewed

Also Listed In

© Famous People All Rights Reserved

• World Biography

Michael Jackson Biography

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

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

Career planned in advance

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

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

Discovered by Motown

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

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

Unbelievable success

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

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

Rocked by scandal

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

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

Marriage and fatherhood

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

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

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

For More Information

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

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

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

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

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

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

User Contributions:

Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic:.

Biography Online

Michael Jackson Biography

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

Solo Career Michael Jackson

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

Michael Jackson with the Reagans

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

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

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

—Michael Jackson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– M. Jackson Quoted by CNN June 2009.

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

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

Charity Work of Michael Jackson

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

The Essential Michael Jackson

The Essential Michael Jackson at Amazon

The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson

The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson at Amazon

Related pages

• Top 100 famous people
• Michael Jackson.com

Michael Jackson

• Born August 29 , 1958 · Gary, Indiana, USA
• Died June 25 , 2009 · Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA (acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication and involuntary manslaughter)
• Birth name Michael Joseph Jackson
• The Gloved One
• Wacko Jacko
• King Of Pop
• Smelly - called this by Quincy Jones because " Michael wouldn't say &#145;funky.&#146; He&#146;d say &#145;smelly jelly.&#146;"
• Height 5′ 9″ (1.75 m)
• Michael Joseph Jackson was born on August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana, and entertained audiences nearly his entire life. His father, Joe Jackson (no relation to Joe Jackson , also a musician), had been a guitarist, but was forced to give up his musical ambitions following his marriage to Michael's mother Katherine Jackson (née Katherine Esther Scruse). Together, they prodded their growing family's musical interests at home. By the early 1960s, the older boys Jackie, Tito and Jermaine had begun performing around the city; by 1964, Michael and Marlon had joined in. A musical prodigy, Michael's singing and dancing talents were amazingly mature, and he soon became the dominant voice and focus of the Jackson 5 . An opening act for such soul groups as the O-Jays and James Brown , it was Gladys Knight (not Diana Ross ) who officially brought the group to Berry Gordy 's attention, and by 1969, the boys were producing back-to-back chart-busting hits as Motown artists ("I Want You Back," "ABC," "Never Can Say Goodbye," "Got to Be There," etc.). As a product of the 1970s, the boys emerged as one of the most accomplished black pop / soul vocal groups in music history, successfully evolving from a group like The Temptations to a disco phenomenon. Solo success for Michael was inevitable, and by the 1980s, he had become infinitely more popular than his brotherly group. Record sales consistently orbited, culminating in the biggest-selling album of all time, "Thriller" in 1982. A TV natural, he ventured rather uneasily into films, such as playing the Scarecrow in The Wiz (1978) , but had much better luck with elaborate music videos. In the 1990s, the downside as an 1980s pop phenomenon began to rear itself. Michael grew terribly child-like and introverted by his peerless celebrity. A rather timorous, androgynous figure to begin with, his physical appearance began to change drastically, and his behavior grew alarmingly bizarre, making him a consistent target for scandal-making, despite his numerous charitable acts. Two brief marriages -- one to Elvis Presley 's daughter Lisa Marie Presley -- were forged and two children produced by his second wife during that time, but the purposes behind them appeared image-oriented. Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. His passion and artistry as a singer, dancer, writer and businessman were unparalleled, and it is these prodigious talents that will ultimately prevail over the extremely negative aspects of his troubled adult life. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / [email protected]
• Spouses Debbie Rowe (November 15, 1996 - April 2000) (divorced, 2 children) Lisa Marie Presley (May 26, 1994 - August 20, 1996) (divorced)
• Children Prince Michael Jackson Bigi Jackson Paris Jackson
• Parents Joe Jackson Katherine Jackson
• Relatives Jackie Jackson (Sibling) Tito Jackson (Sibling) Jermaine Jackson (Sibling) Marlon Jackson (Sibling) Randy Jackson (Sibling) Brandon Jackson (Sibling) La Toya Jackson (Sibling) Janet Jackson (Sibling) Rebbie Jackson (Sibling) Yashi Brown (Niece or Nephew) Austin Brown (Niece or Nephew) Siggy Jackson (Niece or Nephew) Jermaine Jackson II (Niece or Nephew) Jaafar Jackson (Niece or Nephew) Marlon Jackson Jr. (Niece or Nephew) Billie Bodega (Niece or Nephew) Brittany Jackson (Niece or Nephew) Taj Jackson (Niece or Nephew) TJ Jackson (Niece or Nephew) Jermajesty Jackson (Niece or Nephew) Donte Jackson (Niece or Nephew) Genevieve Jackson (Niece or Nephew) Taryll Jackson (Niece or Nephew) Eissa Al Mana (Niece or Nephew) Autumn Joy Jackson (Niece or Nephew) Stacee Brown (Niece or Nephew) Brandi Jackson (Niece or Nephew)
• The Moonwalk
• Single sequined white glove
• He always wore white socks with black shoes
• Often wore a black hat and a jacket with a ribbon around one sleeve
• Lyrics reflecting his social concerns and hopes for a better world
• At his peak, Jackson was reportedly worth around $1 Billion.
• He claimed to have given $300 million to charity, more than any other celebrity apart from Oprah Winfrey .
• His 1982 album "Thriller" is the biggest selling album of all time, with confirmed sales of over 51 million, and claimed sales of over 100 million copies worldwide. His 1987 album "BAD" is one of the biggest selling albums of all time, with over 20 million copies sold worldwide. His 1991 album "Dangerous" is one of the biggest selling albums of all time, with over 20 million copies sold worldwide.
• He was the first artist to generate seven top ten hits (USA) on one album with "Thriller".
• Following the week of his death, his album sales collectively spiked over 2000%.
• I can't think of a better way to spread the message of world peace than by working with the NFL and being part of Super Bowl XXVII.
• I don't like pop music.
• I'll always be Peter Pan in my heart.
• People think they know me, but they don't. Not really. Actually, I am one of the loneliest people on this earth. I cry sometimes, because it hurts. It does. To be honest, I guess you could say that it hurts to be me.
• "Just because you read it in a magazine or see it on a TV screen doesn't make it factual. To buy it is to feed it." - about tabloid magazines.

Contribute to this page

• Learn more about contributing

More from this person

• View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro

More to explore

Recently viewed.

Michael Jackson Biography and Profile

• Top Artists
• Alternative Music
• Classical Music
• Country Music
• Rap & Hip Hop
• Rhythm & Blues
• World Music
• Heavy Metal
• Latin Music

The Jackson 5 and Early Career

Michael Jackson is one of the most successful and influential pop recording artists of all time. Born in 1958, he began his career as a member of the Jackson 5 recording for Motown with four of his brothers. They hit #1 on the pop singles chart with "I Want You Back" in 1969. It was followed by three more consecutive #1 hits. They were the first recording artists to hit #1 on the pop singles chart with their first four chart hits. The group's popularity faded in the mid 1970's, but, after moving to the CBS record label and calling themselves simply the Jacksons, they consistently hit the charts in the late 1970's and early 1980's. Among their hits in that era were "Shake Your Body (Down To the Ground)" and "Can You Feel It."

Michael Jackson Becomes an Adult Artist With Off the Wall

Michael Jackson hit #1 on the pop singles chart as a solo artist in 1972 serenading a rat with the title song from the movie Ben . He hit the top five with two other early singles. 1971's "Got To Be There" went to #4 and 1972's "Rockin' Robin" hit #2. Michael Jackson didn't near the top of the charts again until seven years later with the release of the album Off the Wall in 1979 produced by Quincy Jones. It was simultaneously a last gasp of disco and an R&B classic that ushered in the 80's. The album peaked at #3 on the album chart, sold over seven million copies and included four top 10 pop singles. The singles "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock With You" went all the way to #1 on the pop singles chart. "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal.

In 1982, three years after Off the Wall , Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson collaborated once again and created Thriller , the bestselling album of all time. It was preceded by the single "The Girl Is Mine," a collaboration with Paul McCartney , which reached #2 on the pop singles chart. A month after the album hit stores, the second single "Billie Jean" was unleashed, and the masterpiece that is Thriller began to unfold. Ultimately, 28 million copies sold in the US and Thriller became the first album to launch seven singles into the pop top 10. "Bille Jean" and "Beat It" both hit #1 and the music video for "Beat It" tore down barriers for African-American artists at MTV. 

The music from Thriller generated a phenomenal eleven Grammy Award nominations. The album took home the award for Album of the Year and "Beat It" won Record of the Year. "Billie Jean" was named Best R&B Song.

It was almost five years after the release of Thriller before Michael Jackson's next album appeared in 1987. Bad was Michael Jackson's third album co-produced by Quincy Jones. The single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" preceded the album and hit the top of the pop singles chart. Ultimately, Bad became the first album to include five #1 pop singles. That record stood until Katy Perry matched it with her Teenage Dream album in 2010-2011. Bad sold over eight million copies in the US. The #1 charting singles were "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," "Bad," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Man In the Mirror," and "Dirty Diana." Music from Bad earned five Grammy Award nominations. The album was nominated for Album of the Year, and "Man In the Mirror" earned a Record of the Year nomination, but Bad won no awards.

By 1991, four years after the release of Bad , some critics wondered whether Michael Jackson was still relevant in the pop world. He signed a 15-year six album deal with Sony Music, and recorded Dangerous with new jack swing pioneer Teddy Riley and Bill Botrell as producers. The album was another major success selling seven million copies, topping the album chart, generating four top 10 singles and spending over two years on the album chart.

The release of the debut single "Black or White" was a worldwide television event. An estimated 500 million viewers watched the John Landis directed clip. The song was released to radio stations two days in advance and was added to playlists on 96% of Billboard's reporting pop radio stations on the first day of release. The music video for "Remember the Time" was a massive production as well directed by celebrated film director John Singleton. It included guest appearances from Eddie Murphy, Magic Johnson, and Iman among others. "Black Or White" earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal.

Michael Jackson's Controversies

Michael Jackson's career and life had their fair share of controversies. In the mid 1980s he was the subject of widespread tabloid stories including tales of sleeping in an oxygen chamber to slow aging, bleaching his skin, and undergoing multiple rounds of plastic surgery. In the early 1990s Michael Jackson was accused of sexually abusing a child in a case ultimately closed for lack of evidence. In 2005 Jackson was put on trial for allegations of sexual molestation. He was acquitted on all counts.

Commercial Decline

In 1995 Michael Jackson released his first compilation album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book 1 . It was a two-disc set and sold over three million copies in the US as well as earning a Grammy Award for Album of the Year. However, an all-new studio album did not appear until 2001. Invincible became the first significant commercial disappointment for Michael Jackson since the 1970s. It sold only two million copies and did not include any #1 hit singles. Only "You Rock My World" hit the top 10.

Top Michael Jackson Hits

• 1979 - "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" (One week at #1)
• 1979 - "Rock With You" (Four weeks at #1)
• 1983 - "Billie Jean" (Seven weeks at #1)
• 1983 - "Beat It!" (Three weeks at #1)
• 1983 - "Say Say Say" with Paul McCartney (Six weeks at #1)
• 1987 - "Bad" (Two weeks at #1)
• 1987 - "The Way You Make Me Feel" (One week at #1)
• 1988 - "Man In the Mirror" (Two weeks at #1)
• 1991 - "Black Or White" (Seven weeks at #1)
• 1995 - "You Are Not Alone" (One week at #1)

More details about each song in Top 20 Michael Jackson Songs .

Top Michael Jackson Videos

• 1979 - "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"
• 1983 - "Beat It!"
• 1983 - "Billie Jean"
• 1984 - "Thriller"
• 1987 - "Bad"
• 1991 - "Black Or White"
• 1992 - "Remember the Time"
• 1995 - "Scream" with Janet Jackson
• 1995 - "You Are Not Alone"
• 1996 - "They Don't Care About Us"

More details about the videos, and a complete listing, in the Guide to Michael Jackson Videos .

Michael Jackson's Comeback Efforts

In 2008 Michael Jackson released Thriller 25, a 25th anniversary re-issue of his bestselling album Thriller that included re-recordings of some of the tracks by top contemporary pop stars including Fergie and Kanye West . It also included one new song "For All Time." Remixes of "The Girl Is Mine" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" were released as singles. The latter climbed to #2 on the dance chart.

In March 2009 Michael Jackson announced that he would perform a series of concerts in London at the O2 arena over the summer. What was originally announced as 10 shows was later extended to 50 that were planned into the year 2010. Rehearsals commenced under the direction of choreographer Kenny Ortega.

