The Life and Legacy of Michael Jackson: The King of Pop
Michael Jackson was a ground breaking singer, dancer, and entertainer whose career spanned decades, from his early days with the Jackson 5 to his iconic solo success.
Who Was Michael Jackson?
Michael Jackson, widely recognized as the “King of Pop,” was an iconic American singer, songwriter, and dancer. Starting his career at a young age, he became the lead vocalist of the popular Motown group, the Jackson 5, alongside his brothers. Jackson later launched a solo career that reached extraordinary global success, with chart-topping albums like Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad. Thriller remains one of the best-selling albums of all time. In his later years, Jackson faced numerous allegations of child molestation, which cast a shadow over his legacy. The 13-time Grammy Award winner passed away in 2009 at the age of 50 due to a drug overdose, just before the start of a planned comeback tour.
Quick Facts
Full Name: Michael Joseph Jackson
Born: August 29, 1958
Died: June 25, 2009
Birthplace: Gary, Indiana
Spouses: Lisa Marie Presley (1994-1996) and Debbie Rowe (1996-2000)
Children: Michael “Prince,” Paris, and Prince “Blanket”
Astrological Sign: Virgo
Early Life and Family
Michael Joseph Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, as the eighth of 10 children in the Jackson family. His parents, Joseph Jackson, a crane operator, and Katherine Jackson, a homemaker and devout Jehovah's Witness, both had previous musical ambitions. Katherine had played the clarinet and piano and had dreams of being a country singer, while Joseph was a guitarist who performed in local R&B bands. Their shared passion for music inspired them to encourage their children to explore musical careers, and Jackson's journey in music began at the age of five under his father's guidance.
The Jackson family was a prominent force in the music industry, with almost all of Michael's siblings making their mark in entertainment. Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Randy, and Janet Jackson all became part of the music world, though Michael’s twin brother Brandon, Marlon’s twin, passed away shortly after birth. Under Joseph's strict and demanding guidance, the Jackson children practiced tirelessly, with some reports stating they rehearsed for up to five hours a day after school. Joseph’s tough approach to achieving success was notorious, with rumors of physical punishment involving a belt buckle or electric kettle cord and orders to break branches off trees to use for further punishment if a dance move was not performed correctly.
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5, later known as The Jacksons, was an American pop group made up of the Jackson family members. Formed in Gary, Indiana, in 1964, the original lineup included brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael.
In the early 1960s, Joseph Jackson began shaping his sons into a musical group that would eventually become known as the Jackson 5. Initially, the group consisted of his older sons Tito, Jermaine, and Jackie. At the age of 5, Michael Jackson joined his brothers and quickly emerged as the group's lead vocalist. Despite his youth, he displayed a remarkable vocal range and emotional depth, impressing audiences with his ability to convey complex emotions. The group officially became the Jackson 5 when Michael’s older brother Marlon joined, and their journey to stardom began.
In the beginning, the Jackson 5 played local gigs and quickly gained a strong following. They released their own single, "Big Boy," with the B-side "You’ve Changed," but it failed to make an impact. The group eventually moved on to opening for well-known R&B artists like Gladys Knight & the Pips, James Brown, and Sam and Dave. Many of these performers were signed to Motown Records, and the Jackson 5 caught the attention of Motown founder Berry Gordy.
Impressed by their talent, Gordy signed the Jackson 5 to Motown in early 1969. The family moved to Los Angeles, where they lived with Gordy and legendary Supremes singer Diana Ross as they settled in. The Jackson 5 made their first television appearance during the 1969 Miss Black American Pageant, performing a cover of "It’s Your Thing." Their first album, Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5, hit the charts in December 1969. Soon after, the single “I Want You Back” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
More chart-topping hits followed, including “ABC,” “The Love You Save,” and “I’ll Be There.” For several years, the Jackson 5 maintained a rigorous schedule of touring and recording under the guidance of Gordy and Motown’s staff. Their popularity even led to a self-titled cartoon show that aired from 1971 to 1972. Michael also introduced the "robot dance" to the world during a 1973 performance of “Dancing Machine” on The Mike Douglas Show.
