Michael Joseph Jackson was born to Joseph and Katherine Jackson in Gary, Indiana on August 29, 1958. He was the seventh of nine children. Michael's siblings include Maureen "Rebbie" Jackson, Sigmund "Jackie" Jackson, Toriano "Tito" Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, La Toya Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Steven "Randy" Jackson, and Janet Jackson. Michael began his musical career at the age of 5 as the lead singer of the Jackson 5 who played local clubs and bars around Indiana and the Eastern USA. In 1968 the Jackson 5 were "discovered" by Bobby Taylor of the music group "The Vancouvers" and soon thereafter were signed to Motown Records. The Jackson 5 and their family moved to California were they soon became national stars when their first 4 singles, "ABC", "I Want You Back", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There" became #1 hits. With Motown Records the Jackson 5 made 14 albums, and Michael himself recorded 4 solo albums on the label, until the group left Motown Records in 1976 citing the need for artistic freedom.
The Jackson 5 left behind brother Jermaine and adopted Randy into their group and became simply, 'The Jacksons'. The Jacksons made 6 albums between the years of 1976 and 1984 and toured several times throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
In 1977 Michael made his first film debut when he starred in 'The Wiz' as the Scarecrow opposite Diana Ross, and at this time met Quincy Jones whom he teamed up with as his producer for his first solo album on Epic Records titled, 'Off The Wall' in 1979. 'Off The Wall' was the first ever album to spawn a record breaking 4 #1 hit songs. Off the Wall went on to sell 15 million albums around the world, but the likes of what happened next, the WORLD would have no explanation!
In 1982 Michael created the world's largest selling album of all time, 'Thriller'. This album produced 7 top ten hit singles, breaking yet again more records, and went on to sell over 51 million copies worldwide to date. The music video for the hit song 'Billie Jean' enabled Michael to be the first black artist to have a video aired on the US music station, MTV. The 'Thriller' short film released on home video as 'The Making Of Michael Jackson's Thriller' became the world's largest selling home video. In 1983 Michael literally moonwalked into international superstardom when he performed the world famous dance step for the first time on the 'Motown 25' anniversary show. 1984 saw Michael break music history once again with being the first artist to win a record breaking 8 Grammy awards in one night; the award were for his 'Thriller' album and his work on the narrative for the 'ET Storybook'.
1985 saw the emergence of a international anthem with the release of the song 'We Are The World' which was written by Michael and Lionel Richie, and performed by 44 of the world's most popular stars (Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Cyndi Lauper, etc.). "We Are The World" raised $50 million for 'USA For Africa', a charity raising money and awareness for the starving people in Africa.
In 1986 Michael teamed up with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola for the 3-D movie Captain EO. The attraction was presented in the Disney theme parks until 1998. Captain Eo was the most expensive film ever made minute per minute, costing an estimated 30 million dollars. The film featured two new songs performed by Michael.
In 1987 Michael recorded his third solo album, titled 'Bad', and branched out on his first solo world tour, performing for sold out audiences at every concert. Following his world tour in 1988, Michael wrote his first autobiography discussing for the first time about his childhood, his career, and his cosmetic surgery. At the end of the 1980s Michael was named 'Artist Of The Decade' for his success off of his 'Thriller' and 'Bad' albums. With the huge success of Thriller and Bad by the end of the 80’s Michael Jackson had become the best thing since sliced bread, and became an INTERNATIONAL icon. With Thriller already selling over 40 million records before 1990 and the Bad Tour grossing over $125 million, becoming the World’s Highest Grossing Tour Ever, Michael had become a larger than Life entity. He also by the end of the 80’s spawned more success and garned more awards than any other artist of that decade.
In 1991 Michael signed the largest recording contract for a jaw dropping $890 million with Sony Music and recorded his fourth solo album, 'Dangerous'. He branched out on a solo world tour for the album in 1992, which took him into countries that had never before been visited by a pop artist. Michael performed his first live concert to be telecast on international television (HBO) with his concert from Bucharest, Romania, which the telecast gave the network its highest ratings in its history with over 100 million viewers around the World. The Dangerous Tour was cut short due to overwhelming circumstances but none the less grossed over $90 million. At this time Michael also founded his humanitarian organization the 'Heal the World Foundation' which is dedicated to improving the lives of children around the globe.
