Article Source Britannica Michael Jackson American singer, songwriter, and dancer Michael Jackson, full name Michael Joseph Jackson or Michael Joe Jackson (see Researcher’s Note), was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer who was the most well-known entertainer in the world in the early and middle of the 1980s. He was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, and passed away on June 25, 2009, in Los Angeles, California. Michael Jackson was the youngest and most brilliant of five brothers that his father, Joseph, developed into the glittering group of young stars known as the Jackson 5. He was raised in Gary, Indiana, in one of the most renowned musical families of the rock period. Jackie Jackson (born Sigmund Jackson; May 4, 1951; Gary, Indiana), Tito Jackson (born Toriano Jackson; October 15, 1953; Gary), Jermaine Jackson (born December 11, 1954; Gary), and Marlon Jackson were the other members of the Jackson 5 in addition to Michael (b. March 12, 1957, Gary).
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The Jackson 5
The quartet intrigued Motown Records president Berry Gordy, Jr., who signed them in 1969. The Jackson 5 immediately found fame thanks to their loudest attire, biggest Afros, snappiest dancing, and youthful, soulful energy. With “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” “The Love You Save,” and “I’ll Be There,” they achieved four consecutive number one pop successes in 1970. The Jackson family’s run of successes for Motown continued into 1975, with Michael topping the pop charts as a solo performer with “Ben” and reaching number two with “Rockin’ Robin,” and the Jackson 5 creating ground-breaking dance singles like “Dancing Machine.” Michael’s voice changed as he grew older, leading to family strife and a contract standoff. Finally breaking away from Motown, the trio signed with Epic Records as the Jacksons. Randy Jackson, the youngest Jackson sibling, took over as Jermaine’s replacement at Motown while continuing to play solo (in full Steven Randall Jackson; b. October 29, 1961). The Jacksons were a successful recording act through 1984, and Janet Jackson started her own singing career in the early 1980s. Michael’s solo records, however, received entirely different treatment.
The “King of Pop”
Off the Wall (1979), Jackson’s debut solo album for Epic, exceeded all expectations and became the year’s best-selling record (it eventually sold more than 20 million copies). The major international hit songs “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough” and “Rock with You,” both of which highlighted Michael’s vivacious style and capitalised on the current disco dance phenomenon, were produced by industry veteran Quincy Jones for the album Off the Wall. Three years later, he collaborated with Jones once more on Thriller, a masterpiece that catapulted him to international superstardom and featured a host of guest stars. Thriller won numerous accolades, including a record-breaking eight Grammys, spent more than two years on the charts, and sold more than 40 million copies, earning it the title of best-selling album in history for a very long time. The breezy duet with Paul McCartney from the album’s first single, “The Girl Is Mine,” peaked at number one on the rhythm-and-blues charts and number two on the pop charts in the autumn of 1982. Both “Beat It,” which featured a rowdy solo from renowned guitarist Eddie Van Halen, and the follow-up single, “Billie Jean,” which is an exhilarating dance music and the setting for Jackson’s signature “moonwalk” dance, reached the top of the pop charts. Additionally, “Beat It” assisted in eradicating artificial barriers between Black and white musicians on the radio and in the newly emerging television medium of music videos.
Jackson was regarded as the “King of Pop” by 1984. One of the most well-attended musical events of 1984 was his and his brothers’ much awaited Victory reunion tour. The anthem for USA for Africa, an all-star collaboration aimed at famine relief, “We Are the World,” co-written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, was released in 1985. Jackson’s domination of the pop music industry was further cemented by his subsequent solo albums, Bad (1987), which had five chart-topping singles, including the title song and “Man in the Mirror,” and Dangerous (1991), which was heavily influenced by Teddy Riley of the New Jack Swing movement. The Jackson 5 were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997; he was admitted in 2001.
Child molestation accusations, financial difficulties, and death
In the early 1990s, Jackson’s unconventional, reclusive lifestyle gained more and more notoriety. When he was accused of child molestation in 1993 by a 13-year-old boy he had befriended, his reputation was severely tarnished; the civil lawsuit was resolved out of court. Jackson secretly wed Lisa Marie Presley, an Elvis Presley daughter, in 1994, but their union only lasted a little over two years. Jackson remarried shortly after, this marriage also producing children but ending in divorce. Although he continued to be a global celebrity, his reputation in the United States took a while to improve. In November 2003, when he was detained and accused of child molesting, his image took a further hit. Jackson was exonerated in 2005 following a 14-week trial that attracted much media attention.
Following these occurrences, Jackson experienced a financial collapse that led to the sale of many of his considerable assets, ultimately including his opulent Neverland ranch. When he passed away unexpectedly from a cardiac arrest on June 25, 2009, he was getting ready for a run of high-profile performances that he hoped would inspire a comeback. This sparked a massive outpouring of grief from his fans, which culminated in a memorial celebration of his life and legacy on July 7 at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, with tributes from friends and notable figures like Stevie Wonder, Berry Gordy, Jr., Brooke Shields, The coroner declared Jackson’s death a homicide in August 2009; the cause was a fatal mix of sedatives and the anaesthetic propofol. Jackson’s personal doctor was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in November 2011.
FAQs
Who was Michael Jackson?
In the early and middle of the 1980s, American singer, songwriter, and dancer Michael Jackson was the most well-known performer on the planet. He continues to be widely regarded as the “King of Pop” today.
How did Michael Jackson die?
Michael Jackson, who was 50 years old, passed away after a cardiac attack on June 25, 2009, in Los Angeles, California. It was determined that Jackson’s death, which was brought on by a fatal mix of sedatives and the anaesthetic propofol, was a homicide. Jackson’s personal physician Conrad Murray was convicted guilty of involuntary manslaughter in 2011.
Where was Michael Jackson born?
On August 29, 1958, Michael Jackson was conceived in Gary, Indiana.
How did Michael Jackson become famous?
The Jackson 5 was the band where Michael Jackson first performed. The Jackson brothers recorded such singles as “ABC” and “I Want You Back” after joining Motown Records in 1969. Off the Wall, Michael Jackson’s debut solo album, was released in 1979 and featured the huge smash “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough” among other songs.
What were Michael Jackson’s accomplishments?
Eight of the 13 Grammy Awards that Michael Jackson received were for the album Thriller. Jackson received two inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: one in 1997 for his work with the Jackson 5 and the other in 2001 for his solo endeavours. Jackson aided in paving the way for Black musicians to perform on radio and television (particularly MTV).
