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"From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation).
"King of Pop" redirects here. For other uses, see King of Pop (disambiguation).
Michael Jackson
 Jackson in 1988
Born
Michael Joseph Jackson

August 29, 1958
Gary, Indiana, US
Died
June 25, 2009 (aged 50)
Los Angeles, California, US
Cause of death
Acute propofol intoxication
Burial place
Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California, US
Other names
Michael Joe Jackson
Occupations
Singer
songwriter
dancer
record producer
Spouses
Lisa Marie Presley
​
​
(m. 1994; div. 1996)​
Debbie Rowe
​
​
(m. 1996; div. 2000)​
Children
3, including Paris
Parents
Joe Jackson
Katherine Jackson
Family
Jackson family
Awards
Full list
Musical career
Genres
Pop
soul
rhythm and blues
funk
rock
disco
post-disco
dance-pop
new jack swing
Instrument(s)
Vocals
Discography
Albums
singles
songs
Years active
1964–2009
Labels
Steeltown
Motown
Epic
Legacy
Sony
MJJ Productions
Formerly of
The Jackson 5
 
Website
michaeljackson.com
Signature
 
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Known as the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. During his four-decade career, his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture. Jackson influenced artists across many music genres. Through stage and video performances, he popularized complicated street dance moves such as the moonwalk, which he named, as well as the robot.

The eighth child of the Jackson family, Jackson made his public debut in 1964 with his older brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon as a member of the Jackson 5 (later known as the Jacksons). Jackson began his solo career in 1971 while at Motown Records. He became a solo star with his 1979 album Off the Wall. His music videos, including those for "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller" from his 1982 album Thriller, are credited with breaking racial barriers and transforming the medium into an art form and promotional tool. He helped propel the success of MTV and continued to innovate with the videos for his subsequent albums: Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995), and Invincible (2001). Thriller became the best-selling album of all time, while Bad was the first album to produce five US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles.[nb 1]

From the late 1980s, Jackson became a figure of controversy and speculation due to his changing appearance, relationships, behavior, and lifestyle. In 1993, he was accused of sexually abusing the child of a family friend. The lawsuit was settled out of civil court; Jackson was not indicted due to lack of evidence. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further child sexual abuse allegations and several other charges. The FBI found no evidence of criminal conduct by Jackson in either case. In 2009, while he was preparing for a series of comeback concerts, This Is It, Jackson died from an overdose of propofol administered by his personal physician, Conrad Murray, who was convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter for his involvement in Jackson's death. His death triggered reactions around the world, creating unprecedented surges of internet traffic and a spike in sales of his music. Jackson's televised memorial service, held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, was estimated to have been viewed by more than 2.5 billion people.

Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with sales estimated around 500 million records worldwide.[nb 2] He had 13 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles (fourth highest of any artist in the Hot 100 era) and was the first artist to have a top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades. His honors include 15 Grammy Awards, six Brit Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and 39 Guinness World Records, including the "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time". Jackson's inductions include the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (twice), the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Dance Hall of Fame (making him the only recording artist to be inducted) and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.

Life and career
Early life and the Jackson 5 (1958–1975)
 Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Indiana, pictured in March 2010
Michael Joseph Jackson[9][10] was born in Gary, Indiana, on August 29, 1958.[11][12] He was the eighth of ten children in the Jackson family, a working-class African-American family living in a two-bedroom house on Jackson Street.[13][14] His mother, Katherine Esther Jackson (née Scruse), played clarinet and piano, had aspired to be a country-and-western performer, and worked part-time at Sears.[15] She was a Jehovah's Witness.[16] His father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, a former boxer, was a crane operator at US Steel and played guitar with a local rhythm and blues band, the Falcons, to supplement the family's income.[17][18] Joe's great-grandfather, July "Jack" Gale, was a US Army scout; family lore held that he was also a Native American medicine man.[19] Michael grew up with three sisters (Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet) and five brothers (Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy).[17] A sixth brother, Marlon's twin Brandon, died shortly after birth.[20]

In 1964, Michael and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by their father which included Jackie, Tito and Jermaine—as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine.[21][22] Michael said his father told him he had a "fat nose",[23] and physically and emotionally abused him during rehearsals. He recalled that Joe often sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his siblings rehearsed, ready to punish any mistakes.[16][24] Joe acknowledged that he regularly whipped Michael.[25] Katherine said that although whipping came to be considered abuse, it was a common way to discipline children when Michael was growing up.[26][27] Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon denied that their father was abusive and said that the whippings, which had a deeper impact on Michael because he was younger, kept them disciplined and out of trouble.[28] Michael said that during his youth he was lonely and isolated.[29]

Later in 1965, Michael began sharing lead vocals with Jermaine, and the group's name was changed to the Jackson 5.[30] In 1965, the group won a talent show; Michael performed the dance to Robert Parker's 1965 song "Barefootin'" and sang the Temptations' "My Girl".[31] From 1966 to 1968, the Jacksons 5 toured the Midwest; they frequently played at a string of black clubs known as the Chitlin' Circuit as the opening act for artists such as Sam & Dave, the O'Jays, Gladys Knight and Etta James. The Jackson 5 also performed at clubs and cocktail lounges, where striptease shows were featured, and at local auditoriums and high school dances.[32][33] In August 1967, while touring the East Coast, they won a weekly amateur night concert at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.[34]

 Michael Jackson (center) as a member of the Jackson 5 in 1972. The group were among the first African American performers to attain a crossover following.[35]
The Jackson 5 recorded several songs for a Gary record label, Steeltown Records; their first single, "Big Boy", was released in 1968.[36] Bobby Taylor of Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers brought the Jackson 5 to Motown after they opened for Taylor at Chicago's Regal Theater in 1968. Taylor produced some of their early Motown recordings, including a version of "Who's Lovin' You".[37] After signing with Motown, the Jackson family relocated to Los Angeles.[38] In 1969, Motown executives decided Diana Ross should introduce the Jackson 5 to the public — partly to bolster her career in television — sending off what was considered Motown's last product of its "production line".[39] The Jackson 5 made their first television appearance in 1969 in the Miss Black America pageant, performing a cover of "It's Your Thing".[40] Rolling Stone later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts" who "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer".[41]

In January 1970, "I Want You Back" became the first Jackson 5 song to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100; it stayed there for four weeks. Three more singles with Motown topped the chart: "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There".[42] In May 1971, the Jackson family moved into a large house at Hayvenhurst, a 2-acre (0.81 ha) estate in Encino, California.[43] During this period, Michael developed from a child performer into a teen idol.[44] Between 1972 and 1975, he released four solo studio albums with Motown: Got to Be There (1972), Ben (1972), Music & Me (1973) and Forever, Michael (1975).[45] "Got to Be There" and "Ben", the title tracks from his first two solo albums, sold well as singles, as did a cover of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin".[46]

Michael maintained ties to the Jackson 5.[45] The Jackson 5 were later described as "a cutting-edge example of black crossover artists".[47] They were frustrated by Motown's refusal to allow them creative input.[48] Jackson's performance of their top five single "Dancing Machine" on Soul Train popularized the robot dance.[49]

Move to Epic and Off the Wall (1975–1981)
 The Jackson siblings in 1977, without Jermaine. From left, back row: Jackie, Michael, Tito, Marlon. Middle row: Randy, La Toya, Rebbie. Front row: Janet
The Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975, signing with Epic Records and renaming themselves the Jacksons.[50] Their younger brother Randy joined the band around this time; Jermaine stayed with Motown and pursued a solo career.[51] The Jacksons continued to tour internationally, and released six more albums between 1976 and 1984. Michael, the group's main songwriter during this time, wrote songs such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" (1978), "This Place Hotel" (1980), and "Can You Feel It" (1980).[52]

In 1977, Jackson moved to New York City to star as the Scarecrow in The Wiz, a musical film directed by Sidney Lumet, alongside Diana Ross, Nipsey Russell, and Ted Ross.[53] The film was a box-office failure.[54] Its score was arranged by Quincy Jones,[55] who later produced three of Jackson's solo albums.[56] During his time in New York, Jackson frequented the Studio 54 nightclub, where he heard early hip hop; this influenced his beatboxing on future tracks such as "Working Day and Night".[57] In 1978, Jackson broke his nose during a dance routine. A rhinoplasty led to breathing difficulties that later affected his career. He was referred to Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson's operations.[58]

Jackson's fifth solo album, Off the Wall (1979), established him as a solo performer and helped him move from the bubblegum pop of his youth to more complex sounds.[44] It produced four top 10 entries in the US: "Off the Wall", "She's Out of My Life", and the chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You".[59] The album reached number three on the US Billboard 200 and sold over 20 million copies worldwide.[60] In 1980, Jackson won three American Music Awards for his solo work: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[61][62] He also won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for 1979 with "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[63] In 1981, Jackson was the American Music Awards winner for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist.[64] Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.[65] In 1980, he secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album profit.[66]

Thriller and Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever (1982–1983)
 The sequined jacket and white glove worn by Jackson at Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever. British Vogue called Jackson "a fashion pioneer [...] who gave new meaning to moonwalking, immortalised solitary, [and] sparkly gloves".[67]
Jackson recorded with Queen's lead singer Freddie Mercury from 1981 to 1983, recording demos of "State of Shock", "Victory" and "There Must Be More to Life Than This". The recordings were intended for an album of duets but, according to Queen's manager Jim Beach, the relationship soured when Jackson brought a llama into the recording studio,[68] and Jackson was upset by Mercury's drug use.[69] "There Must Be More to Life Than This" was released in 2014.[70] Jackson went on to record "State of Shock" with Mick Jagger for the Jacksons' album Victory (1984).[71]

In 1982, Jackson contributed "Someone in the Dark" to the audiobook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Jackson's sixth album, Thriller, was released in late 1982. It was the bestselling album worldwide in 1983,[72][73] and became the bestselling album of all time in the US[74] and the best-selling album of all time worldwide, selling an estimated 70 million copies.[75][76] It topped the Billboard 200 chart for 37 weeks and was in the top 10 of the 200 for 80 consecutive weeks. It was the first album to produce seven Billboard Hot 100 top-10 singles, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It", and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".[77]

On March 25, 1983, Jackson reunited with his brothers for Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, an NBC television special. The show aired on May 16 to an estimated audience of 47 million, and featured the Jacksons and other Motown stars.[78] Jackson's solo performance of "Billie Jean" earned him his first Emmy Award nomination.[79] Wearing a glove decorated with rhinestones,[80] he debuted his moonwalk dance, which Jeffrey Daniel had taught him three years earlier, and it became his signature dance in his repertoire.[81] Jackson had originally turned down the invitation to the show, believing he had been doing too much television. But at the request of Motown founder Berry Gordy, he performed in exchange for an opportunity to do a solo performance.[82] Rolling Stone reporter Mikal Gilmore called the performance "extraordinary".[44] Jackson's performance drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and the Beatles' appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.[83] Anna Kisselgoff of The New York Times praised the perfect timing and technique involved in the dance.[84] Gordy described being "mesmerized" by the performance.[85]

At the 26th Annual Grammy Awards, Thriller won eight awards, and Jackson won an award for the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial storybook. Winning eight Grammys in one ceremony is a record he holds with the band Santana.[63] Jackson and Quincy Jones won the award for Producer of the Year (Non-Classical). Thriller won Album of the Year (with Jackson as the album's artist and Jones as its co-producer), and the single won Best Pop Vocal Performance (Male) award for Jackson. "Beat It" won Record of the Year and Best Rock Vocal Performance (Male). "Billie Jean" won two Grammy awards: Best R&B Song and Best R&B Vocal Performance (Male), with Jackson as songwriter and singer respectively.[63]

Thriller won the Grammy for Best Engineered Recording (Non Classical), acknowledging Bruce Swedien for his work on the album.[86] At the 11th Annual American Music Awards, Jackson won another eight awards and became the youngest artist to win the Award of Merit.[87] He also won Favorite Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Artist, and Favorite Pop/Rock Artist. "Beat It" won Favorite Soul/R&B Video, Favorite Pop/Rock Video and Favorite Pop/Rock Single. The album won Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Pop/Rock Album.[87][88] Thriller's sales doubled after the release of an extended music video, Michael Jackson's Thriller, which sees Jackson dancing with a horde of zombies.[89][90]

The success transformed Jackson into a dominant force in global pop culture.[90] Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point, with about $2 for every album sold (equivalent to $6 in 2023), and was making record-breaking profits. Dolls modeled after Jackson appeared in stores in May 1984 for $12 each.[91] In the same year, The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller, a documentary about the music video, won a Grammy for Best Music Video (Longform).[63] Time described Jackson's influence at that point as "star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style and color too."[91] The New York Times wrote "in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else".[92]

Pepsi incident and other commercial activities (1984–1985)
In November 1983, Jackson and his brothers partnered with PepsiCo in a $5 million promotional deal that broke records for a celebrity endorsement (equivalent to $15.3 million in 2023). The first Pepsi campaign, which ran in the US from 1983 to 1984 and launched its "New Generation" theme, included tour sponsorship, public relations events, and in-store displays. Jackson helped to create the advertisement, and suggested using his song "Billie Jean", with revised lyrics, as its jingle.[93]

On January 27, 1984, Michael and other members of the Jacksons filmed a Pepsi commercial overseen by Phil Dusenberry,[94] a BBDO ad agency executive, and Alan Pottasch, Pepsi's Worldwide Creative Director, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. During a simulated concert before a full house of fans, pyrotechnics accidentally set Jackson's hair on fire, causing second-degree burns to his scalp. Jackson underwent treatment to hide the scars and had his third rhinoplasty shortly thereafter.[95]

Pepsi settled out of court, and Jackson donated the $1.5 million settlement to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California; its now-closed Michael Jackson Burn Center was named in his honor.[96][97] Jackson signed a second agreement with Pepsi in the late 1980s for $10 million. The second campaign covered 20 countries and provided financial support for Jackson's Bad album and 1987–88 world tour. Jackson had endorsements and advertising deals with other companies, such as LA Gear, Suzuki, and Sony, but none were as significant as his deals with Pepsi.[93]

 The Jacksons performing during their Victory Tour at the Arrowhead Stadium, 1984
The Victory Tour of 1984 headlined the Jacksons and showcased Jackson's new solo material to more than two million Americans. It was the last tour he did with his brothers.[98] Following controversy over the concert's ticket sales, Jackson donated his share of the proceeds, an estimated $3 to 5 million, to charity.[99] During the last concert of the Victory Tour at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Jackson announced his split from the Jacksons during "Shake Your Body".[100]

With Lionel Richie, Jackson co-wrote the charity single "We Are the World" (1985), which raised money for the poor in the US and Africa.[101][102] It earned $63 million (equivalent to $178 million in 2023),[102] and became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with 20 million copies sold.[103] It won four Grammy Awards in 1985, including Song of the Year for Jackson and Richie.[101] Jackson, Jones, and the promoter Ken Kragen received special awards for their roles in the song's creation.[101][104][105][106]

 Jackson signing a "We Are the World" poster in 1985
Jackson collaborated with Paul McCartney in the early 1980s, and learned that McCartney was making $40 million a year from owning the rights to other artists' songs.[102] By 1983, Jackson had begun buying publishing rights to others' songs, but he was careful with his acquisitions, only bidding on a few of the dozens that were offered to him. Jackson's early acquisitions of music catalogs and song copyrights such as the Sly Stone collection included "Everyday People" (1968), Len Barry's "1-2-3" (1965), and Dion DiMucci's "The Wanderer" (1961) and "Runaround Sue" (1961).

In 1984, Robert Holmes à Court announced he was selling the ATV Music Publishing catalog comprising the publishing rights to nearly 4,000 songs, including most of the Beatles' material.[107] In 1981, McCartney had been offered the catalog for £20 million ($40 million).[102][108] Jackson submitted a bid of $46 million on November 20, 1984.[107] When Jackson and McCartney were unable to make a joint purchase, McCartney did not want to be the sole owner of the Beatles' songs, and did not pursue an offer on his own.[109][108] Jackson's agents were unable to come to a deal, and in May 1985 left talks after having spent more than $1 million and four months of due diligence work on the negotiations.[107]

In June 1985, Jackson and Branca learned that Charles Koppelman's and Marty Bandier's The Entertainment Company had made a tentative offer to buy ATV Music for $50 million; in early August, Holmes à Court contacted Jackson and talks resumed. Jackson's increased bid of $47.5 million (equivalent to $135 million in 2023) was accepted because he could close the deal more quickly, having already completed due diligence.[107] Jackson agreed to visit Holmes à Court in Australia, where he would appear on the Channel Seven Perth Telethon.[110] His purchase of ATV Music was finalized on August 10, 1985.[102][107]

Increased tabloid speculation (1986–1987)
See also: Health and appearance of Michael Jackson
Jackson's skin had been medium-brown during his youth, but from the mid-1980s gradually grew paler. The change drew widespread media coverage, including speculation that he had been bleaching his skin.[111][112][113] His dermatologist, Arnold Klein, said he observed in 1983 that Jackson had vitiligo,[114] a condition characterized by patches of the skin losing their pigment. He also identified discoid lupus erythematosus in Jackson. He diagnosed Jackson with lupus that year,[114] and with vitiligo in 1986.[115] Vitiligo's drastic effects on the body can cause psychological distress. Jackson used fair-colored makeup,[116] and possibly skin-bleaching prescription creams,[117] to cover up the uneven blotches of color caused by the illness. The creams would depigment the blotches, and, with the application of makeup, he could appear very pale.[118] Jackson said he had not purposely bleached his skin and could not control his vitiligo, adding, "When people make up stories that I don't want to be who I am, it hurts me."[119] He became friends with Klein and Klein's assistant, Debbie Rowe. Rowe later became Jackson's second wife and the mother of his first two children.[120]

In his 1988 autobiography and a 1993 interview, Jackson said he had had two rhinoplasty surgeries and a cleft chin surgery but no more than that. He said he lost weight in the early 1980s because of a change in diet to achieve a dancer's body.[121] Witnesses reported that he was often dizzy, and speculated he was suffering from anorexia nervosa. Periods of weight loss became a recurring problem later in his life.[122] After his death, Jackson's mother said that he first turned to cosmetic procedures to remedy his vitiligo, because he did not want to look like a "spotted cow". She said he had received more than the two cosmetic surgeries he claimed and speculated that he had become addicted to them.[123]

In 1986, it was reported that Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow aging. He denied the story,[124] although it was alleged that Jackson leaked an image of him sleeping in a glass chamber (according to Jackson, this was a promotional shot from an upcoming space opera featuring himself) to The National Enquirer.[125] It was also reported that Jackson took female hormone shots to keep his voice high and facial hair wispy, proposed to Elizabeth Taylor and possibly had a shrine of her, and had cosmetic surgery on his eyes. Jackson's manager Frank DiLeo denied all of them, except for Jackson having a chamber. DiLeo added "I don't know if he sleeps in it. I'm not for it. But Michael thinks it's something that's probably healthy for him. He's a bit of a health fanatic."[126]

When Jackson took his pet chimpanzee Bubbles to tour in Japan, the media portrayed Jackson as an aspiring Disney cartoon character who befriended animals.[127] It was also reported that Jackson had offered to buy the bones of Joseph Merrick (the "Elephant Man").[128] In June 1987, the Chicago Tribune reported Jackson's publicist bidding $1 million for the skeleton to the London Hospital Medical College on his behalf. The college maintained the skeleton was not for sale. DiLeo said Jackson had an "absorbing interest" in Merrick, "purely based on his awareness of the ethical, medical and historical significance."[129]

In September 1986, using the oxygen chamber story, the British tabloid The Sun branded Jackson "Wacko Jacko", a name Jackson came to despise.[10][130] The Atlantic noted that the name "Jacko" has racist connotations, as it originates from Jacko Macacco, a monkey used in monkey-baiting matches at the Westminster Pit in the early 1820s, and "Jacko" was used in Cockney slang to refer to monkeys in general.[131]

Jackson worked with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola on the 17-minute $30 million 3D film Captain EO, which ran from 1986 at Disneyland and Epcot, and later at Tokyo Disneyland and Euro Disneyland.[132] After having been removed in the late 1990s, it returned to the theme park for several years after Jackson's death.[133] In 1987, Ebony reported that Jackson had disassociated himself from the Jehovah's Witnesses.[134] Katherine Jackson said this might have been because some Witnesses strongly opposed the Thriller video,[135] which Michael denounced in a Witness publication in 1984.[136] In 2001, Jackson told an interviewer he was still a Jehovah's Witness.[137]

Bad, autobiography, and Neverland (1987–1990)
 Jackson and President George H. W. Bush at the White House on April 5, 1990. It was the second time that Jackson had been honored by a president of the United States.
Jackson's first album in five years, Bad (1987), was highly anticipated, with the industry expecting another major success.[138] It became the first album to produce five US number-one singles: "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana". Another song, "Smooth Criminal", peaked at number seven.[59] Bad won the 1988 Grammy for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical and the 1990 Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form for "Leave Me Alone".[63][86] Jackson won an Award of Achievement at the American Music Awards in 1989 after Bad generated five number-one singles, became the first album to top the charts in 25 countries and the bestselling album worldwide in 1987 and 1988.[139][140] By 2012, it had sold between 30 and 45 million copies worldwide.[141][142]

The Bad World Tour ran from September 12, 1987, to January 14, 1989.[143] In Japan, the tour had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record for a single tour.[144] The 504,000 people who attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium set a new Guinness World Record.[145]

In 1988, Jackson released his autobiography, Moonwalk, with input from Stephen Davis and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.[146] It sold 200,000 copies,[147] and reached the top of the New York Times bestsellers list.[148] Jackson discussed his childhood, the Jackson 5, and the abuse from his father.[149] He attributed his changing facial appearance to three plastic surgeries, puberty, weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hairstyle, and stage lighting.[150][121] In June, Jackson was honored with the Grand Vermeil Medal of the City of Paris by the then Mayor of Paris Jacques Chirac during his stay in the city as part of the Bad World Tour.[151][152] In October, Jackson released a film, Moonwalker, which featured live footage and short films starring Jackson and Joe Pesci. In the US it was released direct-to-video and became the bestselling video cassette in the country.[153][154] The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it as eight times Platinum in the US.[155]

In March 1988, Jackson purchased 2,700 acres (11 km2) of land near Santa Ynez, California, to build a new home, Neverland Ranch, at a cost of $17 million (equivalent to $44 million in 2023).[156] He installed a Ferris wheel, a carousel, a movie theater and a zoo.[156][157][158] A security staff of 40 patrolled the grounds.[157] Shortly afterwards, he appeared in the first Western television advertisement in the Soviet Union.[159]

Jackson became known as the "King of Pop", a nickname that Jackson's publicists embraced.[24][160][161] When Elizabeth Taylor presented him with the Soul Train Heritage Award in 1989, she called him "the true king of pop, rock and soul."[162] President George H. W. Bush designated him the White House's "Artist of the Decade".[163] From 1985 to 1990, Jackson donated $455,000 to the United Negro College Fund,[164] and all profits from his single "Man in the Mirror" went to charity.[165] His rendition of "You Were There" at Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th birthday celebration won Jackson a second Emmy nomination.[79] Jackson was the bestselling artist of the 1980s.[166]

Dangerous and public social work (1991–1993)
In March 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65 million (equivalent to $145 million in 2023), a record-breaking deal,[167] beating Neil Diamond's renewal contract with Columbia Records.[168] In 1991, he released his eighth album, Dangerous, co-produced with Teddy Riley.[169] It was certified eight times platinum in the US, and by 2018 had sold 32 million copies worldwide.[170][171] In the US, the first single, "Black or White", was the album's highest-charting song; it was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks and achieved similar chart performances worldwide.[172] The second single, "Remember the Time" peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[173] At the end of 1992, Dangerous was the bestselling album of the year worldwide and "Black or White" the bestselling single of the year worldwide at the Billboard Music Awards.[166] In 1993, he performed "Remember the Time" at the Soul Train Music Awards in a chair, saying he twisted his ankle during dance rehearsals.[174] In the UK, "Heal the World" made No. 2 on the charts in 1992.[175]

 Jackson during the Dangerous World Tour in 1993. Dangerous has been recognized by writers as an influence on contemporary pop and R&B artists.[176]
 Michael Jackson with David and Marty Paich in 1991
Jackson founded the Heal the World Foundation in 1992. The charity brought underprivileged children to Jackson's ranch to use the theme park rides, and sent millions of dollars around the globe to help children threatened by war, poverty, and disease. That July, Jackson published his second book, Dancing the Dream, a collection of poetry. The Dangerous World Tour ran between June 1992 and November 1993 and grossed $100 million (equivalent to $210 million in 2023); Jackson performed for 3.5 million people in 70 concerts, all of which were outside the US.[177] Part of the proceeds went to Heal the World Foundation.[178] Jackson sold the broadcast rights of the tour to HBO for $20 million, a record-breaking deal that still stands.[179]

Following the death of HIV/AIDS spokesperson and friend Ryan White, Jackson pleaded with the Clinton administration at Bill Clinton's inaugural gala to give more money to HIV/AIDS charities and research[180][181] and performed "Gone Too Soon", a song dedicated to White, and "Heal the World" at the gala.[182] Jackson visited Africa in early 1992; on his first stop in Gabon he was greeted by more than 100,000 people, some of them carrying signs that read "Welcome Home Michael",[183] and was awarded an Officer of the National Order of Merit from President Omar Bongo.[184][185] During his trip to Ivory Coast, Jackson drew larger crowds than Pope John Paul II on his previous visits.[186] He was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief in the Ivorian village of Krindjabo, where he thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed documents formalizing his kingship, and sat on a golden throne while presiding over ceremonial dances.[183]

In January 1993, Jackson performed at the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show in Pasadena, California. The NFL sought a big-name artist to keep ratings high during halftime following dwindling audience figures.[187][188] It was the first Super Bowl whose half-time performance drew greater audience figures than the game. Jackson played "Jam", "Billie Jean", "Black or White", and "Heal the World". Dangerous rose 90 places in the US albums chart after the performance.[111]

Jackson gave a 90-minute interview with Oprah Winfrey on February 10, 1993. He spoke of his childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he believed he had missed out on much of his childhood, and said that he often cried from loneliness. He denied tabloid rumors that he had bought the bones of the Elephant Man, slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, or bleached his skin, and stated for the first time that he had vitiligo. After the interview, Dangerous re-entered the US albums chart in the top 10, more than a year after its release.[24][111] The interview itself became the most-watched television interview in United States history to date.

