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Michael Joseph Jackson (born August 29, 195][1]), also known as The King of Pop , is an American musician whose controversial personal life and successful music career have been at the forefront of pop culture for the last quarter-century.

Michael Jackson began his musical career at the age of five as lead singer of The Jackson 5 and made his first solo recordings in 1971 as part of the Jackson 5 franchise[2]. He began a full-fledged solo career in 1979 and formally parted with his siblings in 1984[3]. Since then he has recorded and co-produced the best-selling album of all-time (Thriller, with over fifty million copies sold worldwide[4]), received thirteen Grammy Awards[5], charted thirteen number-one singles in the U.S., and sold over 300 million albums and singles worldwide[6]. Michael Jackson has been awarded numerous honors, including the World Music Award for "Best Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium"[7]. Michael Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001[8].

In 1993, and again in 2003, Michael Jackson faced allegations of child sexual abuse, and was eventually tried and acquitted of these allegations in 2005[9].

Biography[edit]

Early beginnings[edit]

Michael Joseph Jackson was born to Joseph and Katherine Jackson in Gary, Indiana. He was the seventh of nine children, including Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, LaToya, Marlon, Randy and Janet[10].

Joseph organised his children into a music group called "The Jackson 5". The group played local clubs and bars, building up a following and eventually signing a contract with Motown Records in the late 1960s[11]. The Jackson 5 soon became national stars with their first four singles charting at number one on the Billboard Hot 100[12]. Michael also released four solo albums and charted many hit singles under the Jackson 5 franchise including the hits "Ben", and a popular remake of Bobby Day's Rockin' Robin[citation needed].

Eventually The Jackson 5 reached lower chart positions and sold less copies with each new album and single they released[13]. In 1976, the group signed a new contract with CBS Records (first joining the Philadelphia International division and later moving over to Epic Records)[14]. The new deal with CBS provided larger royalties and creative freedom that the Jackson 5 were not allowed at Motown[citation needed]. Upon learning that the Jackson 5 had signed a contract with another label, Motown sued the group for breach of contract[15]. As a result, they lost the rights to use the "Jackson 5" name and logo and changed their named to "The Jacksons"[16]. The newly named Jacksons, featuring youngest brother Randy in Jermaine's place[17], continued their successful career, touring internationally and releasing six albums between 1976 and 1984[18].

In 1978, Michael Jackson starred as the scarecrow in "The Wiz," with former-labelmate Diana Ross playing Dorothy[19]. The musical film's songs were arranged by famed producer Quincy Jones, who established a partnership with Jackson and agreed to produce his first solo album[20]. Off the Wall, released in 1979, was a worldwide hit, and spawned four top-ten hits, including "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You"[21]. With that accomplishment, Jackson became the first solo artist to spawn four top-ten singles from the same album[citation needed]. The album went on to sell 20 million copies worldwide[22], establishing Jackson as a musical force without his brothers. After the success of Thriller, Jackson began work on his second solo album with Quincy Jones.

1980s success[edit]

Michael Jackson's 1982 album Thriller became the best-selling album in music history with over 50 million copies sold worldwide[23]. In 1984, Thriller won seven Grammy awards[citation needed]. In that same year, Jackson also won a Grammy for the E.T. Storybook[citation needed], breaking the record for the most Grammy awards won in a single year[24]. The album spawned seven hit singles[25], including "Billie Jean" (which was the music video by a black artist to receive regular airplay on MTV), "Beat It" and the albums's title track which was accompanied by a revolutionary music video. The thirteen-minute "Thriller" music video became the world's best-selling home video at the time[citation needed] (packaged with the featurette The Making of Michael Jackson's "Thriller"[26]).

During the 1980s Jackson's popularity excalated, performing "Billie Jean" at the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever concert[27] and debuting the now-famous moonwalk[citation needed], reuniting with his brothers for the Victory album and tour[28], and co-writing the hit charity single "We Are The World" which helped raise money and awareness for famine in East-Africa[29]. However, despite his fame and success Jackson was involved in many controversies during the eighties which tainted his public image. The controversies started in 1984 when Jackson burnt his scalp while filming a commercial for Pepsi-Cola[30]. More controversy followed in 1985 when Jackson purchased ownership of ATV Publishing who owned rights to Elvis Presley's and The Beatles' songs[31], a business venture that cost him his friendship with Paul McCartney[citation needed] (who sang with Jackson on "The Girl Is Mine" from the Thriller album[32]). Recent reports claim Jackson may lose his ownership of the catalogue due to personal financial problems[33]. Following this controversial business deal, bizarre tabloid stories of Jackson sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber to stall the aging-process, and purchasing the skeleton of the Elephant Man inspired the pejorative nickname "Wacko Jacko"[34].