Michael Jackson died unexpectedly June 25, 2009 at the age of 50 less than three weeks before the first London concert was scheduled to take place. A public memorial service included performances of his songs by a wide range of top recording artists. A feature film built around rehearsal footage from the planned concert tour titled Michael Jackson's This Is It was released in October 2009. A posthumous studio album titled was released in December 2010. Michael Jackson earned a posthumous Grammy Award nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal for the song "This Is It." In 2014 a second posthumous album with previous unreleased material titled Xscape appeared under the direction of L.A. Reid. It included the top 10 pop hit "Love Never Felt So Good." 

• Michael Jackson in Pictures
• Michael Jackson Videos
• Top Pop Music Artists Of The '80s
• American Bandstand - 10 Great Performances
• Biography of The Weeknd, Grammy Award Winning Canadian Pop Star
• Sia Biography and Career as Songwriter and Performer
• Top 30 Boy Bands of All Time
• New Edition
• Biography of Dusty Springfield, British Soul Singer
• Biography of Jessie J
• Prince Biography
• Neil Diamond Biography: Legendary Pop Singer-Songwriter
• Profile of Maroon 5, Pop-Soul Superstar Band
• Whitney Houston Biography and Profile
• Profile of '80s Superstar and Pop Music Wizard Prince

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Music Interviews

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

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

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

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

1968: Motown signs The Jackson 5.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1988: Doubleday publishes Jackson's autobiography, Moonwalk .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1998: Rowe bears a girl, Paris Michael Katherine.

1999: Jackson and Rowe split.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Michael Jackson

• American History

30 Real Facts About Michael Jackson’s Childhood and How He Became The King of Pop

Michael Jackson is as famous for the strange antics and accusations of his later life as he is for the incredible music career he had spanning decades. While the rumors and trials surrounding possible sexual assault are widely known, as is the name of his infamous Neverland Ranch , Jackson had a turbulent and interesting life before the controversy of his later years. Rising from severe childhood abuse to become arguably the world’s biggest star, Jackson lived with a laser focus on fame through music and dance. While he credited his father with his drive for success, he also admitted that his childhood abuse made him self-conscience and unhappy later in life.

In addition to surviving childhood trauma, Jackson struggled with countless medical issues including a severely broken nose and several attempts at surgical repair, vitiligo which caused skin bleaching controversy, severe scalp burns from an ad mishap, and drug addiction resulting from the painkillers that helped him get through his various injuries. Tragically, his reliance on pharmaceutical drugs ultimately cost him his life when his personal physician administered a fatal combination of sedatives as part of his nighttime pharmaceutical routine to enable him to sleep without nightmares.

NEXT >>

30. Michael Jackson Was Born in Gary, Indiana

When Jackson was born in Gary in 1958, it was a booming part of the Chicago suburban area that provided employment opportunities for African American families. Sadly, the loss of the steel industry, which had employed Michael’s father Joe, led to a drastic reduction in the population of the town. It is now one of the poorest and most violent cities in the Midwest. It is currently estimated that at least one-third of the city’s houses are abandoned or vacant.

<< Previous

29. Michael Jackson Had a Working-Class Family

Michael’s father, Joe, worked for U.S. Steel, one of the major employers in Gary. His father also played with a blues band called The Falcons on the weekend to provide extra income. His mother, Katherine, originally had ambitions to be a country music performer and played clarinet and piano. She abandoned these dreams to work part-time at Sears to support her family and care for her nine living children.

28. Michael Was the 8th of 10 Children

Michael was part of a large family, which was ideal for the creation of a family band like the Jackson 5. He had three sisters, Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet, the latter two having solo music careers as adults. He grew up with five brothers, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy. Marlon’s twin, Brandon, died shortly after birth. All of the boys, except Randy, were members of the Jackson 5.

27. The Family Shared a 2 Bedroom House

While the family had stable employment and more economic opportunity than many African Americans of the era, they still lived on a much lower rung of society. Despite Joe’s full-time job and Katherine’s part-time work, the family could only afford a two-bedroom house for two adults and nine children. The house still stands and looks quite small. It’s hard to imagine so many talented children under a tiny roof.

26. Michael’s Mother Converted the Family to Jehovah’s Witnesses

Katherine Jackson was raised Baptist, while Joe was raised Lutheran. However, in 1963 Katherine converted to the Jehovah’s Witness faith, and her husband and children soon followed. Jehovah’s Witnesses are best known for refusing blood transfusions, refusing military service, and their extensive door-to-door missionary work. Many Jehovah’s Witnesses do not observe birthdays , Christmas, or Easter as they believe the holidays have pagan roots that should not be tolerated.

25. Music Ran In the Family

Michael’s father, Joe, was a professional guitar player, often performing on weekends with a blues band, The Falcons, to earn extra money for the family. One of the members of The Falcons later went on to find fame with a doo-wop group, The Spaniels . Michael’s mother, Katherine, played both clarinet and piano and loved country-western music. As a young woman, she had hoped to be a country-western star but placed that dream on the back-burner to focus on her family.

24. The Jackson 5 Got Their Start on the “Chitlin’ Circuit”

The “ Chitlin’ Circuit ” was the nickname of a group of nightclubs and music venues throughout the Midwest and South that were friendly to black performers. During an era of segregation when even Sammy Davis Jr. was sometimes denied entry with the rest of the Rat Pack, finding black-friendly clubs was a vital part of every black musician’s career. Joe Jackson had his children tour these clubs extensively, including even strip clubs that would traditionally not allow children to enter.

23. The Jackson 5 Won Amateur Night at the Famed Apollo in Harlem

The Apollo Theater in Harlem is an infamous beacon for black cultural acts. Countless comedians, actors, and musicians have gotten their start on the stage of the Apollo . Joe Jackson entered his children’s group, The Jackson 5, in the theater’s weekly amateur night contest as part of their “Chitlin’ Circuit” tour, which they won. Other famous amateur contest winners include Jimi Hendrix, only three years before the Jackson 5 win in 1967.

22. Michael Popularized The Robot Dance on Soul Train

Soul Train was a long-running television program featuring live music, most frequently from R&B, soul, and dance performers many of whom were African American. The Jackson 5 appeared on the show to perform “Dancing Machine,” during which Michael performed the robot dance . The unique dance was a hit, and Michael’s performance helped popularize the dance around the country in a fad that would foreshadow his later moonwalking performance.

21. Jackson Frequented Studio 54

Michael Jackson moved to New York City in 1978 in order to film the notorious box-office flop The Wiz. While living in New York, Jackson was a frequent attendee of the infamous Studio 54 nightclub . While most famous for its disco scene, Studio 54 was also home to many early hip-hop performers which had an enormous influence on Jackson and his later music. He was particularly affected by beatboxing he saw at Studio 54.

20. Jackson Broke His Nose in 1979, Which Led To Numerous Rhinoplasties

During a dance routine, Jackson slipped and landed on his face breaking his nose. While he immediately had a medical rhinoplasty to correct the damage, it was not successful, and he reportedly had significant problems breathing through his nose. This led to additional rhinoplasties to attempt to repair his airway . Jackson used Dr. Steven Hoefflin for his numerous surgeries, a plastic surgeon who worked for countless other celebrities including Elizabeth Taylor and Ivana Trump.

19. Quincy Jones Agreed to Produce Jackson’s Fifth Solo Album After Collaborating on The Wiz

While The Wiz was a box-office failure that did little for Jackson’s career by itself, it led to a producing partnership that would drastically evolve Michael’s style and allow him to reach higher pinnacles of fame. Famed producer Quincy Jones arranged the score for the film and agreed to produce Michael’s next solo album while they were working on the film together. Off the Wall, the first collaboration between Jones and Jackson, cemented his status as a solo star.

18. Jackson Had The Highest Royalty Rates In the Music Industry in the 1980s

Thanks to the break-out hits of “Rock With You” and “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough,” Jackson secured a record 37% royalty on his album’s profits . After the massive cultural zeitgeist of Thriller which helped to launch the new Music Television Channel (MTV,) Jackson was able to command an even higher record-setting royalty from his record label. In 1984 he received $2 of every album sold, which amounted to 25% of all record sales.

17. “Thriller” Is the Only Music Video Preserved By the Library of Congress

The short film music video for “Thriller,” directed by famed National Lampoon series director John Landis, shocked the nation and helped launch MTV. The iconic dance quickly became a feature of weddings and parties, and Jackson’s red suit became a frequently mimicked cultural icon. The cultural impact of the video was so significant it is still the only music video preserved by the Library of Congress to achieve its aim of preserving the hallmarks of American media and culture.

16. Jackson Suffered Second Degree Scalp Burns Filming a Pepsi Commercial in 1984

Jackson was the star of a high-budget Pepsi ad in 1984 that featured the pop star performing against a backdrop of fireworks. Sadly, one of the pyrotechnic devices misfired and shot a flaming projectile at Jackson. Due to being covered in stage makeup and hair products, his head was quickly engulfed in flames which led to second-degree burns all over his scalp. The pain from the injuries led to Jackson overusing prescription painkillers, a recurring issue in later years.

15. Ronald Reagan Gave Jackson a Humanitarian Award

Michael Jackson was a generous philanthropist. He supported HIV/AIDS causes at a time when such support was still controversial and unpopular. The Thriller singer also created his own foundation, the Heal the World Foundation, in 1992 with the intention to help underprivileged youth enjoy a healthy and happy childhood , something Jackson never had. He also contributed to humanitarian causes including relief to Kosovo war victims. He also toured AIDS-ravaged countries in Africa, including Gabon and Egypt.

14. Jackson Allowed the Press to Spread Rumors About Him

Believing that any press was good press, Michael Jackson allowed the media to spread many untrue rumors about him, including that he slept in an oxygen tent to stay young and that he attempted to purchase the elephant man’s skeleton. He didn’t think arguing with the press would do any good, as they were deeply invested in using his name and fame to drive headlines. Michael Jackson only began to fight back during the sexual assault accusations .

13. Jackson Consistently Denied Allegations of Skin Bleaching

Michael Jackson went to his grave denying that he ever bleached his skin. While some people close to him claimed that he did, in fact, bleach his skin others stated that he merely wore thick, pale cake makeup to even out the patchy appearance caused by his vitiligo. Jackson publicly spoke of his vitiligo diagnosis, notably on Oprah Winfrey’s television show, and again denied trying to change his race or bleach his skin. His autopsy confirmed vitiligo .

12. Jackson Hated The Press’ Nickname of “Wacko Jacko”

While Jackson peacefully allowed the media to spread countless rumors about him, their moniker of “ Wacko Jacko ,” given due to his reportedly childish behavior and strange antics profoundly bothered him. He made no effort to deny patently false and strange stories, like that of attempting to purchase Joseph Merrick’s skeleton , but being called crazy by the same people who published falsehoods was deeply offensive to him.

11. Jackson Was The First Westerner To Appear In an Ad on USSR Television

1984’s Pepsi commercial wasn’t famous only for severely burning its star. It also became the first Pepsi ad to broadcast in the communist USSR on purchased airtime. Only one had aired earlier, free of charge, during the Goodwill Games in 1986. Michael Jackson also became the first western star to appear in an advertisement in the Soviet Union. His lyrics were allowed to be aired in English with no Russian dubbing or Cyrillic alphabet subtitles.

10. Elizabeth Taylor Popularized Jackson’s Moniker of “King of Pop”

Elizabeth Taylor, a personal friend of Jackson, presented him with the Soul Train Heritage Award in 1989, saying that he was “the true king of pop, rock and soul.” Taylor’s famous quip quickly popularized the name “ King of Pop ” for Jackson, which persisted throughout the rest of his career. Taylor would later go on to hold her eighth and final wedding, to Larry Fortensky, at Jackson’s Neverland Ranch.

9. Jackson Began Building the Infamous Neverland Ranch in 1988

Michael Jackson built Neverland ranch to create the childhood he never had, going so far as to name the home after the mythical realm in Peter Pan where children never grow up. Jackson had several amusement-park rides installed at the ranch alongside a working railroad and petting zoo. The home became sullied for Jackson after the numerous accusations of child molestation arose from visitors to the property. He never lived there again after infamous 1993 trial.

8. Jackson Married Elvis Presley’s Only Child, Lisa Marie, in 1994

The year 1993 was a difficult time for Michael Jackson. It was the height of the first round of sexual assault and child molestation charges against him. Throughout this period he relied on his friend Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of Elvis Presley, for support. In 1994, the two wed . Many in the media claimed that the marriage was a sham to try to improve Jackson’s public image. They amicably divorced two years later.

7. Jackson’s Father, Joe, Was Physically and Emotionally Abusive

Often described as one of Hollywood’s cruelest fathers, Joe Jackson was incredibly physically and emotionally abusive towards his children. Focused on their success at any cost, Joe would beat his children with belts for mistakes and often mocked them. His daughter, La Toya, even claimed that her father sexually abused her as a child. In her later years, she retracted these claims and blamed them on an abusive husband.