In January 1993, Jackson won three American Music Awards: Favorite Pop/Rock Album (Dangerous), Favorite Soul/R&B Single ("Remember the Time"), and was the first to win the International Artist Award of Excellence.[189][190] In February, he won the "Living Legend Award" at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.[63] He attended the award ceremony with Brooke Shields.[191] Dangerous was nominated for Best Vocal Performance (for "Black or White"), Best R&B Vocal Performance ("Jam") and Best R&B Song ("Jam"), and Bruce Swedien and Teddy Riley won the Grammy for Best Engineered – Non Classical.[86]

First child sexual abuse accusations and first marriage (1993–1995)
Main article: 1993 child sexual abuse accusations against Michael Jackson
In August 1993, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy, Jordan Chandler, and his father, Evan Chandler.[192] Jordan said he and Jackson had engaged in acts of kissing, masturbation and oral sex.[193] While Jordan's mother initially told police that she did not believe Jackson had molested him, her position wavered a few days later.[194][195] Evan was recorded discussing his intention to pursue charges, which Jackson used to argue that he was the victim of a jealous father trying to extort money.[195] Jackson's older sister La Toya accused him of being a pedophile;[196] she later retracted this, saying she had been forced into it by her abusive husband.[197]

Police raided Jackson's home in August and found two legal large-format art books featuring young boys playing, running and swimming in various states of undress.[198] Jackson denied knowing of the books' content and claimed if they were there someone had to send them to him and he did not open them.[199] Jordan Chandler gave police a description of Jackson's genitals. A strip search was made, and the jurors felt the description was not a match.[200][201][202] In January 1994, Jackson settled with the Chandlers out of court for a reported total sum of $23 million.[203] The police never pressed criminal charges.[204] Citing a lack of evidence without Jordan's testimony, the state closed its investigation on September 22, 1994.[205]

Jackson had been taking painkillers for his reconstructive scalp surgeries, administered due to the Pepsi commercial accident in 1984, and became dependent on them to cope with the stress of the sexual abuse allegations.[206] On November 12, 1993, Jackson canceled the remainder of the Dangerous World Tour due to health problems, stress from the allegations and painkiller addiction. He thanked his close friend Elizabeth Taylor for support, encouragement and counsel. The end of the tour concluded his sponsorship deal with Pepsi.[207]

In late 1993, Jackson proposed to Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley, over the phone.[208] They married in La Vega, Dominican Republic, in May 1994 by civil judge Hugo Francisco Álvarez Pérez.[209] The tabloid media speculated that the wedding was a publicity stunt to deflect away from Jackson's sexual abuse allegations and jump-start Presley's career as a singer.[210][209] Their marriage ended little more than a year later, and they separated in December 1995.[211] Presley cited "irreconcilable differences" when filing for divorce the next month and only sought to reclaim her maiden name as her settlement.[210][212] After the divorce, Judge Pérez said, "They lasted longer than I thought they would. I gave them a year. They lasted a year and a half."[209] Presley later said she and Jackson had attempted to reconcile intermittently for four years following their divorce, and that she had traveled the world to be with him.[213]

Jackson composed music for the Sega Genesis video game Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994), but left the project around the time the sexual abuse allegations surfaced and went uncredited.[214][215] The Sega Technical Institute director Roger Hector and the Sonic co-creator Naoto Ohshima said that Jackson's involvement was terminated and his music reworked following the allegations.[216][217] However, Jackson's musical director Brad Buxer and other members of Jackson's team said Jackson went uncredited because he was unhappy with how the Genesis replicated his music.[218]

HIStory, second marriage, fatherhood and Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix (1995–1997)
 Jackson at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of Michael Jackson's Ghosts
In June 1995, Jackson released the double album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. The first disc, HIStory Begins, is a greatest hits album (reissued in 2001 as Greatest Hits: HIStory, Volume I). The second disc, HIStory Continues, contains 13 original songs and two cover versions. The album debuted at number one on the charts and has been certified for eight million shipments in the US.[219] It is the bestselling multi-disc album of all time, with 20 million copies (40 million units) sold worldwide.[172][220] HIStory received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.[63] The New York Times reviewed it as "the testimony of a musician whose self-pity now equals his talent".[221]

The first single from HIStory was "Scream/Childhood". "Scream", a duet with Jackson's youngest sister Janet, protests the media's treatment of Jackson during the 1993 child abuse allegations against him. The single reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100,[173] and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals".[63] The second single, "You Are Not Alone", holds the Guinness world record for the first song to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[222] It received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Performance" in 1995.[63]

In 1995 the Anti-Defamation League and other groups complained that "Jew me, sue me, everybody do me/ Kick me, kike me, don't you black or white me", the original lyrics of "They Don't Care About Us", were antisemitic. Jackson released a revised version of the song.[223]

In late 1995, Jackson was admitted to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance, caused by a stress-related panic attack.[224] In November, Jackson merged his ATV Music catalog with Sony's music publishing division, creating Sony/ATV Music Publishing. He retained ownership of half the company, earning $95 million up front (equivalent to $190 million in 2023) as well as the rights to more songs.[225][226]

"Earth Song" was the third single released from HIStory, and topped the UK Singles Chart for six weeks over Christmas 1995.[175] It became the 87th-bestselling single in the UK.[227] At the 1996 Brit Awards, Jackson's performance of "Earth Song" was disrupted by Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker, who was protesting what Cocker saw as Jackson's "Christ-like" persona. Jackson said the stage invasion was "disgusting and cowardly".[228][229]

In 1996, Jackson won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form, for "Scream" and an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist.[63][230] In July 1996, Jackson performed for Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah's fiftieth birthday at Jerudong Park Amphitheater, which was specifically built for that birthday concert.[231] Jackson was reportedly paid $17 million (equivalent to $33 million in 2023).[232] Jackson promoted HIStory with the HIStory World Tour, from September 7, 1996, to October 15, 1997. He performed 82 concerts in five continents, 35 countries and 58 cities to over 4.5 million fans, his most attended tour. It grossed $165 million.[143] During the tour, in Sydney, Australia, Jackson married Debbie Rowe, a dermatology assistant, who was six months pregnant with his first child.[233]

Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. (commonly known as Prince) was born on February 13, 1997. His sister Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson was born on April 3, 1998.[234] Jackson and Rowe divorced in 2000, Rowe conceded custody of the children, with an $8 million settlement (equivalent to $14.6 million in 2023).[235] In 2004, after the second child abuse allegations against Jackson, she returned to court to reclaim custody. The suit was settled in 2006.[236]

In 1997, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, which contained remixes of singles from HIStory and five new songs. Worldwide sales stand at 6 million copies, making it the best-selling remix album. It reached number one in the UK, as did the single "Blood on the Dance Floor".[237] In the US, the album reached number 24 and was certified platinum.[170]

Label dispute and Invincible (1997–2002)
From October 1997 to September 2001, Jackson worked on his tenth solo album, Invincible, which cost $30 million to record, making it the most expensive album of all time.[238] In June 1999, Jackson joined Luciano Pavarotti for a War Child benefit concert in Modena, Italy. The show raised a million dollars for refugees of the Kosovo War, and additional funds for the children of Guatemala.[239] Later that month, Jackson organized a series of "Michael Jackson & Friends" benefit concerts in Germany and Korea. Other artists involved included Slash, The Scorpions, Boyz II Men, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, A. R. Rahman, Prabhu Deva Sundaram, Shobana, Andrea Bocelli and Luciano Pavarotti. The proceeds went to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, the Red Cross and UNESCO.[240] In 1999, Jackson was presented with the "Outstanding Humanitarian Award" at Bollywood Movie Awards in New York City where he noted Mahatma Gandhi to have been an inspiration for him.[241][242] From August 1999 to 2000, he lived in New York City at 4 East 74th Street.[243] At the turn of the century, Jackson won an American Music Award as Artist of the 1980s.[244] In 2000, Guinness World Records recognized him for supporting 39 charities, more than any other entertainer.[245]

In September 2001, two concerts were held at Madison Square Garden to mark Jackson's 30th year as a solo artist. Jackson performed with his brothers for the first time since 1984. The show also featured Mýa, Usher, Whitney Houston, Destiny's Child, Monica, Liza Minnelli and Slash. The first show was marred by technical lapses, and the crowd booed a speech by Marlon Brando.[246] Almost 30 million people watched the television broadcast of the shows in November.[247] After the September 11 attacks (in which Jackson narrowly avoided death by oversleeping and missing a scheduled meeting at the World Trade Center[248]), Jackson helped organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., on October 21, 2001. Jackson performed "What More Can I Give" as the finale.[249]

The release of Invincible was preceded by a dispute between Jackson and his record label, Sony Music Entertainment. Jackson had expected the licenses to the masters of his albums to revert to him in the early 2000s, after which he would be able to promote the material however he pleased and keep the profits, but clauses in the contract set the revert date years into the future. Jackson sought an early exit from his contract.[250] Invincible was released on October 30, 2001. It was Jackson's first full-length album in six years, and the last album of original material he released in his lifetime.[250] It debuted at number one in 13 countries, and went on to sell eight million copies worldwide, receiving double-platinum certification in the US.[170][251][252]

On January 9, 2002, Jackson won his 22nd American Music Award for Artist of the Century.[253][254] Later that year, an anonymous surrogate mother gave birth to his third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (nicknamed "Blanket"[nb 3]), who had been conceived by artificial insemination.[255] On November 20, Jackson briefly held Blanket over the railing of his Berlin hotel room, four stories above ground level, prompting widespread criticism in the media. Jackson apologized for the incident, calling it "a terrible mistake".[256] On January 22, promoter Marcel Avram filed a breach of contract complaint against Jackson for failing to perform two planned 1999 concerts.[257] In March, a Santa Maria jury ordered Jackson to pay Avram $5.3 million.[258][259] On December 18, 2003, Jackson's attorneys dropped all appeals on the verdict and settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount.[260]

On April 24, 2002, Jackson performed at Apollo Theater. The concert was a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee and former President Bill Clinton.[261] The money collected would be used to encourage citizens to vote. It raised $2.5 million.[262] The concert was called Michael Jackson: Live at the Apollo and was one of Jackson's final on-stage performances.[263]

In July 2002, Jackson called Sony Music chairman Tommy Mottola "a racist, and very, very, very devilish," and someone who exploits black artists for his own gain, at Al Sharpton's National Action Network in Harlem. The accusation prompted Sharpton to form a coalition investigating whether Mottola exploited black artists.[264] Jackson charged that Mottola had called his colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger".[265] Responding to those attacks, Sony issued a statement calling them "ludicrous, spiteful, and hurtful" and defended Mottola as someone who had championed Jackson's career for many years.[264] Sony ultimately refused to renew Jackson's contract and claimed that a $25 million promotional campaign had failed because Jackson refused to tour in the US for Invincible.[238]

Documentary, Number Ones, second child abuse allegations and acquittal (2002–2005)
Further information: Trial of Michael Jackson
 Jackson in Las Vegas, 2003
Beginning in May 2002, a documentary film crew led by Martin Bashir followed Jackson for several months.[256] The documentary, broadcast in February 2003 as Living with Michael Jackson, showed Jackson holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with a twelve-year-old boy.[23][266] He said that he saw nothing wrong with having sleepovers with minors and sharing his bed and bedroom with various people, which aroused controversy. He insisted that the sleepovers were not sexual and that his words had been misunderstood.[267][268]

In October 2003, Jackson received the Key to the City of Las Vegas from Mayor Oscar Goodman.[269] On November 18, 2003, Sony released Number Ones, a greatest hits compilation. It was certified five times platinum by the RIAA, and ten times platinum in the UK, for shipments of at least 3 million units.[170][270]

On December 18, 2003, Santa Barbara authorities charged Jackson with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of intoxicating a minor with alcoholic drinks.[271] Jackson denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.[272] The People v. Jackson trial began on January 31, 2005, in Santa Maria, California, and lasted until the end of May. Jackson found the experience stressful and it affected his health. If convicted, he would have faced up to twenty years in prison.[273] On June 13, 2005, Jackson was acquitted on all counts.[274] FBI files on Jackson, released in 2009, revealed the FBI's role in the 2005 trial and the 1993 allegations, and showed that the FBI found no evidence of criminal conduct on Jackson's behalf.[275][276]

Final years, financial problems, Thriller 25 and This Is It (2005–2009)
 Jackson and his son Blanket in Disneyland Paris, 2006
After the trial, Jackson became reclusive.[277] In June 2005, he moved to Bahrain as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah.[278] In early 2006, it was announced that Jackson had signed a contract with a Bahrain startup, Two Seas Records. Nothing came of the deal, and the Two Seas CEO, Guy Holmes, later said it was never finalized.[279][280] Holmes also found that Jackson was on the verge of bankruptcy and was involved in 47 ongoing lawsuits.[278] By September 2006, Jackson was no longer affiliated with Two Seas.[280]

In April 2006, Jackson agreed to use a piece of his ATV catalog stake, then worth about $1 billion, as collateral against his $270 million worth of loans from Bank of America. Bank of America had sold the loans to Fortress Investments, an investment company that buys distressed loans, the year before. As part of the agreement, Fortress Investments provided Jackson a new loan of $300 million with reduced interest payments (equivalent to $450 million in 2023). Sony Music would have the option to buy half of his stake, or about 25% of the catalog, at a set price. Jackson's financial managers had urged him to shed part of his stake to avoid bankruptcy.[226][281] The main house at Neverland Ranch was closed as a cost-cutting measure, while Jackson lived in Bahrain at the hospitality of Abdullah.[282] At least thirty of Jackson's employees had not been paid on time and were owed $306,000 in back wages. Jackson was ordered to pay $100,000 in penalties.[226] Jackson never returned to Neverland after his acquittal.[283]

In mid-2006, Jackson moved to Grouse Lodge, a residential recording studio near Rosemount, County Westmeath, Ireland. There, he began work on a new album with the American producers will.i.am and Rodney Jenkins.[284] That November, Jackson invited an Access Hollywood camera crew into the studio in Westmeath.[172] On November 15, Jackson briefly joined in on a performance of "We Are the World" at the World Music Awards in London, his last public performance, and accepted the Diamond Award for sales of 100 million records.[172][285] He returned to the US in December, settling in Las Vegas. That month, he attended James Brown's funeral in Augusta, Georgia, where he gave a eulogy calling Brown his greatest inspiration.[286]

 An aerial view of part of Jackson's 2,800-acre (11 km2) Neverland Valley Ranch near Los Olivos, California, showing the rides
In 2007, Jackson and Sony bought another music publishing company, Famous Music LLC, formerly owned by Viacom. The deal gave Jackson the rights to songs by Eminem and Beck, among others.[287][288] In a brief interview, Jackson said he had no regrets about his career despite his problems and "deliberate attempts to hurt [him]".[289] That March, Jackson visited a US Army post in Japan, Camp Zama, to greet more than 3,000 troops and their families.[290][291] As of September, Jackson was still working on his next album, which he never completed.[292]

In 2008, for the 25th anniversary of Thriller, Jackson and Sony released Thriller 25, with two remixes released as singles: "The Girl Is Mine 2008" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008".[293] For Jackson's 50th birthday, Sony BMG released a series of greatest hits albums, King of Pop, with different tracklists for different regions.[294] That July, Fortress Investments threatened to foreclose on Neverland Ranch, which Jackson had used as collateral for his loans. Fortress sold Jackson's debts to Colony Capital LLC.[295][296] In November, Jackson transferred Neverland Ranch's title to Sycamore Valley Ranch Company LLC, a joint venture between Jackson and Colony Capital LLC. The deal earned him $35 million.[297] In 2009, Jackson arranged to sell a collection of his memorabilia of more than 1,000 items through Julien's Auction House, but canceled the auction in April.[298]

In March 2009, amid speculation about his finances and health, Jackson announced a series of comeback concerts, This Is It, at a press conference at the O2 Arena.[299] The shows were to be his first major concerts since the HIStory World Tour in 1997. Jackson suggested he would retire after the shows. The initial plan was for ten concerts in London, followed by shows in Paris, New York City and Mumbai. Randy Phillips, the president and chief executive of AEG Live, predicted the first ten dates would earn Jackson £50 million.[300]

The London residency was increased to fifty dates after record-breaking ticket sales; more than one million were sold in less than two hours.[301] The concerts were to run from July 13, 2009, to March 6, 2010. Jackson moved to Los Angeles, where he rehearsed in the weeks leading up to the tour under the direction of the choreographer Kenny Ortega, whom he had worked with during his previous tours. Rehearsals took place at the Forum and the Staples Center owned by AEG.[302] By this point, Jackson's debt had grown to almost $500 million. By the time of his death, he was three or four months behind payments of his home in San Fernando Valley.[303][304] The Independent reported that Jackson planned a string of further ventures designed to recoup his debts, including a world tour, a new album, films, a museum and a casino.[299]

Death
Main article: Death of Michael Jackson
 Fans placed flowers and notes on Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on the day of his death
On June 25, 2009, less than three weeks before his concert residency was due to begin in London, with all concerts sold out, Jackson died from cardiac arrest, caused by a propofol and benzodiazepine overdose.[305][306] Conrad Murray, his personal physician, had given Jackson various medications to help him sleep at his rented mansion in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles. Paramedics received a 911 call at 12:22 pm Pacific time (19:22 UTC) and arrived three minutes later.[307][308] Jackson was not breathing and CPR was performed.[309] Resuscitation efforts continued en route to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and for more than an hour after Jackson's arrival there, but were unsuccessful,[310][311] and Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 pm Pacific time (21:26 UTC).[312][313]

Murray had administered propofol, lorazepam, and midazolam;[314] his death was caused by a propofol overdose.[306][311] News of his death spread quickly online, causing websites to slow down and crash from user overload,[315] and it put unprecedented strain[316] on many services and websites including Google,[317] AOL Instant Messenger,[316] Twitter and Wikipedia.[317] Overall, web traffic rose by between 11% and 20%.[318][319] MTV and BET aired marathons of Jackson's music videos,[320] and Jackson specials aired on television stations around the world.[321] MTV briefly returned to its original music video format,[11] and they aired hours of Jackson's music videos, with live news specials featuring reactions from MTV personalities and other celebrities.[322]

Memorial service
Main article: Michael Jackson memorial service
 
Jackson's unmarked crypt at the end of the Sanctuary of Ascension in the Holly Terrace of the Great Mausoleum, Forest Lawn Glendale
 
Fans visiting the makeshift memorial set up outside the Neverland Ranch entrance shortly after Jackson's death
Jackson's memorial was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, preceded by a private family service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park's Hall of Liberty. Over 1.6 million fans applied for tickets to the memorial; the 8,750 recipients were drawn at random, and each received two tickets.[323] The memorial service was one of the most watched events in streaming history,[324] with an estimated US audience of 31.1 million[325] and a worldwide audience of an estimated 2.5 to 3 billion.[326][327]

Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Hudson, and Shaheen Jafargholi performed at the memorial, and Smokey Robinson and Queen Latifah gave eulogies.[328] Al Sharpton received a standing ovation with cheers when he told Jackson's children: "Wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with. But he dealt with it anyway."[329] Jackson's 11-year-old daughter Paris Katherine, speaking publicly for the first time, wept as she addressed the crowd.[330][331] Lucious Smith provided a closing prayer.[332] On September 3, 2009, the body of Jackson was entombed at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.[333]

Criminal investigation and prosecution of Conrad Murray
Main article: People v. Murray
In August 2009, the Los Angeles County Coroner ruled that Jackson's death was a homicide.[334][335] Law enforcement officials charged Murray with involuntary manslaughter on February 8, 2010.[336] In late 2011, he was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter[337] and held without bail to await sentencing.[338] Murray was sentenced to four years in prison.[339]

Posthumous sales
At the 2009 American Music Awards, Jackson won four posthumous awards, including two for his compilation album Number Ones, bringing his total American Music Awards to 26.[340][341] In the year after his death, more than 16.1 million copies of Jackson's albums were sold in the US alone, and 35 million copies were sold worldwide, more than any other artist in 2009.[342][343] He became the first artist to sell one million music downloads in a week, with 2.6 million song downloads. Thriller, Number Ones and The Essential Michael Jackson became the first catalog albums to outsell any new album.[344] Jackson also became the first artist to have four of the top-20 bestselling albums in a single year in the US.[345]

Following the surge in sales, in March 2010, Sony Music signed a $250 million deal (equivalent to $350 million in 2023) with the Jackson estate to extend their distribution rights to Jackson's back catalog until at least 2017; it had been due to expire in 2015. It was the most expensive music contract for a single artist in history.[346][347] They agreed to release ten albums of previously unreleased material and new collections of released work.[346][348] The deal was extended in 2017.[349] That July, a Los Angeles court awarded Quincy Jones $9.4 million of disputed royalty payments for Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad.[56] In July 2018, Sony/ATV bought the estate's stake in EMI for $287.5 million.[350]

In 2014, Jackson became the first artist to have a top-ten single in the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades.[351] The following year, Thriller became the first album to be certified for 30 million shipments by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[7] A year later, it was certified 33× platinum after Soundscan added streams and audio downloads to album certifications.[352][nb 4]

In February 2024, Sony Music acquired half of Jackson's publishing rights and recording masters for an estimated $600 million. The deal includes assets from Jackson's Mijac publishing catalog, but excludes royalties from several Jackson-related productions, including the MJ Broadway musical and the Michael biopic. The deal is possibly the largest transaction ever for a single musician's work.[354][355]

Posthumous releases and productions
Jackson's posthumous releases and productions are administered by the estate of Michael Jackson, which owns Jackson's trademarks and rights to his name, image and likeness.[356] The first posthumous Jackson song, "This Is It", co-written in the 1980s with Paul Anka, was released in October 2009. The surviving Jackson brothers reunited to record backing vocals.[357] It was followed by a documentary film about the rehearsals for the canceled This Is It tour, Michael Jackson's This Is It,[358] and a compilation album.[359] Despite a limited two-week engagement, the film became the highest-grossing documentary or concert film ever, with earnings of more than $260 million worldwide.[360] Jackson's estate received 90% of the profits.[361] In late 2010, Sony released the first posthumous album, Michael, and the promotional single "Breaking News". The Jackson collaborator will.i.am expressed disgust, saying that Jackson would not have approved the release.[362]

The video game developer Ubisoft released a music game featuring Jackson for the 2010 holiday season, Michael Jackson: The Experience. It was among the first games to use Kinect and PlayStation Move, the motion-detecting camera systems for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.[363] In April 2011, Mohamed Al-Fayed, the chairman of Fulham Football Club, unveiled a statue of Jackson outside the club stadium, Craven Cottage.[364] It was moved to the National Football Museum in Manchester in May 2014,[365] and removed from display in March 2019 following renewed sexual assault allegations.[366]

In October 2011, the theater company Cirque du Soleil launched Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour, a $57-million production,[367] in Montreal, with a permanent show resident in Las Vegas.[368] A larger and more theatrical Cirque show, Michael Jackson: One, designed for residency at the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas, opened on May 23, 2013, in a renovated theater.[369][370]

In 2012, in an attempt to end a family dispute, Jackson's brother Jermaine retracted his signature on a public letter criticizing executors of Jackson's estate and his mother's advisors over the legitimacy of his brother's will.[371] T.J. Jackson, the son of Tito Jackson, was given co-guardianship of Michael Jackson's children after false reports of Katherine Jackson going missing.[372] Xscape, an album of unreleased material, was released on May 13, 2014.[373] The lead single, a duet between Jackson and Justin Timberlake, "Love Never Felt So Good", reached number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making Jackson the first artist to have a top-10 single on the chart in five different decades.[374]

Later in 2014, Queen released a duet recorded with Jackson in the 1980s.[70] A compilation album, Scream, was released on September 29, 2017.[375] A jukebox musical, MJ the Musical, premiered on Broadway in 2022.[376] Myles Frost won the 2022 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Jackson.[377] On November 18, 2022, a 40th-anniversary edition reissue of Thriller was released.[378][379]

A biographical film based on Jackson's life, Michael, was due to enter production through Lionsgate in 2023, but it was put on hold amid the SAG-AFTRA strike.[380] It will be directed by Antoine Fuqua, produced by Graham King and written by John Logan.[381] Jackson will be played by Jaafar Jackson, son of Jackson's brother Jermaine. Deadline Hollywood reported that the film "will not shy away from the controversies of Jackson's life".[382]

Posthumous child sexual abuse allegations
 Jackson and Safechuck (left) in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1988
In 2013, choreographer Wade Robson filed a lawsuit alleging that Jackson had sexually abused him for seven years, beginning when he was seven years old (1989–1996).[383] In 2014, a case was filed by James Safechuck, alleging sexual abuse over a four-year period from the age of ten (1988–1992).[384][385][386] Both had testified in Jackson's defense during the 1993 allegations; Robson did so again in 2005.[387][388] In 2015, Robson's case against Jackson's estate was dismissed as it had been filed too late. Safechuck's claim was also time-barred.[389]

In 2017, it was ruled that Jackson's corporations could not be held accountable for his alleged past actions.[390][391] The rulings were appealed. On October 20, 2020, Safechuck's lawsuit against Jackson's corporations was again dismissed. The judge ruled that there was no evidence that Safechuck had had a relationship with Jackson's corporation, nor was it proven that there was a special relationship between the two.[392][393][394][395] On April 26, 2021, Robson's case was dismissed because of a lack of supporting evidence that the defendants exercised control over Jackson.[396]

Robson and Safechuck described their allegations against Jackson in graphic detail in the documentary Leaving Neverland, released in March 2019.[397] Radio stations in New Zealand, Canada, the UK and the Netherlands removed Jackson's music from their playlists.[398][399][400] Jackson's family condemned the film as a "public lynching",[401] and the Jackson estate released a statement calling the film a "tabloid character assassination [Jackson] endured in life, and now in death".[402] Close associates of Jackson, such as Corey Feldman, Aaron Carter, Brett Barnes, and Macaulay Culkin, said that Jackson had not molested them.[403][404][405]

Documentaries such as Square One: Michael Jackson, Neverland Firsthand: Investigating the Michael Jackson Documentary and Michael Jackson: Chase the Truth, presented information countering the claims suggested by Leaving Neverland.[406][407][408] Jackson's album sales increased following the documentary screenings.[409] Billboard senior editor Gail Mitchell said she and a colleague interviewed about thirty music executives who believed Jackson's legacy could withstand the controversy.[410] In late 2019, some New Zealand and Canadian radio stations re-added Jackson's music to their playlists, citing "positive listener survey results".[411][412]

On February 21, 2019, the Jackson estate sued HBO for breaching a non-disparagement clause from a 1992 contract. The suit sought to compel HBO to participate in a non-confidential arbitration that could result in $100 million or more in damages awarded to the estate.[413] HBO said they did not breach a contract and filed an anti-SLAPP motion against the estate. In September 2019, Judge George H. Wu denied HBO's motion to dismiss the case, allowing the Jackson estate to arbitrate.[414] HBO appealed, but in December 2020 the appeals court affirmed Wu's ruling.[415]

In 2020, a state law passed in California which granted plaintiffs in child sex abuse cases an additional period to file lawsuits. In October 2020 and again in April 2021, the Los Angeles County Superior Court ruled that MJJ Productions Inc. and MJJ Ventures Inc. employees were not legally obligated to protect the two men from Jackson. In August 2023, California's Second District Court of Appeal overturned the ruling, and the case was approved to move forward to trial court.[416]

Legacy
Main article: Cultural impact of Michael Jackson
See also: List of Michael Jackson records and achievements
Jackson has been referred to as the "King of Pop" for having transformed the art of music videos and paving the way for modern pop music. For much of Jackson's career, he had an unparalleled worldwide influence over the younger generation.[417] His influence extended beyond the music industry; he impacted dance, led fashion trends, and raised awareness for global affairs.[418] Jackson's music and videos fostered racial diversity in MTV's roster and steered its focus from rock to pop music and R&B, shaping the channel into a form that proved enduring.[44]

In songs such as "Man in the Mirror", "Black or White", "Heal the World", "Earth Song" and "They Don't Care About Us", Jackson's music emphasized racial integration and environmentalism and protested injustice.[419][420] He is recognized as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time by Guinness World Records.[421][422] Jackson has also appeared on Rolling Stone's lists of the Greatest Singers of All Time.[423][424] He is considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century,[425] and his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades.[426][427][428]

Trying to trace Michael Jackson's influence on the pop stars that followed him is like trying to trace the influence of oxygen and gravity. So vast, far-reaching and was his impact—particularly in the wake of Thriller's colossal and heretofore unmatched commercial success—that there weren't a whole lot of artists who weren't trying to mimic some of the Jackson formula.

— J. Edward Keyes of Rolling Stone[429]
Danyel Smith, chief content officer of Vibe Media Group and the editor-in-chief of Vibe, described Jackson as "the greatest star".[430] Steve Huey of AllMusic called him "an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the skills to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility and loads of sheer star power".[10] BET said Jackson was "quite simply the greatest entertainer of all time" whose "sound, style, movement and legacy continues to inspire artists of all genres".[431]

 Jackson's Bad era wax figure at Madame Tussauds, London in 1992
In 1984, Time pop critic Jay Cocks wrote that "Jackson is the biggest thing since the Beatles. He is the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley. He just may be the most popular black singer ever." He described Jackson as a "star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style, and color too."[91] In 2003, The Daily Telegraph writer Tom Utley described Jackson as "extremely important" and a "genius".[432] At Jackson's memorial service on July 7, 2009, Motown founder Berry Gordy called Jackson "the greatest entertainer that ever lived".[433][434] In a June 28, 2009 Baltimore Sun article, Jill Rosen wrote that Jackson's legacy influenced fields including sound, dance, fashion, music videos and celebrity.[435]

Pop critic Robert Christgau wrote that Jackson's work from the 1970s to the early 1990s showed "immense originality, adaptability, and ambition" with "genius beats, hooks, arrangements, and vocals (though not lyrics)", music that "will stand forever as a reproach to the puritanical notion that pop music is slick or shallow and that's the end of it". During the 1990s, as Jackson lost control of his "troubling life", his music suffered and began to shape "an arc not merely of promise fulfilled and outlived, but of something approaching tragedy: a phenomenally ebullient child star tops himself like none before, only to transmute audibly into a lost weirdo".[436] In the 2000s, Christgau wrote: "Jackson's obsession with fame, his grotesque life magnified by his grotesque wealth, are such an offense to rock aesthetes that the fact that he's a great musician is now often forgotten".[437]

Philanthropy and humanitarian work
Main article: Philanthropy of Michael Jackson
 President Ronald Reagan rewarding Jackson in 1984 for his support of alcohol and drug abuse charities
Jackson is widely regarded as having been a prolific philanthropist and humanitarian.[438][439][440][441] Jackson's early charitable work has been described by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as having "paved the way for the current surge in celebrity philanthropy",[442] and by the Los Angeles Times as having "set the standard for generosity for other entertainers".[438]

By some estimates, he donated over $500 million, not accounting for inflation, to various charities over the course of his life.[438] In 1992, Jackson established his Heal the World Foundation, to which he donated several million dollars in revenue from his Dangerous World Tour.[443]

Jackson's philanthropic activities went beyond just monetary donations. He also performed at benefit concerts, some of which he arranged. He gifted tickets for his regular concert performances to groups that assist underprivileged children. He visited sick children in hospitals around the world. He opened his own home for visits by underprivileged or sick children and provided special facilities and nurses if the children needed that level of care.