However, despite the group's success, tensions began to rise behind the scenes. Disagreements between Gordy and Joseph over the management of his children's careers led to a demand for more creative control. In 1976, the Jackson 5 officially parted ways with Motown, though Jermaine remained with the label to pursue a solo career. The group rebranded themselves as the Jacksons and signed a new deal with Epic Records. By the time they released their third album, Destiny (1978), the brothers had developed into skilled songwriters, showcasing their growing artistic independence.
Solo Career
While still performing with the Jackson 5, Michael Jackson began his solo career. At the age of 13, he released his debut solo album Got to Be There (1971), which made the charts with its title track. His first solo No. 1 single came with the title track from his second album Ben (1972), which was recorded for the 1972 film about a killer rat. Jackson followed these albums with Music and Me (1973) and Forever, Michael (1975), the latter marking his final album with Motown Records.
As Jackson’s fame continued to grow, he ventured into acting, an experience that would influence his music. In 1977, he portrayed the Scarecrow in the Sidney Lumet-directed film The Wiz, where he starred alongside Diana Ross and Nipsey Russell. While in New York City to film The Wiz, Jackson frequently visited the Studio 54 nightclub, where he was introduced to early hip-hop music. This exposure played a role in shaping his sound, including his incorporation of beatboxing in songs like “Working Day and Night.”
Jackson’s breakthrough as a solo artist came with Off the Wall (1979), his first album with Epic Records and his first collaboration with renowned producer Quincy Jones, whom he met while working on The Wiz. A dynamic blend of pop and funk, Off the Wall featured the Grammy Award–winning single “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough,” alongside hits like “Rock with You,” “She’s Out of My Life,” and the title track. The album was hailed by critics as a departure from Jackson’s earlier pop music and was described as one of the best pop albums ever made.
While still performing with the Jackson 5, Jackson’s success with Off the Wall also benefitted the group. Their album Triumph (1980) sold over 1 million copies, and the brothers went on an extensive tour in support of it. Jackson, however, continued to branch out on his own, and in 1983, he embarked on his final tour with the Jacksons to promote the album Victory (1984). The album’s most successful single was the duet with Mick Jagger, “State of Shock.”
"Thriller" (1982)
Michael Jackson reached unparalleled heights with the release of his sixth solo album, Thriller (1982). As of August 2021, the album was still recognized by Guinness World Records as the best-selling album of all time, having sold 67 million copies worldwide and 34 million units in the United States alone. Thriller spent an impressive 80 weeks on the charts, holding the No. 1 spot for 37 weeks and generating seven Top 10 hits. These included iconic tracks such as “Thriller,” “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” “Human Nature,” “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” and “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing).”
The album earned 12 Grammy Award nominations and won eight, setting a record at the time. To accompany the album, Jackson filmed an elaborate music video for the title track. Directed by filmmaker John Landis, the 14-minute Thriller mini-movie included a horror storyline and culminated in Jackson performing a signature dance with dozens of zombies in an abandoned city street. The video, which debuted on MTV on December 2, 1983, was hailed as one of the greatest music videos of all time and made history by becoming the first music video selected for the National Film Registry in 2009.
During a 1983 television special honoring Motown, Jackson performed his No. 1 hit “Billie Jean” and debuted the moonwalk—a dance move that would become one of his signature steps. Taught to him by R&B musician Jeffrey Daniel three years earlier, the moonwalk gives the illusion of gliding backward while the dancer’s body suggests forward motion. The much-lauded performance further propelled the success of Thriller. The New York Times praised Jackson as a “musical phenomenon,” writing: “In the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else.”
Reaching the Pinnacle of Fame
In November 1983, Michael Jackson signed a record-breaking $5 million promotional deal with PepsiCo, launching the brand's youth-targeted New Generation campaign. However, the deal took a tragic turn when, during the filming of a simulated concert for a commercial, pyrotechnics accidentally set Jackson's hair on fire. The accident resulted in second- and third-degree burns on his scalp. Jackson underwent surgery to repair his injuries, and this incident is believed to have marked the beginning of his experimentation with plastic surgery. Over the years, his face—especially his nose—would undergo dramatic changes.