6. Joe Jackson Ridiculed Michael For His “Fat Nose” As a Child, Leading to Michael’s Obsession With His Appearance

In addition to beating his children, Joe Jackson also mocked and berated his children to ensure their hard work and compliance. For Michael, this often took the form of his father mocking his “fat nose,” a particularly brutal insult given the history of racial prejudice towards African American facial features, including noses. Michael said in interviews that this mockery led to a lifelong dissatisfaction with his appearance.

5. Witnesses Saw Joe Beat and Trip Michael

Michael was far from the only person to level physical abuse charges against his father, Joe. One witness saw Joe push a young Michael so that he tripped into a drum set. The man reported that Michael was pretty banged up from the fall. Others saw Joe take a belt to the young boy to enforce perfect rehearsals. It appears that Joe’s behavior was a rather open secret in the music industry, with many being aware of his disciplinary tactics.

4. Michael Was So Afraid of His Father He Would Often Vomit or Faint When Forced to Be Near Him

Michael seemed to receive the brunt of his father’s disciplinary abuse. He was both the youngest member of the Jackson 5 and its breakout star, so his performances had to be perfect. Witnesses reported that Joe beat Michael and sometimes even tripped him to cause him to fall into instruments or off stages. Michael was reportedly so terrified of his father he would vomit and faint in his presence. He also had nightmares throughout his life.

3. Joe Jackson Later Admitted to Whipping His Son

Both of Michael Jackson’s parents later revealed the physical abuse of their sons. While some of Michael’s brothers claimed their parents only disciplined them, not abused, Michael consistently called his father abusive. Katherine Jackson admitted to whipping but argued that it was an acceptable punishment in the era in which they raised their children. Joe also confirmed the beatings but, like his wife, denied they were abusive but rather discipline.

2. Joe Would Watch His Children Rehearse With a Belt In Hand, and Beat Them for Any Mistakes, Especially Michael As the Star of the Family

Numerous accounts from bystanders and witnesses have confirmed that Joe Jackson was a brutal perfectionist towards his children. Michael reminisced about times his father would watch them rehearse for hours on end, sitting in a chair with a belt ready. If any mistakes were made, especially by the young star Michael, their father would launch into punishment with the belt. One cannot even imagine the stress of having to rehearse cheerful music under the threat of painful punishment endlessly.

1. Jackson Claimed He Had No Childhood, Only Work, Which Led to His Lifelong Focus on Children and Childhood

When Jackson spoke of his childhood, it was often regarding the extreme loneliness he felt due to having no companions his own age other than his brothers. Jackson worked nonstop from an extremely young age and wasn’t able to enjoy any of the ordinary experiences typical of American childhood. This lack led Jackson to have a fixation on youth and happy childhoods, which drove him to build Neverland ranch and start his Heal the World Foundation.

Where did we find this stuff? Here are our sources:

Biography – Michael Jackson

Hubpages – How Michael Jackson’s Childhood Experiences Affected His Adult Life

Biography – Michael Jackson: Inside His Early Years in Gary, Indiana With His Musical Family

NPR – The Origin (And Hot Stank) Of The ‘Chitlin’ Circuit’

Song Facts – Dancing Machine by The Jackson 5

EUR Web – Nov. 3, 1973: The Day ‘The Robot’ Dance Became Famous

Medium – How Much Plastic Surgery Did Michael Jackson Actually Have?

Time Magazine – Behind the Scenes of The Wiz With Michael Jackson

The Washington Post – Five Myths About Michael Jackson

Associate Press – The Aftermath of Michael Jackson and Oprah: What About His Face?

The VOX – The Whitewashing Of Michael Jackson

The Guardian – The Michael Jackson Accusers: ‘The Abuse Didn’t Feel Strange, Because He Was Like A God’

Vanity Fair – 10 Undeniable Facts About the Michael Jackson Sexual-Abuse Allegations

Biography – Inside Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley’s Head-Scratching Marriage

US Magazine – Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley: A Timeline of Their Brief Marriage

NBC News – New Details About 1993 Jackson Case

Opera News – Why Michael Jackson Was Stripped Naked, Arrested and Some Other Things You Never Knew About Him

Little Things – Michael Jackson’s Relationship With Race And Police Are Relevant Again 11 Years After His Death

You May Also Interested: Intriguing Facts About Freddie Mercury and Queen

• History Classics
• Your Profile
• Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window)
• Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window)
• Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window)
• Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window)
• Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window)
• This Day In History
• History Podcasts
• History Vault

This Day In History : August 29

Changing the day will navigate the page to that given day in history. You can navigate days by using left and right arrows

Michael Jackson is born

Pop sensation Michael Jackson is born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana .

Jackson began performing with his four brothers in the pop group the Jackson 5 when he was a child. The group scored its first No. 1 single in 1969, with “I Want You Back.” By age 11, Jackson was appearing on TV, and by age 14 he had released his first solo album. A Jackson 5 TV cartoon series appeared in the early ’70s, and in 1976 the Jackson family, including sister Janet Jackson, launched a TV variety show called The Jacksons that ran for one season. Throughout the 70s, media attention focused on Michael, who piped vocals in his high voice for “ABC,” “I’ll Be There,” and many other Top 20 hits.

Jackson released several solo albums in the ’70s, but his great breakthrough came in 1979 with Off the Wall . He became the first solo artist to score four Top 10 hits from one album, including “She’s Out of My Life” and “Rock with You.” His next album, Thriller (1983), became the biggest selling album up to that time, selling some 45 million copies around the world. This time, he scored seven Top 10 singles, and the album won eight Grammies. Although his next album, Bad (1987), sold only about half as many copies as Thriller , it was still a tremendous best-seller. In 1991, Jackson signed an unprecedented $65 million record deal with Sony. That year, he released Dangerous .

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Jackson developed a reputation as an eccentric recluse. He moved to a 2,700-acre ranch called Neverland, which he outfitted with wild animals and a Ferris wheel. He underwent a facelift and nose job and was rumored to have lightened his skin through chemical treatment, though he claimed his increasing pallor was due to a skin disease. In 1993, scandal broke when Jackson was publicly accused of child molestation and underwent investigation. The case settled out of court. In 1994, Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley; the couple later divorced. Jackson married Deborah Rowe in 1996, and the couple had two children, Prince and Paris, before divorcing in 1999.

On June 13, 2005, Jackson was acquitted of sexual molestation of a young boy, Gavin Arvizo, in criminal court. 

Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, in Los Angeles, California, just weeks before a planned concert tour billed as his “comeback.” He was 50 years old. 

A 2019 documentary, Leaving Neverland , raised two more credible allegations of sexual abuse from when Jackson was alive. Jackson's family and estate continue to deny the claims. 

Also on This Day in History August | 29

Republican John McCain selects Sarah Palin as his running mate

Native American group occupies Mount Rushmore to protest broken Treaty of Fort Laramie

Thousands of mexican american antiwar activists march in chicano moratorium.

This Day in History Video: What Happened on August 29

Soviets explode atomic bomb, hurricane katrina slams into gulf coast.

Wake Up to This Day in History

Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. Get all of today's events in just one email featuring a range of topics.

By submitting your information, you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Networks. You can opt out at any time. You must be 16 years or older and a resident of the United States.

More details : Privacy Notice | Terms of Use | Contact Us

Brazilian marathoner assaulted at Olympics

Ishi discovered in california, actress ingrid bergman dies on her birthday, richard jewell, hero security guard wrongly accused as olympic bombing suspect, dies, north and south clash at the second battle of bull run, charles f. kettering, inventor of electric self‑starter, is born, women join british war effort.

Triumph & Tragedy: The Life of Michael Jackson

By Mikal Gilmore

Mikal Gilmore

This story was originally published in the 2009 special edition dedicated to Michael Jackson .

He was, in the end, precisely what he claimed and struggled to be: the biggest star in the world. If there had been any doubt, it ended on the afternoon of June 25th, 2009, when the news broke that Michael Jackson had died of apparent cardiac arrest in Los Angeles at age 50. The outpouring of first shock, then grief, was the largest, most instantaneous of its kind the world had ever known, short of the events of September 11th, 2001. Though the deaths of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. affected history more, and the deaths of Elvis Presley, John Lennon and Kurt Cobain signified the end of epochs, no single death has ever moved so fast around the globe, or to the forefront of all news, as swiftly as Michael Jackson’s.

In the days that followed, news channels, TV specials, feature magazines and front pages tried to understand what happened. Not so much the events of Jackson’s death – though there was confusion surrounding that – but rather the nature of his life and legacy. He was a man with a complicated personality, a man with a history that was both glorious and notorious. He was not a man that anybody felt nothing about. The most affecting statement I heard came from a young black man, Egberto Willies, whose self-chronicled video statement aired on CNN: “I grew up,” Willies said, and paused a beat, “on Michael Jackson. I loved … Michael Jackson. I hated … Michael Jackson. I admired … Michael Jackson. I was ashamed … of Michael Jackson. I was sorry … for Michael Jackson. I was proud … of Michael Jackson.”

What immediately became obvious in all the coverage is that despite the dishonor that had come upon him, despite the worst kinds of allegations against him, despite his extravagances, his idiosyncratic fears, his perceived megalomania (or narcissism) and his prolonged abandonment of his art, the world still respected Michael Jackson for the music he made for more than four decades. No single artist – indeed, no movement or force – has eclipsed what Jackson accomplished in the first years of his adult solo career. Clearly, many other artists have given us great art, great outrage, great invention and great rejuvenation – but Michael Jackson changed the balance in the pop world in a way that nobody has since. He forced rock & roll and the mainstream press to acknowledge that the biggest pop star in the world could be young and black, and in doing so he broke down more barriers than anybody. But he is also among the best proofs in living memory of poet William Carlos Williams’ famous verse: “The pure products of America/go crazy.” American music has had fewer pure products than Michael Jackson.

Editor’s picks

Every awful thing trump has promised to do in a second term, the 250 greatest guitarists of all time, the 500 greatest albums of all time, 25 most influential creators of 2024.

There is no story in popular music as providential yet as tragic as the story of Michael Jackson. Both destinies ran throughout his life, more or less from the beginning: While still a child, he became the central source of support for a large family and an incalculable asset to one of the most important record labels in history. Jackson benefited from all of that – he won fame and money, and developed a self-image that set him apart from almost everybody. He lived vast lives within himself – it’s where he brooded and transformed his resentments and desires into both blissful and fierce art. It’s also where he found his strengths, and where he kept his frailties until they became lethal foibles. Given his upbringing, you can see why he had to make that life within.

Michael’s father, Joe Jackson, was a crane operator during the 1950s, in Gary, Indiana – a place in which, according to Dave Marsh’s Trapped: Michael Jackson and the Crossover Dream , quotas were imposed on how many black workers were allowed to advance into skilled trades in the city’s mills. Black workers were paid less than the white workers, and also suffered much higher rates of fatal industry-related illnesses – but Joe Jackson held hopes that music would lift his life. Michael’s mother, Katherine Scruse, was from Alabama but was living in East Chicago, Indiana, when she met Joe. She had grown up hearing country & western music, and although she entertained her own dreams of singing and playing music, a bout of polio had left her with a permanent limp. Joe and Katherine were a young couple, married in 1949, and began a large family immediately. Their first child, Maureen (Rebbie), was born in 1950, followed by Sigmund (Jackie) in 1951, Toriano (Tito) in 1953, Jermaine in 1954, La Toya in 1956 and Marlon in 1957. Michael was born on August 29th, 1958, and Randy was born in 1961. Janet, the last born, wouldn’t arrive until 1966.

50 Best Michael Jackson Songs

500 greatest songs of all time (2004), paris jackson: life after neverland.

Michael and his siblings heard music all the time. Joe had a strong inclination toward the rowdy electric urban blues that had developed in nearby Chicago, and also for early rock & roll. Along with his brothers, Joe formed a band, the Falcons, and made some modest extra income from playing bars and college dances around Gary. “They would do some of the great early rock & roll and blues songs by Chuck Berry, Little Richard … you name it,” Michael wrote in his 1988 autobiography, Moonwalk . “All those styles were amazing and each had an influence on … us, though we were too young to know it at the time.” 

When the Falcons folded, Joe retired his guitar to a bedroom closet, and he guarded it jealously, just as he did everything in his domain. Katherine, though, sometimes led her children in country-music singalongs, during which she taught them to harmonize. Tito, like his father, had a quick affinity for playing instruments, and one day after retrieving Joe’s guitar to practice with his brothers, he broke a string. As Michael later recalled, Joe whipped Tito for the infraction – “he let him have it” – then challenged his son to show him what he could play. As it turned out, Tito impressed his father. Maybe in those moments Joe Jackson saw a future hope blossom again. He bought Tito his own guitar and taught him some Ray Charles music, then he got Jermaine a bass. Soon he was working all his sons into an ensemble. Though Joe was at heart a blues man, he appreciated that contemporary R&B – Motown and soul – was the music that attracted his sons. Joe groomed Jermaine to be lead singer, but one day, Katherine saw Michael, just four at the time, singing along to a James Brown song, and Michael – in both his voice and moves – was already eclipsing his older brother. She told Joe, “I think we have another lead singer.” Katherine would later say that sometimes Michael’s precocious abilities frightened her – she probably saw that his childhood might give way to stardom – but she also recognized that there was something undeniable about his young voice, that it could communicate longings and experiences that no child could yet know. Michael was also a natural center of attention. He loved singing and dancing, and because he was so young – such an unexpected vehicle for a rousing, dead-on soulful expression – he became an obvious point of attention when he and his brothers performed. Little Michael Jackson was cute, but little Michael Jackson was also dynamite.