In 1994 Michael married for the first time, taking Lisa Marie Presley to be his wife in a private ceremony in the Dominican Republic on May 16th. Their marriage only held on for 19 months, with the relationship ending in divorce in 1996. Michael Jackson during the Dangerous Era took videos production to a new technological level, with his pocket pinching $2.3 million morphing magic video “Black or White” and his Starstudded $2.5 million video “Remember the Time.”
1995 saw Michael record a fifth solo album, titled 'HIStory', which contained 15 new songs in addition to an entire disc dedicated to his greatest hits. Michael Jackson also created the World’s most Expensive video during this time, when he reunited on the screen with his kid sister Janet Jackson to make “Scream” . Scream cost an amazing $7.89 million, and took over 1 week to shoot. In 1996 Michael began his HIStory world tour which was held over a period of two years. By the end of the tour it had sold over 4 million tickets and grossed over $100 million. During a break from touring on November 14 1996, Michael married Debbie Rowe and their first child "Prince" Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. was born on February 13, 1997. 1997 also saw the emergence of another creation by Michael; his album titled 'Blood On The Dance Floor'. This album contained remixes from the songs off of his HIStory album in addition to 5 new songs. Following his world tour, Michael and Debbie introduced a new child into the world on April 3, 1998 named Paris Michael Katherine Jackson. Michael and Debbie ended their marriage in October 1999.
Michael Jackson also showed the world that he could still rock a US stage after a 14 year hiatus when he created magic when in September of 2001, he reunited with his brothers from the Jacksons to perform at his 30th Anniversary Special at Madison Square Garden. In the end the two concerts sold out, selling over 35,000 tickets and grossing over $10 million. The magic was not done, when on November 13, 2001, the Special aired on CBS to over 45 million viewers. (The networks highest television audience since 1992)
The new millennium saw Michael Jackson release his 7th solo album “Invincible”. The album starts off strong with "Unbreakable." This is a signature Michael Jackson track with a strong, edgy dance-pop groove and his trademark vocal squeals, and includes a guest appearance by the late Notorious B.I.G. "Heartbreaker" adds a modern spin to Michael's sound, with an infectious syncopated urban groove that should appeal to fans of the Timbaland or Neptunes sound and modern teen pop like Britney or *NSYNC. "You Rock My World" is totally AWESOME; maybe why was it chosen as the first single? It features a very contagious dance beat and groove that makes you just want to dance. Michael is known for his charged dance-pop tracks like Privacy that once again reminds the listener of his trials with the hounding media, and the ballads on Invincible are very beautiful if I may add. Heavily favored track “Whatever Happens” ft. Carlos Santana's guitar solos the track is sure to be a hit!
RUMOR has it that Michael spent more than $30 million and four years working on Invincible. But if you have to pay that much for the amazing quality of an album, then by all means SPEND SPEND SPEND. Invincible needed some quality control: At 16 tracks and about 77 minutes, the album is fast and hard hitting and then slows down and give you time relax and BANG picks up the pace with tracks like “Whatever Happens” and “Threatened” towards the end like a winding ROLLER COASTER.
But non the less, Michael Jackson is larger than life, bigger than pop music ICON. There is the Michael Jackson of yesteryear who will always be "invincible." Then there's the post-Thriller Michael the over exposed yet Superhuman. No one is as talented as Michael, and we wouldn't have it any other way. Who else can moonwalk like a king, live in a fantasy play land with animals and kids, marry Elvis Presley's daughter, and only appear in public holding best friend Elizabeth Taylor's hand? Michael, you're THE KING and we still love you!
Michael plans to give us motion pictures with his newly merged Neverland Pictures… he also is planning a tour the accompany the Invincible album.
And truly Michael meant what he said at the World Music Awards in May of 2001 when he said, “You aint seen noth’n Yet! But none the less…
Michael's career has spanned over four decades, earning him thousands of awards and breaking and creating countless records. He has sold well over 200 million albums around the globe and performed on every continent. He has lead the world and created the precedent that all artists and directors go by when creating music videos and continues to guide the entertainment industry with his innovative albums, live performances, and short films. Michael is without any doubt the World’s Greatest Musical Entertainer of Pop’s Past, Present, or Future.
By Justin Pugh
Pop singer Michael Jackson has died after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home in Los Angeles on June 26, 2009. Jackson leaves behind three children, two he had with Debbie Rowe, whom he divorced in 1999, and another from a mystery surrogate mother.