In 1987, after starring in the George Lucas/Francis Ford Coppola 3-D film Captain Eo[35], Jackson released Bad[36], his third and final album with producer Quincy Jones[citation needed]. Bad sold 29 million copies[37] and spawned five number-one singles[38] ("I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana") making Jackson the first artist to generate five number-one singles off the same album[citation needed]. The album was supported by an eighteen-month world tour[39].

Jackson hired film director Martin Scorsese to direct the video for the album's title track[citation needed]. When the 18-minute music video debuted on TV, it sparked a great deal of controversy as it was apparent that Jackson's appearance had changed dramatically[citation needed]. Although Jackson's skin color was a medium-brown color for the entire duration of his youth, his skin has lightened gradually since 1982, and is today a pale cream color[citation needed]. Jackson has attributed his changing skin color to vitiligo[citation needed] and denies rumours that he bleached his skin[citation needed]. Another significant reason for his change in appearance was an extensive use of plastic surgery[citation needed]. He claims to have had three operations: two rhinoplastic surgeries and the surgical creation of a cleft in his chin[citation needed]. When listing his cosmetic surgery, Jackson often omits mentioning the cleft[40]; however, he confirmed this surgery in his 1988 autobiography, Moon Walk[citation needed]. Jackson also made a mini-movie[citation needed] and released a Sega video game with similar titles[citation needed].

Michael Jackson ended the eighties by being named "Artist of The Decade" by numerous organisations[41]. Close friend of Jackson's Elizabeth Taylor, presented him with an "Artist of the decade" awarded in 1989[citation needed], and during her introduction referred to him as "the true king of pop, rock and soul"[citation needed]. Since then, Jackson's fans has often referred to him as simply "the king of pop"[citation needed].

Early 1990s controversy[edit]

Following the success of Bad, Michael Jackson's record company announced plans to release a compilation of his biggest hits up to that point[citation needed]. The compilation, apparently titled Decade, was to include several new songs[citation needed]. These songs were "Black or White", "Heal the World" and "Who Is It"[citation needed]. However, because Jackson had ample new material, he decided to release another full studio album instead[citation needed]. This album became Dangerous, released in 1991[42] and supported by a world tour which took him to Eastern-Europe for the first time[43]. The album was Jackson's first release under his new record-breaking U.S.$890 million contract with Sony[44], a contract that would later lead to a long-winded battle between Jackson and Sony (see Decline section). Beginning with this album, Jackson ended his association with music-producer Quincy Jones[citation needed], and began to produce his own music in collaboration with new producers such as new jack swing pioneer Teddy Riley[citation needed]. Sales of the album equalled Bad with 29 million album copies sold worldwide[45].

Influenced by the hit Dangerous single "Heal The World", Jackson founded the "Heal the World Foundation" in 1992[46]. The charity organisation brought under-privileged children to Jackson's Peter Pan-inspired Neverland Ranch, located outside Santa Ynez, California to enjoy the rides and amusements Jackson had built on the property since he purchased it in 1988[citation needed]. He would also occasionally let children sleep-over at Neverland[47]. This practise soon became frowned-upon when allegations of child sexual abuse were brought against Jackson. In 1993, Jordan Chandler, the son of former Beverly Hills dentist Evan Chandler, represented by civil lawyer Larry Feldman, accused Jackson of child sexual abuse. In 1994, Jackson settled out of court with the accuser for a reported USD 20 million and was not charged[48].

After the allegations were settled, Jackson began work on the greatest-hits compilation original intended to be released in 1990. This compilation became a greatest-hits/studio album titled HIStory[citation needed]. In 1995, Jackson released HIStory: Past, Present And Future - Book 1, a double-disc album[49]. The first disc, HIStory Begins, was a fifteen-track greatest hits album (in 2001, HIStory Begins was re-released on its own as Greatest Hits - HIStory Vol. I), while the second disc, HIStory Continues, contained fifteen new songs. Of the newer songs, "Scream" a duet with Jackson's sister Janet, "You Are Not Alone" and "Earth Song" became hits[citation needed]. The album sold 18 million copies[50] (36 million disc) making it the best-selling multiple-disc album of all-time[citation needed]. HIStory was also the first album in which Jackson showcased his instrumental abilities, playing keyboard, synthesizer, guitar, drums and percussion on the album[citation needed].