There is no story in popular music as providential yet as tragic as the story of Michael Jackson. 

It’s clear that Joe Jackson was good at what he did. “He knew exactly what I had to do to become a professional,” Michael later said. “He taught me exactly how to hold a mike and make gestures to the crowd and how to handle an audience.” But by Joe’s own admission he was also unrelenting. “When I found out that my kids were interested in becoming entertainers, I really went to work with them,” he told Time in 1984. “I rehearsed them about three years before I turned them loose. That’s practically every day, for at least two or three hours. … They got a little upset about the whole thing in the beginning because the other kids were out having a good time. … Then I saw that after they became better, they enjoyed it more.” That isn’t always how Michael remembered it. “We’d perform for him, and he’d critique us,” he wrote in Moonwalk . “If you messed up, you got hit, sometimes with a belt, sometimes with a switch. … I’d get beaten for things that happened mostly outside rehearsal. Dad would make me so mad and hurt that I’d try to get back at him and get beaten all the more. I’d take a shoe and throw it at him, or I’d just fight back, swinging my fists. That’s why I got it more than all my brothers combined. I’d fight back, and my father would kill me, just tear me up.” Those moments – and probably many more – created a loss that Jackson never got over. He was essential to the family’s music making, but there was no other bond between father and son. Again, from Moonwalk : “One of the few things I regret most is never being able to have a real closeness with him. He built a shell around himself over the years, and once he stopped talking about our family business, he found it hard to relate to us. We’d all be together, and he’d just leave the room.”

Around 1964, Joe began entering the Jackson brothers in talent contests, many of which they handily won. A single they cut for the local Steeltown recording label, “Big Boy,” achieved local success. “At first I told myself they were just kids,” Joe said in 1971. “I soon realized they were very professional. There was nothing to wait for. The boys were ready for stage training, and I ran out of reasons to keep them from the school of hard knocks.” In 1966, he booked his sons into Gary’s black nightclubs, as well as some in Chicago. Many of the clubs served alcohol, and several featured strippers. “This is quite a life for a nine-year-old,” Katherine would remind her husband, but Joe was undaunted. “I used to stand in the wings of this one place in Chicago and watch a lady whose name was Mary Rose,” Michael recalled. “This girl would take off her clothes and her panties and throw them to the audience. The men would pick them up and sniff them and yell. My brothers and I would be watching all this, taking it in, and my father wouldn’t mind.” Sam Moore, of Sam and Dave, recalled Joe locking Michael – who was maybe 10 years old – in a dressing room while Joe went off on his own adventures. Michael sat alone for hours. He also later recalled having to go onstage even if he’d been sick in bed that day.

Michael and his brothers began to tour on what was still referred to as the “chitlin circuit” – a network of black venues throughout the U.S. (Joe made sure his sons kept their school studies up to date and maintained their grades at an acceptable level.) In these theaters and clubs, the Jacksons opened for numerous R&B artists, including the Temptations, Sam and Dave, Jackie Wilson, Jerry Butler, the O’Jays and Etta James, though no one was as important to Michael as James Brown. 

“I knew every step, every grunt, every spin and turn,” he recalled. “He would give a performance that would exhaust you, just wear you out emotionally. His whole physical presence, the fire coming out of his pores, would be phenomenal. You’d feel every bead of sweat on his face, and you’d know what he was going through….You couldn’t teach a person what I’ve learned just standing and watching.” 

The most famous site on these tours was the Apollo in New York, where the Jackson 5 won an Amateur Night show in 1967. Joe had invested everything he had in his sons’ success, though of course any real recognition or profit would be his success as well. While on the circuit, Joe had come to know Gladys Knight, who was enjoying a string of small successes with Motown, America’s pre-eminent black pop label. With the encouragement of both Knight and Motown R&B star Bobby Taylor, Joe took his sons to Detroit to audition for the label. In 1969, Motown moved the Jackson family to Los Angeles, set them up at the homes of Diana Ross and the label’s owner, Berry Gordy, and began grooming them. Michael remembered Gordy telling them, “I’m gonna make you the biggest thing in the world. … Your first record will be a number one, your second record will be a number one, and so will your third record. Three number-one records in a row.” 

In 1959, Gordy founded Tamla Records – which soon became known as Motown – in Detroit. By the time he signed the Jackson 5 , Motown had long enjoyed its status as the most important black-owned and -operated record label in America, spawning the successes of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, the Temptations, Mary Wells, the Four Tops, and Diana Ross and the Supremes, among others. In contrast to Stax and Atlantic, Motown’s soul wasn’t especially bluesy or gritty, nor was it a music that spoke explicitly to social matters or to the black struggle in the U.S. By its nature the label exemplified black achievement, but its music was calibrated for assimilation by the pop mainstream – which of course meant a white audience as much as a black one (the label’s early records bore the legend “The Sound of Young America”). At the time, rock music was increasingly becoming a medium for album-length works. By contrast, Motown maintained its identity as a factory that manufactured hit singles, despite groundbreaking albums by Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. Gordy was looking for a singles-oriented group that would not only deliver hits for young people, but would also give them somebody to seize as their own, to identify with and to adore. The Jackson 5, Gordy said, would exemplify “bubblegum soul.”

The Jackson 5’s first three singles – “I Want You Back,” “ABC” and “The Love You Save” – became Number One hits as Gordy had promised, and so did a fourth, “I’ll Be There.” The group was established as the breakout sensation of 1970. Fred Rice, who would create Jackson 5 merchandise for Motown, said, “I call ’em the black Beatles. … It’s unbelievable.” And he was right. The Jackson 5 defined the transition from 1960s soul to 1970s pop as much as Sly and the Family Stone did, and at a time when many Americans were uneasy about minority aspirations to power, the Jackson 5 conveyed an agreeable ideal of black pride, one that reflected kinship and aspiration rather than opposition. They represented a realization that the civil rights movement made possible, and that couldn’t have happened even five or six years earlier. Moreover, the Jackson 5 earned critical respectability. Reviewing “I Want You Back” in Rolling Stone , Jon Landau wrote , “The arrangement, energy and simple spacing of the rhythm all contribute to the record’s spellbinding impact.” And though they functioned as a group, there was no question who the Jackson 5’s true star was, and who they depended on. Michael’s voice also worked beyond conventional notions of male-soul vocals – even worked beyond gender. Cultural critic and musician Jason King, in an outstanding essay, recently wrote, “It is not an exaggeration to say that he was the most advanced popular singer of his age in the history of recorded music. His untrained tenor was uncanny. By all rights, he shouldn’t have had as much vocal authority as he did at such a young age.”

Fred Rice, who would create Jackson 5 merchandise for Motown, said, “I call ’em the black Beatles. … It’s unbelievable.”

For at least the first few years, Michael and his brothers seemed omnipresent and enjoyed universal praise. But soon they experienced some hard limitations. The music they were making wasn’t really of invention – they didn’t write or produce it – and after Michael was relegated to recording throwback fare like “Rockin’ Robin,” in 1972, he worried that the Jackson 5 would become an “oldies act” before he left adolescence. The Jackson 5 began pushing to produce themselves and to create their own sound. Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye had demonstrated an ability to grow and change – and sell records – when given creative leeway, and with 1974’s “Dancing Machine,” the Jacksons proved they could thrive when they seized a funk groove. Motown, however, wouldn’t consider it. “They not only refused to grant our requests,” Michael said in Moonwalk , “they told us it was taboo to even mention that we wanted to do our own music.” Michael understood what this meant: Not only would Motown not let the Jackson 5 grow, they also wouldn’t let him grow. Michael bided his time, studying the producers he and his brothers worked with. “I was like a hawk preying in the night,” he said. “I’d watch everything. They didn’t get away with nothing without me seeing. I really wanted to get into it.”

In 1975, Joe Jackson negotiated a new deal for his sons – this time with Epic Records, for a 500 percent royalty-rate increase. The contract also stipulated solo albums from the Jacksons (though the arrangement did not include Jermaine, who married Gordy’s daughter Hazel and stayed with Motown, creating a rift with the family that lasted for several years). Motown tried to block the deal, and in the end stopped the brothers from using the Jackson 5 name; the group would now be known as the Jacksons. Epic initially placed them with Philadelphia producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, but it wouldn’t be until 1978’s Destiny that the Jacksons finally seized control over their own music and recast their sound – sexy and smooth in the dance-floor hits “Blame It on the Boogie” and the momentous “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground),” and reflecting a new depth and emotional complexity in songs like “Push Me Away” and “Bless His Soul.”

Destiny , though, was merely a prelude: By the time the album was finished, Michael was ready to make crucial changes that would establish his ascendancy as a solo artist. He fired his father as his manager and in effect found himself a new father, producer Quincy Jones, whom Michael connected with while filming The Wiz (a reworking of The Wizard of Oz ). Jones was a respected jazz musician, bandleader, composer and arranger who had worked with Clifford Brown, Frank Sinatra, Lesley Gore, Count Basie, Aretha Franklin and Paul Simon, and he had written the film scores for The Pawnbroker , In Cold Blood and In the Heat of the Night . Jackson liked the arranger’s ear for mixing complex hard beats with soft overlayers. “It was the first time that I fully wrote and produced my songs,” Jackson said later, “and I was looking for somebody who would give me that freedom, plus somebody who’s unlimited musically.” Specifically, Jackson said his solo album had to sound different than the Jacksons; he wanted a cleaner and funkier sound. The pairing proved as fortuitous as any collaboration in history. Jones brought an ethereal buoyancy to Jackson’s soft erotic fever on songs like “Rock With You” and “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough,” and in a stunning moment like “She’s Out of My Life,” Jones had the good sense to let nothing obscure the magnificent heartbreak in the singer’s voice. The resulting album, Off the Wall – which established Jackson as a mature artistic force in his own right – has the most unified feel of any of his works. It was also a massive hit, selling more than 5 million copies in the U.S. alone by 1985. 

Michael Jackson had in effect become one of the biggest black artists America had ever produced, and he expected Off the Wall to win top honors during the 1980 Grammy Awards ceremony. Instead, it received only one honor, for Best Male R&B vocal. The Doobie Brothers’ “What a Fool Believes” won for Record of the Year, and Billy Joel’s 52nd Street won Album of the Year. Jackson was stunned and bitter. “My family thought I was going crazy because I was weeping so much about it,” he recalled. “I felt ignored and it hurt. I said to myself, ‘Wait until next time’ – they won’t be able to ignore the next album. … That experience lit a fire in my soul.” 

Jackson told Jones – and apparently others as well – that his next album wouldn’t simply be bigger than Off the Wall , it would be the biggest album ever. When Thriller was released in November 1982, it didn’t seem to have any overarching theme or even a cohesive style. Instead, it sounded like an assembly of singles – like a greatest-hits album, before the fact. But it became evident fast that this was exactly what Jackson intended Thriller to be: a brilliant collection of songs intended as hits, each one designed with mass crossover audiences in mind. Jackson put out “Billie Jean” for the dance crowd, “Beat It” for the white rockers, and then followed each crossover with crafty videos designed to enhance both his allure and his inaccessibility. Yet after hearing these songs find their natural life on radio, it was obvious that they were something more than exceptional highlights. They were a well-conceived body of passion, rhythm and structure that defined the sensibility – if not the inner life – of the artist behind them. These were instantly compelling songs about emotional and sexual claustrophobia, about hard-earned adulthood and about a newfound brand of resolution that worked as an arbiter between the artist’s fears and the inescapable fact of his fame. “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ ” had the sense of a vitalizing nightmare in its best lines (“You’re stuck in the middle/And the pain is thunder. … Still they hate you, you’re a vegetable. … They eat off you, you’re a vegetable”). “Billie Jean,” in the meantime, exposed the ways in which the interaction between the artist’s fame and the outside world might invoke soul-killing dishonor (“People always told me, be careful of what you do. … ‘Cause the lie becomes the truth,” Jackson sings, possibly thinking of a paternity charge from a while back). And “Beat It” was pure anger – a rousing depiction of violence as a male stance, as a social inheritance that might be overcome. In sum, Thriller’s parts added up to the most improbable kind of art – a work of personal revelation that was also a mass-market masterpiece. It’s an achievement that will likely never be topped.

