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 Michael
Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)
was an American recording artist, entertainer
and businessman. The seventh child of the
Jackson family, he made his debut as an
entertainer in 1964 as a member of The Jackson
Brothers (later renamed The Jackson 5). He then
began a solo career in 1971 while still a member
of the group, and that successful career led to
him being dubbed the "King of Pop" in subsequent
years. Jackson's 1982 album Thriller remains the
world's best-selling album of all time, and four
of his other solo studio albums are among the
world's best-selling records: Off the Wall
(1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory
(1995).
In the early 1980s, he became a dominant figure
in American popular music and culture. He was
the first African American entertainer to amass
a strong crossover following on MTV, with videos
such as "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and
Thriller—widely credited with transforming the
music video from a promotional tool into an art
form—bringing fame to the relatively new
channel. Videos such as "Black or White" and
"Scream" made Jackson an enduring staple on MTV
well into the 1990s. Beyond his success on
television, Jackson popularized a number of
physically complicated dance techniques, such as
the robot and the moonwalk, with his elaborate
stage performances. His distinctive musical
sound and vocal style influenced many hip hop,
pop music and contemporary R&B artists across
several generations.
Jackson donated and raised more than 300 million
dollars for beneficial causes through his Heal
the World Foundation, charity singles, and
support of 39 charities. Other aspects of his
personal life, including his changing
appearances and behavior, generated significant
controversy that damaged his public image.
Though he was accused of child sexual abuse in
1993, the criminal investigation was closed due
to lack of evidence and Jackson was not charged.
The singer had experienced health concerns since
the early 1990s along with conflicting reports
regarding the state of his finances since the
late 1990s. Jackson married twice and fathered
three children, actions which caused further
controversy. In 2005, Jackson was tried and
acquitted of different sexual abuse allegations
and several other charges. The singer died
suddenly on June 25, 2009 at the age of 50.
One of the few artists to have been inducted
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, his
other achievements include multiple Guinness
World Records, including one for "Most
Successful Entertainer of All Time." He has won
13 Grammy Awards, charted 13 number one singles
in his solo career—more than any other male
artist in the Hot 100 era—and posted sales of
over 750 million records worldwide, making him,
according to the World Music Awards, the best
selling solo artist of all time. Read
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