In 1985, Jackson showcased his altruistic side by collaborating with Lionel Richie to co-write “We Are the World,” a charity single for the non-profit organization USA for Africa. The project featured an all-star lineup of music legends, including Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, and Tina Turner. “We Are the World” became one of the top-selling singles of all time, raising more than $75 million for humanitarian aid to fight poverty in Africa.
Five years after the release of Thriller, Jackson followed up with the highly anticipated Bad (1987). While it didn’t reach the record-breaking sales of Thriller, Bad still performed exceptionally well, reaching the top of the charts. The album made history by featuring five No. 1 hits: “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You,” “Bad,” “The Way You Make Me Feel,” “Man in the Mirror,” and “Dirty Diana.” The music video for the title track was directed by filmmaker Martin Scorsese and featured a young Wesley Snipes, telling an elaborate story about delinquent teenagers and gang violence. Jackson spent over a year on the road, performing concerts to promote the album.
In 1988, Jackson purchased 2,700 acres of land in Los Olivos, California, for $17 million, turning it into Neverland Ranch—a combination home and private amusement park that he owned until 2005. Named after the fantasy island from Peter Pan, the ranch included a zoo, train, Ferris wheel, and a 50-seat movie theater. Among Jackson’s exotic pets was his famous pet chimpanzee, Bubbles.
As the 1980s came to a close, rumors began circulating that Jackson was lightening the color of his skin to appear more white, and that he was sleeping in a special oxygen chamber to extend his lifespan. In 1993, Jackson agreed to a rare television interview with Oprah Winfrey to address these rumors. During the interview, he explained that his changing skin tone was the result of a skin condition called vitiligo. He also opened up about the emotional and physical abuse he suffered at the hands of his father.
Continued Career Success and Allegations Against Michael Jackson
In 1991, Michael Jackson released 'Dangerous', his eighth solo album, marking a significant shift in his musical style. It was his first album in 16 years without Quincy Jones as a collaborator. The album featured an eclectic mix of genres, including R&B, funk, gospel, hip-hop, rock, industrial, and classical music. One of its most prominent singles, "Black or White," was accompanied by a music video directed by John Landis, which featured a cameo by child star Macaulay Culkin. However, the video sparked controversy for its final scenes, where Jackson performed sexually suggestive gestures and destroyed cars and buildings in a violent manner. The backlash was swift, and Jackson apologized publicly, later editing the video to remove the offending footage.
Despite this controversy, Jackson's music remained hugely popular. In 1993, he performed at several high-profile events, including the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show. Yet that same year, Jackson faced his first public allegations of child molestation. A 13-year-old boy accused Jackson of fondling him, a claim that garnered widespread media attention. Jackson had previously been known for allowing children to sleep over at his Neverland Ranch, but this marked the first formal charge against him. Police searched his ranch but found no evidence to support the allegations. The case was eventually settled out of court with the boy’s family in 1994.
In 2003, Jackson was featured in the television documentary 'Living with Michael Jackson', produced by British journalist Martin Bashir. During the filming, Bashir spent several months with the singer, encouraging him to discuss his relationships with children. In an interview, Jackson openly acknowledged that he allowed children to stay overnight at his ranch, even after the 1993 allegations. He also revealed that he sometimes shared his bed with the children, explaining, "Why can’t you share your bed? That’s the most loving thing to do, to share your bed with someone."
Career Decline and Criminal Charges
Jackson’s musical career began to falter with the lukewarm reception of HIStory: Past, Present, and Future, Book I (1995). This double-disc album featured a greatest hits collection on one disc and new material on the other, including collaborations with Janet Jackson, The Notorious B.I.G., Shaquille O’Neal, and Slash. HIStory was regarded as Jackson’s most personal album, with songs that addressed his child abuse allegations and his anger toward the media’s treatment of him. The album produced two notable hits: “You Are Not Alone” and the duet with his sister Janet, “Scream.” The music video for “Scream,” which featured a spaceship theme, was the most expensive video ever produced at that time, costing a staggering $7 million. It won a Grammy Award for its innovative effects. However, another track from the album, “They Don’t Care About Us,” sparked controversy for using an anti-Semitic slur, drawing intense criticism from the public.
