Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009), known as the "King of Pop", was an American musician and one of the most commercially successful and influential entertainers of all time. His unique contributions to music and dance, along with a highly publicized personal life, made him a prominent figure in popular culture for four decades.
He made his debut in 1964 with his brothers as a member of the Motown group The Jackson 5; singing hits such as "I Want You Back" and "ABC" and started a solo career in 1971. His 1982 album Thriller remains the best-selling album of all time, with Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), and HIStory (1995) among the best selling.
Along with song success, he is widely credited with having transformed the music video from a promotional tool into an art form, with videos for his songs "Billie Jean", "Beat It" and "Thriller" making him the first African American artist to amass a strong crossover following on MTV - helping bring the relatively new channel to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" kept Jackson as a staple on MTV into the 1990s. With stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, embedding them into popular culture. His distinctive musical sound, vocal style and dance has inspired numerous hip hop, pop and contemporary R&B artists, while also breaking down cultural, racial and generational barriers.
One of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, his other achievements feature multiple Guinness World Records—including the "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time"—13 Grammy Awards, 17 number one singles (including the four as a member of the Jackson 5), and estimated sales between 350 million and 750 million records worldwide;[1] making him one of the top three best selling artists in history. He was also a notable philanthropist and humanitarian who donated and raised millions of dollars through support of 39 charities and his own Heal the World Foundation.
Jackson's personal life generated controversy for years. His changing appearance was noticed from the late 1970s onwards, with changes to his nose and to the color of his skin drawing media publicity. He was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993 though no charges were brought, and in 2005 he was tried and acquitted of second allegations. He married twice, first in 1994 and again in 1996, and brought up three children, one born to a surrogate mother. While preparing for the This Is It concert tour in 2009, Jackson died at the age of 50 after suffering from cardiac arrest. He reportedly had been administered drugs such as propofol and lorazepam, and his death was ruled a homicide by the Los Angeles County coroner. His memorial service was broadcast live around the world, attracting a global audience of up to one billion people.[2]
Birth name Michael Joseph Jackson Born August 29, 1958(1958-08-29)Gary, Indiana, United States Died June 25, 2009 (aged 50)Los Angeles, California,United States Genres Rhythm and blues, pop, rock, dance Occupations Singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer, choreographer, actor, businessman Instruments Vocals, multiple instruments Years active 1964–2009 Labels Motown, Epic Associated acts The Jackson 5 Website www.michaeljackson.com/
He made his debut in 1964 with his brothers as a member of the Motown group The Jackson 5; singing hits such as "I Want You Back" and "ABC" and started a solo career in 1971. His 1982 album Thriller remains the best-selling album of all time, with Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), and HIStory (1995) among the best selling.
Along with song success, he is widely credited with having transformed the music video from a promotional tool into an art form, with videos for his songs "Billie Jean", "Beat It" and "Thriller" making him the first African American artist to amass a strong crossover following on MTV - helping bring the relatively new channel to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" kept Jackson as a staple on MTV into the 1990s. With stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, embedding them into popular culture. His distinctive musical sound, vocal style and dance has inspired numerous hip hop, pop and contemporary R&B artists, while also breaking down cultural, racial and generational barriers.
One of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, his other achievements feature multiple Guinness World Records—including the "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time"—13 Grammy Awards, 17 number one singles (including the four as a member of the Jackson 5), and estimated sales between 350 million and 750 million records worldwide;[1] making him one of the top three best selling artists in history. He was also a notable philanthropist and humanitarian who donated and raised millions of dollars through support of 39 charities and his own Heal the World Foundation.
Jackson's personal life generated controversy for years. His changing appearance was noticed from the late 1970s onwards, with changes to his nose and to the color of his skin drawing media publicity. He was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993 though no charges were brought, and in 2005 he was tried and acquitted of second allegations. He married twice, first in 1994 and again in 1996, and brought up three children, one born to a surrogate mother. While preparing for the This Is It concert tour in 2009, Jackson died at the age of 50 after suffering from cardiac arrest. He reportedly had been administered drugs such as propofol and lorazepam, and his death was ruled a homicide by the Los Angeles County coroner. His memorial service was broadcast live around the world, attracting a global audience of up to one billion people.[2]
Birth name Michael Joseph Jackson Born August 29, 1958(1958-08-29)Gary, Indiana, United States Died June 25, 2009 (aged 50)Los Angeles, California,United States Genres Rhythm and blues, pop, rock, dance Occupations Singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer, choreographer, actor, businessman Instruments Vocals, multiple instruments Years active 1964–2009 Labels Motown, Epic Associated acts The Jackson 5 Website www.michaeljackson.com/
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