Marriages and fatherhood[edit]

During the making of the HIStory album in 1994, Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley[51], the daughter of Elvis Presley. The marriage was severely criticized by the media and lasted less than two years[citation needed]. Despite some comments questioning the validity of this union, Presley has always maintained that they both shared a married couple's life during their time together and were sexually active[citation needed]. The couple divorced in December 1995 when Jackson was still hospitalized after suffering dehydration during rehearsals for his "One Night Only" special which was cancelled[citation needed].

Not long after the divorce, Jackson married his dermatologist's nurse Deborah Jeanne Rowe on November 14, 1996[52], with whom he fathered a son, Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr. (who publicly goes by the name "Prince"), and a daughter, Paris Katherine Jackson[53]. The actual parentage of Jackson's children is unproven[citation needed] because when the children were seen in the 2003 documentary "Living with Michael Jackson," it was apparent that they had no African features[citation needed]. Jackson and Rowe were divorced in 1999[54]. Jackson later said that Rowe wanted him to have the children as a "gift"[55]. She resultantly gave up her parental rights to the children[citation needed], but as of 2005, a family court case is under way regarding visitation[citation needed]. The godparents of the two children are Macaulay Culkin and Elizabeth Taylor[citation needed].

Decline[edit]

In 1997, Jackson released an album of remixes of hit singles from the "HIStory" album titled Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix[56]. Jackson also recorded five original songs which were put on the album ("Blood On The Dance Floor", "Is It Scary?", "Ghosts", "Superfly Sister" and "Morphine"). Of the new songs, three were released globally, including the title track which peaked at number forty-two in the U.S.[citation needed] but reached number-one in the UK[57]. The album suffered lower-than-average sales compared to Jackson's standard, selling six million copies worldwide[58]. Even though the sales of the album were below Jackson's standard, it sold considerably well for a remix album becoming the best-selling remix album of all-time[citation needed].

Other single releases from the album included "Ghosts", and "Is It Scary?", which were songs based on a film Jackson created that year titled "Ghosts"[59]. The film, written by Michael Jackson and Stephen King and directed by Stan Winston, features impressive special effects and dance moves choreographed to original music written by Michael Jackson[60]. Ghosts is sometimes seen as a movie-length sequel to his 1983 Thriller short-film[citation needed].

In 1999, Jackson announced he was working on a new album, this album later became Invincible[citation needed]. Invincible was released in October 2001, after two years in production[61]. The album debuted at number-one in fourteen countries[62] and sold eight million copies in worldwide[63]. The singles released from the album include "You Rock My World," "Cry," and "Butterflies"[citation needed]. On Invincible, Michael Jackson expanded his instrumental involvement on the album, playing most of the instruments and much of the programming in collaboration with producers Rodney Jerkins, Teddy Riley, and Dr. Freeze[citation needed].

Just before the release of Invincible, Jackson informed Sony Music Entertainment head, Tommy Mottola, that he was not going to renew his contract, which was about to expire in terms of supplying the label with albums of full-new material for release through ER/SME[64]. In 2002 all the singles releases, video shootings and promotions, concerning the Invincible album were cancelled[65]. Due to this, Jackson made allegations about Sony not supporting its African-American artists. Jackson referred to Mottola as a "devil" and "racist" who used black artists for his own personal gain[66]. Jackson also insisted that Motolla called Irv Gotti a "fat black nigger"[67]. Sony issued a statement stating that they found the allegations strange[citation needed], since Motolla was once married to half-Black R&B star Mariah Carey[citation needed]. However, Carey supported Jackson's claims on Larry King Live[68].

On October 21, 2001, Michael Jackson performed the song "What More Can I Give" at the United We Stand: What More Can I Give charity concert for the September 11 terrorist attacks, in Washington, D.C.[citation needed]. Twenty-seven other artists joined Jackson onstage during the song, including Mariah Carey, Céline Dion, the Backstreet Boys, Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé Knowles, Usher, Anastacia, Mya, Ricky Martin, Julio Iglesias and Tom Petty[citation needed]. After the event raised USD 3 million[citation needed], Jackson planned to release it as a single[citation needed]. Just before the release of this single, it was revealed that the song's producer Mark Schaffel was a gay porn film producer[citation needed]. As a result of this, the single release of "What More Can I Give" was cancelled[citation needed], but the song was made available for paid download on the Internet[citation needed], and had a video shot for it[citation needed]. Later a catalog featuring the song, called "What More Can I Give: Michael Jackson and Friends", was released instead[citation needed].