Jackson’s career continued to face challenges with the release of Invincible in 2001, his final studio album before his death. The album cost an enormous $30 million to produce, making it the most expensive album ever made at the time. Invincible covered topics such as isolation, social issues, and Jackson’s ongoing struggles with the media. Despite debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard charts, it received mixed reviews from critics. The album’s release coincided with Jackson’s escalating legal disputes with Sony over the rights to his master recordings, which were further inflamed when Jackson accused Sony Music Chairman Tommy Mottola of racism and exploitation of Black artists. By the early 2000s, Jackson was becoming known more for his eccentricities, including wearing a surgical mask in public. In 2002, he made headlines for seeming confused and disoriented while performing at the MTV Video Music Awards. That same year, he faced enormous criticism when he dangled his infant son Blanket over a hotel balcony while greeting fans in Berlin, Germany. Jackson later explained, “We were waiting for thousands of fans down below, and they were chanting they wanted to see my child, so I was kind enough to let them see. I was doing something out of innocence.”
In 2003, Jackson’s legal troubles deepened when he was arrested on charges related to his interactions with a 13-year-old boy. He faced 10 charges in total, including lewd conduct with a minor, conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment, and extortion. The resulting trial in 2005 turned into a media spectacle, with fans, critics, and camera crews swarming the courthouse. More than 130 people testified, and Jackson’s accuser described how he had been given wine and molested, via videotape. However, there were inconsistencies in his testimony, as well as in the testimony of his mother. On June 14, 2005, Jackson was found not guilty on all charges.
Wives and Children
In August 1994, Michael Jackson made headlines with the announcement that he had married Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of legendary rock star Elvis Presley. However, their marriage was short-lived, and the couple divorced in 1996. There were rumors that the marriage might have been a publicity stunt aimed at improving Jackson's image in the wake of the child molestation allegations against him.
Later in 1996, Jackson married nurse Debbie Rowe. The couple had two children through artificial insemination: Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., born in 1997 and known as Prince Jackson, and Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, born in 1998. The marriage ended in divorce in 1999, with Jackson receiving full custody of their two children.
Jackson would later have a third child, Prince Michael Jackson II, nicknamed "Blanket" (now known as "Bigi"), in 2002. The identity of the surrogate who carried the child remains unknown.
Death and Aftermath
Michael Jackson passed away on June 25, 2009, at the age of 50, after suffering a cardiac arrest at his Los Angeles home. Despite attempts to revive him with CPR, Jackson was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead later that morning. An official coroner’s report released in February 2010 revealed that Jackson’s cause of death was acute propofol intoxication, a fatal overdose of a prescription drug cocktail that included sedatives such as midazolam, diazepam, and lidocaine.
Jackson had been using sedative medications, including propofol, to help him sleep, with the assistance of his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray. Murray stated that he believed Jackson had become particularly addicted to propofol, which the singer referred to as his "milk." According to Murray, he had been administering propofol in 50-milligram doses through an IV at night, and had been attempting to gradually wean Jackson off the drug in the days leading up to his death.
A police investigation uncovered that Dr. Murray was not licensed to prescribe many controlled substances in California, and it was revealed that the appropriate standards of care had not been followed during the administration of propofol. Evidence also indicated that the necessary equipment for monitoring Jackson’s condition, as well as for accurate dosing and resuscitation, was missing. Consequently, Jackson’s death was ruled a homicide. In November 2011, Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to four years in prison.
In 2013, the Jackson family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against AEG Live, the entertainment company that had been promoting Jackson’s planned comeback concerts in 2009. They accused the company of failing to adequately protect Jackson during his time under Murray’s care. The family’s legal team sought $1.5 billion in damages, based on the anticipated earnings Jackson could have made. However, in October 2013, a jury determined that AEG Live was not responsible for Jackson’s death.