Jackson donated valuable, personal and professional paraphernalia for numerous charity auctions. He received various awards and accolades for his philanthropic work, including two bestowed by presidents of the United States. The vast breadth of Jackson's philanthropic work has earned recognition in the Guinness World Records.[438][444][445]

On May 14, 1984, President Ronald Reagan gave Jackson an award recognizing his support of alcohol and drug abuse charities,[446] and in recognition of his support for the Ad Council's and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Drunk Driving Prevention campaign. Jackson allowed the campaign to use "Beat It" for its public service announcements.[447]

Artistry
Influences
Jackson was influenced by musicians including James Brown, Little Richard, Jackie Wilson, Diana Ross, Fred Astaire, Sammy Davis Jr., Gene Kelly,[448] and David Ruffin.[449] Little Richard had a substantial influence on Jackson,[450] but Brown was his greatest inspiration; he later said that as a small child, his mother would wake him whenever Brown appeared on television. Jackson described being "mesmerized".[451]

Jackson's vocal technique was influenced by Diana Ross; his use of the oooh interjection from a young age was something Ross had used on many of her songs with the Supremes.[452] She was a mother figure to him, and he often watched her rehearse.[453] He said he had learned a lot from watching how she moved and sang, and that she had encouraged him to have confidence in himself.[454]

Choreographer David Winters, who met Jackson while choreographing the 1971 Diana Ross TV special Diana!, said that Jackson watched the musical West Side Story almost every week, and it was his favorite film; he paid tribute to it in "Beat It" and the "Bad" video.[455][456][457]

Vocal style
Jackson sang from childhood, and over time his voice and vocal style changed. Between 1971 and 1975, his voice descended from boy soprano to lyric tenor.[458] He was known for his vocal range.[423] With the arrival of Off the Wall in the late 1970s, Jackson's abilities as a vocalist were well regarded; Rolling Stone compared his vocals to the "breathless, dreamy stutter" of Stevie Wonder, and wrote that "Jackson's feathery-timbred tenor is extraordinarily beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that's used very daringly."[459] By the time of 1982's Thriller, Rolling Stone wrote that Jackson was singing in a "fully adult voice" that was "tinged by sadness".[460]

The turn of the 1990s saw the release of the introspective album Dangerous. The New York Times noted that on some tracks, "he gulps for breath, his voice quivers with anxiety or drops to a desperate whisper, hissing through clenched teeth" and he had a "wretched tone". When singing of brotherhood or self-esteem the musician would return to "smooth" vocals.[461] Of Invincible, Rolling Stone wrote that, at 43, Jackson still performed "exquisitely voiced rhythm tracks and vibrating vocal harmonies".[462] Joseph Vogel notes Jackson's ability to use non-verbal sounds to express emotion.[463] Neil McCormick wrote that Jackson's unorthodox singing style "was original and utterly distinctive".[464]

Musicianship
Jackson had no formal music training and could not read or write music notation. He is credited for playing guitar, keyboard, and drums, but was not proficient in them.[465] When composing, he recorded ideas by beatboxing and imitating instruments vocally.[465] Describing the process, he said: "I'll just sing the bass part into the tape recorder. I'll take that bass lick and put the chords of the melody over the bass lick and that's what inspires the melody." The engineer Robert Hoffman recalled that after Jackson came in with a song he had written overnight, Jackson sang every note of every chord to a guitar player. Hoffman also remembered Jackson singing string arrangements part by part into a cassette recorder.[465]



Dance
Jackson danced from a young age as part of the Jackson 5,[466] and incorporated dance extensively in his performances and music videos.[466] According to Sanjoy Roy of The Guardian, Jackson would "flick and retract his limbs like switchblades, or snap out of a tornado spin into a perfectly poised toe-stand".[466] The moonwalk, taught to him by Jeffrey Daniel,[81] was Jackson's signature dance move and one of the most famous of the 20th century.[467] Jackson is credited for coining the name "moonwalk"; the move was previously known as the "backslide".[468][469] His other moves included the robot,[49] crotch grab, and the "anti-gravity" lean of the "Smooth Criminal" video.[466]

Themes and genres
 Jackson during his Bad World Tour in Vienna, June 1988
Jackson explored genres including pop,[10][470] soul,[10][157] rhythm and blues,[470] funk,[471] rock,[470][471] disco,[472] post-disco,[471] dance-pop[473] and new jack swing.[10] Steve Huey of AllMusic wrote that Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall; the dance and rock tracks were more aggressive, while the pop tunes and ballads were softer and more soulful.[10] Its tracks included the ballads "The Lady in My Life", "Human Nature", and "The Girl Is Mine",[474][460][475] the funk pieces "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'",[474][460] and the disco set "Baby Be Mine" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)".[475]

With Off the Wall, Jackson's "vocabulary of grunts, squeals, hiccups, moans, and asides" vividly showed his maturation into an adult, Robert Christgau wrote in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981). The album's title track suggested to the critic a parallel between Jackson and Stevie Wonder's "oddball" music personas: "Since childhood his main contact with the real world has been on stage and in bed."[476] With Thriller, Christopher Connelly of Rolling Stone commented that Jackson developed his long association with the subliminal theme of paranoia and darker imagery.[460] AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted this on the songs "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".[474] In "Billie Jean", Jackson depicts an obsessive fan who alleges he has fathered her child,[10] and in "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" he argues against gossip and the media.[460] "Beat It" decried gang violence in a homage to West Side Story, and was Jackson's first successful rock cross-over piece, according to Huey.[10][41] He observed that "Thriller" began Jackson's interest with the theme of the supernatural, a topic he revisited in subsequent years. In 1985, Jackson co-wrote the charity anthem "We Are the World"; humanitarian themes later became a recurring theme in his lyrics and public persona.[10]

 Jackson's Bad era jacket on display at the Hollywood Guinness World Records Museum
In Bad, Jackson's concept of the predatory lover is seen on the rock song "Dirty Diana".[477] The lead single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a traditional love ballad, and "Man in the Mirror" is a ballad of confession and resolution. "Smooth Criminal" is an evocation of bloody assault, rape and likely murder.[138] AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that Dangerous presents Jackson as a paradoxical person.[478] The first half of the record is dedicated to new jack swing, including songs like "Jam" and "Remember the Time". It was the first Jackson album in which social ills became a primary theme; "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", for example, protests world hunger, AIDS, homelessness and drugs. Dangerous contains sexually charged songs such as "In the Closet". The title track continues the theme of the predatory lover and compulsive desire. The second half includes introspective, pop-gospel anthems such as "Will You Be There", "Heal the World" and "Keep the Faith".[461] In the ballad "Gone Too Soon", Jackson gives tribute to Ryan White and the plight of those with AIDS.[479]

HIStory creates an atmosphere of paranoia.[480] In the new jack swing-funk rock tracks "Scream" and "Tabloid Junkie", and the R&B ballad "You Are Not Alone", Jackson retaliates against the injustice and isolation he feels, and directs his anger at the media.[481] In the introspective ballad "Stranger in Moscow", Jackson laments his "fall from grace"; "Earth Song", "Childhood", "Little Susie" and "Smile" are operatic pop songs.[480][481] In "D.S.", Jackson attacks lawyer Thomas W. Sneddon Jr., who had prosecuted him in both child sexual abuse cases; he describes Sneddon as a white supremacist who wanted to "get my ass, dead or alive".[482] Invincible includes urban soul tracks such as "Cry" and "The Lost Children", ballads such as "Speechless", "Break of Dawn", and "Butterflies", and mixes hip hop, pop, and R&B in "2000 Watts", "Heartbreaker" and "Invincible".[483][484]

Music videos and choreography
 Jackson (center) performing a dance sequence of "The Way You Make Me Feel" at the Bad World Tour in 1988
Jackson released "Thriller", a 14-minute music video directed by John Landis, in 1983.[485] The zombie-themed video "defined music videos and broke racial barriers" on MTV, which had launched two years earlier.[44] Before Thriller, Jackson struggled to receive coverage on MTV, allegedly because he was African American.[486] Pressure from CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", which led to a lengthy partnership with Jackson, and helped other black music artists gain recognition.[487] The popularity of his videos on MTV helped the relatively new channel's viewing figures, and MTV's focus shifted toward pop and R&B.[487][488] His performance on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever changed the scope of live stage shows, making it acceptable for artists to lip-sync to music video on stage.[489] The choreography in Thriller has been copied in Indian films and prisons in the Philippines.[490] Thriller marked an increase in scale for music videos, and was named the most successful music video ever by the Guinness World Records.[222]

In "Bad"'s 19-minute video—directed by Martin Scorsese—Jackson used sexual imagery and choreography, and touched his chest, torso and crotch. When asked by Winfrey in the 1993 interview about why he grabbed his crotch, he said it was spontaneously compelled by the music. Time magazine described the "Bad" video as "infamous". It featured Wesley Snipes; Jackson's later videos often featured famous cameo roles.[491][492] For the "Smooth Criminal" video, Jackson experimented with leaning forward at a 45 degree angle, beyond the performer's center of gravity. To accomplish this live, Jackson and designers developed a special shoe to lock the performer's feet to the stage, allowing them to lean forward. They were granted U.S. patent 5,255,452 for the device.[493] The video for "Leave Me Alone" was not officially released in the US, but in 1989 was nominated for three Billboard Music Video Awards[494] and won a Golden Lion Award for its special effects. It won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.[63]

He received the MTV Video Vanguard Award in 1988; in 2001 the award was renamed in his honor.[495] The "Black or White" video simultaneously premiered on November 14, 1991, in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million people, the largest audience ever for a music video at the time.[172] Along with Jackson, it featured Macaulay Culkin, Peggy Lipton, and George Wendt. It helped introduce morphing to music videos.[496] It was controversial for scenes in which Jackson rubs his crotch, vandalizes cars, and throws a garbage can through a storefront. He apologized and removed the final scene of the video.[161]

"In the Closet" featured Naomi Campbell in a courtship dance with Jackson.[497] "Remember the Time" was set in ancient Egypt, and featured Eddie Murphy, Iman, and Magic Johnson.[498] The video for "Scream", directed by Mark Romanek and production designer Tom Foden, gained a record 11 MTV Video Music Award Nominations, and won "Best Dance Video", "Best Choreography", and "Best Art Direction".[499] The song and its video are Jackson's response to being accused of child molestation in 1993.[500] A year later, it won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form. It has been reported as the most expensive music video ever made, at $7 million;[501] Romanek has contradicted this.[502] The "Earth Song" video was nominated for the 1997 Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.[503]

Michael Jackson's Ghosts, a short film written by Jackson and Stephen King and directed by Stan Winston, premiered at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival. At over 38 minutes long, it held the Guinness world record for the longest music video until 2013, when it was eclipsed by the video for the Pharrell Williams song "Happy".[504] The 2001 video for "You Rock My World" lasts over 13 minutes, was directed by Paul Hunter, and features Chris Tucker and Marlon Brando.[505] It won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Music Video in 2002.[506]

In December 2009, the Library of Congress selected "Thriller" as the only music video to be preserved in the National Film Registry, as a work of "enduring importance to American culture".[507][508] Huey wrote that Jackson transformed the music video into an artform and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameos, while breaking down racial barriers.[10]

Honors and awards
See also: List of awards and nominations received by Michael Jackson
 The Thriller platinum certified record on display at the Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood. As of 2017, it is certified 33× platinum.[352]
Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists in history,[509] with sales estimated around 500 million records worldwide.[510][Note 2] He had 13 number-one singles in the US in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era.[511] He was invited and honored by a president of the United States at the White House three times. In 1984, he was honored with a "Presidential Public Safety Commendation" award by Ronald Reagan for his humanitarian endeavors.[512] In 1990, he was honored as the "Artist of the Decade" by George H. W. Bush.[513] In 1992, he was honored as a "Point of Light Ambassador" by Bush for inviting disadvantaged children to his Neverland Ranch.[514]

Jackson won hundreds of awards, making him one of the most-awarded artists in popular music.[515] His awards include 39 Guinness World Records, including the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time,[421][422] 13 Grammy Awards,[516] as well as the Grammy Legend Award[517] and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award,[518] and 26 American Music Awards, including the Artist of the Century and Artist of the 1980s.[244] He also received the World Music Awards' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium and the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award.[519] Jackson was inducted onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1980 as a member of the Jacksons, and in 1984 as a solo artist. He was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Vocal Group Hall of Fame as a member of the Jackson 5 in 1997 and 1999,[520] respectively, and again as a solo artist in 2001.[521] In 2002, he was added to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.[522] In 2010, he was the first recording artist to be inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame,[523] and in 2014, he was posthumously inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.[524] In 2021, he was among the inaugural inductees into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.[525]

In 1988, Fisk University honored him with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.[526] In 1992, he was invested as a titular king of Sanwi, a traditional kingdom located in the south-east of Ivory Coast.[527] In July 2009, the Lunar Republic Society named a crater on the Moon after Jackson.[528] In August, for what would have been Jackson's 51st birthday, Google dedicated their Google Doodle to him.[529] In 2012, the extinct hermit crab Mesoparapylocheles michaeljacksoni was named in his honor.[530] In 2014, the British Council of Cultural Relations deemed Jackson's life one of the 80 most important cultural moments of the 20th century.[531] World Vitiligo Day has been celebrated on June 25, the anniversary of Jackson's death, to raise awareness of the auto-immune disorder that Jackson suffered from.[532]

Earnings
Main article: Estate of Michael Jackson
In 1989, Jackson's annual earnings from album sales, endorsements, and concerts were estimated at $125 million.[222] Forbes placed Jackson's annual income at $35 million in 1996 and $20 million in 1997.[533] Estimates of Jackson's net worth during his life range from negative $285 million to positive $350 million for 2002, 2003 and 2007.[534][535] Forbes reported in August 2018 that Jackson's total career pretax earnings in life and death were $4.2 billion.[536][537] Sales of his recordings through Sony's music unit earned him an estimated $300 million in royalties. He may have earned another $400 million from concerts, music publishing (including his share of the Beatles catalog), endorsements, merchandising and music videos.[538]

In 2013, the executors of Jackson's estate filed a petition in the United States Tax Court as a result of a dispute with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over US federal estate taxes.[539] The executors claim that it was worth about $7 million, the IRS that it was worth over $1.1 billion. In February 2014, the IRS reported that Jackson's estate owed $702 million; $505 million in taxes, and $197 million in penalties.[540] A trial was held from February 6 to 24, 2017.[541] In 2021, the Tax Court issued a ruling in favor of the estate, ruling that the estate's total combined value of the estate was $111.5 million and that the value of Jackson's name and likeness was $4 million (not the $61 million estimated by the IRS's outside expert witness).[542]

In 2016, Forbes estimated annual gross earnings by the Jackson Estate at $825 million, the largest ever recorded for a celebrity, mostly due to the sale of the Sony/ATV catalog.[543] In 2018, the figure was $400 million.[544] It was the eighth year since his death that Jackson's annual earnings were reported to be over $100 million, thus bringing Jackson's postmortem total to $2.4 billion.[545] Forbes has consistently recognized Jackson as one of the top-earning dead celebrities since his death, and placed him at the top spot from 2013 to 2023.[546][547]

Discography
Main articles: Michael Jackson albums discography, Michael Jackson singles discography, and List of songs recorded by Michael Jackson
See also: The Jackson 5 discography
Got to Be There (1972)
Ben (1972)
Music & Me (1973)
Forever, Michael (1975)
Off the Wall (1979)
Thriller (1982)
Bad (1987)
Dangerous (1991)
HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995)
Invincible (2001)
Filmography
See also: Michael Jackson videography
The Wiz (1978)
Michael Jackson's Thriller (1983)
Captain EO (1986)
Moonwalker (1988)
Michael Jackson's Ghosts (1997)
Men in Black II (2002)
Miss Cast Away and the Island Girls (2004)
Michael Jackson's This Is It (2009)
Bad 25 (2012)
Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall (2016)
Thriller 40 (2023)
Tours
Main article: List of Michael Jackson concerts
Bad World Tour (1987–1989)
Dangerous World Tour (1992–1993)
HIStory World Tour (1996–1997)
MJ & Friends (1999)
See also
List of dancers
Notes
^ "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana"
^ In 2006, Raymone Bain, Jackson's publicist at that time, claimed that Michael Jackson had sold over 750 million units.[1][2] Since 2006, several sources such as Billboard or Reuters claimed that Michael Jackson had sold around 750 million records;[3][4] while others such as MTV or CBS News claimed that his sales were over 750 million albums.[5][6] In 2009, The Wall Street Journal disputed the 750 million figure (if it referred to albums, instead of units).[2] Later, in 2015, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) stated that Michael Jackson had sold 1 billion records worldwide.[7][8]
^ Blanket changed his name to "Bigi" in 2015.
^ In 2018, its US sales record was overtaken by the Eagles' album Greatest Hits 1971–75, with 38× platinum.[353]
 
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^ Inglis 2006, pp. 119, 127: "That Jackson lip-synced 'Billie Jean' is, in itself, not extraordinary, but the fact that it did not change the impact of the performance is extraordinary; whether the performance was live or lip-synced made no difference to the audience."
^ "Philippine jailhouse rocks to Thriller". BBC News. July 26, 2007. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 370–373.
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^ US 5255452, Michael J. Jackson; Michael L. Bush & Dennis Tompkins, "Method and means for creating anti-gravity illusion", issued October 26, 1993
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^ Campbell 1993, p. 303.
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^ Campbell 1993, pp. 313–314.
^ Boepple 1995, p. 52.
^ Bark, Ed (June 26, 1995). "Michael Jackson Interview Raises Questions, Answers". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 06E.
^ McIntyre, Hugh (August 24, 2014). "The 5 Most Expensive Music Videos of All Time". Forbes. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
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^ "Longest music video". Guinness World Records. November 21, 2013. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
^ Montgomery, James (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson's Video Co-Stars: From Eddie Murphy to Marlon Brando". MTV. Retrieved March 22, 2010.
^ "NAACP Image Award Spotlight Black' Achievements". Jet. Vol. 101, no. 13. March 18, 2002. p. 36. ISSN 0021-5996.
^ "Zorro, Nemo, Muppets & More: Wide Variety Tapped for 2009 Film Registry". Library of Congress. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
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^ Hinckley, David (June 25, 2014). "Michael Jackson remembered 5 years later: How the Daily News covered the tragic story of icon's death". New York Daily News. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
^ Wyman, Bill (January 4, 2013). "Did "Thriller" Really Sell a Hundred Million Copies". The New Yorker. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
^ "Hot 100 Anniversary: Most No. 1s by Artist". Billboard. August 6, 2008. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ "Remarks at a White House Ceremony Marking Progress Made in the Campaign Against Drunk Driving". Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. University of Texas at Austin. May 14, 1984. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
^ George 2004, pp. 44–45.
^ Campbell 1993, p. 321.
^ Lewis, Monica (June 14, 2007). "20 People Who Changed Black Music: Michael Jackson, the Child Star-Turned-Adult Enigma". The Miami Herald. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
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^ "Grammy Legend Award". Grammy Awards. Archived from the original on January 22, 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ "Lifetime Achievement Award". Grammy Awards. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
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^ "The Vocal Group Hall of Fame: Album Categories 1999 Inductee". The Vocal Group Hall of Fame Foundation. Archived from the original on October 15, 2017.
^ Masley, Ed (March 28, 2019). "Stevie Nicks is about to join these 22 men as a two-time Rock and Rock Hall of Fame inductee". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
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^ Keiser, Tom (August 15, 2010). "Photos: Michael Jackson induction ceremony". The News-Times. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Yarborough, Chuck (August 19, 2014). "R&B Music Hall of Fame sets big weekend to induct sophomore class featuring Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Marvin Gaye, Norm N. Nite and more". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Ruggieri, Melissa (May 5, 2021). "Black Music Walk of Fame to honor James Brown, OutKast, Usher and others in Atlanta". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
^ "Doctorates of Rock". Rolling Stone. July 19, 2011. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
^ "Sanwi kingdom mourns passing of a prince". France 24. June 29, 2009. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
^ Leach, Ben (July 9, 2009). "Moon crater named after Michael Jackson". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
^ Chivers, Tom (September 28, 2009). "Google's Doodles: 10 of the best including UFOs and Google". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
^ Kent State University (January 19, 2012). "Mesoparapylocheles michaeljacksoni: Fossil hermit crab named after Michael Jackson". Phys.org. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
^ "80 Moments That Shaped the World" (PDF). British Council. 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
^ Harris, John E. (June 24, 2014). "Speaking of Vitiligo..." Vitiligo Clinic & Research Center. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
^ Gundersen, Edna (November 24, 2003). "For Jackson, scandal could spell financial ruin". USA Today. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
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^ Greenburg, Zack O'Malley (August 29, 2018). "Michael Jackson at 60: The King of Pop by the Numbers". Forbes. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
^ "Stress killed MJ, says ex-publicist". The Times of India. June 27, 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ O'Brien, Timothy L (May 14, 2006). "What Happened to the Fortune Michael Jackson Made?". The New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
^ "Estate of Michael J. Jackson, Deceased, John G. Branca, Co-Executor and John McClain, Co-Executor". August 19, 2016. Archived from the original on November 6, 2018. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
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^ "United States Tax Court: Washington, DC 20217". February 2, 2016. Archived from the original on October 11, 2016. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
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^ Freeman, Abigail. "The Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities 2021". Forbes. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
^ "The Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities of 2023". Forbes.
Print sources
Boepple, Leanne (1995). "Scream: Space Odyssey, Jackson-Style. (video production; Michael and Janet Jackson video)". TCI: Theatre Crafts International. 29. Theatre Crafts International. ISSN 1063-9497.
Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Fireside. ISBN 978-0-7432-0169-8.
Bronson, Fred (2003). Billboard's Hottest Hot 100 Hits (3rd ed.). Billboard Books. ISBN 978-0-8230-7738-0.
Campbell, Lisa D (1993). Michael Jackson: The King of Pop. Branden. ISBN 978-0-8283-1957-7.
Campbell, Lisa D (1995). Michael Jackson: The King of Pop's Darkest Hour. Branden. ISBN 978-0-8283-2003-0.
Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: J". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 0-89919-026-X. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
DeMello, Margo (2012). Faces Around the World: A Cultural Encyclopedia of the Human Face. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-59884-618-8.
George, Nelson (2004). Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection (booklet). Sony BMG.
Inglis, Ian (2006). Performance and Popular Music: History, Place and Time. Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7546-4057-8.
Jackson, Michael (2009) [First published 1988]. Moonwalk. Random House. ISBN 978-0-307-71698-9.
Knopper, Steve (2016). MJ: The Genius of Michael Jackson. Scribner. ISBN 978-1-4767-3037-0.
Lewis Jones, Jel D. (2005). Michael Jackson, the King of Pop: The Big Picture: the Music! the Man! the Legend! the Interviews: an Anthology. Amber Books Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9749779-0-4.
Mansour, David (2005). From Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century. Andrews McMeel Publishing. ISBN 0-7407-5118-2.
Palmer, Robert (1995). Rock & Roll: An Unruly History. Harmony Books. ISBN 978-0-517-70050-1.
Parameswaran, Radhika (2011). "E-Race-ing Color: Gender and Transnational Visual Economies of Beauty in India". In Sarma Hegde, Radha (ed.). Circuits of Visibility: Gender and Transnational Media Cultures. NYU Press. ISBN 978-0-8147-9060-1.
Ramage, John D.; Bean, John C.; Johnson, June (2001). Writing arguments: a rhetoric with readings. Allyn and Bacon. ISBN 978-0-205-31745-5.
Rojek, Chris (2007). Cultural Studies. Polity. ISBN 978-0-7456-3683-2.
Tannenbaum, Rob; Marks, Craig (2011). I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-1-101-52641-5.
Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2009). Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story, 1958–2009. Grand Central Publishing, 2009. ISBN 978-0-446-56474-8.
Vogel, Joseph (2012). Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson. New York: Sterling. ISBN 978-1-4027-7938-1.
Young, Julie (Fall 2009). "A Hoosier Thriller: Gary, Indiana's Michael Jackson". Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History. 21 (4). Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society. Archived from the original on April 15, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
Further reading
Hidalgo, Susan; Weiner, Robert G. (2010). "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin': MJ in the Scholarly Literature: A Selected Bibliographic Guide" (PDF). The Journal of Pan African Studies. 3 (7).
How Michael Jackson Changed Dance History – biography.com
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation).
"King of Pop" redirects here. For other uses, see King of Pop (disambiguation).
Michael Jackson
 Jackson in 1988
Born
Michael Joseph Jackson

August 29, 1958
Gary, Indiana, US
Died
June 25, 2009 (aged 50)
Los Angeles, California, US
Cause of death
Acute propofol intoxication
Burial place
Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California, US
Other names
Michael Joe Jackson
Occupations
Singer
songwriter
dancer
record producer
Spouses
Lisa Marie Presley
​
​
(m. 1994; div. 1996)​
Debbie Rowe
​
​
(m. 1996; div. 2000)​
Children
3, including Paris
Parents
Joe Jackson
Katherine Jackson
Family
Jackson family
Awards
Full list
Musical career
Genres
Pop
soul
rhythm and blues
funk
rock
disco
post-disco
dance-pop
new jack swing
Instrument(s)
Vocals
Discography
Albums
singles
songs
Years active
1964–2009
Labels
Steeltown
Motown
Epic
Legacy
Sony
MJJ Productions
Formerly of
The Jackson 5
 
Website
michaeljackson.com
Signature
 
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Known as the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. During his four-decade career, his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture. Jackson influenced artists across many music genres. Through stage and video performances, he popularized complicated street dance moves such as the moonwalk, which he named, as well as the robot.

The eighth child of the Jackson family, Jackson made his public debut in 1964 with his older brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon as a member of the Jackson 5 (later known as the Jacksons). Jackson began his solo career in 1971 while at Motown Records. He became a solo star with his 1979 album Off the Wall. His music videos, including those for "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller" from his 1982 album Thriller, are credited with breaking racial barriers and transforming the medium into an art form and promotional tool. He helped propel the success of MTV and continued to innovate with the videos for his subsequent albums: Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995), and Invincible (2001). Thriller became the best-selling album of all time, while Bad was the first album to produce five US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles.[nb 1]

From the late 1980s, Jackson became a figure of controversy and speculation due to his changing appearance, relationships, behavior, and lifestyle. In 1993, he was accused of sexually abusing the child of a family friend. The lawsuit was settled out of civil court; Jackson was not indicted due to lack of evidence. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further child sexual abuse allegations and several other charges. The FBI found no evidence of criminal conduct by Jackson in either case. In 2009, while he was preparing for a series of comeback concerts, This Is It, Jackson died from an overdose of propofol administered by his personal physician, Conrad Murray, who was convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter for his involvement in Jackson's death. His death triggered reactions around the world, creating unprecedented surges of internet traffic and a spike in sales of his music. Jackson's televised memorial service, held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, was estimated to have been viewed by more than 2.5 billion people.

Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with sales estimated around 500 million records worldwide.[nb 2] He had 13 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles (fourth highest of any artist in the Hot 100 era) and was the first artist to have a top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades. His honors include 15 Grammy Awards, six Brit Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and 39 Guinness World Records, including the "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time". Jackson's inductions include the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (twice), the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Dance Hall of Fame (making him the only recording artist to be inducted) and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.