Except, in a sense, Jackson did top it, and he did it within months after Thriller ’s release. It came during a May 16th, 1983, TV special celebrating Motown’s 25th anniversary. Jackson had just performed a medley of greatest hits with his brothers. It was exciting stuff, but for Michael it wasn’t enough. As his brothers said their goodbyes and left the stage, Michael remained. He seemed shy for a moment, trying to find words to say. “Yeah,” he almost whispered, “those were good old days. … I like those songs a lot. But especially—” and then he placed the microphone into the stand with a commanding look and said, “I like the new songs.” He swooped down, picked up a fedora, put it on his head with confidence, and vaulted into “Billie Jean.” This was one of Michael Jackson’s first public acts as a star outside and beyond the Jacksons, and it was startlingly clear that he was not only one of the most thrilling live performers in pop music, but that he was perhaps more capable of inspiring an audience’s imagination than any single pop artist since Elvis Presley. There are times when you know you are hearing or seeing something extraordinary, something that captures the hopes and dreams popular music might aspire to, and that might unite and inflame a new audience. That time came that night, on TV screens across the nation – the sight of a young man staking out his territory, and just starting to lay claim to his rightful pop legend. “Almost 50 million people saw that show,” Jackson wrote in Moonwalk . “After that, many things changed.”

He was right. That was the last truly blessed moment in Michael Jackson’s life. After that, everything became argument and recrimination. And in time, decay.

Before going into that area – where the story breaks in two – it’s probably worth asking, What kind of person was Michael Jackson at that time? What were his hopes and his problems? What did he want his music to say or accomplish? How did he relate to the audience who loved him, and how did he relate to himself? Up to this point, these questions haven’t really figured; Michael Jackson was an immensely talented young man – he seemed shy but ambitious, and he certainly seemed enigmatic. Nobody knew much about his beliefs or his sex life; he rarely gave interviews, but he also didn’t land himself in scandals. He did, however, describe himself as a lonely person – particularly around the time he made Off the Wall . Former Los Angeles Times music critic Robert Hilburn recently wrote of meeting Jackson in 1981 , when the singer was 23, that Jackson struck him as “one of the most fragile and lonely people I’ve ever met … almost abandoned. When I asked why he didn’t live on his own like his brothers, instead remaining at his parents’ house, he said, ‘Oh, no, I think I’d die on my own. I’d be so lonely. Even at home, I’m lonely. I sit in my room and sometimes cry. It is so hard to make friends, and there are some things you can’t talk to your parents or family about. I sometimes walk around the neighborhood at night, just hoping to find someone to talk to. But I just end up coming home.’ ” 

Jackson’s social uneasiness was probably formed by the wounds in his history; the children were insulated from others their age, and Jackson’s status as a lifelong star may have left him feeling not just cut off from most people, but also alien from them – as if his experience or his vocation made him extraordinary. “I hate to admit it,” he once said, “but I feel strange around everyday people.” Not exactly an unusual sentiment for some cloistered celebrities, especially former child stars. At the same time, it’s a statement full of signals: Jackson didn’t enjoy the sort of company that might guide him in positive ways. He probably never did, throughout his life. Maybe the most troubling passage in Moonwalk is when he talks about children in the entertainment world who eventually fell prey to drugs: “I can understand … considering the enormous stresses put upon them at a young age. It’s a difficult life.”

In any event, Michael Jackson seemed clearly reputable – eminent though not heroic, not yet messianic, and certainly not contemptible. Thriller placed seven singles in Billboard’s Top 10 and also became the biggest-selling album in history (presently around 50 million copies or more), and at the 1984 Grammy Awards, Jackson finally claimed his due, capturing eight awards, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year. Then, months later, it was announced that Michael would be setting out on a nationwide tour with the Jacksons. He hadn’t wanted to undertake the venture but felt obliged (“Those were slim shoulders on which to place such burdens,” he wrote of his lifelong family pressures). Clearly, his talents and aspirations went beyond the limitations that his family act imposed on him. By all rights, he should have been taking the stage alone at that point in his career.

Jackson’s aversion to the Victory Tour was apparent when he sat looking miserable at press conferences or when he had to denounce statements by his father that he interpreted as casting aspersions on the Jacksons’ management team of Ron Weisner and Freddy DeMann. “There was a time,” Joe said, “when I felt I needed white help in dealing with the corporate power structure at CBS. … And I thought [Weisner-DeMann] would be able to help.” Michael fired back furiously in a written comment to Billboard : “To hear him talk like that turns my stomach. I don’t know where he gets that from. I happen to be colorblind. I don’t hire color; I hire competence. … I am president of my organization and I have the final word on every decision. Racism is not my motto.” It was the end of any lingering business relationship between Michael and his father.

It was during this period that a backlash first set in against Jackson, though from the press more than from the public. Actually, it began before the tour, as it became apparent that Thriller was headed for unprecedented sales at a blinding rate. The mid-1980s was a time when many in the music press had misgivings about mass popularity – especially if it seemed to represent a homogenized or acquiescent culture. Michael Jackson, after all, wasn’t an artist with a message of sociopolitical revolution, nor did his lyrics reflect literary aspirations. To some then – and to some now – he represented little more than an ambition for personal fame. He wasn’t, it seemed, an artist who would accomplish for his audience what Elvis Presley and the Beatles accomplished for theirs: the sort of event or disruption that changed both youth culture and the world. In my mind, Michael Jackson, Presley and the Beatles all shared one virtue: They bound together millions of otherwise dissimilar people in not just a quirk of shared taste, but also a forceful, heartfelt consensus that spoke to common dreams and values.

But there was a trickier concern at play. The racial dimensions of Jackson’s image proved complex beyond any easy answers at that time, or even since. Some of that was attributable to charges that Jackson seemed willing to trade his former black constituency for an overwhelmingly white audience – otherwise how could he have achieved such staggering sales figures in the U.S.? But what probably inspired these race-related arguments most – the terrain where they all seemed to play out – was the topography of Jackson’s face. With the exception of later accusations about his sexual behavior, nothing inspired more argument or ridicule about Michael Jackson than that face.

In his childhood, Jackson had a sweet, dark-skinned countenance; many early Jackson 5 fans regarded him as the cutest of the brothers. J. Randy Taraborrelli, author of Michael Jackson: The Magic and the Madness , has written, “[Michael] believed his skin…‘messed up my whole personality.’ He no longer looked at people as he talked to them. His playful personality changed and he became quieter and more serious. He thought he was ugly – his skin was too dark, he decided, and his nose too wide. It was no help that his insensitive father and brothers called him ‘Big Nose.’” Also, as Jackson became an adolescent, he was horribly self-conscious about acne. Hilburn recalled going through a stack of photos with Jackson one night and coming across a picture of him as a teenager: “‘Ohh, that’s horrible,’ [Jackson] said, recoiling from the picture.”

The face Jackson displayed on the cover of Thriller had changed; the skin tone seemed lighter and his nose thinner and straighter. In Moonwalk , Jackson claimed that much of the apparent renovation was due to a change in his diet; he admitted to altering his nose and his chin, but he denied he’d done anything to his skin. Still, the changes didn’t end there. Over the years, Jackson’s skin grew lighter and lighter, his nose tapered more and more and his cheekbones seemed to gain prominence. To some, this all became fair game for derision; to others, it seemed a grotesque mutilation – not just because it might have been an act of conceit, aimed to keep his face forever child-like, but more troublingly because some believed Jackson wanted to transform himself into a white person. Or an androgyne – somebody with both male and female traits. The film Three Kings has a famous scene where an Iraqi interrogator asks a captured American soldier, “What is the problem with Michael Jackson? Your country make him chop up his face. … Michael Jackson is pop king of sick fucking country.” The soldier replies, “It’s bullshit – he did it to himself,” and the Iraqi smacks him on the head with a clipboard. “It is so obvious. A black man make the skin white and the hair straight, and you know why? … Your sick fucking country make the black man hate hisself.” 

In 1985, James Baldwin wrote in an essay for Playboy , “The Michael Jackson cacophony is fascinating in that it is not about Jackson at all. I hope he has the good sense to know it and the good fortune to snatch his life out of the jaws of a carnivorous success. He will not swiftly be forgiven for having turned so many tables, for he damn sure grabbed the brass ring, and the man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo has nothing on Michael. All that noise is about America, as the dishonest custodian of black life and wealth; and blacks, especially males, in America, and the burning, buried American guilt; and sex and sexual roles and sexual panic; money, success and despair… ”

Baldwin’s paragraph was sympathetic and unflinching, but it was also prescient. Michael Jackson certainly wanted to seize the ring twice: He wanted his next album to be bigger than Thriller , which was of course too much to ask. An associate of his told me in 1988, “Michael still wants the world to acknowledge him.” Maybe just as important, Jackson was also seeking vindication. He felt misjudged and maligned by much of the criticism heaped on him after the 1984 Victory Tour. He had long been taught, by both his father and Motown, that the press was a vindictive force when it came to entertainers, that it reveled in the rhythm of building a celebrity’s image, only to turn around and undermine that same person. In his case, Jackson wasn’t half wrong. Some of the scrutiny he received about his “freakishness” – his devotion to his animals as if they were his friends, his ongoing facial reconstruction, scornful charges that he slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to maintain his youthfulness – was judgmental, even moralistic. Worse, too much of it came from reporters and gossip columnists, even political commentators, who displayed little if any real appreciation for Jackson’s music and little respect for the sheer genius of his work.

At that time, Jackson’s art was still his best way of making a case for himself. In 1987, he released Bad , his much-anticipated successor to Thriller . If not as eventful and ingenious as Off the Wall and Thriller , Bad was as good as any album he ever made. It was taut and funky, it had snap and fever, it radiated rage and self-pity but also yearning for grace and transcendence – particularly in “Man in the Mirror,” a song about accepting social and political responsibility, and about the artist negotiating his way back into the world. Bad sold millions and launched five Number One singles, three more than Thriller , but because it couldn’t match the accomplishments of Thriller , it was viewed as a flop.

Jackson then staged his first solo tour later that year. On several nights, I saw him turn in inspiring performances that also served as timely reminders of a sometimes overlooked truth about him: Namely that whatever his eccentricities, Michael Jackson acquired his fame primarily because of his remarkably intuitive talents as a singer and dancer – talents that were genuine and matchless and not the constructions of mere ambition or hype. Though he had the lithe frame of Fred Astaire, the mad inventiveness of Gene Kelly, the sexy agony of Jackie Wilson, the rhythmic mastery of James Brown – or of Sammy Davis Jr., for that matter – nobody else moved like Michael Jackson. Certainly nobody else broke open their moment in one daring physical display like Jackson. He didn’t invent the moonwalk – that famous and impossible backward gliding movement from his Motown 25 performance of “Billie Jean” – but it didn’t matter. He had defined himself in that moment and dared anybody else to match it, and nobody ever did. During the Bad tour his moves were breathtaking, sometimes unexpected. In the opening parts of songs like “Bad” and “The Way You Make Me Feel,” he seemed self-conscious and strained pulling off the songs’ cartoonish notion of streetwise sexuality, and his overstated hip pops and crotch snatching came off as more forced than felt. And yet when the music revved up, all the artifice was instantly dispelled. Jackson became suddenly confident and pulled off startling, robotic hip-and-torso thrusts alongside slow-motion, sliding-mime moves that left the audience gasping. Watching those quirky moves, you realized that all that came from somewhere within. You realized Jackson’s exceptional talent could not be completely separable from his eccentricity.

In 1988, he was again nominated for key Grammy Awards including Album of the Year, but he was up against hard competition. Artists like U2 and Prince had fashioned the most ambitious and visionary music of their careers – music that reflected the state of pop and the world in enlivening ways. More to the point, in 1988 there was suspicion among many observers that Jackson’s season as pop’s favorite son had passed. He would win no Grammys that year. In the Rolling Stone Readers’ poll, Jackson placed first in six of the readers’ “worst of the year” categories (including “worst male singer”); in addition, The Village Voice Critics’ Poll failed to mention Jackson’s Bad in its selection of 1987’s 40 best albums. This was a startling turnaround from four years before, when Jackson and his work topped the same polls in both publications. 

Michael jackson never really regained momentum or ambition after the negative reaction to Bad . He had finally left the family home in Encino and built his own fortress estate known as Neverland, about 100 miles north of L.A., with an amusement park and train rides redolent of Disneyland. It became a place where he brought the world to him, or at least that part of the world he seemed to care about, which mainly included children – the people, he said, he felt most at home with, since part of him wanted to experience and share the childhood he felt his father and entertainment career had deprived him of. But it was also Michael’s appetite for the company of children that would create the most lamentable troubles in his life. In 1993, a story broke that Jackson was accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy with whom he had kept frequent company. It was a terribly serious accusation, and given his fondness for the company of children, the charges seemed all too credible to some observers. The story played big in not just tabloid newspapers but in some mainstream media as well. No criminal charges were filed, but in 1994 Jackson settled the matter out of court (reportedly for something in the vicinity of $20 million), which struck many as a tacit admission to the allegations. Jackson, though, categorically denied the claim. He later told British journalist Martin Bashir that he simply wanted to put the issue behind him.