Living with Michael Jackson[edit]

In 2002, a new round of negative publicity surrounded Michael Jackson. He teamed with Martin Bashir to do a documentary and interview about his life titled "Living with Michael Jackson"[69]. The documentary aired in January and February of 2003[citation needed]. Jackson was widely criticised for the comments and actions he displayed in the documentary[citation needed]. One particular part of the documentary which stirred controversy and raised a significant level of concern showed Jackson holding hands with a 13-year-old cancer victim named Gavin Arviso and admitting to sharing his bed with children[70]. Although, since then Jackson has fought back saying what he meant was he lets children sleep in his bed while he sleeps on the floor[citation needed]. He claims he explained this in the interview with Bashir, but his complete comments were edited out of the documentary[citation needed]. In an attempt to redeem himself, Jackson released the same documentary, but filmed by his own personal cameraman who caught Jackson's full explanations on the topics of plastic surgery, the "baby dangling" incident, and his relationships with children[citation needed].

November of that year, Michael Jackson and Sony Records released a compilation of his number one hits on CD and DVD titled "Number Ones"[citation needed]. The compilation was highly successful selling over six million copies worldwide[71]. On the album's scheduled release date, while Michael Jackson was in Las Vegas filming the video for "One More Chance" (the only new song included in the "Number Ones" compilation[citation needed]), the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department raided Neverland Ranch and arrested Michael Jackson on charges of child molestation[72]. Jackson was accused of sexual abuse by Gavin Arviso, who appeared in the "Living with Michael Jackson" documentary earlier that year. The allegations later lead to a 2005 trial in which Jackson was found not guilty of all charges.

Child molestation trial[edit]

The criminal case was tried in Santa Maria, California during the spring of 2005. On June 13, Jackson was acquitted of all ten charges, including four additional lesser ones. CNN later reported that two of the jurors, Ray Hultman and Eleanor Cook, believed he had committed child sex crimes in the past but there was not enough evidence to prove it[citation needed], and announced impending books on their experiences in the trial. It has been reported that one of the jurors is taking legal action against the publisher of his book, claiming he was tricked into it[73]. Others, during after verdict press-conference, indicated that they did not see evidence of any recent or older crime whatsoever[citation needed], even though all the previous cases of alleged molestation were considered[citation needed].

After being acquitted of the child molestation charges, Jackson relocated to the Gulf island of Bahrain, where he reportedly bought a house formerly owned by a Bahrain MP[74]. While in Bahrain, Jackson also reportedly took on the role of entertainment consultant in a business venture to develop the Gulf's music and entertainment industry[75]. Jackson has spent his time in the Gulf writing new music, including a charity single dedicated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina titled, "I Have This Dream"[76] set for a mid-late February 2006 release[77].

In 2006, allegations of sexual assault were levelled against Jackson by a man who claims Michael Jackson molested him, intoxicated him with drugs and alcohol, and forced him to undergo unnecessary cosmetic surgery. Michael Jackson's lawyer Thomas Mesereau, who successfully defended him against allegations of child molestation in 2005, said "the charges are ridiculous on their face. They will be vigorously defended."[78]

Currently, Michael Jackson is travelling around Europe with close friends and family[79], and has a video box-set due out in February 2006 which will be released bit-by-bit over a five-month period[80].

Discography[edit]

Main articles: Michael Jackson albums discography, Michael Jackson singles discography, and The Jackson 5 discography

Videography[edit]

Main article: Michael Jackson Videography

Notable short films

  • Billie Jean (1983) - Directed by Steve Barron
  • Beat It (1983) - Directed by Bob Giraldi
  • Thriller (1983) - Directed by John Landis
  • Bad (1987) - Directed by Martin Scorsese
  • The Way You Make Me Feel (1987) - Directed by Joe Pytka
  • Smooth Criminal (1988) - Directed by Colin Chilvers
  • Leave Me Alone (1989) - Directed by Jim Blashfield
  • Black or White (1991) - Directed by John Landis
  • Remember The Time (1992) - Directed by John Singleton
  • Scream (1995) - Directed by Mark Romanek
  • Earth Song (1995) - Directed by Nicholas Brandt
  • Blood on the Dance Floor (1997) - Directed by Michael Jackson & Vincent Paterson
  • You Rock My World (2001) - Directed by Paul Hunter

Filmography[edit]

Main article: Michael Jackson Filmography

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

External links[edit]

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