Life and career
Early life and the Jackson 5 (1958–1975)
 Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Indiana, pictured in March 2010
Michael Joseph Jackson[9][10] was born in Gary, Indiana, on August 29, 1958.[11][12] He was the eighth of ten children in the Jackson family, a working-class African-American family living in a two-bedroom house on Jackson Street.[13][14] His mother, Katherine Esther Jackson (née Scruse), played clarinet and piano, had aspired to be a country-and-western performer, and worked part-time at Sears.[15] She was a Jehovah's Witness.[16] His father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, a former boxer, was a crane operator at US Steel and played guitar with a local rhythm and blues band, the Falcons, to supplement the family's income.[17][18] Joe's great-grandfather, July "Jack" Gale, was a US Army scout; family lore held that he was also a Native American medicine man.[19] Michael grew up with three sisters (Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet) and five brothers (Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy).[17] A sixth brother, Marlon's twin Brandon, died shortly after birth.[20]

In 1964, Michael and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by their father which included Jackie, Tito and Jermaine—as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine.[21][22] Michael said his father told him he had a "fat nose",[23] and physically and emotionally abused him during rehearsals. He recalled that Joe often sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his siblings rehearsed, ready to punish any mistakes.[16][24] Joe acknowledged that he regularly whipped Michael.[25] Katherine said that although whipping came to be considered abuse, it was a common way to discipline children when Michael was growing up.[26][27] Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon denied that their father was abusive and said that the whippings, which had a deeper impact on Michael because he was younger, kept them disciplined and out of trouble.[28] Michael said that during his youth he was lonely and isolated.[29]

Later in 1965, Michael began sharing lead vocals with Jermaine, and the group's name was changed to the Jackson 5.[30] In 1965, the group won a talent show; Michael performed the dance to Robert Parker's 1965 song "Barefootin'" and sang the Temptations' "My Girl".[31] From 1966 to 1968, the Jacksons 5 toured the Midwest; they frequently played at a string of black clubs known as the Chitlin' Circuit as the opening act for artists such as Sam & Dave, the O'Jays, Gladys Knight and Etta James. The Jackson 5 also performed at clubs and cocktail lounges, where striptease shows were featured, and at local auditoriums and high school dances.[32][33] In August 1967, while touring the East Coast, they won a weekly amateur night concert at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.[34]

 Michael Jackson (center) as a member of the Jackson 5 in 1972. The group were among the first African American performers to attain a crossover following.[35]
The Jackson 5 recorded several songs for a Gary record label, Steeltown Records; their first single, "Big Boy", was released in 1968.[36] Bobby Taylor of Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers brought the Jackson 5 to Motown after they opened for Taylor at Chicago's Regal Theater in 1968. Taylor produced some of their early Motown recordings, including a version of "Who's Lovin' You".[37] After signing with Motown, the Jackson family relocated to Los Angeles.[38] In 1969, Motown executives decided Diana Ross should introduce the Jackson 5 to the public — partly to bolster her career in television — sending off what was considered Motown's last product of its "production line".[39] The Jackson 5 made their first television appearance in 1969 in the Miss Black America pageant, performing a cover of "It's Your Thing".[40] Rolling Stone later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts" who "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer".[41]

In January 1970, "I Want You Back" became the first Jackson 5 song to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100; it stayed there for four weeks. Three more singles with Motown topped the chart: "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There".[42] In May 1971, the Jackson family moved into a large house at Hayvenhurst, a 2-acre (0.81 ha) estate in Encino, California.[43] During this period, Michael developed from a child performer into a teen idol.[44] Between 1972 and 1975, he released four solo studio albums with Motown: Got to Be There (1972), Ben (1972), Music & Me (1973) and Forever, Michael (1975).[45] "Got to Be There" and "Ben", the title tracks from his first two solo albums, sold well as singles, as did a cover of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin".[46]

Michael maintained ties to the Jackson 5.[45] The Jackson 5 were later described as "a cutting-edge example of black crossover artists".[47] They were frustrated by Motown's refusal to allow them creative input.[48] Jackson's performance of their top five single "Dancing Machine" on Soul Train popularized the robot dance.[49]

Move to Epic and Off the Wall (1975–1981)
 The Jackson siblings in 1977, without Jermaine. From left, back row: Jackie, Michael, Tito, Marlon. Middle row: Randy, La Toya, Rebbie. Front row: Janet
The Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975, signing with Epic Records and renaming themselves the Jacksons.[50] Their younger brother Randy joined the band around this time; Jermaine stayed with Motown and pursued a solo career.[51] The Jacksons continued to tour internationally, and released six more albums between 1976 and 1984. Michael, the group's main songwriter during this time, wrote songs such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" (1978), "This Place Hotel" (1980), and "Can You Feel It" (1980).[52]

In 1977, Jackson moved to New York City to star as the Scarecrow in The Wiz, a musical film directed by Sidney Lumet, alongside Diana Ross, Nipsey Russell, and Ted Ross.[53] The film was a box-office failure.[54] Its score was arranged by Quincy Jones,[55] who later produced three of Jackson's solo albums.[56] During his time in New York, Jackson frequented the Studio 54 nightclub, where he heard early hip hop; this influenced his beatboxing on future tracks such as "Working Day and Night".[57] In 1978, Jackson broke his nose during a dance routine. A rhinoplasty led to breathing difficulties that later affected his career. He was referred to Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson's operations.[58]

Jackson's fifth solo album, Off the Wall (1979), established him as a solo performer and helped him move from the bubblegum pop of his youth to more complex sounds.[44] It produced four top 10 entries in the US: "Off the Wall", "She's Out of My Life", and the chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You".[59] The album reached number three on the US Billboard 200 and sold over 20 million copies worldwide.[60] In 1980, Jackson won three American Music Awards for his solo work: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[61][62] He also won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for 1979 with "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[63] In 1981, Jackson was the American Music Awards winner for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist.[64] Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.[65] In 1980, he secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album profit.[66]

Thriller and Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever (1982–1983)
 The sequined jacket and white glove worn by Jackson at Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever. British Vogue called Jackson "a fashion pioneer [...] who gave new meaning to moonwalking, immortalised solitary, [and] sparkly gloves".[67]
Jackson recorded with Queen's lead singer Freddie Mercury from 1981 to 1983, recording demos of "State of Shock", "Victory" and "There Must Be More to Life Than This". The recordings were intended for an album of duets but, according to Queen's manager Jim Beach, the relationship soured when Jackson brought a llama into the recording studio,[68] and Jackson was upset by Mercury's drug use.[69] "There Must Be More to Life Than This" was released in 2014.[70] Jackson went on to record "State of Shock" with Mick Jagger for the Jacksons' album Victory (1984).[71]

In 1982, Jackson contributed "Someone in the Dark" to the audiobook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Jackson's sixth album, Thriller, was released in late 1982. It was the bestselling album worldwide in 1983,[72][73] and became the bestselling album of all time in the US[74] and the best-selling album of all time worldwide, selling an estimated 70 million copies.[75][76] It topped the Billboard 200 chart for 37 weeks and was in the top 10 of the 200 for 80 consecutive weeks. It was the first album to produce seven Billboard Hot 100 top-10 singles, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It", and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".[77]

On March 25, 1983, Jackson reunited with his brothers for Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, an NBC television special. The show aired on May 16 to an estimated audience of 47 million, and featured the Jacksons and other Motown stars.[78] Jackson's solo performance of "Billie Jean" earned him his first Emmy Award nomination.[79] Wearing a glove decorated with rhinestones,[80] he debuted his moonwalk dance, which Jeffrey Daniel had taught him three years earlier, and it became his signature dance in his repertoire.[81] Jackson had originally turned down the invitation to the show, believing he had been doing too much television. But at the request of Motown founder Berry Gordy, he performed in exchange for an opportunity to do a solo performance.[82] Rolling Stone reporter Mikal Gilmore called the performance "extraordinary".[44] Jackson's performance drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and the Beatles' appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.[83] Anna Kisselgoff of The New York Times praised the perfect timing and technique involved in the dance.[84] Gordy described being "mesmerized" by the performance.[85]

At the 26th Annual Grammy Awards, Thriller won eight awards, and Jackson won an award for the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial storybook. Winning eight Grammys in one ceremony is a record he holds with the band Santana.[63] Jackson and Quincy Jones won the award for Producer of the Year (Non-Classical). Thriller won Album of the Year (with Jackson as the album's artist and Jones as its co-producer), and the single won Best Pop Vocal Performance (Male) award for Jackson. "Beat It" won Record of the Year and Best Rock Vocal Performance (Male). "Billie Jean" won two Grammy awards: Best R&B Song and Best R&B Vocal Performance (Male), with Jackson as songwriter and singer respectively.[63]

Thriller won the Grammy for Best Engineered Recording (Non Classical), acknowledging Bruce Swedien for his work on the album.[86] At the 11th Annual American Music Awards, Jackson won another eight awards and became the youngest artist to win the Award of Merit.[87] He also won Favorite Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Artist, and Favorite Pop/Rock Artist. "Beat It" won Favorite Soul/R&B Video, Favorite Pop/Rock Video and Favorite Pop/Rock Single. The album won Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Pop/Rock Album.[87][88] Thriller's sales doubled after the release of an extended music video, Michael Jackson's Thriller, which sees Jackson dancing with a horde of zombies.[89][90]

The success transformed Jackson into a dominant force in global pop culture.[90] Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point, with about $2 for every album sold (equivalent to $6 in 2023), and was making record-breaking profits. Dolls modeled after Jackson appeared in stores in May 1984 for $12 each.[91] In the same year, The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller, a documentary about the music video, won a Grammy for Best Music Video (Longform).[63] Time described Jackson's influence at that point as "star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style and color too."[91] The New York Times wrote "in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else".[92]

Pepsi incident and other commercial activities (1984–1985)
In November 1983, Jackson and his brothers partnered with PepsiCo in a $5 million promotional deal that broke records for a celebrity endorsement (equivalent to $15.3 million in 2023). The first Pepsi campaign, which ran in the US from 1983 to 1984 and launched its "New Generation" theme, included tour sponsorship, public relations events, and in-store displays. Jackson helped to create the advertisement, and suggested using his song "Billie Jean", with revised lyrics, as its jingle.[93]

On January 27, 1984, Michael and other members of the Jacksons filmed a Pepsi commercial overseen by Phil Dusenberry,[94] a BBDO ad agency executive, and Alan Pottasch, Pepsi's Worldwide Creative Director, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. During a simulated concert before a full house of fans, pyrotechnics accidentally set Jackson's hair on fire, causing second-degree burns to his scalp. Jackson underwent treatment to hide the scars and had his third rhinoplasty shortly thereafter.[95]

Pepsi settled out of court, and Jackson donated the $1.5 million settlement to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California; its now-closed Michael Jackson Burn Center was named in his honor.[96][97] Jackson signed a second agreement with Pepsi in the late 1980s for $10 million. The second campaign covered 20 countries and provided financial support for Jackson's Bad album and 1987–88 world tour. Jackson had endorsements and advertising deals with other companies, such as LA Gear, Suzuki, and Sony, but none were as significant as his deals with Pepsi.[93]

 The Jacksons performing during their Victory Tour at the Arrowhead Stadium, 1984
The Victory Tour of 1984 headlined the Jacksons and showcased Jackson's new solo material to more than two million Americans. It was the last tour he did with his brothers.[98] Following controversy over the concert's ticket sales, Jackson donated his share of the proceeds, an estimated $3 to 5 million, to charity.[99] During the last concert of the Victory Tour at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Jackson announced his split from the Jacksons during "Shake Your Body".[100]

With Lionel Richie, Jackson co-wrote the charity single "We Are the World" (1985), which raised money for the poor in the US and Africa.[101][102] It earned $63 million (equivalent to $178 million in 2023),[102] and became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with 20 million copies sold.[103] It won four Grammy Awards in 1985, including Song of the Year for Jackson and Richie.[101] Jackson, Jones, and the promoter Ken Kragen received special awards for their roles in the song's creation.[101][104][105][106]

 Jackson signing a "We Are the World" poster in 1985
Jackson collaborated with Paul McCartney in the early 1980s, and learned that McCartney was making $40 million a year from owning the rights to other artists' songs.[102] By 1983, Jackson had begun buying publishing rights to others' songs, but he was careful with his acquisitions, only bidding on a few of the dozens that were offered to him. Jackson's early acquisitions of music catalogs and song copyrights such as the Sly Stone collection included "Everyday People" (1968), Len Barry's "1-2-3" (1965), and Dion DiMucci's "The Wanderer" (1961) and "Runaround Sue" (1961).

In 1984, Robert Holmes à Court announced he was selling the ATV Music Publishing catalog comprising the publishing rights to nearly 4,000 songs, including most of the Beatles' material.[107] In 1981, McCartney had been offered the catalog for £20 million ($40 million).[102][108] Jackson submitted a bid of $46 million on November 20, 1984.[107] When Jackson and McCartney were unable to make a joint purchase, McCartney did not want to be the sole owner of the Beatles' songs, and did not pursue an offer on his own.[109][108] Jackson's agents were unable to come to a deal, and in May 1985 left talks after having spent more than $1 million and four months of due diligence work on the negotiations.[107]

In June 1985, Jackson and Branca learned that Charles Koppelman's and Marty Bandier's The Entertainment Company had made a tentative offer to buy ATV Music for $50 million; in early August, Holmes à Court contacted Jackson and talks resumed. Jackson's increased bid of $47.5 million (equivalent to $135 million in 2023) was accepted because he could close the deal more quickly, having already completed due diligence.[107] Jackson agreed to visit Holmes à Court in Australia, where he would appear on the Channel Seven Perth Telethon.[110] His purchase of ATV Music was finalized on August 10, 1985.[102][107]

Increased tabloid speculation (1986–1987)
See also: Health and appearance of Michael Jackson
Jackson's skin had been medium-brown during his youth, but from the mid-1980s gradually grew paler. The change drew widespread media coverage, including speculation that he had been bleaching his skin.[111][112][113] His dermatologist, Arnold Klein, said he observed in 1983 that Jackson had vitiligo,[114] a condition characterized by patches of the skin losing their pigment. He also identified discoid lupus erythematosus in Jackson. He diagnosed Jackson with lupus that year,[114] and with vitiligo in 1986.[115] Vitiligo's drastic effects on the body can cause psychological distress. Jackson used fair-colored makeup,[116] and possibly skin-bleaching prescription creams,[117] to cover up the uneven blotches of color caused by the illness. The creams would depigment the blotches, and, with the application of makeup, he could appear very pale.[118] Jackson said he had not purposely bleached his skin and could not control his vitiligo, adding, "When people make up stories that I don't want to be who I am, it hurts me."[119] He became friends with Klein and Klein's assistant, Debbie Rowe. Rowe later became Jackson's second wife and the mother of his first two children.[120]

In his 1988 autobiography and a 1993 interview, Jackson said he had had two rhinoplasty surgeries and a cleft chin surgery but no more than that. He said he lost weight in the early 1980s because of a change in diet to achieve a dancer's body.[121] Witnesses reported that he was often dizzy, and speculated he was suffering from anorexia nervosa. Periods of weight loss became a recurring problem later in his life.[122] After his death, Jackson's mother said that he first turned to cosmetic procedures to remedy his vitiligo, because he did not want to look like a "spotted cow". She said he had received more than the two cosmetic surgeries he claimed and speculated that he had become addicted to them.[123]

In 1986, it was reported that Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow aging. He denied the story,[124] although it was alleged that Jackson leaked an image of him sleeping in a glass chamber (according to Jackson, this was a promotional shot from an upcoming space opera featuring himself) to The National Enquirer.[125] It was also reported that Jackson took female hormone shots to keep his voice high and facial hair wispy, proposed to Elizabeth Taylor and possibly had a shrine of her, and had cosmetic surgery on his eyes. Jackson's manager Frank DiLeo denied all of them, except for Jackson having a chamber. DiLeo added "I don't know if he sleeps in it. I'm not for it. But Michael thinks it's something that's probably healthy for him. He's a bit of a health fanatic."[126]

When Jackson took his pet chimpanzee Bubbles to tour in Japan, the media portrayed Jackson as an aspiring Disney cartoon character who befriended animals.[127] It was also reported that Jackson had offered to buy the bones of Joseph Merrick (the "Elephant Man").[128] In June 1987, the Chicago Tribune reported Jackson's publicist bidding $1 million for the skeleton to the London Hospital Medical College on his behalf. The college maintained the skeleton was not for sale. DiLeo said Jackson had an "absorbing interest" in Merrick, "purely based on his awareness of the ethical, medical and historical significance."[129]

In September 1986, using the oxygen chamber story, the British tabloid The Sun branded Jackson "Wacko Jacko", a name Jackson came to despise.[10][130] The Atlantic noted that the name "Jacko" has racist connotations, as it originates from Jacko Macacco, a monkey used in monkey-baiting matches at the Westminster Pit in the early 1820s, and "Jacko" was used in Cockney slang to refer to monkeys in general.[131]

Jackson worked with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola on the 17-minute $30 million 3D film Captain EO, which ran from 1986 at Disneyland and Epcot, and later at Tokyo Disneyland and Euro Disneyland.[132] After having been removed in the late 1990s, it returned to the theme park for several years after Jackson's death.[133] In 1987, Ebony reported that Jackson had disassociated himself from the Jehovah's Witnesses.[134] Katherine Jackson said this might have been because some Witnesses strongly opposed the Thriller video,[135] which Michael denounced in a Witness publication in 1984.[136] In 2001, Jackson told an interviewer he was still a Jehovah's Witness.[137]

Bad, autobiography, and Neverland (1987–1990)
 Jackson and President George H. W. Bush at the White House on April 5, 1990. It was the second time that Jackson had been honored by a president of the United States.
Jackson's first album in five years, Bad (1987), was highly anticipated, with the industry expecting another major success.[138] It became the first album to produce five US number-one singles: "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana". Another song, "Smooth Criminal", peaked at number seven.[59] Bad won the 1988 Grammy for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical and the 1990 Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form for "Leave Me Alone".[63][86] Jackson won an Award of Achievement at the American Music Awards in 1989 after Bad generated five number-one singles, became the first album to top the charts in 25 countries and the bestselling album worldwide in 1987 and 1988.[139][140] By 2012, it had sold between 30 and 45 million copies worldwide.[141][142]

The Bad World Tour ran from September 12, 1987, to January 14, 1989.[143] In Japan, the tour had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record for a single tour.[144] The 504,000 people who attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium set a new Guinness World Record.[145]

In 1988, Jackson released his autobiography, Moonwalk, with input from Stephen Davis and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.[146] It sold 200,000 copies,[147] and reached the top of the New York Times bestsellers list.[148] Jackson discussed his childhood, the Jackson 5, and the abuse from his father.[149] He attributed his changing facial appearance to three plastic surgeries, puberty, weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hairstyle, and stage lighting.[150][121] In June, Jackson was honored with the Grand Vermeil Medal of the City of Paris by the then Mayor of Paris Jacques Chirac during his stay in the city as part of the Bad World Tour.[151][152] In October, Jackson released a film, Moonwalker, which featured live footage and short films starring Jackson and Joe Pesci. In the US it was released direct-to-video and became the bestselling video cassette in the country.[153][154] The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it as eight times Platinum in the US.[155]

In March 1988, Jackson purchased 2,700 acres (11 km2) of land near Santa Ynez, California, to build a new home, Neverland Ranch, at a cost of $17 million (equivalent to $44 million in 2023).[156] He installed a Ferris wheel, a carousel, a movie theater and a zoo.[156][157][158] A security staff of 40 patrolled the grounds.[157] Shortly afterwards, he appeared in the first Western television advertisement in the Soviet Union.[159]

Jackson became known as the "King of Pop", a nickname that Jackson's publicists embraced.[24][160][161] When Elizabeth Taylor presented him with the Soul Train Heritage Award in 1989, she called him "the true king of pop, rock and soul."[162] President George H. W. Bush designated him the White House's "Artist of the Decade".[163] From 1985 to 1990, Jackson donated $455,000 to the United Negro College Fund,[164] and all profits from his single "Man in the Mirror" went to charity.[165] His rendition of "You Were There" at Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th birthday celebration won Jackson a second Emmy nomination.[79] Jackson was the bestselling artist of the 1980s.[166]

Dangerous and public social work (1991–1993)
In March 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65 million (equivalent to $145 million in 2023), a record-breaking deal,[167] beating Neil Diamond's renewal contract with Columbia Records.[168] In 1991, he released his eighth album, Dangerous, co-produced with Teddy Riley.[169] It was certified eight times platinum in the US, and by 2018 had sold 32 million copies worldwide.[170][171] In the US, the first single, "Black or White", was the album's highest-charting song; it was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks and achieved similar chart performances worldwide.[172] The second single, "Remember the Time" peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[173] At the end of 1992, Dangerous was the bestselling album of the year worldwide and "Black or White" the bestselling single of the year worldwide at the Billboard Music Awards.[166] In 1993, he performed "Remember the Time" at the Soul Train Music Awards in a chair, saying he twisted his ankle during dance rehearsals.[174] In the UK, "Heal the World" made No. 2 on the charts in 1992.[175]

 Jackson during the Dangerous World Tour in 1993. Dangerous has been recognized by writers as an influence on contemporary pop and R&B artists.[176]
 Michael Jackson with David and Marty Paich in 1991
Jackson founded the Heal the World Foundation in 1992. The charity brought underprivileged children to Jackson's ranch to use the theme park rides, and sent millions of dollars around the globe to help children threatened by war, poverty, and disease. That July, Jackson published his second book, Dancing the Dream, a collection of poetry. The Dangerous World Tour ran between June 1992 and November 1993 and grossed $100 million (equivalent to $210 million in 2023); Jackson performed for 3.5 million people in 70 concerts, all of which were outside the US.[177] Part of the proceeds went to Heal the World Foundation.[178] Jackson sold the broadcast rights of the tour to HBO for $20 million, a record-breaking deal that still stands.[179]

Following the death of HIV/AIDS spokesperson and friend Ryan White, Jackson pleaded with the Clinton administration at Bill Clinton's inaugural gala to give more money to HIV/AIDS charities and research[180][181] and performed "Gone Too Soon", a song dedicated to White, and "Heal the World" at the gala.[182] Jackson visited Africa in early 1992; on his first stop in Gabon he was greeted by more than 100,000 people, some of them carrying signs that read "Welcome Home Michael",[183] and was awarded an Officer of the National Order of Merit from President Omar Bongo.[184][185] During his trip to Ivory Coast, Jackson drew larger crowds than Pope John Paul II on his previous visits.[186] He was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief in the Ivorian village of Krindjabo, where he thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed documents formalizing his kingship, and sat on a golden throne while presiding over ceremonial dances.[183]

In January 1993, Jackson performed at the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show in Pasadena, California. The NFL sought a big-name artist to keep ratings high during halftime following dwindling audience figures.[187][188] It was the first Super Bowl whose half-time performance drew greater audience figures than the game. Jackson played "Jam", "Billie Jean", "Black or White", and "Heal the World". Dangerous rose 90 places in the US albums chart after the performance.[111]

Jackson gave a 90-minute interview with Oprah Winfrey on February 10, 1993. He spoke of his childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he believed he had missed out on much of his childhood, and said that he often cried from loneliness. He denied tabloid rumors that he had bought the bones of the Elephant Man, slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, or bleached his skin, and stated for the first time that he had vitiligo. After the interview, Dangerous re-entered the US albums chart in the top 10, more than a year after its release.[24][111] The interview itself became the most-watched television interview in United States history to date.

In January 1993, Jackson won three American Music Awards: Favorite Pop/Rock Album (Dangerous), Favorite Soul/R&B Single ("Remember the Time"), and was the first to win the International Artist Award of Excellence.[189][190] In February, he won the "Living Legend Award" at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.[63] He attended the award ceremony with Brooke Shields.[191] Dangerous was nominated for Best Vocal Performance (for "Black or White"), Best R&B Vocal Performance ("Jam") and Best R&B Song ("Jam"), and Bruce Swedien and Teddy Riley won the Grammy for Best Engineered – Non Classical.[86]

First child sexual abuse accusations and first marriage (1993–1995)
Main article: 1993 child sexual abuse accusations against Michael Jackson
In August 1993, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy, Jordan Chandler, and his father, Evan Chandler.[192] Jordan said he and Jackson had engaged in acts of kissing, masturbation and oral sex.[193] While Jordan's mother initially told police that she did not believe Jackson had molested him, her position wavered a few days later.[194][195] Evan was recorded discussing his intention to pursue charges, which Jackson used to argue that he was the victim of a jealous father trying to extort money.[195] Jackson's older sister La Toya accused him of being a pedophile;[196] she later retracted this, saying she had been forced into it by her abusive husband.[197]

Police raided Jackson's home in August and found two legal large-format art books featuring young boys playing, running and swimming in various states of undress.[198] Jackson denied knowing of the books' content and claimed if they were there someone had to send them to him and he did not open them.[199] Jordan Chandler gave police a description of Jackson's genitals. A strip search was made, and the jurors felt the description was not a match.[200][201][202] In January 1994, Jackson settled with the Chandlers out of court for a reported total sum of $23 million.[203] The police never pressed criminal charges.[204] Citing a lack of evidence without Jordan's testimony, the state closed its investigation on September 22, 1994.[205]

Jackson had been taking painkillers for his reconstructive scalp surgeries, administered due to the Pepsi commercial accident in 1984, and became dependent on them to cope with the stress of the sexual abuse allegations.[206] On November 12, 1993, Jackson canceled the remainder of the Dangerous World Tour due to health problems, stress from the allegations and painkiller addiction. He thanked his close friend Elizabeth Taylor for support, encouragement and counsel. The end of the tour concluded his sponsorship deal with Pepsi.[207]

In late 1993, Jackson proposed to Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley, over the phone.[208] They married in La Vega, Dominican Republic, in May 1994 by civil judge Hugo Francisco Álvarez Pérez.[209] The tabloid media speculated that the wedding was a publicity stunt to deflect away from Jackson's sexual abuse allegations and jump-start Presley's career as a singer.[210][209] Their marriage ended little more than a year later, and they separated in December 1995.[211] Presley cited "irreconcilable differences" when filing for divorce the next month and only sought to reclaim her maiden name as her settlement.[210][212] After the divorce, Judge Pérez said, "They lasted longer than I thought they would. I gave them a year. They lasted a year and a half."[209] Presley later said she and Jackson had attempted to reconcile intermittently for four years following their divorce, and that she had traveled the world to be with him.[213]

Jackson composed music for the Sega Genesis video game Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994), but left the project around the time the sexual abuse allegations surfaced and went uncredited.[214][215] The Sega Technical Institute director Roger Hector and the Sonic co-creator Naoto Ohshima said that Jackson's involvement was terminated and his music reworked following the allegations.[216][217] However, Jackson's musical director Brad Buxer and other members of Jackson's team said Jackson went uncredited because he was unhappy with how the Genesis replicated his music.[218]

HIStory, second marriage, fatherhood and Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix (1995–1997)
 Jackson at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of Michael Jackson's Ghosts
In June 1995, Jackson released the double album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. The first disc, HIStory Begins, is a greatest hits album (reissued in 2001 as Greatest Hits: HIStory, Volume I). The second disc, HIStory Continues, contains 13 original songs and two cover versions. The album debuted at number one on the charts and has been certified for eight million shipments in the US.[219] It is the bestselling multi-disc album of all time, with 20 million copies (40 million units) sold worldwide.[172][220] HIStory received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.[63] The New York Times reviewed it as "the testimony of a musician whose self-pity now equals his talent".[221]

The first single from HIStory was "Scream/Childhood". "Scream", a duet with Jackson's youngest sister Janet, protests the media's treatment of Jackson during the 1993 child abuse allegations against him. The single reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100,[173] and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals".[63] The second single, "You Are Not Alone", holds the Guinness world record for the first song to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[222] It received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Performance" in 1995.[63]

In 1995 the Anti-Defamation League and other groups complained that "Jew me, sue me, everybody do me/ Kick me, kike me, don't you black or white me", the original lyrics of "They Don't Care About Us", were antisemitic. Jackson released a revised version of the song.[223]

In late 1995, Jackson was admitted to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance, caused by a stress-related panic attack.[224] In November, Jackson merged his ATV Music catalog with Sony's music publishing division, creating Sony/ATV Music Publishing. He retained ownership of half the company, earning $95 million up front (equivalent to $190 million in 2023) as well as the rights to more songs.[225][226]

"Earth Song" was the third single released from HIStory, and topped the UK Singles Chart for six weeks over Christmas 1995.[175] It became the 87th-bestselling single in the UK.[227] At the 1996 Brit Awards, Jackson's performance of "Earth Song" was disrupted by Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker, who was protesting what Cocker saw as Jackson's "Christ-like" persona. Jackson said the stage invasion was "disgusting and cowardly".[228][229]

In 1996, Jackson won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form, for "Scream" and an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist.[63][230] In July 1996, Jackson performed for Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah's fiftieth birthday at Jerudong Park Amphitheater, which was specifically built for that birthday concert.[231] Jackson was reportedly paid $17 million (equivalent to $33 million in 2023).[232] Jackson promoted HIStory with the HIStory World Tour, from September 7, 1996, to October 15, 1997. He performed 82 concerts in five continents, 35 countries and 58 cities to over 4.5 million fans, his most attended tour. It grossed $165 million.[143] During the tour, in Sydney, Australia, Jackson married Debbie Rowe, a dermatology assistant, who was six months pregnant with his first child.[233]

Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. (commonly known as Prince) was born on February 13, 1997. His sister Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson was born on April 3, 1998.[234] Jackson and Rowe divorced in 2000, Rowe conceded custody of the children, with an $8 million settlement (equivalent to $14.6 million in 2023).[235] In 2004, after the second child abuse allegations against Jackson, she returned to court to reclaim custody. The suit was settled in 2006.[236]

In 1997, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, which contained remixes of singles from HIStory and five new songs. Worldwide sales stand at 6 million copies, making it the best-selling remix album. It reached number one in the UK, as did the single "Blood on the Dance Floor".[237] In the US, the album reached number 24 and was certified platinum.[170]

Label dispute and Invincible (1997–2002)
From October 1997 to September 2001, Jackson worked on his tenth solo album, Invincible, which cost $30 million to record, making it the most expensive album of all time.[238] In June 1999, Jackson joined Luciano Pavarotti for a War Child benefit concert in Modena, Italy. The show raised a million dollars for refugees of the Kosovo War, and additional funds for the children of Guatemala.[239] Later that month, Jackson organized a series of "Michael Jackson & Friends" benefit concerts in Germany and Korea. Other artists involved included Slash, The Scorpions, Boyz II Men, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, A. R. Rahman, Prabhu Deva Sundaram, Shobana, Andrea Bocelli and Luciano Pavarotti. The proceeds went to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, the Red Cross and UNESCO.[240] In 1999, Jackson was presented with the "Outstanding Humanitarian Award" at Bollywood Movie Awards in New York City where he noted Mahatma Gandhi to have been an inspiration for him.[241][242] From August 1999 to 2000, he lived in New York City at 4 East 74th Street.[243] At the turn of the century, Jackson won an American Music Award as Artist of the 1980s.[244] In 2000, Guinness World Records recognized him for supporting 39 charities, more than any other entertainer.[245]