Cedric Bixler-Zavala Slams Linkin Park's Emily Armstrong Over Alleged Danny Masterson Support

Dr disrespect knowingly sent explicit messages to a minor, former twitch employee says, trump bashes his lawyers during wild e. jean carroll rant, spotify wins copyright infringement lawsuit over eminem royalties due to legal loophole.

The episode did enormous damage to Jackson’s image, and perhaps to his psychology as well. It was during that time that, according to some, he developed a dependency on medications that stayed with him through the rest of his life. (Jackson’s need for drugs may also have stemmed from pains attributable to various surgeries.) That same year he unexpectedly married Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of rock & roll’s most eminent pioneer, Elvis Presley. Some saw it as an effort to both rehabilitate and bolster his image by asserting a heterosexual authenticity, and by linking his name to even greater fame. The marriage lasted 18 months. Presley has never spoken negatively of Jackson, only affectionately, saying in the days after her ex-husband’s death that she left him only because she felt she couldn’t save him from himself. Jackson married again in 1996, this time to a nurse from his dermatologist’s office, Debbie Rowe. The couple had two children, son Prince Michael Jackson and daughter Paris Michael Katherine Jackson. Apparently, the children were the true objective of the marriage for Jackson; the couple divorced in 1999 and Rowe gave up custody of the children. (Rowe has admitted in the past that Jackson wasn’t the children’s biological father, but rather that they were conceived by artificial insemination.)

Through the course of all this, sadly, Jackson’s musical drive fell off, and the music that did emerge was only sporadically successful. His new music was often a testament of self-justification. In “Childhood,” a song from 1995’s HIStory: Past, Present and Future , he put forth his case for his otherness: “No one understands me/They view it as such strange eccentricities. … It’s been my fate to compensate/For the childhood I’ve never known/ Before you judge me, try hard to love me/ Look within your heart, then ask/Have you seen my childhood?” Two years later, still dismayed at how the media continued to judge him, Jackson lashed out in “Is It Scary,” a song from his 1997 remix album, Blood on the Dance Floor : “Am I the beast you visualized/And if you wanna see/Eccentric oddities/I’ll be grotesque before your eyes….So tell me….Am I scary for you?” His hurt and anger also began to come out more in his body over the years. Sometimes his expression looked terrified, his eyes peering over surgical masks or from behind the cover of a burqa. Other times he moved with an explosive fury, as in those moments at the end of his infamous but incredibly successful 1991 video for the song “Black or White.” Those movements seemed so different from the joyful ones of years before.

But despite good moments – and too many treacly and self-aggrandizing ones –  Michael Jackson’s 1990s music had no real presence in the ongoing current of popular culture. His final album, Invincible , from 2001, yielded a few adventurous tracks – Jackson was finally accommodating the stylistic and cultural innovations made by hip-hop and other urban music forms – but overall it wasn’t enough to live up to its title. This isn’t to say that Michael Jackson was no longer a huge star but rather that his legend had transmuted: He was now known for his excesses and bad choices. He lived in a castle; he contracted another baby, Prince Michael II (whose mother has never been identified); and he then recklessly dangled the baby over a balcony in Berlin. Sometimes you had to wonder whether Jackson had any real idea how his actions struck the world – which is perhaps OK, unless you expect the world to love you unconditionally.

Jackson’s most egregious lapse of judgment became evident in a notorious 2003 interview with Martin Bashir, in which the singer professed that he still shared his bed at Neverland with children who were not his own. During one point in the broadcast, Jackson sat holding the hand of a 13-year-old boy, a cancer survivor, and explained what he saw as the innocent and loving nature of that behavior. The public response was swift and hypercritical; many thought that despite the accusations he had faced in 1993, Jackson could still act as he wanted with impunity. The reaction was so devastating to Jackson that, according to some rumors, later that year he attempted a morphine overdose; at the very least, some observers declared Jackson had committed career suicide. The controversy became as serious as possible when the boy in the video accused Jackson of fondling him. This time, the matter went to trial. The horrible drama that Jackson had landed in was in keeping with the dominant themes of his life and art: his obsessions with stardom, mystery, hubris, fear and despoiled childhood. If the charges were true, one had to wonder what Jackson truly saw when he looked at the childhoods of others. Was he capable of disrespecting their innocence, just as his own was once ruined? But if the charges weren’t true, then one had to ask what measure of satisfaction could be won in his ruin?

The 2005 trial was the spectacle everybody expected it to be – a drama about justice and celebrity, sex and outrage, morality and race. Even though it dragged on, it was clear the prosecution didn’t have a case so much as it had umbrage. The trial was a farce – it’s dismaying the case ever made it to trial – and Jackson was acquitted on all charges. But the damage done seemed, in many ways, final. Jackson walked out of the courtroom that day a shaken, listless man. His finances were also coming undone; he had been spending ludicrous sums and he’d mismanaged his money – which took some doing, since he had made such a vast fortune. The biggest star in the world had fallen from the tallest height. He left the country and moved to Bahrain; he was only occasionally seen or heard from. Nobody knew whether he could recover his name, or even preserve his considerable music legacy, until earlier this year, when he announced an incredibly ambitious series of 50 concerts – which he described as the “final curtain call” – to take place at London’s O2 arena, beginning July 13th.

It’s hard to believe that Jackson, who was so proud of his public performances and so peerless at delivering them, would have committed himself to a project in which he might fail so tremendously. At the same time, it is not inconceivable that Michael Jackson could have been a man half-hungry and broken in the past few years. All that is certain is that on June 25th, in Los Angeles, Michael Jackson met the only sure redemption he might know, in the most famous unexpected and mysterious death in current history. That redemption didn’t come because he died, but because his death forced us to reconsider what his life added up to.

What killed Michael Jackson? His life-long pursuit of fame and vindication? No doubt, in part. He pushed too hard, wanted too much; he didn’t recognize limitations. In addition, the pain of achieving so much yet being derided and dismissed time and again had to be considerable. It’s also clear that all the hatred and judgment directed his way for his peculiarities and for his rumored sexual behavior had to debilitate his spirit, if not his body. That subject of child molestation will always, of course, be a crux concern about his life, one that, for many people, clearly – and understandably – trumps his art. We will likely never know what the truth was, which is one more awful aspect of the whole nightmare. The accusation will always stay attached to his name.

What, then, saved Michael Jackson – that is, after his death? At the least, his art and his accomplishments. When somebody makes as much great music as Jackson did, our collective pleasures are enriched and our history is made more intense and complex. In his ambitions, in his setbacks and most important, in his sounds, he embodied black music history in America. But he did more: The barriers he broke helped make the modern pop world a more inclusive scene than it once was before. That is, he staked out new territory. It is always a good thing to see somebody transforming the world of known possibilities. I remember, as a kid, watching Elvis Presley do it on the Dorsey brothers’ Stage Show and The Ed Sullivan Show. I remember, as an adolescent, watching the Beatles open up whole new artistic and historic possibilities in their first U.S. appearances, live on Ed Sullivan. I remember, in my first year as a writer on the staff of Rolling Stone, watching the Sex Pistols crack old surfaces and yield a new future – even as they sang of “no future” onstage at San Francisco’s Winterland, during their last 1970s performance.

Still, I’ll never forget that night back in early 1983, when onstage in Pasadena, California, at the Motown 25th anniversary show, Michael Jackson gave his first public performance as a mature artist staking his own claim, vaulting into that astonishingly graceful, electrifying version of “Billie Jean.” Dancing, spinning, sending out impassioned, fierce glares at the overcome audience, Jackson did a powerful job of animating and mythologizing his own blend of mystery and sexuality. I’d never seen anything quite like it before. Maybe I never will again. Michael Jackson didn’t just grab the gold ring: He hooked it to a new bar and set it even higher, and nobody has yet snatched it with quite the same flair or results. 

Usher Brings Taraji P. Henson, Victoria Monet to Strip Club at Brooklyn Show

• House of Usher
• By Charisma Madarang

Jennifer Hudson Announces First-Ever Christmas Album 'The Gift of Love'

• A JHud Christmas
• By Tomás Mier

T.I. Testifies at $25 Million OMG Girlz Trial: 'Anyone with Eyes Can See' Alleged Theft

• "Undeniably blatant"
• By Nancy Dillon

Screamin’ Scott Simon, Sha Na Na Member Who Co-Wrote Song in 'Grease,' Dead at 75

Quavo, ty dolla $ign reunite on 'transformers one' soundtrack single 'if i fall'.

• Autobot Realness

Most Popular

Brad pitt and george clooney dance to 4-minute standing ovation for ‘wolfs’ during chaotic venice premiere, richard gere jokes he had "no chemistry" with julia roberts in 'pretty woman', demi moore fuels speculation that she doesn't approve of channing tatum's plans to remake ghost, navarro, pegula highlight billionaire parents at u.s. open, you might also like, elton john cries as intimate documentary looking back on his life premieres at tiff: ‘on my tombstone, i want it to say he was a great dad’, alaïa takes over the guggenheim for a new york city spectacular, channeling its past unforgettable american moments, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors, ‘the abcs of death’: how ant timpson and tim league made a midnight masterclass with 26 shorts, ravens, chiefs draw 23-year ratings high in blockbuster nfl opener.

Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved.

Michael Jackson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Don't Miss Our Next Newsletter!

101 Rogers Street, Suite 3C,  Cambridge, MA 02142 [email protected]  » 617-253-3352

• Fundamentals NEW

• Biographies
• Compare Countries
• World Atlas

Michael Jackson

Introduction.

Michael Joseph Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana. When he was 5 he joined four of his brothers in a musical group called the Jackson 5. In 1969 they signed a recording contract with Motown Records. They soon became stars with several hit songs, and Michael became the lead singer.

Solo Career

While he sang and performed with the Jackson 5 he also made recordings on his own. By the late 1970s he began to pursue a career on his own. His first solo album, Off the Wall , appeared in 1979. It was the best-selling album of the year.

In 1982 Jackson released his album Thriller . It would become one of the biggest-selling albums of all time. Several songs on the album were hit singles as well, including “Thriller,” “Billie Jean,” and “Beat It.” The music video for the album showed off Jackson’s dancing abilities as well as his singing. Other albums included Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), HIStory: Past, Present, and Future, Book One (1995), and Invincible (2001).

Other Projects

Jackson also worked on various projects with other artists. In 1978 he acted in the film The Wiz . Seven years later he wrote a song with Lionel Richie. Performances of the song, called “We Are the World,” raised money for starving people in Africa.

In 1997 Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Jackson 5. In 2001 he was inducted as a solo performer. In the 1990s, however, his reputation had begun to suffer. Some people thought that he acted oddly. He was accused of mistreating children and went on trial. He was found not guilty, but he lost much of his fortune during this period.

Jackson was planning a series of concerts to make a comeback when he died suddenly on June 25, 2009, in Los Angeles, California. This Is It , a film featuring rehearsals for the concerts, was released in October 2009.

It’s here: the NEW Britannica Kids website!

We’ve been busy, working hard to bring you new features and an updated design. We hope you and your family enjoy the NEW Britannica Kids. Take a minute to check out all the enhancements!

• The same safe and trusted content for explorers of all ages.
• Accessible across all of today's devices: phones, tablets, and desktops.
• Improved homework resources designed to support a variety of curriculum subjects and standards.
• A new, third level of content, designed specially to meet the advanced needs of the sophisticated scholar.
• And so much more!

Want to see it in action?

Start a free trial

To share with more than one person, separate addresses with a comma

Choose a language from the menu above to view a computer-translated version of this page. Please note: Text within images is not translated, some features may not work properly after translation, and the translation may not accurately convey the intended meaning. Britannica does not review the converted text.

After translating an article, all tools except font up/font down will be disabled. To re-enable the tools or to convert back to English, click "view original" on the Google Translate toolbar.

• Privacy Notice
• Terms of Use

• Michael Jackson

Born on August 29th, 1958 in Gary, Indiana, Michael Joseph Jackson was an extremely famous and influential singer, songwriter, music and film producer, dancer, businessman, actor and philanthropist. For over four decades, his legendary music albums and live performances coupled with his intensely publicized and controversial personal life, unique fashion style and his significant donations to various charities made Michael Jackson one of the most renowned figures in pop culture. His 1982 album entitled ”Thriller” is considered the best-selling album of all time and Guinness World Records acknowledges Michael Jackson as the most successful entertainer of all time. Throughout his long musical career, the famous American artist, often referred to as the ”King of Pop,” paved the way for modern pop music and revolutionized the art of music videos. To this day, his musical work continues to influence and inspire artists of all music genres. He won thirteen Grammys and also the Grammy Legend Award in 1993. Even after his death, he became the best-selling artist of 2009, selling over 35 million albums worldwide.

