Michael Jackson

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) , often referred to as The King of Pop or MJ was an American musician, entertainer, and philanthropist. He is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in popular music during the 20th century. His career spanned more than four decades, during which he broke racial barriers in the music industry and became a global icon. Jackson popularized street dance moves such as the moonwalk, the robot, and the anti-gravity lean, and he is frequently cited as one of the greatest entertainers of all time.

The eighth child of the Jackson family, Jackson began performing publicly at age six as the lead singer of the Jackson 5, one of Motown's successful acts. He launched his solo career with the album "Off the Wall" (1979) and achieved unprecedented success with "Thriller" (1982), the best-selling album of all time. The short film-style music videos for "Thriller", "Beat It", and "Billie Jean" helped establish music videos as a prominent art form. Jackson's subsequent album, "Bad" (1987), produced five US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles: "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana". His later albums "Dangerous" (1991) and "HIStory" (1995) explored socially conscious themes, while "Invincible" (2001) focused on personal topics.

From the mid-1980s, Jackson's changing appearance, personal relationships, and lifestyle drew public attention. He faced allegations of child sexual abuse in 1993 and was later tried and acquitted of further allegations in 2005. Jackson died in 2009 from a propofol overdose administered by his personal physician, Conrad Murray, who was later convicted of involuntary manslaughter. His death prompted worldwide media coverage, significant increases in music sales, and a widely viewed televised memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Jackson is among the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated sales exceeding 500 million records. He holds a joint record for a male solo artist with 13 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles and is the only artist to have a top-ten single in six consecutive decades. He received 13 Grammy Awards, the Grammy Legend Award, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, 26 American Music Awards, 12 World Music Awards, eight MTV Video Music Awards, six Brit Awards, and three presidential honors. Jackson was inducted into multiple halls of fame, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Dance Hall of Fame. He donated an estimated $500 million to charity during his lifetime. In 2024, half of his music catalog was sold to Sony for $600 million, the largest music acquisition for a single artist.

Studio albums 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)