In September 2001, two concerts were held at Madison Square Garden to mark Jackson's 30th year as a solo artist. Jackson performed with his brothers for the first time since 1984. The show also featured Mýa, Usher, Whitney Houston, Destiny's Child, Monica, Liza Minnelli and Slash. The first show was marred by technical lapses, and the crowd booed a speech by Marlon Brando.[246] Almost 30 million people watched the television broadcast of the shows in November.[247] After the September 11 attacks (in which Jackson narrowly avoided death by oversleeping and missing a scheduled meeting at the World Trade Center[248]), Jackson helped organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., on October 21, 2001. Jackson performed "What More Can I Give" as the finale.[249]

The release of Invincible was preceded by a dispute between Jackson and his record label, Sony Music Entertainment. Jackson had expected the licenses to the masters of his albums to revert to him in the early 2000s, after which he would be able to promote the material however he pleased and keep the profits, but clauses in the contract set the revert date years into the future. Jackson sought an early exit from his contract.[250] Invincible was released on October 30, 2001. It was Jackson's first full-length album in six years, and the last album of original material he released in his lifetime.[250] It debuted at number one in 13 countries, and went on to sell eight million copies worldwide, receiving double-platinum certification in the US.[170][251][252]

On January 9, 2002, Jackson won his 22nd American Music Award for Artist of the Century.[253][254] Later that year, an anonymous surrogate mother gave birth to his third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (nicknamed "Blanket"[nb 3]), who had been conceived by artificial insemination.[255] On November 20, Jackson briefly held Blanket over the railing of his Berlin hotel room, four stories above ground level, prompting widespread criticism in the media. Jackson apologized for the incident, calling it "a terrible mistake".[256] On January 22, promoter Marcel Avram filed a breach of contract complaint against Jackson for failing to perform two planned 1999 concerts.[257] In March, a Santa Maria jury ordered Jackson to pay Avram $5.3 million.[258][259] On December 18, 2003, Jackson's attorneys dropped all appeals on the verdict and settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount.[260]

On April 24, 2002, Jackson performed at Apollo Theater. The concert was a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee and former President Bill Clinton.[261] The money collected would be used to encourage citizens to vote. It raised $2.5 million.[262] The concert was called Michael Jackson: Live at the Apollo and was one of Jackson's final on-stage performances.[263]

In July 2002, Jackson called Sony Music chairman Tommy Mottola "a racist, and very, very, very devilish," and someone who exploits black artists for his own gain, at Al Sharpton's National Action Network in Harlem. The accusation prompted Sharpton to form a coalition investigating whether Mottola exploited black artists.[264] Jackson charged that Mottola had called his colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger".[265] Responding to those attacks, Sony issued a statement calling them "ludicrous, spiteful, and hurtful" and defended Mottola as someone who had championed Jackson's career for many years.[264] Sony ultimately refused to renew Jackson's contract and claimed that a $25 million promotional campaign had failed because Jackson refused to tour in the US for Invincible.[238]

Documentary, Number Ones, second child abuse allegations and acquittal (2002–2005)
Further information: Trial of Michael Jackson
 Jackson in Las Vegas, 2003
Beginning in May 2002, a documentary film crew led by Martin Bashir followed Jackson for several months.[256] The documentary, broadcast in February 2003 as Living with Michael Jackson, showed Jackson holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with a twelve-year-old boy.[23][266] He said that he saw nothing wrong with having sleepovers with minors and sharing his bed and bedroom with various people, which aroused controversy. He insisted that the sleepovers were not sexual and that his words had been misunderstood.[267][268]

In October 2003, Jackson received the Key to the City of Las Vegas from Mayor Oscar Goodman.[269] On November 18, 2003, Sony released Number Ones, a greatest hits compilation. It was certified five times platinum by the RIAA, and ten times platinum in the UK, for shipments of at least 3 million units.[170][270]

On December 18, 2003, Santa Barbara authorities charged Jackson with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of intoxicating a minor with alcoholic drinks.[271] Jackson denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.[272] The People v. Jackson trial began on January 31, 2005, in Santa Maria, California, and lasted until the end of May. Jackson found the experience stressful and it affected his health. If convicted, he would have faced up to twenty years in prison.[273] On June 13, 2005, Jackson was acquitted on all counts.[274] FBI files on Jackson, released in 2009, revealed the FBI's role in the 2005 trial and the 1993 allegations, and showed that the FBI found no evidence of criminal conduct on Jackson's behalf.[275][276]

Final years, financial problems, Thriller 25 and This Is It (2005–2009)
 Jackson and his son Blanket in Disneyland Paris, 2006
After the trial, Jackson became reclusive.[277] In June 2005, he moved to Bahrain as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah.[278] In early 2006, it was announced that Jackson had signed a contract with a Bahrain startup, Two Seas Records. Nothing came of the deal, and the Two Seas CEO, Guy Holmes, later said it was never finalized.[279][280] Holmes also found that Jackson was on the verge of bankruptcy and was involved in 47 ongoing lawsuits.[278] By September 2006, Jackson was no longer affiliated with Two Seas.[280]

In April 2006, Jackson agreed to use a piece of his ATV catalog stake, then worth about $1 billion, as collateral against his $270 million worth of loans from Bank of America. Bank of America had sold the loans to Fortress Investments, an investment company that buys distressed loans, the year before. As part of the agreement, Fortress Investments provided Jackson a new loan of $300 million with reduced interest payments (equivalent to $450 million in 2023). Sony Music would have the option to buy half of his stake, or about 25% of the catalog, at a set price. Jackson's financial managers had urged him to shed part of his stake to avoid bankruptcy.[226][281] The main house at Neverland Ranch was closed as a cost-cutting measure, while Jackson lived in Bahrain at the hospitality of Abdullah.[282] At least thirty of Jackson's employees had not been paid on time and were owed $306,000 in back wages. Jackson was ordered to pay $100,000 in penalties.[226] Jackson never returned to Neverland after his acquittal.[283]

In mid-2006, Jackson moved to Grouse Lodge, a residential recording studio near Rosemount, County Westmeath, Ireland. There, he began work on a new album with the American producers will.i.am and Rodney Jenkins.[284] That November, Jackson invited an Access Hollywood camera crew into the studio in Westmeath.[172] On November 15, Jackson briefly joined in on a performance of "We Are the World" at the World Music Awards in London, his last public performance, and accepted the Diamond Award for sales of 100 million records.[172][285] He returned to the US in December, settling in Las Vegas. That month, he attended James Brown's funeral in Augusta, Georgia, where he gave a eulogy calling Brown his greatest inspiration.[286]

 An aerial view of part of Jackson's 2,800-acre (11 km2) Neverland Valley Ranch near Los Olivos, California, showing the rides
In 2007, Jackson and Sony bought another music publishing company, Famous Music LLC, formerly owned by Viacom. The deal gave Jackson the rights to songs by Eminem and Beck, among others.[287][288] In a brief interview, Jackson said he had no regrets about his career despite his problems and "deliberate attempts to hurt [him]".[289] That March, Jackson visited a US Army post in Japan, Camp Zama, to greet more than 3,000 troops and their families.[290][291] As of September, Jackson was still working on his next album, which he never completed.[292]

In 2008, for the 25th anniversary of Thriller, Jackson and Sony released Thriller 25, with two remixes released as singles: "The Girl Is Mine 2008" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008".[293] For Jackson's 50th birthday, Sony BMG released a series of greatest hits albums, King of Pop, with different tracklists for different regions.[294] That July, Fortress Investments threatened to foreclose on Neverland Ranch, which Jackson had used as collateral for his loans. Fortress sold Jackson's debts to Colony Capital LLC.[295][296] In November, Jackson transferred Neverland Ranch's title to Sycamore Valley Ranch Company LLC, a joint venture between Jackson and Colony Capital LLC. The deal earned him $35 million.[297] In 2009, Jackson arranged to sell a collection of his memorabilia of more than 1,000 items through Julien's Auction House, but canceled the auction in April.[298]

In March 2009, amid speculation about his finances and health, Jackson announced a series of comeback concerts, This Is It, at a press conference at the O2 Arena.[299] The shows were to be his first major concerts since the HIStory World Tour in 1997. Jackson suggested he would retire after the shows. The initial plan was for ten concerts in London, followed by shows in Paris, New York City and Mumbai. Randy Phillips, the president and chief executive of AEG Live, predicted the first ten dates would earn Jackson £50 million.[300]

The London residency was increased to fifty dates after record-breaking ticket sales; more than one million were sold in less than two hours.[301] The concerts were to run from July 13, 2009, to March 6, 2010. Jackson moved to Los Angeles, where he rehearsed in the weeks leading up to the tour under the direction of the choreographer Kenny Ortega, whom he had worked with during his previous tours. Rehearsals took place at the Forum and the Staples Center owned by AEG.[302] By this point, Jackson's debt had grown to almost $500 million. By the time of his death, he was three or four months behind payments of his home in San Fernando Valley.[303][304] The Independent reported that Jackson planned a string of further ventures designed to recoup his debts, including a world tour, a new album, films, a museum and a casino.[299]

Death
Main article: Death of Michael Jackson
 Fans placed flowers and notes on Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on the day of his death
On June 25, 2009, less than three weeks before his concert residency was due to begin in London, with all concerts sold out, Jackson died from cardiac arrest, caused by a propofol and benzodiazepine overdose.[305][306] Conrad Murray, his personal physician, had given Jackson various medications to help him sleep at his rented mansion in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles. Paramedics received a 911 call at 12:22 pm Pacific time (19:22 UTC) and arrived three minutes later.[307][308] Jackson was not breathing and CPR was performed.[309] Resuscitation efforts continued en route to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and for more than an hour after Jackson's arrival there, but were unsuccessful,[310][311] and Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 pm Pacific time (21:26 UTC).[312][313]

Murray had administered propofol, lorazepam, and midazolam;[314] his death was caused by a propofol overdose.[306][311] News of his death spread quickly online, causing websites to slow down and crash from user overload,[315] and it put unprecedented strain[316] on many services and websites including Google,[317] AOL Instant Messenger,[316] Twitter and Wikipedia.[317] Overall, web traffic rose by between 11% and 20%.[318][319] MTV and BET aired marathons of Jackson's music videos,[320] and Jackson specials aired on television stations around the world.[321] MTV briefly returned to its original music video format,[11] and they aired hours of Jackson's music videos, with live news specials featuring reactions from MTV personalities and other celebrities.[322]

Memorial service
Main article: Michael Jackson memorial service
 
Jackson's unmarked crypt at the end of the Sanctuary of Ascension in the Holly Terrace of the Great Mausoleum, Forest Lawn Glendale
 
Fans visiting the makeshift memorial set up outside the Neverland Ranch entrance shortly after Jackson's death
Jackson's memorial was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, preceded by a private family service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park's Hall of Liberty. Over 1.6 million fans applied for tickets to the memorial; the 8,750 recipients were drawn at random, and each received two tickets.[323] The memorial service was one of the most watched events in streaming history,[324] with an estimated US audience of 31.1 million[325] and a worldwide audience of an estimated 2.5 to 3 billion.[326][327]

Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Hudson, and Shaheen Jafargholi performed at the memorial, and Smokey Robinson and Queen Latifah gave eulogies.[328] Al Sharpton received a standing ovation with cheers when he told Jackson's children: "Wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with. But he dealt with it anyway."[329] Jackson's 11-year-old daughter Paris Katherine, speaking publicly for the first time, wept as she addressed the crowd.[330][331] Lucious Smith provided a closing prayer.[332] On September 3, 2009, the body of Jackson was entombed at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.[333]

Criminal investigation and prosecution of Conrad Murray
Main article: People v. Murray
In August 2009, the Los Angeles County Coroner ruled that Jackson's death was a homicide.[334][335] Law enforcement officials charged Murray with involuntary manslaughter on February 8, 2010.[336] In late 2011, he was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter[337] and held without bail to await sentencing.[338] Murray was sentenced to four years in prison.[339]

Posthumous sales
At the 2009 American Music Awards, Jackson won four posthumous awards, including two for his compilation album Number Ones, bringing his total American Music Awards to 26.[340][341] In the year after his death, more than 16.1 million copies of Jackson's albums were sold in the US alone, and 35 million copies were sold worldwide, more than any other artist in 2009.[342][343] He became the first artist to sell one million music downloads in a week, with 2.6 million song downloads. Thriller, Number Ones and The Essential Michael Jackson became the first catalog albums to outsell any new album.[344] Jackson also became the first artist to have four of the top-20 bestselling albums in a single year in the US.[345]

Following the surge in sales, in March 2010, Sony Music signed a $250 million deal (equivalent to $350 million in 2023) with the Jackson estate to extend their distribution rights to Jackson's back catalog until at least 2017; it had been due to expire in 2015. It was the most expensive music contract for a single artist in history.[346][347] They agreed to release ten albums of previously unreleased material and new collections of released work.[346][348] The deal was extended in 2017.[349] That July, a Los Angeles court awarded Quincy Jones $9.4 million of disputed royalty payments for Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad.[56] In July 2018, Sony/ATV bought the estate's stake in EMI for $287.5 million.[350]

In 2014, Jackson became the first artist to have a top-ten single in the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades.[351] The following year, Thriller became the first album to be certified for 30 million shipments by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[7] A year later, it was certified 33× platinum after Soundscan added streams and audio downloads to album certifications.[352][nb 4]

In February 2024, Sony Music acquired half of Jackson's publishing rights and recording masters for an estimated $600 million. The deal includes assets from Jackson's Mijac publishing catalog, but excludes royalties from several Jackson-related productions, including the MJ Broadway musical and the Michael biopic. The deal is possibly the largest transaction ever for a single musician's work.[354][355]

Posthumous releases and productions
Jackson's posthumous releases and productions are administered by the estate of Michael Jackson, which owns Jackson's trademarks and rights to his name, image and likeness.[356] The first posthumous Jackson song, "This Is It", co-written in the 1980s with Paul Anka, was released in October 2009. The surviving Jackson brothers reunited to record backing vocals.[357] It was followed by a documentary film about the rehearsals for the canceled This Is It tour, Michael Jackson's This Is It,[358] and a compilation album.[359] Despite a limited two-week engagement, the film became the highest-grossing documentary or concert film ever, with earnings of more than $260 million worldwide.[360] Jackson's estate received 90% of the profits.[361] In late 2010, Sony released the first posthumous album, Michael, and the promotional single "Breaking News". The Jackson collaborator will.i.am expressed disgust, saying that Jackson would not have approved the release.[362]

The video game developer Ubisoft released a music game featuring Jackson for the 2010 holiday season, Michael Jackson: The Experience. It was among the first games to use Kinect and PlayStation Move, the motion-detecting camera systems for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.[363] In April 2011, Mohamed Al-Fayed, the chairman of Fulham Football Club, unveiled a statue of Jackson outside the club stadium, Craven Cottage.[364] It was moved to the National Football Museum in Manchester in May 2014,[365] and removed from display in March 2019 following renewed sexual assault allegations.[366]

In October 2011, the theater company Cirque du Soleil launched Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour, a $57-million production,[367] in Montreal, with a permanent show resident in Las Vegas.[368] A larger and more theatrical Cirque show, Michael Jackson: One, designed for residency at the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas, opened on May 23, 2013, in a renovated theater.[369][370]

In 2012, in an attempt to end a family dispute, Jackson's brother Jermaine retracted his signature on a public letter criticizing executors of Jackson's estate and his mother's advisors over the legitimacy of his brother's will.[371] T.J. Jackson, the son of Tito Jackson, was given co-guardianship of Michael Jackson's children after false reports of Katherine Jackson going missing.[372] Xscape, an album of unreleased material, was released on May 13, 2014.[373] The lead single, a duet between Jackson and Justin Timberlake, "Love Never Felt So Good", reached number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making Jackson the first artist to have a top-10 single on the chart in five different decades.[374]

Later in 2014, Queen released a duet recorded with Jackson in the 1980s.[70] A compilation album, Scream, was released on September 29, 2017.[375] A jukebox musical, MJ the Musical, premiered on Broadway in 2022.[376] Myles Frost won the 2022 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Jackson.[377] On November 18, 2022, a 40th-anniversary edition reissue of Thriller was released.[378][379]

A biographical film based on Jackson's life, Michael, was due to enter production through Lionsgate in 2023, but it was put on hold amid the SAG-AFTRA strike.[380] It will be directed by Antoine Fuqua, produced by Graham King and written by John Logan.[381] Jackson will be played by Jaafar Jackson, son of Jackson's brother Jermaine. Deadline Hollywood reported that the film "will not shy away from the controversies of Jackson's life".[382]

Posthumous child sexual abuse allegations
 Jackson and Safechuck (left) in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1988
In 2013, choreographer Wade Robson filed a lawsuit alleging that Jackson had sexually abused him for seven years, beginning when he was seven years old (1989–1996).[383] In 2014, a case was filed by James Safechuck, alleging sexual abuse over a four-year period from the age of ten (1988–1992).[384][385][386] Both had testified in Jackson's defense during the 1993 allegations; Robson did so again in 2005.[387][388] In 2015, Robson's case against Jackson's estate was dismissed as it had been filed too late. Safechuck's claim was also time-barred.[389]

In 2017, it was ruled that Jackson's corporations could not be held accountable for his alleged past actions.[390][391] The rulings were appealed. On October 20, 2020, Safechuck's lawsuit against Jackson's corporations was again dismissed. The judge ruled that there was no evidence that Safechuck had had a relationship with Jackson's corporation, nor was it proven that there was a special relationship between the two.[392][393][394][395] On April 26, 2021, Robson's case was dismissed because of a lack of supporting evidence that the defendants exercised control over Jackson.[396]

Robson and Safechuck described their allegations against Jackson in graphic detail in the documentary Leaving Neverland, released in March 2019.[397] Radio stations in New Zealand, Canada, the UK and the Netherlands removed Jackson's music from their playlists.[398][399][400] Jackson's family condemned the film as a "public lynching",[401] and the Jackson estate released a statement calling the film a "tabloid character assassination [Jackson] endured in life, and now in death".[402] Close associates of Jackson, such as Corey Feldman, Aaron Carter, Brett Barnes, and Macaulay Culkin, said that Jackson had not molested them.[403][404][405]

Documentaries such as Square One: Michael Jackson, Neverland Firsthand: Investigating the Michael Jackson Documentary and Michael Jackson: Chase the Truth, presented information countering the claims suggested by Leaving Neverland.[406][407][408] Jackson's album sales increased following the documentary screenings.[409] Billboard senior editor Gail Mitchell said she and a colleague interviewed about thirty music executives who believed Jackson's legacy could withstand the controversy.[410] In late 2019, some New Zealand and Canadian radio stations re-added Jackson's music to their playlists, citing "positive listener survey results".[411][412]

On February 21, 2019, the Jackson estate sued HBO for breaching a non-disparagement clause from a 1992 contract. The suit sought to compel HBO to participate in a non-confidential arbitration that could result in $100 million or more in damages awarded to the estate.[413] HBO said they did not breach a contract and filed an anti-SLAPP motion against the estate. In September 2019, Judge George H. Wu denied HBO's motion to dismiss the case, allowing the Jackson estate to arbitrate.[414] HBO appealed, but in December 2020 the appeals court affirmed Wu's ruling.[415]

In 2020, a state law passed in California which granted plaintiffs in child sex abuse cases an additional period to file lawsuits. In October 2020 and again in April 2021, the Los Angeles County Superior Court ruled that MJJ Productions Inc. and MJJ Ventures Inc. employees were not legally obligated to protect the two men from Jackson. In August 2023, California's Second District Court of Appeal overturned the ruling, and the case was approved to move forward to trial court.[416]

Legacy
Main article: Cultural impact of Michael Jackson
See also: List of Michael Jackson records and achievements
Jackson has been referred to as the "King of Pop" for having transformed the art of music videos and paving the way for modern pop music. For much of Jackson's career, he had an unparalleled worldwide influence over the younger generation.[417] His influence extended beyond the music industry; he impacted dance, led fashion trends, and raised awareness for global affairs.[418] Jackson's music and videos fostered racial diversity in MTV's roster and steered its focus from rock to pop music and R&B, shaping the channel into a form that proved enduring.[44]

In songs such as "Man in the Mirror", "Black or White", "Heal the World", "Earth Song" and "They Don't Care About Us", Jackson's music emphasized racial integration and environmentalism and protested injustice.[419][420] He is recognized as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time by Guinness World Records.[421][422] Jackson has also appeared on Rolling Stone's lists of the Greatest Singers of All Time.[423][424] He is considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century,[425] and his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades.[426][427][428]

Trying to trace Michael Jackson's influence on the pop stars that followed him is like trying to trace the influence of oxygen and gravity. So vast, far-reaching and was his impact—particularly in the wake of Thriller's colossal and heretofore unmatched commercial success—that there weren't a whole lot of artists who weren't trying to mimic some of the Jackson formula.

— J. Edward Keyes of Rolling Stone[429]
Danyel Smith, chief content officer of Vibe Media Group and the editor-in-chief of Vibe, described Jackson as "the greatest star".[430] Steve Huey of AllMusic called him "an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the skills to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility and loads of sheer star power".[10] BET said Jackson was "quite simply the greatest entertainer of all time" whose "sound, style, movement and legacy continues to inspire artists of all genres".[431]

 Jackson's Bad era wax figure at Madame Tussauds, London in 1992
In 1984, Time pop critic Jay Cocks wrote that "Jackson is the biggest thing since the Beatles. He is the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley. He just may be the most popular black singer ever." He described Jackson as a "star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style, and color too."[91] In 2003, The Daily Telegraph writer Tom Utley described Jackson as "extremely important" and a "genius".[432] At Jackson's memorial service on July 7, 2009, Motown founder Berry Gordy called Jackson "the greatest entertainer that ever lived".[433][434] In a June 28, 2009 Baltimore Sun article, Jill Rosen wrote that Jackson's legacy influenced fields including sound, dance, fashion, music videos and celebrity.[435]

Pop critic Robert Christgau wrote that Jackson's work from the 1970s to the early 1990s showed "immense originality, adaptability, and ambition" with "genius beats, hooks, arrangements, and vocals (though not lyrics)", music that "will stand forever as a reproach to the puritanical notion that pop music is slick or shallow and that's the end of it". During the 1990s, as Jackson lost control of his "troubling life", his music suffered and began to shape "an arc not merely of promise fulfilled and outlived, but of something approaching tragedy: a phenomenally ebullient child star tops himself like none before, only to transmute audibly into a lost weirdo".[436] In the 2000s, Christgau wrote: "Jackson's obsession with fame, his grotesque life magnified by his grotesque wealth, are such an offense to rock aesthetes that the fact that he's a great musician is now often forgotten".[437]

Philanthropy and humanitarian work
Main article: Philanthropy of Michael Jackson
 President Ronald Reagan rewarding Jackson in 1984 for his support of alcohol and drug abuse charities
Jackson is widely regarded as having been a prolific philanthropist and humanitarian.[438][439][440][441] Jackson's early charitable work has been described by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as having "paved the way for the current surge in celebrity philanthropy",[442] and by the Los Angeles Times as having "set the standard for generosity for other entertainers".[438]

By some estimates, he donated over $500 million, not accounting for inflation, to various charities over the course of his life.[438] In 1992, Jackson established his Heal the World Foundation, to which he donated several million dollars in revenue from his Dangerous World Tour.[443]

Jackson's philanthropic activities went beyond just monetary donations. He also performed at benefit concerts, some of which he arranged. He gifted tickets for his regular concert performances to groups that assist underprivileged children. He visited sick children in hospitals around the world. He opened his own home for visits by underprivileged or sick children and provided special facilities and nurses if the children needed that level of care.

Jackson donated valuable, personal and professional paraphernalia for numerous charity auctions. He received various awards and accolades for his philanthropic work, including two bestowed by presidents of the United States. The vast breadth of Jackson's philanthropic work has earned recognition in the Guinness World Records.[438][444][445]

On May 14, 1984, President Ronald Reagan gave Jackson an award recognizing his support of alcohol and drug abuse charities,[446] and in recognition of his support for the Ad Council's and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Drunk Driving Prevention campaign. Jackson allowed the campaign to use "Beat It" for its public service announcements.[447]

Artistry
Influences
Jackson was influenced by musicians including James Brown, Little Richard, Jackie Wilson, Diana Ross, Fred Astaire, Sammy Davis Jr., Gene Kelly,[448] and David Ruffin.[449] Little Richard had a substantial influence on Jackson,[450] but Brown was his greatest inspiration; he later said that as a small child, his mother would wake him whenever Brown appeared on television. Jackson described being "mesmerized".[451]

Jackson's vocal technique was influenced by Diana Ross; his use of the oooh interjection from a young age was something Ross had used on many of her songs with the Supremes.[452] She was a mother figure to him, and he often watched her rehearse.[453] He said he had learned a lot from watching how she moved and sang, and that she had encouraged him to have confidence in himself.[454]

Choreographer David Winters, who met Jackson while choreographing the 1971 Diana Ross TV special Diana!, said that Jackson watched the musical West Side Story almost every week, and it was his favorite film; he paid tribute to it in "Beat It" and the "Bad" video.[455][456][457]

Vocal style
Jackson sang from childhood, and over time his voice and vocal style changed. Between 1971 and 1975, his voice descended from boy soprano to lyric tenor.[458] He was known for his vocal range.[423] With the arrival of Off the Wall in the late 1970s, Jackson's abilities as a vocalist were well regarded; Rolling Stone compared his vocals to the "breathless, dreamy stutter" of Stevie Wonder, and wrote that "Jackson's feathery-timbred tenor is extraordinarily beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that's used very daringly."[459] By the time of 1982's Thriller, Rolling Stone wrote that Jackson was singing in a "fully adult voice" that was "tinged by sadness".[460]

The turn of the 1990s saw the release of the introspective album Dangerous. The New York Times noted that on some tracks, "he gulps for breath, his voice quivers with anxiety or drops to a desperate whisper, hissing through clenched teeth" and he had a "wretched tone". When singing of brotherhood or self-esteem the musician would return to "smooth" vocals.[461] Of Invincible, Rolling Stone wrote that, at 43, Jackson still performed "exquisitely voiced rhythm tracks and vibrating vocal harmonies".[462] Joseph Vogel notes Jackson's ability to use non-verbal sounds to express emotion.[463] Neil McCormick wrote that Jackson's unorthodox singing style "was original and utterly distinctive".[464]

Musicianship
Jackson had no formal music training and could not read or write music notation. He is credited for playing guitar, keyboard, and drums, but was not proficient in them.[465] When composing, he recorded ideas by beatboxing and imitating instruments vocally.[465] Describing the process, he said: "I'll just sing the bass part into the tape recorder. I'll take that bass lick and put the chords of the melody over the bass lick and that's what inspires the melody." The engineer Robert Hoffman recalled that after Jackson came in with a song he had written overnight, Jackson sang every note of every chord to a guitar player. Hoffman also remembered Jackson singing string arrangements part by part into a cassette recorder.[465]



Dance
Jackson danced from a young age as part of the Jackson 5,[466] and incorporated dance extensively in his performances and music videos.[466] According to Sanjoy Roy of The Guardian, Jackson would "flick and retract his limbs like switchblades, or snap out of a tornado spin into a perfectly poised toe-stand".[466] The moonwalk, taught to him by Jeffrey Daniel,[81] was Jackson's signature dance move and one of the most famous of the 20th century.[467] Jackson is credited for coining the name "moonwalk"; the move was previously known as the "backslide".[468][469] His other moves included the robot,[49] crotch grab, and the "anti-gravity" lean of the "Smooth Criminal" video.[466]

Themes and genres
 Jackson during his Bad World Tour in Vienna, June 1988
Jackson explored genres including pop,[10][470] soul,[10][157] rhythm and blues,[470] funk,[471] rock,[470][471] disco,[472] post-disco,[471] dance-pop[473] and new jack swing.[10] Steve Huey of AllMusic wrote that Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall; the dance and rock tracks were more aggressive, while the pop tunes and ballads were softer and more soulful.[10] Its tracks included the ballads "The Lady in My Life", "Human Nature", and "The Girl Is Mine",[474][460][475] the funk pieces "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'",[474][460] and the disco set "Baby Be Mine" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)".[475]

With Off the Wall, Jackson's "vocabulary of grunts, squeals, hiccups, moans, and asides" vividly showed his maturation into an adult, Robert Christgau wrote in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981). The album's title track suggested to the critic a parallel between Jackson and Stevie Wonder's "oddball" music personas: "Since childhood his main contact with the real world has been on stage and in bed."[476] With Thriller, Christopher Connelly of Rolling Stone commented that Jackson developed his long association with the subliminal theme of paranoia and darker imagery.[460] AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted this on the songs "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".[474] In "Billie Jean", Jackson depicts an obsessive fan who alleges he has fathered her child,[10] and in "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" he argues against gossip and the media.[460] "Beat It" decried gang violence in a homage to West Side Story, and was Jackson's first successful rock cross-over piece, according to Huey.[10][41] He observed that "Thriller" began Jackson's interest with the theme of the supernatural, a topic he revisited in subsequent years. In 1985, Jackson co-wrote the charity anthem "We Are the World"; humanitarian themes later became a recurring theme in his lyrics and public persona.[10]