Memorials and Legacy
On July 7, 2009, a televised memorial service for Michael Jackson was held at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. While 17,500 free tickets were distributed through a lottery system to fans, the memorial was watched by an estimated 1 billion viewers worldwide, either on television or online. Jackson’s death led to an overwhelming outpouring of grief and sympathy from his fans and the general public. Memorials were set up in his honor around the world, including one at the Staples Center and another at his childhood home in Gary, Indiana. On September 3, 2009, the Jackson family held a private funeral at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. The ceremony was attended by close family members and 200 invited guests, including celebrity mourners like Jackson’s ex-wife, Lisa Marie Presley, and actress Elizabeth Taylor.
Throughout his career, Jackson received 38 Grammy Award nominations and 13 wins, including Album of the Year for Thriller, Record of the Year for “Beat It,” and Song of the Year for “We Are the World.” He won his first Grammy in 1980 for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for the song “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough.” In addition to his Grammy successes, Jackson was honored with the 1993 Grammy Legend Award, inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from The Recording Academy. In October 2009, a documentary about Jackson's preparation for his final tour, titled This Is It, was released. The film, which included interviews, rehearsal footage, and behind-the-scenes moments, grossed $23 million in its opening weekend and ultimately earned $261 million globally.
Following Jackson's death, several posthumous albums were released. The first, Michael, debuted in December 2010, but controversy surrounded the authenticity of some of the tracks, with Jackson's brother Randy questioning whether the singer had actually recorded them. Despite this, the Jackson estate defended the album’s validity. The second posthumous album, Xscape (2014), included a track featuring R&B star and Jackson protege Usher, “Love Never Felt So Good.” The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart. Since Jackson’s passing, he has been the subject of multiple biographies and has inspired the creation of two Cirque du Soleil shows. In 2018, he was posthumously honored with the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation Legacy Award for Humanitarian Service, with his children Paris and Prince Michael accepting the award on his behalf.
Thanks to his investment in the Sony/ATV Music catalog, which holds the publishing rights for songs by influential artists such as The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Taylor Swift, Jackson’s debts were cleared after his death. In 2016, the Jackson estate sold its share of Sony/ATV for $750 million, and in 2018, it received an additional $287.5 million for its stake in EMI Music Publishing. Jackson's earning power remained strong even after his death; in October 2017, Forbes reported that Jackson had topped the publication’s list of top-earning dead celebrities for the fifth consecutive year, bringing in $75 million.
In early 2019, allegations of sexual abuse against Jackson resurfaced with the airing of Leaving Neverland at the Sundance Film Festival, followed by its broadcast on HBO. The four-hour documentary presented the accounts of two men who described how Jackson allegedly lured them into his orbit as boys, gaining the trust of their families, before coercing them into sexual activities at his Neverland Ranch and in hotel rooms. The Jackson estate dismissed the accusers as “serial perjurers” and filed a $100 million lawsuit against HBO. As of December 2020, the lawsuit was still set to be resolved through arbitration.
Quotes
- "Being onstage is magic. There’s nothing like it. You feel the energy of everybody who’s out there. You feel it all over your body."
- "Being an entertainer, you just can’t tell who is your friend."
- "Being mobbed hurts. You feel like you’re spaghetti among thousands of hands. They’re just ripping you and pulling your hair. And you feel that any moment you’re gonna just break."
- "I hate to take credit for the songs I’ve written. I feel that somewhere, someplace, it’s been done, and I’m just a courier bringing it into the world. I really believe that."
- "I love what I do. I’m happy at what I do. It’s escapism."
- "Why can’t you share your bed? That’s the most loving thing to do, to share your bed with someone."
- "If you enter this world knowing you are loved and you leave this world knowing the same, then everything that happens in between can be dealt with."
- "I always want to know what makes good performers fall to pieces."
- "My father would rehearse with a belt in his hand. You couldn’t mess up."
- "What I’m asking is whether this is still a country where a peculiar person such as Michael Jackson can get a fair shake and be considered innocent until proven guilty... or is this just a 21st century American barnyard where we all feel free to turn on the moonwalking rooster... and peck it to death?"