Early Career

The eighth of ten children born to an African-American middle-class family, Michael started to perform from the early age of 5 as the lead vocalist of the Motown group The Jackson 5. Members also included his four older brothers Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Jackie. The group was assembled by their father, steel worker Joe Jackson, whom Michael holds responsible for his difficult and painful childhood. Joe frequently whipped and verbally abused Michael. He also stated that would often vomit before meeting his father. His mother, Katherine, was a devout Jehovah’s Witness and kept the family isolated from any outside influence. Nevertheless, during the famous interview with British journalist Martin Bashir, Michael Jackson admitted that the strict discipline enforced by his “genius” father played a key part in the unparalleled success of The Jackson 5. They were an instant phenomenon, appealing to both white and black audiences and becoming the first group in music history to have their first four singles hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Michael s innate talent and childlike charisma made him the most loved member of the Jackson 5.

Solo Career and Private Life

In 1978, on the set of the musical ”The Wiz,” in which he starred opposite Diana Ross , Michael Jackson met the famous record producer Quincy Jones , who co-produced with Michael his first solo album entitled ”Off the Wall.” It released in 1979 under Epic Records and has sold 20 million copies worldwide. His first solo single ”Don t Stop Til You Get Enough” was certified platinum and it won Jackson his first solo Grammy. In the same year, Jackson underwent an unsuccessful rhinoplasty after breaking his nose during a dance routine. His second rhinoplasty, as well as his other cosmetic surgery procedures, were performed by the famous plastic surgeon Steven Hoefflin, who has also carried out plastic surgery for Elizabeth Taylor and Joan Rivers. Although his gradually changing appearance gained extensive media coverage, Michael Jackson stated on numerous occasions that his lighter skin tone was not caused by bleaching procedures, but by a skin condition he suffered from, namely vitiligo.

His next musical project, ”Thriller,” released in 1982, saw Michael Jackson, sporting his signature crystal studded glove and ”moon walking” his way towards becoming the best selling artist of the 1980’s. This epic studio album received in 1984 a record-setting eight Grammys, including ”Album of the Year,” and it features iconic singles such as ”Beat It,” ”Billie Jean,” ”Human Nature” and ”Thriller.” The groundbreaking, 14-minute long music video for “Thriller,” directed by John Landis, became one of the greatest music videos ever made. His following iconic music albums such as ”Bad” (1987), ”Dangerous” (1991), ”HIStory” (1995) and ”Invincible” (2001) have also made history, being accompanied by memorable, legendary world tours and selling millions of copies worldwide.

Controversial Death

The most famous pop artist of all time passed away at the age of 50, on June 25th, 2009, in his rented Holmby Hills mansion in Los Angeles, California. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, failed both to resuscitate Michael and to call the paramedics in due time. The cause of death was cardiac arrest due to acute intoxication with propofol ( administered intravenously by Murray himself) and benzodiazepine ( a sleep-inducing drug). Michael Jackson had asked Murray to administer him medication that would help him sleep in order to be able to rehearse properly. He was preparing for his comeback concert tour entitled “This Is It.” On August 28th, 2009 the Los Angeles County Coroner ruled his death a homicide; on February 8th, 2010 Conrad Murray was convicted with involuntary manslaughter. Michael Jackson’s memorial took place at the Staples Center on July 7th, 2009. He was buried on September 3rd, 2009 at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. The King of Pop was survived by his three children: Prince, Paris and Blanket.

Famous Black People

• Alice Walker
• Al Sharpton
• Angela Davis
• Aretha Franklin
• Arthur Ashe
• Barack Obama
• Billie Holiday
• Booker T. Washington
• Chuck Berry
• Clarence Thomas
• Colin Powell
• Condoleezza Rice
• Coretta Scott King
• Duke Ellington
• Frederick Douglass
• George Washington Carver
• Harriet Tubman
• Harry Belafonte
• Jackie Robinson
• James Brown
• James Earl Jones
• Jesse Jackson
• Jesse Owens
• Jimi Hendrix
• Langston Hughes
• Louis Armstrong
• Mahalia Jackson
• Marcus Garvey
• Martin Luther King Jr.
• Maya Angelou
• Medgar Evers
• Michael Jordan
• Miles Davis
• Morgan Freeman
• Muhammad Ali
• Nat King Cole
• Nelson Mandela
• Oprah Winfrey
• Quincy Jones
• Ray Charles
• Richard Wright
• Ruby Bridges
• Sojourner Truth
• Stevie Wonder
• Thurgood Marshall
• Tiger Woods
• Toni Morrison
• W.E.B. DuBois
• Zora Neale Hurston

Copyright © 2013 · Famous Black People · All Rights Reserved. | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy

Michael Jackson

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

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

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

Entertainism

A Short Biography of the King of Pop Michael Jackson

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

Did You Know?

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

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

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

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

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

Solo Career

Collaboration with quincy jones.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Solo Discography

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

Controversies

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

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

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

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

Child Sexual Abuse Allegations

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

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

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

Marriages and Children

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Like it? Share it!

Get Updates Right to Your Inbox

Further insights.

Privacy Overview

10 of Michael Jackson's Most Iconic Moments

Michael Jackson rocketed to global stardom in the early 1980s, but his legacy as the King of Pop is based on more than the height of his career. Famous since the age of 11, he was a superstar by his mid 20s and continued to be a beloved, if flawed, phenomenon through his death on June 25, 2009. As one of the 20th century’s most important and enduringly popular entertainers, he had dozens of newsworthy, career-shaping moments: Here’s a look at 10 of the most iconic:

The 'Thriller' album and music video

The album Thriller reinvented all standards of commercial pop success. Released on November 30, 1982, it debuted at No. 1, containing seven top 10 hits on Billboard Hot 100, including the rock-driven cautionary tale “Beat It” and the plaintive “Billie Jean,” as well as the spooky but danceable title track. The album made Jackson the first artist to win eight Grammy Awards in one night. Thriller stayed at the top of the charts for 37 weeks, which was a first, and though its position waned, it shot back to No. 1 when its ghoulish video was released a year later. The video’s unison zombie dance still inspires mass groups to try the choreography, and the album continues to be the world’s best-selling album with estimated sales of at least 66 million, according to the Guinness World Records, though some estimates set the number much higher.

READ MORE: Michael Jackson: Behind the Scenes of His Iconic 'Thriller' Music Video

Debuting the moonwalk and his signature glove

On May 16, 1983, Jackson stunned the world with the moonwalk, the backward gliding step he adapted from street dance. He debuted the move while performing the song “Billie Jean” to cap off NBC’s broadcast of Motown 25 , an anniversary tribute to the label. Though the moonwalk had been seen on the streets, Jackson polished the move and raised it to a sharper level, adding on his spin and toe-stand as flourish. The moonwalk became a signature and a generation-defining dance move. In the same performance, Jackson debuted his one rhinestone-encrusted white glove, a costume choice that would define his look for years.

When Jackson's hair caught on fire

In a shocking accident, Jackson’s hair caught on fire during the filming of a Pepsi commercial on January 27, 1984. The singer was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles with second and third-degree burns. The moment made headlines around the world — and probably changed his life: To help him sleep, he was given painkillers and sedatives, which are believed to have led him to regular usage and to his tragic overdose.

The music videos he danced in

Before videos like “Beat It” and “Thriller,” singers rarely led fully choreographed dances. But Jackson’s exceptional ability to pair fresh beats with precision movement added captivating depth to his videos. In “Beat It,” his thigh-slapping kicks and finger snaps led a formation of rival gang members. In “Billie Jean,” he slinks through city streets with graceful footwork and spins. Zombies obey him in “Thriller,” dancing behind him with spookily stylized arms. “Smooth Criminal,” though, best captures his combination of Fred Astaire-quality smoothness and sharp, precision popping — and that expertly crafted 45-degree lean forward, aided by patented shoes with pegs that locked the dancers in position.

The music videos he didn't dance in

When not dancing in his videos, Jackson used the burgeoning art form to make political and cultural statements. The video for “Man in the Mirror,” from his 1987 album “Bad,” features a sometimes oddly juxtaposed montage of world-historic events, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and children in poverty. Later, the video for his 1991 song “Black or White” used new technology to create morph the faces of a series of people to show that all races and ethnicities have similarities. The visual effect may have become overused later, but at the time, it was groundbreaking.

Leading the Jackson 5

Because adult Jackson ruled the 80s so dominantly, it’s easy to forget that the adorable pre-teen Jackson was a Motown sensation in the 70s. A child prodigy with cheerful charisma and natural dance talent, he led his band of brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon. With four singles hitting the top of the Billboard charts, the Jackson 5 were among the first Black groups to appeal to a racially diverse audience. With hits like “ABC” and “I Want You Back,” Jackson established his path to global stardom.

READ MORE: Inside Michael Jackson's Early Years in Gary, Indiana With His Musical Family

His one-of-a-kind fashion

The fedora. The white sparkly socks with black shoes. The giant sunglasses. The glove. The statement jackets. Whatever Jackson wore, he caused a sensation. But in some ways, his choices were practical: His large jackets added shape to his rail-thin frame, while his slim black pants helped show off the perfect poses he would hit in dance.

The Super Bowl XXVII halftime show

He took the world stage on January 31, 1993. And he stood there — for what seemed like an outrageously long time for live television. He was allowing us to take in the King of Pop, who, by 1993, had faded from glory. But then he earned that title all over again with a fast-paced, TV-history changing show. Until 1993, halftime entertainment was corny, mostly lead by marching bands. With Jackson’s performance, the NFL had a new standard: Juggernauts only.

Leading "We are the World"

In 1985, Jackson used his international mega-stardom for good when he and Lionel Richie co-wrote the song “We are the World” to support African-famine relief. With producer Quincy Jones , they recorded the song with about three dozen of the hottest, most famous vocalists at the time, including headliners Stevie Wonder , Diana Ross , Billy Joel , Tina Turner and Ray Charles . The charity recording, released in 1985 as a single, raised more than $60 million under the auspices of USA for Africa, which continues to operate today. Jackson's solos on the album, and his gold-brocade black jacket in the video, still stand out as the highlight of the ultimate supergroup.

Starring in 'The Wiz'

In 1978, the musical The Wiz was pivotal for Jackson's career. It showed his versatility and kept alive his post-Motown status as a national entertainer, playing the Scarecrow opposite Ross as Dorothy. More importantly, it introduced him to Jones, who produced The Wiz and was already a major record producer, notably of Frank Sinatra . Prior to meeting Jones, Jackson’s career was floundering in his post-Jackson 5, late teen years. But with Jones, Jackson found a partner to take him to the next level. Their albums started with Off The Wall , then Thriller and Bad — and entertainment history was never the same.

Black History

MLK Almost Didn’t Say “I Have a Dream”

Kamala Harris

Ray Charles

Whoopi Goldberg

Stevie Wonder

Sylvia Rivera

Jesse Owens

Opal Lee: The “Grandmother of Juneteenth”

13 Powerful Marsha P. Johnson Quotes

Marsha P. Johnson

Naomi Osaka

The Tragic, True Story Of Michael Jackson's Youngest Son Blanket

The Jackson family name has made a celebrity out of every member associated with this musical legacy. Michael Jackson, of course, remains the unrivaled spearhead of the clan even 15 years after his death, followed by his vast spread of siblings and their children. But one person — inarguably among the most prominent of all Jacksons — has successfully managed to evade the spotlight and live a life shrouded in tight secrecy: Bigi Jackson. The King of Pop's youngest son — formerly known as Blanket — became a celebrity even before he learned how to walk. The media attention followed him throughout his earliest years, with the frenzy only magnifying after Jackson's unexpected death in 2009.

Then, still a boy of 7, Bigi complied with the social engagements expected of him as a child of the world's biggest pop icon. But as he advanced in years, Bigi noticeably retreated from the public eye to such a degree that his appearances were labeled "rare" in press headlines. His tendency to remain withdrawn — made even more distinct when contrasted with his media-friendly siblings — was apparently characteristic of Bigi even when he was younger. Describing Bigi as he was in his teens, an insider source told Page Six : "If you want to find Bigi, all you have to do is look around the house, find an empty room or an unoccupied corner, and there you will find him, off on his own." Here's the tragic, true story of Michael Jackson's youngest son, Bigi.