 Jackson's Bad era jacket on display at the Hollywood Guinness World Records Museum
In Bad, Jackson's concept of the predatory lover is seen on the rock song "Dirty Diana".[477] The lead single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a traditional love ballad, and "Man in the Mirror" is a ballad of confession and resolution. "Smooth Criminal" is an evocation of bloody assault, rape and likely murder.[138] AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that Dangerous presents Jackson as a paradoxical person.[478] The first half of the record is dedicated to new jack swing, including songs like "Jam" and "Remember the Time". It was the first Jackson album in which social ills became a primary theme; "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", for example, protests world hunger, AIDS, homelessness and drugs. Dangerous contains sexually charged songs such as "In the Closet". The title track continues the theme of the predatory lover and compulsive desire. The second half includes introspective, pop-gospel anthems such as "Will You Be There", "Heal the World" and "Keep the Faith".[461] In the ballad "Gone Too Soon", Jackson gives tribute to Ryan White and the plight of those with AIDS.[479]

HIStory creates an atmosphere of paranoia.[480] In the new jack swing-funk rock tracks "Scream" and "Tabloid Junkie", and the R&B ballad "You Are Not Alone", Jackson retaliates against the injustice and isolation he feels, and directs his anger at the media.[481] In the introspective ballad "Stranger in Moscow", Jackson laments his "fall from grace"; "Earth Song", "Childhood", "Little Susie" and "Smile" are operatic pop songs.[480][481] In "D.S.", Jackson attacks lawyer Thomas W. Sneddon Jr., who had prosecuted him in both child sexual abuse cases; he describes Sneddon as a white supremacist who wanted to "get my ass, dead or alive".[482] Invincible includes urban soul tracks such as "Cry" and "The Lost Children", ballads such as "Speechless", "Break of Dawn", and "Butterflies", and mixes hip hop, pop, and R&B in "2000 Watts", "Heartbreaker" and "Invincible".[483][484]

Music videos and choreography
 Jackson (center) performing a dance sequence of "The Way You Make Me Feel" at the Bad World Tour in 1988
Jackson released "Thriller", a 14-minute music video directed by John Landis, in 1983.[485] The zombie-themed video "defined music videos and broke racial barriers" on MTV, which had launched two years earlier.[44] Before Thriller, Jackson struggled to receive coverage on MTV, allegedly because he was African American.[486] Pressure from CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", which led to a lengthy partnership with Jackson, and helped other black music artists gain recognition.[487] The popularity of his videos on MTV helped the relatively new channel's viewing figures, and MTV's focus shifted toward pop and R&B.[487][488] His performance on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever changed the scope of live stage shows, making it acceptable for artists to lip-sync to music video on stage.[489] The choreography in Thriller has been copied in Indian films and prisons in the Philippines.[490] Thriller marked an increase in scale for music videos, and was named the most successful music video ever by the Guinness World Records.[222]

In "Bad"'s 19-minute video—directed by Martin Scorsese—Jackson used sexual imagery and choreography, and touched his chest, torso and crotch. When asked by Winfrey in the 1993 interview about why he grabbed his crotch, he said it was spontaneously compelled by the music. Time magazine described the "Bad" video as "infamous". It featured Wesley Snipes; Jackson's later videos often featured famous cameo roles.[491][492] For the "Smooth Criminal" video, Jackson experimented with leaning forward at a 45 degree angle, beyond the performer's center of gravity. To accomplish this live, Jackson and designers developed a special shoe to lock the performer's feet to the stage, allowing them to lean forward. They were granted U.S. patent 5,255,452 for the device.[493] The video for "Leave Me Alone" was not officially released in the US, but in 1989 was nominated for three Billboard Music Video Awards[494] and won a Golden Lion Award for its special effects. It won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.[63]

He received the MTV Video Vanguard Award in 1988; in 2001 the award was renamed in his honor.[495] The "Black or White" video simultaneously premiered on November 14, 1991, in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million people, the largest audience ever for a music video at the time.[172] Along with Jackson, it featured Macaulay Culkin, Peggy Lipton, and George Wendt. It helped introduce morphing to music videos.[496] It was controversial for scenes in which Jackson rubs his crotch, vandalizes cars, and throws a garbage can through a storefront. He apologized and removed the final scene of the video.[161]

"In the Closet" featured Naomi Campbell in a courtship dance with Jackson.[497] "Remember the Time" was set in ancient Egypt, and featured Eddie Murphy, Iman, and Magic Johnson.[498] The video for "Scream", directed by Mark Romanek and production designer Tom Foden, gained a record 11 MTV Video Music Award Nominations, and won "Best Dance Video", "Best Choreography", and "Best Art Direction".[499] The song and its video are Jackson's response to being accused of child molestation in 1993.[500] A year later, it won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form. It has been reported as the most expensive music video ever made, at $7 million;[501] Romanek has contradicted this.[502] The "Earth Song" video was nominated for the 1997 Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.[503]

Michael Jackson's Ghosts, a short film written by Jackson and Stephen King and directed by Stan Winston, premiered at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival. At over 38 minutes long, it held the Guinness world record for the longest music video until 2013, when it was eclipsed by the video for the Pharrell Williams song "Happy".[504] The 2001 video for "You Rock My World" lasts over 13 minutes, was directed by Paul Hunter, and features Chris Tucker and Marlon Brando.[505] It won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Music Video in 2002.[506]

In December 2009, the Library of Congress selected "Thriller" as the only music video to be preserved in the National Film Registry, as a work of "enduring importance to American culture".[507][508] Huey wrote that Jackson transformed the music video into an artform and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameos, while breaking down racial barriers.[10]

Honors and awards
See also: List of awards and nominations received by Michael Jackson
 The Thriller platinum certified record on display at the Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood. As of 2017, it is certified 33× platinum.[352]
Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists in history,[509] with sales estimated around 500 million records worldwide.[510][Note 2] He had 13 number-one singles in the US in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era.[511] He was invited and honored by a president of the United States at the White House three times. In 1984, he was honored with a "Presidential Public Safety Commendation" award by Ronald Reagan for his humanitarian endeavors.[512] In 1990, he was honored as the "Artist of the Decade" by George H. W. Bush.[513] In 1992, he was honored as a "Point of Light Ambassador" by Bush for inviting disadvantaged children to his Neverland Ranch.[514]

Jackson won hundreds of awards, making him one of the most-awarded artists in popular music.[515] His awards include 39 Guinness World Records, including the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time,[421][422] 13 Grammy Awards,[516] as well as the Grammy Legend Award[517] and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award,[518] and 26 American Music Awards, including the Artist of the Century and Artist of the 1980s.[244] He also received the World Music Awards' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium and the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award.[519] Jackson was inducted onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1980 as a member of the Jacksons, and in 1984 as a solo artist. He was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Vocal Group Hall of Fame as a member of the Jackson 5 in 1997 and 1999,[520] respectively, and again as a solo artist in 2001.[521] In 2002, he was added to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.[522] In 2010, he was the first recording artist to be inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame,[523] and in 2014, he was posthumously inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.[524] In 2021, he was among the inaugural inductees into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.[525]

In 1988, Fisk University honored him with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.[526] In 1992, he was invested as a titular king of Sanwi, a traditional kingdom located in the south-east of Ivory Coast.[527] In July 2009, the Lunar Republic Society named a crater on the Moon after Jackson.[528] In August, for what would have been Jackson's 51st birthday, Google dedicated their Google Doodle to him.[529] In 2012, the extinct hermit crab Mesoparapylocheles michaeljacksoni was named in his honor.[530] In 2014, the British Council of Cultural Relations deemed Jackson's life one of the 80 most important cultural moments of the 20th century.[531] World Vitiligo Day has been celebrated on June 25, the anniversary of Jackson's death, to raise awareness of the auto-immune disorder that Jackson suffered from.[532]

Earnings
Main article: Estate of Michael Jackson
In 1989, Jackson's annual earnings from album sales, endorsements, and concerts were estimated at $125 million.[222] Forbes placed Jackson's annual income at $35 million in 1996 and $20 million in 1997.[533] Estimates of Jackson's net worth during his life range from negative $285 million to positive $350 million for 2002, 2003 and 2007.[534][535] Forbes reported in August 2018 that Jackson's total career pretax earnings in life and death were $4.2 billion.[536][537] Sales of his recordings through Sony's music unit earned him an estimated $300 million in royalties. He may have earned another $400 million from concerts, music publishing (including his share of the Beatles catalog), endorsements, merchandising and music videos.[538]

In 2013, the executors of Jackson's estate filed a petition in the United States Tax Court as a result of a dispute with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over US federal estate taxes.[539] The executors claim that it was worth about $7 million, the IRS that it was worth over $1.1 billion. In February 2014, the IRS reported that Jackson's estate owed $702 million; $505 million in taxes, and $197 million in penalties.[540] A trial was held from February 6 to 24, 2017.[541] In 2021, the Tax Court issued a ruling in favor of the estate, ruling that the estate's total combined value of the estate was $111.5 million and that the value of Jackson's name and likeness was $4 million (not the $61 million estimated by the IRS's outside expert witness).[542]

In 2016, Forbes estimated annual gross earnings by the Jackson Estate at $825 million, the largest ever recorded for a celebrity, mostly due to the sale of the Sony/ATV catalog.[543] In 2018, the figure was $400 million.[544] It was the eighth year since his death that Jackson's annual earnings were reported to be over $100 million, thus bringing Jackson's postmortem total to $2.4 billion.[545] Forbes has consistently recognized Jackson as one of the top-earning dead celebrities since his death, and placed him at the top spot from 2013 to 2023.[546][547]

Discography
Main articles: Michael Jackson albums discography, Michael Jackson singles discography, and List of songs recorded by Michael Jackson
See also: The Jackson 5 discography
Got to Be There (1972)
Ben (1972)
Music & Me (1973)
Forever, Michael (1975)
Off the Wall (1979)
Thriller (1982)
Bad (1987)
Dangerous (1991)
HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995)
Invincible (2001)
Filmography
See also: Michael Jackson videography
The Wiz (1978)
Michael Jackson's Thriller (1983)
Captain EO (1986)
Moonwalker (1988)
Michael Jackson's Ghosts (1997)
Men in Black II (2002)
Miss Cast Away and the Island Girls (2004)
Michael Jackson's This Is It (2009)
Bad 25 (2012)
Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall (2016)
Thriller 40 (2023)
Tours
Main article: List of Michael Jackson concerts
Bad World Tour (1987–1989)
Dangerous World Tour (1992–1993)
HIStory World Tour (1996–1997)
MJ & Friends (1999)
See also
List of dancers
Notes
^ "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana"
^ In 2006, Raymone Bain, Jackson's publicist at that time, claimed that Michael Jackson had sold over 750 million units.[1][2] Since 2006, several sources such as Billboard or Reuters claimed that Michael Jackson had sold around 750 million records;[3][4] while others such as MTV or CBS News claimed that his sales were over 750 million albums.[5][6] In 2009, The Wall Street Journal disputed the 750 million figure (if it referred to albums, instead of units).[2] Later, in 2015, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) stated that Michael Jackson had sold 1 billion records worldwide.[7][8]
^ Blanket changed his name to "Bigi" in 2015.
^ In 2018, its US sales record was overtaken by the Eagles' album Greatest Hits 1971–75, with 38× platinum.[353]
 
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^ Gottlieb, Steven (August 28, 2014). ""Scream" Gets Named Most Expensive Video Ever; Director Mark Romanek Disagrees". VideoStatic. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
^ Kot, Greg (January 8, 1997). "Pumpkins a Smash Hit with 7 Grammy Nominations". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
^ "Longest music video". Guinness World Records. November 21, 2013. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
^ Montgomery, James (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson's Video Co-Stars: From Eddie Murphy to Marlon Brando". MTV. Retrieved March 22, 2010.
^ "NAACP Image Award Spotlight Black' Achievements". Jet. Vol. 101, no. 13. March 18, 2002. p. 36. ISSN 0021-5996.
^ "Zorro, Nemo, Muppets & More: Wide Variety Tapped for 2009 Film Registry". Library of Congress. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Itzkoff, Dave (December 30, 2009). "'Thriller' Video Added to U.S. Film Registry". The New York Times. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Hinckley, David (June 25, 2014). "Michael Jackson remembered 5 years later: How the Daily News covered the tragic story of icon's death". New York Daily News. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
^ Wyman, Bill (January 4, 2013). "Did "Thriller" Really Sell a Hundred Million Copies". The New Yorker. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
^ "Hot 100 Anniversary: Most No. 1s by Artist". Billboard. August 6, 2008. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ "Remarks at a White House Ceremony Marking Progress Made in the Campaign Against Drunk Driving". Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. University of Texas at Austin. May 14, 1984. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
^ George 2004, pp. 44–45.
^ Campbell 1993, p. 321.
^ Lewis, Monica (June 14, 2007). "20 People Who Changed Black Music: Michael Jackson, the Child Star-Turned-Adult Enigma". The Miami Herald. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
^ Collett-White, Mike (March 11, 2009). "Michael Jackson to add concerts after sellout". Reuters. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ "Grammy Legend Award". Grammy Awards. Archived from the original on January 22, 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ "Lifetime Achievement Award". Grammy Awards. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ "Michael Jackson and Halle Berry Pick Up Bambi Awards in Berlin". Hello!. November 22, 2002. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ "The Vocal Group Hall of Fame: Album Categories 1999 Inductee". The Vocal Group Hall of Fame Foundation. Archived from the original on October 15, 2017.
^ Masley, Ed (March 28, 2019). "Stevie Nicks is about to join these 22 men as a two-time Rock and Rock Hall of Fame inductee". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
^ Sanneh, Kelefa (June 15, 2002). "Hall of Fame Inducts Songwriters". The New York Times. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
^ Keiser, Tom (August 15, 2010). "Photos: Michael Jackson induction ceremony". The News-Times. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Yarborough, Chuck (August 19, 2014). "R&B Music Hall of Fame sets big weekend to induct sophomore class featuring Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Marvin Gaye, Norm N. Nite and more". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Ruggieri, Melissa (May 5, 2021). "Black Music Walk of Fame to honor James Brown, OutKast, Usher and others in Atlanta". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
^ "Doctorates of Rock". Rolling Stone. July 19, 2011. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
^ "Sanwi kingdom mourns passing of a prince". France 24. June 29, 2009. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
^ Leach, Ben (July 9, 2009). "Moon crater named after Michael Jackson". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
^ Chivers, Tom (September 28, 2009). "Google's Doodles: 10 of the best including UFOs and Google". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
^ Kent State University (January 19, 2012). "Mesoparapylocheles michaeljacksoni: Fossil hermit crab named after Michael Jackson". Phys.org. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
^ "80 Moments That Shaped the World" (PDF). British Council. 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
^ Harris, John E. (June 24, 2014). "Speaking of Vitiligo..." Vitiligo Clinic & Research Center. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
^ Gundersen, Edna (November 24, 2003). "For Jackson, scandal could spell financial ruin". USA Today. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
^ Deutsch, Linda (May 4, 2005). "Forensic accountant tells court Jackson is in financial straits". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on March 26, 2017. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
^ Pulley, Brett (November 21, 2003). "Michael Jackson's Ups And Downs". Forbes. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Greenburg, Zack O'Malley (August 29, 2018). "Michael Jackson at 60: The King of Pop by the Numbers". Forbes. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
^ "Stress killed MJ, says ex-publicist". The Times of India. June 27, 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ O'Brien, Timothy L (May 14, 2006). "What Happened to the Fortune Michael Jackson Made?". The New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
^ "Estate of Michael J. Jackson, Deceased, John G. Branca, Co-Executor and John McClain, Co-Executor". August 19, 2016. Archived from the original on November 6, 2018. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
^ Gottlieb, Jeff (February 7, 2014). "Michael Jackson estate embroiled in tax fight with IRS". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ "United States Tax Court: Washington, DC 20217". February 2, 2016. Archived from the original on October 11, 2016. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
^ Sisario, Ben (May 3, 2021). "Michael Jackson's Estate Is Winner in Tax Judge's Ruling". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 28, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
^ Greenburg, Zack O'Malley (October 14, 2016). "Michael Jackson's Earnings: $825 Million In 2016". Forbes. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
^ Greenburg, Zack O'Malley; Robehmed, Natalie (October 31, 2017). "The Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities of 2018". Forbes. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
^ Greenburg, Zack O'Malley (October 30, 2019). "The Real Reason Behind Michael Jackson's Earnings Drop". Forbes. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
^ Freeman, Abigail. "The Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities 2021". Forbes. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
^ "The Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities of 2023". Forbes.
Print sources
Boepple, Leanne (1995). "Scream: Space Odyssey, Jackson-Style. (video production; Michael and Janet Jackson video)". TCI: Theatre Crafts International. 29. Theatre Crafts International. ISSN 1063-9497.
Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Fireside. ISBN 978-0-7432-0169-8.
Bronson, Fred (2003). Billboard's Hottest Hot 100 Hits (3rd ed.). Billboard Books. ISBN 978-0-8230-7738-0.
Campbell, Lisa D (1993). Michael Jackson: The King of Pop. Branden. ISBN 978-0-8283-1957-7.
Campbell, Lisa D (1995). Michael Jackson: The King of Pop's Darkest Hour. Branden. ISBN 978-0-8283-2003-0.
Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: J". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 0-89919-026-X. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
DeMello, Margo (2012). Faces Around the World: A Cultural Encyclopedia of the Human Face. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-59884-618-8.
George, Nelson (2004). Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection (booklet). Sony BMG.
Inglis, Ian (2006). Performance and Popular Music: History, Place and Time. Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7546-4057-8.
Jackson, Michael (2009) [First published 1988]. Moonwalk. Random House. ISBN 978-0-307-71698-9.
Knopper, Steve (2016). MJ: The Genius of Michael Jackson. Scribner. ISBN 978-1-4767-3037-0.
Lewis Jones, Jel D. (2005). Michael Jackson, the King of Pop: The Big Picture: the Music! the Man! the Legend! the Interviews: an Anthology. Amber Books Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9749779-0-4.
Mansour, David (2005). From Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century. Andrews McMeel Publishing. ISBN 0-7407-5118-2.
Palmer, Robert (1995). Rock & Roll: An Unruly History. Harmony Books. ISBN 978-0-517-70050-1.
Parameswaran, Radhika (2011). "E-Race-ing Color: Gender and Transnational Visual Economies of Beauty in India". In Sarma Hegde, Radha (ed.). Circuits of Visibility: Gender and Transnational Media Cultures. NYU Press. ISBN 978-0-8147-9060-1.
Ramage, John D.; Bean, John C.; Johnson, June (2001). Writing arguments: a rhetoric with readings. Allyn and Bacon. ISBN 978-0-205-31745-5.
Rojek, Chris (2007). Cultural Studies. Polity. ISBN 978-0-7456-3683-2.
Tannenbaum, Rob; Marks, Craig (2011). I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-1-101-52641-5.
Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2009). Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story, 1958–2009. Grand Central Publishing, 2009. ISBN 978-0-446-56474-8.
Vogel, Joseph (2012). Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson. New York: Sterling. ISBN 978-1-4027-7938-1.
Young, Julie (Fall 2009). "A Hoosier Thriller: Gary, Indiana's Michael Jackson". Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History. 21 (4). Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society. Archived from the original on April 15, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
Further reading
Hidalgo, Susan; Weiner, Robert G. (2010). "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin': MJ in the Scholarly Literature: A Selected Bibliographic Guide" (PDF). The Journal of Pan African Studies. 3 (7).
How Michael Jackson Changed Dance History – biography.com
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation).
"King of Pop" redirects here. For other uses, see King of Pop (disambiguation).
Michael Jackson
 Jackson in 1988
Born
Michael Joseph Jackson

August 29, 1958
Gary, Indiana, US
Died
June 25, 2009 (aged 50)
Los Angeles, California, US
Cause of death
Acute propofol intoxication
Burial place
Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California, US
Other names
Michael Joe Jackson
Occupations
Singer
songwriter
dancer
record producer
Spouses
Lisa Marie Presley
​
​
(m. 1994; div. 1996)​
Debbie Rowe
​
​
(m. 1996; div. 2000)​
Children
3, including Paris
Parents
Joe Jackson
Katherine Jackson
Family
Jackson family
Awards
Full list
Musical career
Genres
Pop
soul
rhythm and blues
funk
rock
disco
post-disco
dance-pop
new jack swing
Instrument(s)
Vocals
Discography
Albums
singles
songs
Years active
1964–2009
Labels
Steeltown
Motown
Epic
Legacy
Sony
MJJ Productions
Formerly of
The Jackson 5
 
Website
michaeljackson.com
Signature
 
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Known as the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. During his four-decade career, his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture. Jackson influenced artists across many music genres. Through stage and video performances, he popularized complicated street dance moves such as the moonwalk, which he named, as well as the robot.

The eighth child of the Jackson family, Jackson made his public debut in 1964 with his older brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon as a member of the Jackson 5 (later known as the Jacksons). Jackson began his solo career in 1971 while at Motown Records. He became a solo star with his 1979 album Off the Wall. His music videos, including those for "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller" from his 1982 album Thriller, are credited with breaking racial barriers and transforming the medium into an art form and promotional tool. He helped propel the success of MTV and continued to innovate with the videos for his subsequent albums: Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995), and Invincible (2001). Thriller became the best-selling album of all time, while Bad was the first album to produce five US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles.[nb 1]

From the late 1980s, Jackson became a figure of controversy and speculation due to his changing appearance, relationships, behavior, and lifestyle. In 1993, he was accused of sexually abusing the child of a family friend. The lawsuit was settled out of civil court; Jackson was not indicted due to lack of evidence. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further child sexual abuse allegations and several other charges. The FBI found no evidence of criminal conduct by Jackson in either case. In 2009, while he was preparing for a series of comeback concerts, This Is It, Jackson died from an overdose of propofol administered by his personal physician, Conrad Murray, who was convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter for his involvement in Jackson's death. His death triggered reactions around the world, creating unprecedented surges of internet traffic and a spike in sales of his music. Jackson's televised memorial service, held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, was estimated to have been viewed by more than 2.5 billion people.

Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with sales estimated around 500 million records worldwide.[nb 2] He had 13 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles (fourth highest of any artist in the Hot 100 era) and was the first artist to have a top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades. His honors include 15 Grammy Awards, six Brit Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and 39 Guinness World Records, including the "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time". Jackson's inductions include the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (twice), the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Dance Hall of Fame (making him the only recording artist to be inducted) and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.

Life and career
Early life and the Jackson 5 (1958–1975)
 Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Indiana, pictured in March 2010
Michael Joseph Jackson[9][10] was born in Gary, Indiana, on August 29, 1958.[11][12] He was the eighth of ten children in the Jackson family, a working-class African-American family living in a two-bedroom house on Jackson Street.[13][14] His mother, Katherine Esther Jackson (née Scruse), played clarinet and piano, had aspired to be a country-and-western performer, and worked part-time at Sears.[15] She was a Jehovah's Witness.[16] His father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, a former boxer, was a crane operator at US Steel and played guitar with a local rhythm and blues band, the Falcons, to supplement the family's income.[17][18] Joe's great-grandfather, July "Jack" Gale, was a US Army scout; family lore held that he was also a Native American medicine man.[19] Michael grew up with three sisters (Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet) and five brothers (Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy).[17] A sixth brother, Marlon's twin Brandon, died shortly after birth.[20]

In 1964, Michael and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by their father which included Jackie, Tito and Jermaine—as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine.[21][22] Michael said his father told him he had a "fat nose",[23] and physically and emotionally abused him during rehearsals. He recalled that Joe often sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his siblings rehearsed, ready to punish any mistakes.[16][24] Joe acknowledged that he regularly whipped Michael.[25] Katherine said that although whipping came to be considered abuse, it was a common way to discipline children when Michael was growing up.[26][27] Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon denied that their father was abusive and said that the whippings, which had a deeper impact on Michael because he was younger, kept them disciplined and out of trouble.[28] Michael said that during his youth he was lonely and isolated.[29]

Later in 1965, Michael began sharing lead vocals with Jermaine, and the group's name was changed to the Jackson 5.[30] In 1965, the group won a talent show; Michael performed the dance to Robert Parker's 1965 song "Barefootin'" and sang the Temptations' "My Girl".[31] From 1966 to 1968, the Jacksons 5 toured the Midwest; they frequently played at a string of black clubs known as the Chitlin' Circuit as the opening act for artists such as Sam & Dave, the O'Jays, Gladys Knight and Etta James. The Jackson 5 also performed at clubs and cocktail lounges, where striptease shows were featured, and at local auditoriums and high school dances.[32][33] In August 1967, while touring the East Coast, they won a weekly amateur night concert at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.[34]

 Michael Jackson (center) as a member of the Jackson 5 in 1972. The group were among the first African American performers to attain a crossover following.[35]
The Jackson 5 recorded several songs for a Gary record label, Steeltown Records; their first single, "Big Boy", was released in 1968.[36] Bobby Taylor of Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers brought the Jackson 5 to Motown after they opened for Taylor at Chicago's Regal Theater in 1968. Taylor produced some of their early Motown recordings, including a version of "Who's Lovin' You".[37] After signing with Motown, the Jackson family relocated to Los Angeles.[38] In 1969, Motown executives decided Diana Ross should introduce the Jackson 5 to the public — partly to bolster her career in television — sending off what was considered Motown's last product of its "production line".[39] The Jackson 5 made their first television appearance in 1969 in the Miss Black America pageant, performing a cover of "It's Your Thing".[40] Rolling Stone later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts" who "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer".[41]

In January 1970, "I Want You Back" became the first Jackson 5 song to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100; it stayed there for four weeks. Three more singles with Motown topped the chart: "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There".[42] In May 1971, the Jackson family moved into a large house at Hayvenhurst, a 2-acre (0.81 ha) estate in Encino, California.[43] During this period, Michael developed from a child performer into a teen idol.[44] Between 1972 and 1975, he released four solo studio albums with Motown: Got to Be There (1972), Ben (1972), Music & Me (1973) and Forever, Michael (1975).[45] "Got to Be There" and "Ben", the title tracks from his first two solo albums, sold well as singles, as did a cover of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin".[46]

Michael maintained ties to the Jackson 5.[45] The Jackson 5 were later described as "a cutting-edge example of black crossover artists".[47] They were frustrated by Motown's refusal to allow them creative input.[48] Jackson's performance of their top five single "Dancing Machine" on Soul Train popularized the robot dance.[49]

Move to Epic and Off the Wall (1975–1981)
 The Jackson siblings in 1977, without Jermaine. From left, back row: Jackie, Michael, Tito, Marlon. Middle row: Randy, La Toya, Rebbie. Front row: Janet
The Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975, signing with Epic Records and renaming themselves the Jacksons.[50] Their younger brother Randy joined the band around this time; Jermaine stayed with Motown and pursued a solo career.[51] The Jacksons continued to tour internationally, and released six more albums between 1976 and 1984. Michael, the group's main songwriter during this time, wrote songs such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" (1978), "This Place Hotel" (1980), and "Can You Feel It" (1980).[52]

In 1977, Jackson moved to New York City to star as the Scarecrow in The Wiz, a musical film directed by Sidney Lumet, alongside Diana Ross, Nipsey Russell, and Ted Ross.[53] The film was a box-office failure.[54] Its score was arranged by Quincy Jones,[55] who later produced three of Jackson's solo albums.[56] During his time in New York, Jackson frequented the Studio 54 nightclub, where he heard early hip hop; this influenced his beatboxing on future tracks such as "Working Day and Night".[57] In 1978, Jackson broke his nose during a dance routine. A rhinoplasty led to breathing difficulties that later affected his career. He was referred to Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson's operations.[58]

Jackson's fifth solo album, Off the Wall (1979), established him as a solo performer and helped him move from the bubblegum pop of his youth to more complex sounds.[44] It produced four top 10 entries in the US: "Off the Wall", "She's Out of My Life", and the chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You".[59] The album reached number three on the US Billboard 200 and sold over 20 million copies worldwide.[60] In 1980, Jackson won three American Music Awards for his solo work: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[61][62] He also won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for 1979 with "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[63] In 1981, Jackson was the American Music Awards winner for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist.[64] Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.[65] In 1980, he secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album profit.[66]

Thriller and Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever (1982–1983)
 The sequined jacket and white glove worn by Jackson at Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever. British Vogue called Jackson "a fashion pioneer [...] who gave new meaning to moonwalking, immortalised solitary, [and] sparkly gloves".[67]
Jackson recorded with Queen's lead singer Freddie Mercury from 1981 to 1983, recording demos of "State of Shock", "Victory" and "There Must Be More to Life Than This". The recordings were intended for an album of duets but, according to Queen's manager Jim Beach, the relationship soured when Jackson brought a llama into the recording studio,[68] and Jackson was upset by Mercury's drug use.[69] "There Must Be More to Life Than This" was released in 2014.[70] Jackson went on to record "State of Shock" with Mick Jagger for the Jacksons' album Victory (1984).[71]

In 1982, Jackson contributed "Someone in the Dark" to the audiobook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Jackson's sixth album, Thriller, was released in late 1982. It was the bestselling album worldwide in 1983,[72][73] and became the bestselling album of all time in the US[74] and the best-selling album of all time worldwide, selling an estimated 70 million copies.[75][76] It topped the Billboard 200 chart for 37 weeks and was in the top 10 of the 200 for 80 consecutive weeks. It was the first album to produce seven Billboard Hot 100 top-10 singles, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It", and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".[77]

On March 25, 1983, Jackson reunited with his brothers for Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, an NBC television special. The show aired on May 16 to an estimated audience of 47 million, and featured the Jacksons and other Motown stars.[78] Jackson's solo performance of "Billie Jean" earned him his first Emmy Award nomination.[79] Wearing a glove decorated with rhinestones,[80] he debuted his moonwalk dance, which Jeffrey Daniel had taught him three years earlier, and it became his signature dance in his repertoire.[81] Jackson had originally turned down the invitation to the show, believing he had been doing too much television. But at the request of Motown founder Berry Gordy, he performed in exchange for an opportunity to do a solo performance.[82] Rolling Stone reporter Mikal Gilmore called the performance "extraordinary".[44] Jackson's performance drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and the Beatles' appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.[83] Anna Kisselgoff of The New York Times praised the perfect timing and technique involved in the dance.[84] Gordy described being "mesmerized" by the performance.[85]

At the 26th Annual Grammy Awards, Thriller won eight awards, and Jackson won an award for the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial storybook. Winning eight Grammys in one ceremony is a record he holds with the band Santana.[63] Jackson and Quincy Jones won the award for Producer of the Year (Non-Classical). Thriller won Album of the Year (with Jackson as the album's artist and Jones as its co-producer), and the single won Best Pop Vocal Performance (Male) award for Jackson. "Beat It" won Record of the Year and Best Rock Vocal Performance (Male). "Billie Jean" won two Grammy awards: Best R&B Song and Best R&B Vocal Performance (Male), with Jackson as songwriter and singer respectively.[63]

Thriller won the Grammy for Best Engineered Recording (Non Classical), acknowledging Bruce Swedien for his work on the album.[86] At the 11th Annual American Music Awards, Jackson won another eight awards and became the youngest artist to win the Award of Merit.[87] He also won Favorite Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Artist, and Favorite Pop/Rock Artist. "Beat It" won Favorite Soul/R&B Video, Favorite Pop/Rock Video and Favorite Pop/Rock Single. The album won Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Pop/Rock Album.[87][88] Thriller's sales doubled after the release of an extended music video, Michael Jackson's Thriller, which sees Jackson dancing with a horde of zombies.[89][90]

The success transformed Jackson into a dominant force in global pop culture.[90] Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point, with about $2 for every album sold (equivalent to $6 in 2023), and was making record-breaking profits. Dolls modeled after Jackson appeared in stores in May 1984 for $12 each.[91] In the same year, The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller, a documentary about the music video, won a Grammy for Best Music Video (Longform).[63] Time described Jackson's influence at that point as "star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style and color too."[91] The New York Times wrote "in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else".[92]

Pepsi incident and other commercial activities (1984–1985)
In November 1983, Jackson and his brothers partnered with PepsiCo in a $5 million promotional deal that broke records for a celebrity endorsement (equivalent to $15.3 million in 2023). The first Pepsi campaign, which ran in the US from 1983 to 1984 and launched its "New Generation" theme, included tour sponsorship, public relations events, and in-store displays. Jackson helped to create the advertisement, and suggested using his song "Billie Jean", with revised lyrics, as its jingle.[93]

On January 27, 1984, Michael and other members of the Jacksons filmed a Pepsi commercial overseen by Phil Dusenberry,[94] a BBDO ad agency executive, and Alan Pottasch, Pepsi's Worldwide Creative Director, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. During a simulated concert before a full house of fans, pyrotechnics accidentally set Jackson's hair on fire, causing second-degree burns to his scalp. Jackson underwent treatment to hide the scars and had his third rhinoplasty shortly thereafter.[95]

Pepsi settled out of court, and Jackson donated the $1.5 million settlement to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California; its now-closed Michael Jackson Burn Center was named in his honor.[96][97] Jackson signed a second agreement with Pepsi in the late 1980s for $10 million. The second campaign covered 20 countries and provided financial support for Jackson's Bad album and 1987–88 world tour. Jackson had endorsements and advertising deals with other companies, such as LA Gear, Suzuki, and Sony, but none were as significant as his deals with Pepsi.[93]

 The Jacksons performing during their Victory Tour at the Arrowhead Stadium, 1984
The Victory Tour of 1984 headlined the Jacksons and showcased Jackson's new solo material to more than two million Americans. It was the last tour he did with his brothers.[98] Following controversy over the concert's ticket sales, Jackson donated his share of the proceeds, an estimated $3 to 5 million, to charity.[99] During the last concert of the Victory Tour at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Jackson announced his split from the Jacksons during "Shake Your Body".[100]

With Lionel Richie, Jackson co-wrote the charity single "We Are the World" (1985), which raised money for the poor in the US and Africa.[101][102] It earned $63 million (equivalent to $178 million in 2023),[102] and became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with 20 million copies sold.[103] It won four Grammy Awards in 1985, including Song of the Year for Jackson and Richie.[101] Jackson, Jones, and the promoter Ken Kragen received special awards for their roles in the song's creation.[101][104][105][106]

 Jackson signing a "We Are the World" poster in 1985
Jackson collaborated with Paul McCartney in the early 1980s, and learned that McCartney was making $40 million a year from owning the rights to other artists' songs.[102] By 1983, Jackson had begun buying publishing rights to others' songs, but he was careful with his acquisitions, only bidding on a few of the dozens that were offered to him. Jackson's early acquisitions of music catalogs and song copyrights such as the Sly Stone collection included "Everyday People" (1968), Len Barry's "1-2-3" (1965), and Dion DiMucci's "The Wanderer" (1961) and "Runaround Sue" (1961).

In 1984, Robert Holmes à Court announced he was selling the ATV Music Publishing catalog comprising the publishing rights to nearly 4,000 songs, including most of the Beatles' material.[107] In 1981, McCartney had been offered the catalog for £20 million ($40 million).[102][108] Jackson submitted a bid of $46 million on November 20, 1984.[107] When Jackson and McCartney were unable to make a joint purchase, McCartney did not want to be the sole owner of the Beatles' songs, and did not pursue an offer on his own.[109][108] Jackson's agents were unable to come to a deal, and in May 1985 left talks after having spent more than $1 million and four months of due diligence work on the negotiations.[107]

In June 1985, Jackson and Branca learned that Charles Koppelman's and Marty Bandier's The Entertainment Company had made a tentative offer to buy ATV Music for $50 million; in early August, Holmes à Court contacted Jackson and talks resumed. Jackson's increased bid of $47.5 million (equivalent to $135 million in 2023) was accepted because he could close the deal more quickly, having already completed due diligence.[107] Jackson agreed to visit Holmes à Court in Australia, where he would appear on the Channel Seven Perth Telethon.[110] His purchase of ATV Music was finalized on August 10, 1985.[102][107]

Increased tabloid speculation (1986–1987)
See also: Health and appearance of Michael Jackson
Jackson's skin had been medium-brown during his youth, but from the mid-1980s gradually grew paler. The change drew widespread media coverage, including speculation that he had been bleaching his skin.[111][112][113] His dermatologist, Arnold Klein, said he observed in 1983 that Jackson had vitiligo,[114] a condition characterized by patches of the skin losing their pigment. He also identified discoid lupus erythematosus in Jackson. He diagnosed Jackson with lupus that year,[114] and with vitiligo in 1986.[115] Vitiligo's drastic effects on the body can cause psychological distress. Jackson used fair-colored makeup,[116] and possibly skin-bleaching prescription creams,[117] to cover up the uneven blotches of color caused by the illness. The creams would depigment the blotches, and, with the application of makeup, he could appear very pale.[118] Jackson said he had not purposely bleached his skin and could not control his vitiligo, adding, "When people make up stories that I don't want to be who I am, it hurts me."[119] He became friends with Klein and Klein's assistant, Debbie Rowe. Rowe later became Jackson's second wife and the mother of his first two children.[120]

In his 1988 autobiography and a 1993 interview, Jackson said he had had two rhinoplasty surgeries and a cleft chin surgery but no more than that. He said he lost weight in the early 1980s because of a change in diet to achieve a dancer's body.[121] Witnesses reported that he was often dizzy, and speculated he was suffering from anorexia nervosa. Periods of weight loss became a recurring problem later in his life.[122] After his death, Jackson's mother said that he first turned to cosmetic procedures to remedy his vitiligo, because he did not want to look like a "spotted cow". She said he had received more than the two cosmetic surgeries he claimed and speculated that he had become addicted to them.[123]

In 1986, it was reported that Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow aging. He denied the story,[124] although it was alleged that Jackson leaked an image of him sleeping in a glass chamber (according to Jackson, this was a promotional shot from an upcoming space opera featuring himself) to The National Enquirer.[125] It was also reported that Jackson took female hormone shots to keep his voice high and facial hair wispy, proposed to Elizabeth Taylor and possibly had a shrine of her, and had cosmetic surgery on his eyes. Jackson's manager Frank DiLeo denied all of them, except for Jackson having a chamber. DiLeo added "I don't know if he sleeps in it. I'm not for it. But Michael thinks it's something that's probably healthy for him. He's a bit of a health fanatic."[126]

When Jackson took his pet chimpanzee Bubbles to tour in Japan, the media portrayed Jackson as an aspiring Disney cartoon character who befriended animals.[127] It was also reported that Jackson had offered to buy the bones of Joseph Merrick (the "Elephant Man").[128] In June 1987, the Chicago Tribune reported Jackson's publicist bidding $1 million for the skeleton to the London Hospital Medical College on his behalf. The college maintained the skeleton was not for sale. DiLeo said Jackson had an "absorbing interest" in Merrick, "purely based on his awareness of the ethical, medical and historical significance."[129]

In September 1986, using the oxygen chamber story, the British tabloid The Sun branded Jackson "Wacko Jacko", a name Jackson came to despise.[10][130] The Atlantic noted that the name "Jacko" has racist connotations, as it originates from Jacko Macacco, a monkey used in monkey-baiting matches at the Westminster Pit in the early 1820s, and "Jacko" was used in Cockney slang to refer to monkeys in general.[131]

Jackson worked with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola on the 17-minute $30 million 3D film Captain EO, which ran from 1986 at Disneyland and Epcot, and later at Tokyo Disneyland and Euro Disneyland.[132] After having been removed in the late 1990s, it returned to the theme park for several years after Jackson's death.[133] In 1987, Ebony reported that Jackson had disassociated himself from the Jehovah's Witnesses.[134] Katherine Jackson said this might have been because some Witnesses strongly opposed the Thriller video,[135] which Michael denounced in a Witness publication in 1984.[136] In 2001, Jackson told an interviewer he was still a Jehovah's Witness.[137]

Bad, autobiography, and Neverland (1987–1990)
 Jackson and President George H. W. Bush at the White House on April 5, 1990. It was the second time that Jackson had been honored by a president of the United States.
Jackson's first album in five years, Bad (1987), was highly anticipated, with the industry expecting another major success.[138] It became the first album to produce five US number-one singles: "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana". Another song, "Smooth Criminal", peaked at number seven.[59] Bad won the 1988 Grammy for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical and the 1990 Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form for "Leave Me Alone".[63][86] Jackson won an Award of Achievement at the American Music Awards in 1989 after Bad generated five number-one singles, became the first album to top the charts in 25 countries and the bestselling album worldwide in 1987 and 1988.[139][140] By 2012, it had sold between 30 and 45 million copies worldwide.[141][142]

The Bad World Tour ran from September 12, 1987, to January 14, 1989.[143] In Japan, the tour had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record for a single tour.[144] The 504,000 people who attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium set a new Guinness World Record.[145]

In 1988, Jackson released his autobiography, Moonwalk, with input from Stephen Davis and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.[146] It sold 200,000 copies,[147] and reached the top of the New York Times bestsellers list.[148] Jackson discussed his childhood, the Jackson 5, and the abuse from his father.[149] He attributed his changing facial appearance to three plastic surgeries, puberty, weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hairstyle, and stage lighting.[150][121] In June, Jackson was honored with the Grand Vermeil Medal of the City of Paris by the then Mayor of Paris Jacques Chirac during his stay in the city as part of the Bad World Tour.[151][152] In October, Jackson released a film, Moonwalker, which featured live footage and short films starring Jackson and Joe Pesci. In the US it was released direct-to-video and became the bestselling video cassette in the country.[153][154] The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it as eight times Platinum in the US.[155]

In March 1988, Jackson purchased 2,700 acres (11 km2) of land near Santa Ynez, California, to build a new home, Neverland Ranch, at a cost of $17 million (equivalent to $44 million in 2023).[156] He installed a Ferris wheel, a carousel, a movie theater and a zoo.[156][157][158] A security staff of 40 patrolled the grounds.[157] Shortly afterwards, he appeared in the first Western television advertisement in the Soviet Union.[159]

Jackson became known as the "King of Pop", a nickname that Jackson's publicists embraced.[24][160][161] When Elizabeth Taylor presented him with the Soul Train Heritage Award in 1989, she called him "the true king of pop, rock and soul."[162] President George H. W. Bush designated him the White House's "Artist of the Decade".[163] From 1985 to 1990, Jackson donated $455,000 to the United Negro College Fund,[164] and all profits from his single "Man in the Mirror" went to charity.[165] His rendition of "You Were There" at Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th birthday celebration won Jackson a second Emmy nomination.[79] Jackson was the bestselling artist of the 1980s.[166]

Dangerous and public social work (1991–1993)
In March 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65 million (equivalent to $145 million in 2023), a record-breaking deal,[167] beating Neil Diamond's renewal contract with Columbia Records.[168] In 1991, he released his eighth album, Dangerous, co-produced with Teddy Riley.[169] It was certified eight times platinum in the US, and by 2018 had sold 32 million copies worldwide.[170][171] In the US, the first single, "Black or White", was the album's highest-charting song; it was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks and achieved similar chart performances worldwide.[172] The second single, "Remember the Time" peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[173] At the end of 1992, Dangerous was the bestselling album of the year worldwide and "Black or White" the bestselling single of the year worldwide at the Billboard Music Awards.[166] In 1993, he performed "Remember the Time" at the Soul Train Music Awards in a chair, saying he twisted his ankle during dance rehearsals.[174] In the UK, "Heal the World" made No. 2 on the charts in 1992.[175]

 Jackson during the Dangerous World Tour in 1993. Dangerous has been recognized by writers as an influence on contemporary pop and R&B artists.[176]
 Michael Jackson with David and Marty Paich in 1991
Jackson founded the Heal the World Foundation in 1992. The charity brought underprivileged children to Jackson's ranch to use the theme park rides, and sent millions of dollars around the globe to help children threatened by war, poverty, and disease. That July, Jackson published his second book, Dancing the Dream, a collection of poetry. The Dangerous World Tour ran between June 1992 and November 1993 and grossed $100 million (equivalent to $210 million in 2023); Jackson performed for 3.5 million people in 70 concerts, all of which were outside the US.[177] Part of the proceeds went to Heal the World Foundation.[178] Jackson sold the broadcast rights of the tour to HBO for $20 million, a record-breaking deal that still stands.[179]

Following the death of HIV/AIDS spokesperson and friend Ryan White, Jackson pleaded with the Clinton administration at Bill Clinton's inaugural gala to give more money to HIV/AIDS charities and research[180][181] and performed "Gone Too Soon", a song dedicated to White, and "Heal the World" at the gala.[182] Jackson visited Africa in early 1992; on his first stop in Gabon he was greeted by more than 100,000 people, some of them carrying signs that read "Welcome Home Michael",[183] and was awarded an Officer of the National Order of Merit from President Omar Bongo.[184][185] During his trip to Ivory Coast, Jackson drew larger crowds than Pope John Paul II on his previous visits.[186] He was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief in the Ivorian village of Krindjabo, where he thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed documents formalizing his kingship, and sat on a golden throne while presiding over ceremonial dances.[183]

In January 1993, Jackson performed at the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show in Pasadena, California. The NFL sought a big-name artist to keep ratings high during halftime following dwindling audience figures.[187][188] It was the first Super Bowl whose half-time performance drew greater audience figures than the game. Jackson played "Jam", "Billie Jean", "Black or White", and "Heal the World". Dangerous rose 90 places in the US albums chart after the performance.[111]

Jackson gave a 90-minute interview with Oprah Winfrey on February 10, 1993. He spoke of his childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he believed he had missed out on much of his childhood, and said that he often cried from loneliness. He denied tabloid rumors that he had bought the bones of the Elephant Man, slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, or bleached his skin, and stated for the first time that he had vitiligo. After the interview, Dangerous re-entered the US albums chart in the top 10, more than a year after its release.[24][111] The interview itself became the most-watched television interview in United States history to date.

In January 1993, Jackson won three American Music Awards: Favorite Pop/Rock Album (Dangerous), Favorite Soul/R&B Single ("Remember the Time"), and was the first to win the International Artist Award of Excellence.[189][190] In February, he won the "Living Legend Award" at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.[63] He attended the award ceremony with Brooke Shields.[191] Dangerous was nominated for Best Vocal Performance (for "Black or White"), Best R&B Vocal Performance ("Jam") and Best R&B Song ("Jam"), and Bruce Swedien and Teddy Riley won the Grammy for Best Engineered – Non Classical.[86]

First child sexual abuse accusations and first marriage (1993–1995)
Main article: 1993 child sexual abuse accusations against Michael Jackson
In August 1993, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy, Jordan Chandler, and his father, Evan Chandler.[192] Jordan said he and Jackson had engaged in acts of kissing, masturbation and oral sex.[193] While Jordan's mother initially told police that she did not believe Jackson had molested him, her position wavered a few days later.[194][195] Evan was recorded discussing his intention to pursue charges, which Jackson used to argue that he was the victim of a jealous father trying to extort money.[195] Jackson's older sister La Toya accused him of being a pedophile;[196] she later retracted this, saying she had been forced into it by her abusive husband.[197]

Police raided Jackson's home in August and found two legal large-format art books featuring young boys playing, running and swimming in various states of undress.[198] Jackson denied knowing of the books' content and claimed if they were there someone had to send them to him and he did not open them.[199] Jordan Chandler gave police a description of Jackson's genitals. A strip search was made, and the jurors felt the description was not a match.[200][201][202] In January 1994, Jackson settled with the Chandlers out of court for a reported total sum of $23 million.[203] The police never pressed criminal charges.[204] Citing a lack of evidence without Jordan's testimony, the state closed its investigation on September 22, 1994.[205]

Jackson had been taking painkillers for his reconstructive scalp surgeries, administered due to the Pepsi commercial accident in 1984, and became dependent on them to cope with the stress of the sexual abuse allegations.[206] On November 12, 1993, Jackson canceled the remainder of the Dangerous World Tour due to health problems, stress from the allegations and painkiller addiction. He thanked his close friend Elizabeth Taylor for support, encouragement and counsel. The end of the tour concluded his sponsorship deal with Pepsi.[207]

In late 1993, Jackson proposed to Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley, over the phone.[208] They married in La Vega, Dominican Republic, in May 1994 by civil judge Hugo Francisco Álvarez Pérez.[209] The tabloid media speculated that the wedding was a publicity stunt to deflect away from Jackson's sexual abuse allegations and jump-start Presley's career as a singer.[210][209] Their marriage ended little more than a year later, and they separated in December 1995.[211] Presley cited "irreconcilable differences" when filing for divorce the next month and only sought to reclaim her maiden name as her settlement.[210][212] After the divorce, Judge Pérez said, "They lasted longer than I thought they would. I gave them a year. They lasted a year and a half."[209] Presley later said she and Jackson had attempted to reconcile intermittently for four years following their divorce, and that she had traveled the world to be with him.[213]

Jackson composed music for the Sega Genesis video game Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994), but left the project around the time the sexual abuse allegations surfaced and went uncredited.[214][215] The Sega Technical Institute director Roger Hector and the Sonic co-creator Naoto Ohshima said that Jackson's involvement was terminated and his music reworked following the allegations.[216][217] However, Jackson's musical director Brad Buxer and other members of Jackson's team said Jackson went uncredited because he was unhappy with how the Genesis replicated his music.[218]

HIStory, second marriage, fatherhood and Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix (1995–1997)
 Jackson at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of Michael Jackson's Ghosts
In June 1995, Jackson released the double album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. The first disc, HIStory Begins, is a greatest hits album (reissued in 2001 as Greatest Hits: HIStory, Volume I). The second disc, HIStory Continues, contains 13 original songs and two cover versions. The album debuted at number one on the charts and has been certified for eight million shipments in the US.[219] It is the bestselling multi-disc album of all time, with 20 million copies (40 million units) sold worldwide.[172][220] HIStory received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.[63] The New York Times reviewed it as "the testimony of a musician whose self-pity now equals his talent".[221]

The first single from HIStory was "Scream/Childhood". "Scream", a duet with Jackson's youngest sister Janet, protests the media's treatment of Jackson during the 1993 child abuse allegations against him. The single reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100,[173] and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals".[63] The second single, "You Are Not Alone", holds the Guinness world record for the first song to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[222] It received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Performance" in 1995.[63]

In 1995 the Anti-Defamation League and other groups complained that "Jew me, sue me, everybody do me/ Kick me, kike me, don't you black or white me", the original lyrics of "They Don't Care About Us", were antisemitic. Jackson released a revised version of the song.[223]

In late 1995, Jackson was admitted to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance, caused by a stress-related panic attack.[224] In November, Jackson merged his ATV Music catalog with Sony's music publishing division, creating Sony/ATV Music Publishing. He retained ownership of half the company, earning $95 million up front (equivalent to $190 million in 2023) as well as the rights to more songs.[225][226]

"Earth Song" was the third single released from HIStory, and topped the UK Singles Chart for six weeks over Christmas 1995.[175] It became the 87th-bestselling single in the UK.[227] At the 1996 Brit Awards, Jackson's performance of "Earth Song" was disrupted by Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker, who was protesting what Cocker saw as Jackson's "Christ-like" persona. Jackson said the stage invasion was "disgusting and cowardly".[228][229]

In 1996, Jackson won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form, for "Scream" and an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist.[63][230] In July 1996, Jackson performed for Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah's fiftieth birthday at Jerudong Park Amphitheater, which was specifically built for that birthday concert.[231] Jackson was reportedly paid $17 million (equivalent to $33 million in 2023).[232] Jackson promoted HIStory with the HIStory World Tour, from September 7, 1996, to October 15, 1997. He performed 82 concerts in five continents, 35 countries and 58 cities to over 4.5 million fans, his most attended tour. It grossed $165 million.[143] During the tour, in Sydney, Australia, Jackson married Debbie Rowe, a dermatology assistant, who was six months pregnant with his first child.[233]

Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. (commonly known as Prince) was born on February 13, 1997. His sister Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson was born on April 3, 1998.[234] Jackson and Rowe divorced in 2000, Rowe conceded custody of the children, with an $8 million settlement (equivalent to $14.6 million in 2023).[235] In 2004, after the second child abuse allegations against Jackson, she returned to court to reclaim custody. The suit was settled in 2006.[236]

In 1997, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, which contained remixes of singles from HIStory and five new songs. Worldwide sales stand at 6 million copies, making it the best-selling remix album. It reached number one in the UK, as did the single "Blood on the Dance Floor".[237] In the US, the album reached number 24 and was certified platinum.[170]

Label dispute and Invincible (1997–2002)
From October 1997 to September 2001, Jackson worked on his tenth solo album, Invincible, which cost $30 million to record, making it the most expensive album of all time.[238] In June 1999, Jackson joined Luciano Pavarotti for a War Child benefit concert in Modena, Italy. The show raised a million dollars for refugees of the Kosovo War, and additional funds for the children of Guatemala.[239] Later that month, Jackson organized a series of "Michael Jackson & Friends" benefit concerts in Germany and Korea. Other artists involved included Slash, The Scorpions, Boyz II Men, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, A. R. Rahman, Prabhu Deva Sundaram, Shobana, Andrea Bocelli and Luciano Pavarotti. The proceeds went to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, the Red Cross and UNESCO.[240] In 1999, Jackson was presented with the "Outstanding Humanitarian Award" at Bollywood Movie Awards in New York City where he noted Mahatma Gandhi to have been an inspiration for him.[241][242] From August 1999 to 2000, he lived in New York City at 4 East 74th Street.[243] At the turn of the century, Jackson won an American Music Award as Artist of the 1980s.[244] In 2000, Guinness World Records recognized him for supporting 39 charities, more than any other entertainer.[245]

In September 2001, two concerts were held at Madison Square Garden to mark Jackson's 30th year as a solo artist. Jackson performed with his brothers for the first time since 1984. The show also featured Mýa, Usher, Whitney Houston, Destiny's Child, Monica, Liza Minnelli and Slash. The first show was marred by technical lapses, and the crowd booed a speech by Marlon Brando.[246] Almost 30 million people watched the television broadcast of the shows in November.[247] After the September 11 attacks (in which Jackson narrowly avoided death by oversleeping and missing a scheduled meeting at the World Trade Center[248]), Jackson helped organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., on October 21, 2001. Jackson performed "What More Can I Give" as the finale.[249]

The release of Invincible was preceded by a dispute between Jackson and his record label, Sony Music Entertainment. Jackson had expected the licenses to the masters of his albums to revert to him in the early 2000s, after which he would be able to promote the material however he pleased and keep the profits, but clauses in the contract set the revert date years into the future. Jackson sought an early exit from his contract.[250] Invincible was released on October 30, 2001. It was Jackson's first full-length album in six years, and the last album of original material he released in his lifetime.[250] It debuted at number one in 13 countries, and went on to sell eight million copies worldwide, receiving double-platinum certification in the US.[170][251][252]

On January 9, 2002, Jackson won his 22nd American Music Award for Artist of the Century.[253][254] Later that year, an anonymous surrogate mother gave birth to his third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (nicknamed "Blanket"[nb 3]), who had been conceived by artificial insemination.[255] On November 20, Jackson briefly held Blanket over the railing of his Berlin hotel room, four stories above ground level, prompting widespread criticism in the media. Jackson apologized for the incident, calling it "a terrible mistake".[256] On January 22, promoter Marcel Avram filed a breach of contract complaint against Jackson for failing to perform two planned 1999 concerts.[257] In March, a Santa Maria jury ordered Jackson to pay Avram $5.3 million.[258][259] On December 18, 2003, Jackson's attorneys dropped all appeals on the verdict and settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount.[260]

On April 24, 2002, Jackson performed at Apollo Theater. The concert was a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee and former President Bill Clinton.[261] The money collected would be used to encourage citizens to vote. It raised $2.5 million.[262] The concert was called Michael Jackson: Live at the Apollo and was one of Jackson's final on-stage performances.[263]

In July 2002, Jackson called Sony Music chairman Tommy Mottola "a racist, and very, very, very devilish," and someone who exploits black artists for his own gain, at Al Sharpton's National Action Network in Harlem. The accusation prompted Sharpton to form a coalition investigating whether Mottola exploited black artists.[264] Jackson charged that Mottola had called his colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger".[265] Responding to those attacks, Sony issued a statement calling them "ludicrous, spiteful, and hurtful" and defended Mottola as someone who had championed Jackson's career for many years.[264] Sony ultimately refused to renew Jackson's contract and claimed that a $25 million promotional campaign had failed because Jackson refused to tour in the US for Invincible.[238]

Documentary, Number Ones, second child abuse allegations and acquittal (2002–2005)
Further information: Trial of Michael Jackson
 Jackson in Las Vegas, 2003
Beginning in May 2002, a documentary film crew led by Martin Bashir followed Jackson for several months.[256] The documentary, broadcast in February 2003 as Living with Michael Jackson, showed Jackson holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with a twelve-year-old boy.[23][266] He said that he saw nothing wrong with having sleepovers with minors and sharing his bed and bedroom with various people, which aroused controversy. He insisted that the sleepovers were not sexual and that his words had been misunderstood.[267][268]

In October 2003, Jackson received the Key to the City of Las Vegas from Mayor Oscar Goodman.[269] On November 18, 2003, Sony released Number Ones, a greatest hits compilation. It was certified five times platinum by the RIAA, and ten times platinum in the UK, for shipments of at least 3 million units.[170][270]

On December 18, 2003, Santa Barbara authorities charged Jackson with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of intoxicating a minor with alcoholic drinks.[271] Jackson denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.[272] The People v. Jackson trial began on January 31, 2005, in Santa Maria, California, and lasted until the end of May. Jackson found the experience stressful and it affected his health. If convicted, he would have faced up to twenty years in prison.[273] On June 13, 2005, Jackson was acquitted on all counts.[274] FBI files on Jackson, released in 2009, revealed the FBI's role in the 2005 trial and the 1993 allegations, and showed that the FBI found no evidence of criminal conduct on Jackson's behalf.[275][276]