The identity of Bigi Jackson's mother has been widely theorized

Bigi Jackson was born into fame, owing to his famous last name. But, as far as public interest was concerned, his distinction of being Michael Jackson's son was just one half of the story. When the world learned that the King of Pop became a father a third time in 2002, there was mass curiosity about the identity of the child's mother. By then, Jackson had been divorced two years from his wife Debbie Rowe , with whom he shared his older children, Prince Michael Jackson and Paris Jackson. Conspiracy theories abounded over Bigi's parentage, with Jackson coming forward to provide some clarity in the 2003 documentary "Living with Michael Jackson." 

"I used a surrogate mom, my own sperm cells. She doesn't know me, I don't know her," he said, the singer said, adding that the whole matter was kept hush-hush with the help of an agreement. After Jackson's death in 2009, Mirror published an explosive report claiming that a Mexican nurse by the name of Helena birthed Bigi. Jackson apparently handpicked the surrogate from a list of women and, according to a source, "was quite specific on the gene pool he wanted to tap into." Helena was paid a sum of $20,000 as her surrogacy fee and delivered the baby at Sharp Grossmont Hospital, California. The identity of the egg donor, however, remains undisclosed, with even Bigi's birth certificate not reflecting the name of his mother. 

His earliest claim to fame was being dangerously dangled over a balcony by Michael Jackson

The whole world gasped when Michael Jackson dangled a baby over a balcony back in 2002. The stunt — inexplicable and dangerous, to put it mildly — quickly became one of the most bizarre acts pulled by the pop icon, who had built up a notorious reputation for eccentricity. The child, revealed to be 9-month-old Bigi Jackson , could be seen flailing his legs as he swayed precariously from the balcony of the Adlon Hotel in Berlin, as his father gripped him with one arm. Jackson's other hand, unbelievably, held down a towel that covered Bigi's whole face. The antic lasted only some seconds but they were a few too many, with even the crowds earlier cheering for Jackson below crying out in horror.

The episode sparked outrage against Jackson, with many in the media even calling for his arrest for risking his child's life. Ironically, Jackson had been in Germany to be honored for his philanthropic work toward children's welfare. Law enforcement services notified the public against such actions, with child rights experts like Janis Spire stating: "I would tell anyone who saw an adult dangling a child out of a window to call a child protection hotline and the police" (via MTV ). Jackson, meanwhile, acknowledged his mistake in a statement that read: "I got caught up in the excitement of the moment. I would never intentionally endanger the lives of my children." 

He had to confront his father's death at a very young age

Bigi Jackson was only 7 when Michael Jackson died of a drug overdose in 2009. Around the world, people grieved the loss of one of the most influential figures in music history with media tributes, condolence messages, and public memorials. But the pop icon's youngest was far too naive to have the language to process his father's sudden death. As his brother Prince Michael Jackson described in court during a suit alleging Jackson's wrongful death, Bigi was "so young he doesn't realize what he lost" (via Today ). Even so, little Bigi was hardly immune to the consequences of the tragedy and was invariably looped into the activity surrounding Jackson's death — from being named in court cases to presenting his minor self before the press. 

As the youngest of the lot, Bigi had the protective presence of siblings Prince and Paris Jackson around him. They grew into a tight three-member unit that drew strength from each other over the years. "I think with any siblings, you know, you grow up in a situation and factors that are very similar ... so I think it's only made us stronger as siblings to have that bond, to have that very real relationship and raw relationship with each other," Prince told Access Hollywood . Between his siblings, Bigi spent the least time with his father. But, as further slides will show, the impact Jackson left on his youngest child was significant. 

After Michael Jackson died, Bigi was put under a global spotlight

Bigi Jackson, along with his older siblings, was thrown into the deep end of the media spotlight after Michael Jackson's death. All eyes were on the Jackson siblings, with every move they made recorded in the press for a global audience. Bigi remained a constant but silent companion to Prince Michael Jackson and Paris Jackson during their public appearances and was exposed to more than his fair share of scrutiny far too early. One of the most unforgettable of such instances was when he attended his father's memorial service with tears in his eyes and a Michael Jackson doll in his hand, heartbreaking photos of which were widely publicized at the time. 

While Bigi never got the opportunity to watch his famous father perform live, he did enjoy Cirque du Soleil's "Michael Jackson One" production when it premiered in Las Vegas in 2013. He was spotted celebrating his father's legacy with Prince, who came to be one of his strongest support systems as he came to terms with Michael's death. That said, the magnitude and aftermath of the tragedy barely made it easy for Bigi to deal with the situation and according to insiders, he all but faded into the background at the Jackson household in later years. "This poor kid, he fends for himself ... There's no one to make sure he's even eating right," a source close to the family claimed to Page Six in 2017. 

His famous nickname made him the target of bullying

In only 22 years, Bigi Jackson has lived through many identities. He was born Prince Michael Jackson II, sharing his name in varying degrees with his father and older brother. But, beyond serving as a mark of his famous bloodline, the title didn't stick. A distinct personality was instead carved out for him in the global media as Blanket. The far from usual nickname apparently came from an expression Michael Jackson admitted to using often, telling those around him to blanket a person with something. "A blanket is a blessing, it's a way of showing love and caring," he explained in an interview . And so, the pop star's youngest was iconically christened.

Though it accorded him a most unique character, Bigi himself wasn't pleased with the kind of recognition the name got him. In fact, if sources for RadarOnline are to be believed, he "resented his father for calling him that" and was apparently even bullied for it. "Growing up, his school mates have always been slightly mean to him because of their jealousy over who he is and going by Blanket made him a much easier target for ridicule," the publication quoted an insider as saying. The circumstances led him to assume yet another identity refresh and when he joined The Buckley School after his father's death, he started going by the name Bigi. Though his latest moniker is how he is often represented, his former nickname remains unforgettable. 

He had a short-lived career as a film reviewer with his brother

After living through years of it as a child, Bigi Jackson has actively avoided the media spotlight for most of his grownup years. Among the only things that have been able to draw him out of his privacy are tribute events for his father and his love of films. The latter has been an especially strong catalyst in giving Bigi an outlet to speak his mind with candor that diverges from his typically reserved public image. He showcased it most memorably on Film Family , a YouTube channel he started with his brother, Prince Michael Jackson, and their cousin Taj Jackson to review films. 

The channel premiered in 2019 with a review for "Avengers: Endgame" and over the course of one year, managed to publish over a hundred videos and amass over 50,000 subscribers. Bigi emerged as an especially popular member of this film-reviewing troupe, going by the hordes of fan comments under their videos that fawned over his film expertise. His older sibling Prince attested to it in an interview with Entertainment Tonight , saying: "My brother has a really unique talent to be able to tell you, even a movie he hasn't seen, he'll tell you what year it came out. He knows the director, the staff, the crew, everybody behind it that you wouldn't know." Though the channel went inactive in 2020, Bigi went on to quantify his passion for films in an even bigger way. 

Fanfare was muted around an award-winning short he directed

Bigi Jackson has cultivated a reputation for being the most media-shy member of Michael Jackson's brood. True to form, things were kept lowkey when he won an award at the Santa Monica Film Festival for his short film "Rochelles." The 40-minute suspense drama — which marked Bigi's official directorial and screenwriting debut — follows the story of two friends competing for a restaurant job and stars actors Brandon Bales and Jesse Howland. It bagged Best Drama at the annual festival's 2024 edition, earning Bigi independent recognition in the film sphere. Even so, fanfare around his debut remained understated, save for a shoutout from his older brother Prince Michael Jackson , who shared an Instagram story writing: "Bro is killing it! Chasing his dreams and winning awards." 

Though information about Bigi's life is scarce, cinema seems to be one of his more apparent interests. According to Prince, the creatively oriented Jackson siblings were acquainted with films early on, courtesy of a teacher assigned to them for this very purpose. It clearly made an impact on Bigi, who grew up to immerse himself in this domain most passionately. "He really thinks and studies about film in a different way that you would notice and that comes with his upbringing with my dad encouraging him to study film," Prince told ET Online, gushing about his younger brother's vast film knowledge. Their sister Paris Jackson has also expressed an inclination for films, albeit a more camera-facing one. 

He is entangled in a legal dispute with his grandmother

After his father's death, Bigi Jackson and his siblings came under the guardianship of their grandmother, Katherine Jackson. The family appeared to have shared a tight bond, with Katherine's lawyer stating in the years that followed, she was "eager to simply enjoy her great relationship with these children" (via CNN ). The situation, however, doesn't seem to be as smooth sailing as before, now that the Jackson children are adults and have grown into their own autonomies. Things are especially tense between Michael Jackson's mother and his youngest child, Bigi, who reportedly took his grandmother to court in 2024 over a dispute concerning the pop icon's estate. 

The confrontation is supposedly rooted in a highly-publicized deal between Sony and Jackson's estate, wherein the music giant bought out half of the singer's catalog for $600 million. After some initial opposition against the transaction, Bigi and his siblings acquiesced to the court's decision in 2023 of letting the deal proceed. Katherine, however, was not convinced and filed an appeal against John Branca and John McClain, co-executors of the Jackson estate, for backing the transaction. She sought to rely on the estate for covering her legal fees, which Bigi said would be "unfair," pointing to the high costs of legal proceedings that wouldn't "benefit" the estate. Katherine, in return, has claimed that her ask isn't significant enough to dent the Jackson estate, currently estimated to be valued at $2 billion. 

He keeps his public appearances to a minimum

Bigi Jackson is notoriously private — a fact that has been established well over the past decade, during which the budding filmmaker has hardly been spotted outside of family-related engagements. Most of these have been in association with his father, from the family's annual Thriller Night Halloween event to a celebration of Jackson's 65th birthday in Vegas at the Cirque du Soleil show in 2023. Bigi's casual appearances are few and far between, so when the youngest Jackson sibling steps out for a stroll — like he did in Los Angeles in 2024 — one can best believe that even such a non-event will make headlines. 

While Bigi has characteristically refrained from acknowledging it, his sister Paris Jackson made his preference for confidentiality apparent in an Instagram post she uploaded for him on his 18th birthday: "proud of the handsome, intelligent, insightful, funny, and kind young man he has become. he likes privacy so that's all i gotta say" (via People ). In 2021, Bigi surprised fans by showing up for an interview on "Good Morning Britain"  and reminiscing about his father's legacy. "There's a lot of history in this house and the studio here," he said, referring to the  Jacksons' Hayvenhurst compound, where family memorabilia is stored. "That's what each of us want to do: make things that people can enjoy and hopefully benefit their lives." He also gave an insight into his advocacy interests, talking about the importance of addressing climate change issues.

Recommended

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

First clear look at jaafar jackson as michael jackson in ‘michael’ biopic.

The biographical drama directed by Antoine Fuqua releases April 18, 2025.

By James Hibberd

James Hibberd

Writer-at-Large

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Send an Email
• Show additional share options
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on Reddit
• Share on Tumblr
• Share on Whats App
• Print the Article
• Post a Comment

A new image has been released from the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic, Michael .

The photo represents the first clear look at star Jaafar Jackson as the iconic singer.

“With Jaafar, every look, every note, every dance move is Michael,” declared producer Graham King. “He embodies Michael in a way that no other actor could.” The actor is also the singer’s nephew.

Related Stories

Michael jackson estate wins ruling approving $600m sony sale, despite mother's objections, michael jackson's estate questions authenticity of alleged signed art up for auction in l.a..

The project is directed by Antoine Fuqua ( The Equalizer franchise) and written by John Logan ( Gladiator ), with a producing team that includes Graham King ( Bohemian Rhapsody ).

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jaafar Jackson (@jaafarjackson)

The studio has said the biopic will cover all aspects of Michael Jackson’s life, which presumably means it will address the child sexual assault allegations that have been made against the singer, who died in 2009.

The disturbing allegations were documented in the 2019 HBO docuseries Leaving Neverland . The documentary details two long-running relationships Michael Jackson began at the height of his stardom with two boys, who were 7 and 10 at the time, and their families. In the doc, the now-grown men tell the story of how they were sexually abused by the singer.

The biopic’s official description reads: “ Michael  will bring audiences a riveting and honest portrayal of the brilliant yet complicated man who became the King of Pop. The film presents his triumphs and tragedies on an epic, cinematic scale — from his human side and personal struggles to his undeniable creative genius, exemplified by his most iconic performances. As never before, audiences will experience an inside look into one of the most influential, trailblazing artists the world has ever known.”

Michael will be released April 18, 2025.

This story originally posted Jan. 19, 2024.

THR Newsletters

Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Elton john talks fame, family and coming out: “i was being honest”  , toronto: ‘unstoppable’ and ‘we live in time’ both very moving, but face uphill awards climbs, toronto fest embraces mike leigh’s ‘hard truths’, ‘hard truths’ review: marianne jean-baptiste delivers a virtuosic turn in mike leigh’s searing study of a woman at war with the world, jason reitman’s ‘saturday night’ movie to make awards push early in theaters, ‘unstoppable’ director thanks producer ben affleck as jennifer lopez film premieres at toronto.