Final years, financial problems, Thriller 25 and This Is It (2005–2009)
 Jackson and his son Blanket in Disneyland Paris, 2006
After the trial, Jackson became reclusive.[277] In June 2005, he moved to Bahrain as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah.[278] In early 2006, it was announced that Jackson had signed a contract with a Bahrain startup, Two Seas Records. Nothing came of the deal, and the Two Seas CEO, Guy Holmes, later said it was never finalized.[279][280] Holmes also found that Jackson was on the verge of bankruptcy and was involved in 47 ongoing lawsuits.[278] By September 2006, Jackson was no longer affiliated with Two Seas.[280]

In April 2006, Jackson agreed to use a piece of his ATV catalog stake, then worth about $1 billion, as collateral against his $270 million worth of loans from Bank of America. Bank of America had sold the loans to Fortress Investments, an investment company that buys distressed loans, the year before. As part of the agreement, Fortress Investments provided Jackson a new loan of $300 million with reduced interest payments (equivalent to $450 million in 2023). Sony Music would have the option to buy half of his stake, or about 25% of the catalog, at a set price. Jackson's financial managers had urged him to shed part of his stake to avoid bankruptcy.[226][281] The main house at Neverland Ranch was closed as a cost-cutting measure, while Jackson lived in Bahrain at the hospitality of Abdullah.[282] At least thirty of Jackson's employees had not been paid on time and were owed $306,000 in back wages. Jackson was ordered to pay $100,000 in penalties.[226] Jackson never returned to Neverland after his acquittal.[283]

In mid-2006, Jackson moved to Grouse Lodge, a residential recording studio near Rosemount, County Westmeath, Ireland. There, he began work on a new album with the American producers will.i.am and Rodney Jenkins.[284] That November, Jackson invited an Access Hollywood camera crew into the studio in Westmeath.[172] On November 15, Jackson briefly joined in on a performance of "We Are the World" at the World Music Awards in London, his last public performance, and accepted the Diamond Award for sales of 100 million records.[172][285] He returned to the US in December, settling in Las Vegas. That month, he attended James Brown's funeral in Augusta, Georgia, where he gave a eulogy calling Brown his greatest inspiration.[286]

 An aerial view of part of Jackson's 2,800-acre (11 km2) Neverland Valley Ranch near Los Olivos, California, showing the rides
In 2007, Jackson and Sony bought another music publishing company, Famous Music LLC, formerly owned by Viacom. The deal gave Jackson the rights to songs by Eminem and Beck, among others.[287][288] In a brief interview, Jackson said he had no regrets about his career despite his problems and "deliberate attempts to hurt [him]".[289] That March, Jackson visited a US Army post in Japan, Camp Zama, to greet more than 3,000 troops and their families.[290][291] As of September, Jackson was still working on his next album, which he never completed.[292]

In 2008, for the 25th anniversary of Thriller, Jackson and Sony released Thriller 25, with two remixes released as singles: "The Girl Is Mine 2008" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008".[293] For Jackson's 50th birthday, Sony BMG released a series of greatest hits albums, King of Pop, with different tracklists for different regions.[294] That July, Fortress Investments threatened to foreclose on Neverland Ranch, which Jackson had used as collateral for his loans. Fortress sold Jackson's debts to Colony Capital LLC.[295][296] In November, Jackson transferred Neverland Ranch's title to Sycamore Valley Ranch Company LLC, a joint venture between Jackson and Colony Capital LLC. The deal earned him $35 million.[297] In 2009, Jackson arranged to sell a collection of his memorabilia of more than 1,000 items through Julien's Auction House, but canceled the auction in April.[298]

In March 2009, amid speculation about his finances and health, Jackson announced a series of comeback concerts, This Is It, at a press conference at the O2 Arena.[299] The shows were to be his first major concerts since the HIStory World Tour in 1997. Jackson suggested he would retire after the shows. The initial plan was for ten concerts in London, followed by shows in Paris, New York City and Mumbai. Randy Phillips, the president and chief executive of AEG Live, predicted the first ten dates would earn Jackson £50 million.[300]

The London residency was increased to fifty dates after record-breaking ticket sales; more than one million were sold in less than two hours.[301] The concerts were to run from July 13, 2009, to March 6, 2010. Jackson moved to Los Angeles, where he rehearsed in the weeks leading up to the tour under the direction of the choreographer Kenny Ortega, whom he had worked with during his previous tours. Rehearsals took place at the Forum and the Staples Center owned by AEG.[302] By this point, Jackson's debt had grown to almost $500 million. By the time of his death, he was three or four months behind payments of his home in San Fernando Valley.[303][304] The Independent reported that Jackson planned a string of further ventures designed to recoup his debts, including a world tour, a new album, films, a museum and a casino.[299]

Death
Main article: Death of Michael Jackson
 Fans placed flowers and notes on Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on the day of his death
On June 25, 2009, less than three weeks before his concert residency was due to begin in London, with all concerts sold out, Jackson died from cardiac arrest, caused by a propofol and benzodiazepine overdose.[305][306] Conrad Murray, his personal physician, had given Jackson various medications to help him sleep at his rented mansion in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles. Paramedics received a 911 call at 12:22 pm Pacific time (19:22 UTC) and arrived three minutes later.[307][308] Jackson was not breathing and CPR was performed.[309] Resuscitation efforts continued en route to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and for more than an hour after Jackson's arrival there, but were unsuccessful,[310][311] and Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 pm Pacific time (21:26 UTC).[312][313]

Murray had administered propofol, lorazepam, and midazolam;[314] his death was caused by a propofol overdose.[306][311] News of his death spread quickly online, causing websites to slow down and crash from user overload,[315] and it put unprecedented strain[316] on many services and websites including Google,[317] AOL Instant Messenger,[316] Twitter and Wikipedia.[317] Overall, web traffic rose by between 11% and 20%.[318][319] MTV and BET aired marathons of Jackson's music videos,[320] and Jackson specials aired on television stations around the world.[321] MTV briefly returned to its original music video format,[11] and they aired hours of Jackson's music videos, with live news specials featuring reactions from MTV personalities and other celebrities.[322]

Memorial service
Main article: Michael Jackson memorial service
 
Jackson's unmarked crypt at the end of the Sanctuary of Ascension in the Holly Terrace of the Great Mausoleum, Forest Lawn Glendale
 
Fans visiting the makeshift memorial set up outside the Neverland Ranch entrance shortly after Jackson's death
Jackson's memorial was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, preceded by a private family service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park's Hall of Liberty. Over 1.6 million fans applied for tickets to the memorial; the 8,750 recipients were drawn at random, and each received two tickets.[323] The memorial service was one of the most watched events in streaming history,[324] with an estimated US audience of 31.1 million[325] and a worldwide audience of an estimated 2.5 to 3 billion.[326][327]

Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Hudson, and Shaheen Jafargholi performed at the memorial, and Smokey Robinson and Queen Latifah gave eulogies.[328] Al Sharpton received a standing ovation with cheers when he told Jackson's children: "Wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with. But he dealt with it anyway."[329] Jackson's 11-year-old daughter Paris Katherine, speaking publicly for the first time, wept as she addressed the crowd.[330][331] Lucious Smith provided a closing prayer.[332] On September 3, 2009, the body of Jackson was entombed at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.[333]

Criminal investigation and prosecution of Conrad Murray
Main article: People v. Murray
In August 2009, the Los Angeles County Coroner ruled that Jackson's death was a homicide.[334][335] Law enforcement officials charged Murray with involuntary manslaughter on February 8, 2010.[336] In late 2011, he was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter[337] and held without bail to await sentencing.[338] Murray was sentenced to four years in prison.[339]

Posthumous sales
At the 2009 American Music Awards, Jackson won four posthumous awards, including two for his compilation album Number Ones, bringing his total American Music Awards to 26.[340][341] In the year after his death, more than 16.1 million copies of Jackson's albums were sold in the US alone, and 35 million copies were sold worldwide, more than any other artist in 2009.[342][343] He became the first artist to sell one million music downloads in a week, with 2.6 million song downloads. Thriller, Number Ones and The Essential Michael Jackson became the first catalog albums to outsell any new album.[344] Jackson also became the first artist to have four of the top-20 bestselling albums in a single year in the US.[345]

Following the surge in sales, in March 2010, Sony Music signed a $250 million deal (equivalent to $350 million in 2023) with the Jackson estate to extend their distribution rights to Jackson's back catalog until at least 2017; it had been due to expire in 2015. It was the most expensive music contract for a single artist in history.[346][347] They agreed to release ten albums of previously unreleased material and new collections of released work.[346][348] The deal was extended in 2017.[349] That July, a Los Angeles court awarded Quincy Jones $9.4 million of disputed royalty payments for Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad.[56] In July 2018, Sony/ATV bought the estate's stake in EMI for $287.5 million.[350]

In 2014, Jackson became the first artist to have a top-ten single in the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades.[351] The following year, Thriller became the first album to be certified for 30 million shipments by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[7] A year later, it was certified 33× platinum after Soundscan added streams and audio downloads to album certifications.[352][nb 4]

In February 2024, Sony Music acquired half of Jackson's publishing rights and recording masters for an estimated $600 million. The deal includes assets from Jackson's Mijac publishing catalog, but excludes royalties from several Jackson-related productions, including the MJ Broadway musical and the Michael biopic. The deal is possibly the largest transaction ever for a single musician's work.[354][355]

Posthumous releases and productions
Jackson's posthumous releases and productions are administered by the estate of Michael Jackson, which owns Jackson's trademarks and rights to his name, image and likeness.[356] The first posthumous Jackson song, "This Is It", co-written in the 1980s with Paul Anka, was released in October 2009. The surviving Jackson brothers reunited to record backing vocals.[357] It was followed by a documentary film about the rehearsals for the canceled This Is It tour, Michael Jackson's This Is It,[358] and a compilation album.[359] Despite a limited two-week engagement, the film became the highest-grossing documentary or concert film ever, with earnings of more than $260 million worldwide.[360] Jackson's estate received 90% of the profits.[361] In late 2010, Sony released the first posthumous album, Michael, and the promotional single "Breaking News". The Jackson collaborator will.i.am expressed disgust, saying that Jackson would not have approved the release.[362]

The video game developer Ubisoft released a music game featuring Jackson for the 2010 holiday season, Michael Jackson: The Experience. It was among the first games to use Kinect and PlayStation Move, the motion-detecting camera systems for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.[363] In April 2011, Mohamed Al-Fayed, the chairman of Fulham Football Club, unveiled a statue of Jackson outside the club stadium, Craven Cottage.[364] It was moved to the National Football Museum in Manchester in May 2014,[365] and removed from display in March 2019 following renewed sexual assault allegations.[366]

In October 2011, the theater company Cirque du Soleil launched Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour, a $57-million production,[367] in Montreal, with a permanent show resident in Las Vegas.[368] A larger and more theatrical Cirque show, Michael Jackson: One, designed for residency at the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas, opened on May 23, 2013, in a renovated theater.[369][370]

In 2012, in an attempt to end a family dispute, Jackson's brother Jermaine retracted his signature on a public letter criticizing executors of Jackson's estate and his mother's advisors over the legitimacy of his brother's will.[371] T.J. Jackson, the son of Tito Jackson, was given co-guardianship of Michael Jackson's children after false reports of Katherine Jackson going missing.[372] Xscape, an album of unreleased material, was released on May 13, 2014.[373] The lead single, a duet between Jackson and Justin Timberlake, "Love Never Felt So Good", reached number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making Jackson the first artist to have a top-10 single on the chart in five different decades.[374]

Later in 2014, Queen released a duet recorded with Jackson in the 1980s.[70] A compilation album, Scream, was released on September 29, 2017.[375] A jukebox musical, MJ the Musical, premiered on Broadway in 2022.[376] Myles Frost won the 2022 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Jackson.[377] On November 18, 2022, a 40th-anniversary edition reissue of Thriller was released.[378][379]

A biographical film based on Jackson's life, Michael, was due to enter production through Lionsgate in 2023, but it was put on hold amid the SAG-AFTRA strike.[380] It will be directed by Antoine Fuqua, produced by Graham King and written by John Logan.[381] Jackson will be played by Jaafar Jackson, son of Jackson's brother Jermaine. Deadline Hollywood reported that the film "will not shy away from the controversies of Jackson's life".[382]

Posthumous child sexual abuse allegations
 Jackson and Safechuck (left) in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1988
In 2013, choreographer Wade Robson filed a lawsuit alleging that Jackson had sexually abused him for seven years, beginning when he was seven years old (1989–1996).[383] In 2014, a case was filed by James Safechuck, alleging sexual abuse over a four-year period from the age of ten (1988–1992).[384][385][386] Both had testified in Jackson's defense during the 1993 allegations; Robson did so again in 2005.[387][388] In 2015, Robson's case against Jackson's estate was dismissed as it had been filed too late. Safechuck's claim was also time-barred.[389]

In 2017, it was ruled that Jackson's corporations could not be held accountable for his alleged past actions.[390][391] The rulings were appealed. On October 20, 2020, Safechuck's lawsuit against Jackson's corporations was again dismissed. The judge ruled that there was no evidence that Safechuck had had a relationship with Jackson's corporation, nor was it proven that there was a special relationship between the two.[392][393][394][395] On April 26, 2021, Robson's case was dismissed because of a lack of supporting evidence that the defendants exercised control over Jackson.[396]

Robson and Safechuck described their allegations against Jackson in graphic detail in the documentary Leaving Neverland, released in March 2019.[397] Radio stations in New Zealand, Canada, the UK and the Netherlands removed Jackson's music from their playlists.[398][399][400] Jackson's family condemned the film as a "public lynching",[401] and the Jackson estate released a statement calling the film a "tabloid character assassination [Jackson] endured in life, and now in death".[402] Close associates of Jackson, such as Corey Feldman, Aaron Carter, Brett Barnes, and Macaulay Culkin, said that Jackson had not molested them.[403][404][405]

Documentaries such as Square One: Michael Jackson, Neverland Firsthand: Investigating the Michael Jackson Documentary and Michael Jackson: Chase the Truth, presented information countering the claims suggested by Leaving Neverland.[406][407][408] Jackson's album sales increased following the documentary screenings.[409] Billboard senior editor Gail Mitchell said she and a colleague interviewed about thirty music executives who believed Jackson's legacy could withstand the controversy.[410] In late 2019, some New Zealand and Canadian radio stations re-added Jackson's music to their playlists, citing "positive listener survey results".[411][412]

On February 21, 2019, the Jackson estate sued HBO for breaching a non-disparagement clause from a 1992 contract. The suit sought to compel HBO to participate in a non-confidential arbitration that could result in $100 million or more in damages awarded to the estate.[413] HBO said they did not breach a contract and filed an anti-SLAPP motion against the estate. In September 2019, Judge George H. Wu denied HBO's motion to dismiss the case, allowing the Jackson estate to arbitrate.[414] HBO appealed, but in December 2020 the appeals court affirmed Wu's ruling.[415]

In 2020, a state law passed in California which granted plaintiffs in child sex abuse cases an additional period to file lawsuits. In October 2020 and again in April 2021, the Los Angeles County Superior Court ruled that MJJ Productions Inc. and MJJ Ventures Inc. employees were not legally obligated to protect the two men from Jackson. In August 2023, California's Second District Court of Appeal overturned the ruling, and the case was approved to move forward to trial court.[416]

Legacy
Main article: Cultural impact of Michael Jackson
See also: List of Michael Jackson records and achievements
Jackson has been referred to as the "King of Pop" for having transformed the art of music videos and paving the way for modern pop music. For much of Jackson's career, he had an unparalleled worldwide influence over the younger generation.[417] His influence extended beyond the music industry; he impacted dance, led fashion trends, and raised awareness for global affairs.[418] Jackson's music and videos fostered racial diversity in MTV's roster and steered its focus from rock to pop music and R&B, shaping the channel into a form that proved enduring.[44]

In songs such as "Man in the Mirror", "Black or White", "Heal the World", "Earth Song" and "They Don't Care About Us", Jackson's music emphasized racial integration and environmentalism and protested injustice.[419][420] He is recognized as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time by Guinness World Records.[421][422] Jackson has also appeared on Rolling Stone's lists of the Greatest Singers of All Time.[423][424] He is considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century,[425] and his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades.[426][427][428]

Trying to trace Michael Jackson's influence on the pop stars that followed him is like trying to trace the influence of oxygen and gravity. So vast, far-reaching and was his impact—particularly in the wake of Thriller's colossal and heretofore unmatched commercial success—that there weren't a whole lot of artists who weren't trying to mimic some of the Jackson formula.

— J. Edward Keyes of Rolling Stone[429]
Danyel Smith, chief content officer of Vibe Media Group and the editor-in-chief of Vibe, described Jackson as "the greatest star".[430] Steve Huey of AllMusic called him "an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the skills to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility and loads of sheer star power".[10] BET said Jackson was "quite simply the greatest entertainer of all time" whose "sound, style, movement and legacy continues to inspire artists of all genres".[431]

 Jackson's Bad era wax figure at Madame Tussauds, London in 1992
In 1984, Time pop critic Jay Cocks wrote that "Jackson is the biggest thing since the Beatles. He is the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley. He just may be the most popular black singer ever." He described Jackson as a "star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style, and color too."[91] In 2003, The Daily Telegraph writer Tom Utley described Jackson as "extremely important" and a "genius".[432] At Jackson's memorial service on July 7, 2009, Motown founder Berry Gordy called Jackson "the greatest entertainer that ever lived".[433][434] In a June 28, 2009 Baltimore Sun article, Jill Rosen wrote that Jackson's legacy influenced fields including sound, dance, fashion, music videos and celebrity.[435]

Pop critic Robert Christgau wrote that Jackson's work from the 1970s to the early 1990s showed "immense originality, adaptability, and ambition" with "genius beats, hooks, arrangements, and vocals (though not lyrics)", music that "will stand forever as a reproach to the puritanical notion that pop music is slick or shallow and that's the end of it". During the 1990s, as Jackson lost control of his "troubling life", his music suffered and began to shape "an arc not merely of promise fulfilled and outlived, but of something approaching tragedy: a phenomenally ebullient child star tops himself like none before, only to transmute audibly into a lost weirdo".[436] In the 2000s, Christgau wrote: "Jackson's obsession with fame, his grotesque life magnified by his grotesque wealth, are such an offense to rock aesthetes that the fact that he's a great musician is now often forgotten".[437]

Philanthropy and humanitarian work
Main article: Philanthropy of Michael Jackson
 President Ronald Reagan rewarding Jackson in 1984 for his support of alcohol and drug abuse charities
Jackson is widely regarded as having been a prolific philanthropist and humanitarian.[438][439][440][441] Jackson's early charitable work has been described by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as having "paved the way for the current surge in celebrity philanthropy",[442] and by the Los Angeles Times as having "set the standard for generosity for other entertainers".[438]

By some estimates, he donated over $500 million, not accounting for inflation, to various charities over the course of his life.[438] In 1992, Jackson established his Heal the World Foundation, to which he donated several million dollars in revenue from his Dangerous World Tour.[443]

Jackson's philanthropic activities went beyond just monetary donations. He also performed at benefit concerts, some of which he arranged. He gifted tickets for his regular concert performances to groups that assist underprivileged children. He visited sick children in hospitals around the world. He opened his own home for visits by underprivileged or sick children and provided special facilities and nurses if the children needed that level of care.

Jackson donated valuable, personal and professional paraphernalia for numerous charity auctions. He received various awards and accolades for his philanthropic work, including two bestowed by presidents of the United States. The vast breadth of Jackson's philanthropic work has earned recognition in the Guinness World Records.[438][444][445]

On May 14, 1984, President Ronald Reagan gave Jackson an award recognizing his support of alcohol and drug abuse charities,[446] and in recognition of his support for the Ad Council's and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Drunk Driving Prevention campaign. Jackson allowed the campaign to use "Beat It" for its public service announcements.[447]

Artistry
Influences
Jackson was influenced by musicians including James Brown, Little Richard, Jackie Wilson, Diana Ross, Fred Astaire, Sammy Davis Jr., Gene Kelly,[448] and David Ruffin.[449] Little Richard had a substantial influence on Jackson,[450] but Brown was his greatest inspiration; he later said that as a small child, his mother would wake him whenever Brown appeared on television. Jackson described being "mesmerized".[451]

Jackson's vocal technique was influenced by Diana Ross; his use of the oooh interjection from a young age was something Ross had used on many of her songs with the Supremes.[452] She was a mother figure to him, and he often watched her rehearse.[453] He said he had learned a lot from watching how she moved and sang, and that she had encouraged him to have confidence in himself.[454]

Choreographer David Winters, who met Jackson while choreographing the 1971 Diana Ross TV special Diana!, said that Jackson watched the musical West Side Story almost every week, and it was his favorite film; he paid tribute to it in "Beat It" and the "Bad" video.[455][456][457]

Vocal style
Jackson sang from childhood, and over time his voice and vocal style changed. Between 1971 and 1975, his voice descended from boy soprano to lyric tenor.[458] He was known for his vocal range.[423] With the arrival of Off the Wall in the late 1970s, Jackson's abilities as a vocalist were well regarded; Rolling Stone compared his vocals to the "breathless, dreamy stutter" of Stevie Wonder, and wrote that "Jackson's feathery-timbred tenor is extraordinarily beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that's used very daringly."[459] By the time of 1982's Thriller, Rolling Stone wrote that Jackson was singing in a "fully adult voice" that was "tinged by sadness".[460]

The turn of the 1990s saw the release of the introspective album Dangerous. The New York Times noted that on some tracks, "he gulps for breath, his voice quivers with anxiety or drops to a desperate whisper, hissing through clenched teeth" and he had a "wretched tone". When singing of brotherhood or self-esteem the musician would return to "smooth" vocals.[461] Of Invincible, Rolling Stone wrote that, at 43, Jackson still performed "exquisitely voiced rhythm tracks and vibrating vocal harmonies".[462] Joseph Vogel notes Jackson's ability to use non-verbal sounds to express emotion.[463] Neil McCormick wrote that Jackson's unorthodox singing style "was original and utterly distinctive".[464]

Musicianship
Jackson had no formal music training and could not read or write music notation. He is credited for playing guitar, keyboard, and drums, but was not proficient in them.[465] When composing, he recorded ideas by beatboxing and imitating instruments vocally.[465] Describing the process, he said: "I'll just sing the bass part into the tape recorder. I'll take that bass lick and put the chords of the melody over the bass lick and that's what inspires the melody." The engineer Robert Hoffman recalled that after Jackson came in with a song he had written overnight, Jackson sang every note of every chord to a guitar player. Hoffman also remembered Jackson singing string arrangements part by part into a cassette recorder.[465]



Dance
Jackson danced from a young age as part of the Jackson 5,[466] and incorporated dance extensively in his performances and music videos.[466] According to Sanjoy Roy of The Guardian, Jackson would "flick and retract his limbs like switchblades, or snap out of a tornado spin into a perfectly poised toe-stand".[466] The moonwalk, taught to him by Jeffrey Daniel,[81] was Jackson's signature dance move and one of the most famous of the 20th century.[467] Jackson is credited for coining the name "moonwalk"; the move was previously known as the "backslide".[468][469] His other moves included the robot,[49] crotch grab, and the "anti-gravity" lean of the "Smooth Criminal" video.[466]

Themes and genres
 Jackson during his Bad World Tour in Vienna, June 1988
Jackson explored genres including pop,[10][470] soul,[10][157] rhythm and blues,[470] funk,[471] rock,[470][471] disco,[472] post-disco,[471] dance-pop[473] and new jack swing.[10] Steve Huey of AllMusic wrote that Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall; the dance and rock tracks were more aggressive, while the pop tunes and ballads were softer and more soulful.[10] Its tracks included the ballads "The Lady in My Life", "Human Nature", and "The Girl Is Mine",[474][460][475] the funk pieces "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'",[474][460] and the disco set "Baby Be Mine" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)".[475]

With Off the Wall, Jackson's "vocabulary of grunts, squeals, hiccups, moans, and asides" vividly showed his maturation into an adult, Robert Christgau wrote in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981). The album's title track suggested to the critic a parallel between Jackson and Stevie Wonder's "oddball" music personas: "Since childhood his main contact with the real world has been on stage and in bed."[476] With Thriller, Christopher Connelly of Rolling Stone commented that Jackson developed his long association with the subliminal theme of paranoia and darker imagery.[460] AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted this on the songs "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".[474] In "Billie Jean", Jackson depicts an obsessive fan who alleges he has fathered her child,[10] and in "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" he argues against gossip and the media.[460] "Beat It" decried gang violence in a homage to West Side Story, and was Jackson's first successful rock cross-over piece, according to Huey.[10][41] He observed that "Thriller" began Jackson's interest with the theme of the supernatural, a topic he revisited in subsequent years. In 1985, Jackson co-wrote the charity anthem "We Are the World"; humanitarian themes later became a recurring theme in his lyrics and public persona.[10]

 Jackson's Bad era jacket on display at the Hollywood Guinness World Records Museum
In Bad, Jackson's concept of the predatory lover is seen on the rock song "Dirty Diana".[477] The lead single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a traditional love ballad, and "Man in the Mirror" is a ballad of confession and resolution. "Smooth Criminal" is an evocation of bloody assault, rape and likely murder.[138] AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that Dangerous presents Jackson as a paradoxical person.[478] The first half of the record is dedicated to new jack swing, including songs like "Jam" and "Remember the Time". It was the first Jackson album in which social ills became a primary theme; "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", for example, protests world hunger, AIDS, homelessness and drugs. Dangerous contains sexually charged songs such as "In the Closet". The title track continues the theme of the predatory lover and compulsive desire. The second half includes introspective, pop-gospel anthems such as "Will You Be There", "Heal the World" and "Keep the Faith".[461] In the ballad "Gone Too Soon", Jackson gives tribute to Ryan White and the plight of those with AIDS.[479]

HIStory creates an atmosphere of paranoia.[480] In the new jack swing-funk rock tracks "Scream" and "Tabloid Junkie", and the R&B ballad "You Are Not Alone", Jackson retaliates against the injustice and isolation he feels, and directs his anger at the media.[481] In the introspective ballad "Stranger in Moscow", Jackson laments his "fall from grace"; "Earth Song", "Childhood", "Little Susie" and "Smile" are operatic pop songs.[480][481] In "D.S.", Jackson attacks lawyer Thomas W. Sneddon Jr., who had prosecuted him in both child sexual abuse cases; he describes Sneddon as a white supremacist who wanted to "get my ass, dead or alive".[482] Invincible includes urban soul tracks such as "Cry" and "The Lost Children", ballads such as "Speechless", "Break of Dawn", and "Butterflies", and mixes hip hop, pop, and R&B in "2000 Watts", "Heartbreaker" and "Invincible".[483][484]

Music videos and choreography
 Jackson (center) performing a dance sequence of "The Way You Make Me Feel" at the Bad World Tour in 1988
Jackson released "Thriller", a 14-minute music video directed by John Landis, in 1983.[485] The zombie-themed video "defined music videos and broke racial barriers" on MTV, which had launched two years earlier.[44] Before Thriller, Jackson struggled to receive coverage on MTV, allegedly because he was African American.[486] Pressure from CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", which led to a lengthy partnership with Jackson, and helped other black music artists gain recognition.[487] The popularity of his videos on MTV helped the relatively new channel's viewing figures, and MTV's focus shifted toward pop and R&B.[487][488] His performance on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever changed the scope of live stage shows, making it acceptable for artists to lip-sync to music video on stage.[489] The choreography in Thriller has been copied in Indian films and prisons in the Philippines.[490] Thriller marked an increase in scale for music videos, and was named the most successful music video ever by the Guinness World Records.[222]

In "Bad"'s 19-minute video—directed by Martin Scorsese—Jackson used sexual imagery and choreography, and touched his chest, torso and crotch. When asked by Winfrey in the 1993 interview about why he grabbed his crotch, he said it was spontaneously compelled by the music. Time magazine described the "Bad" video as "infamous". It featured Wesley Snipes; Jackson's later videos often featured famous cameo roles.[491][492] For the "Smooth Criminal" video, Jackson experimented with leaning forward at a 45 degree angle, beyond the performer's center of gravity. To accomplish this live, Jackson and designers developed a special shoe to lock the performer's feet to the stage, allowing them to lean forward. They were granted U.S. patent 5,255,452 for the device.[493] The video for "Leave Me Alone" was not officially released in the US, but in 1989 was nominated for three Billboard Music Video Awards[494] and won a Golden Lion Award for its special effects. It won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.[63]

He received the MTV Video Vanguard Award in 1988; in 2001 the award was renamed in his honor.[495] The "Black or White" video simultaneously premiered on November 14, 1991, in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million people, the largest audience ever for a music video at the time.[172] Along with Jackson, it featured Macaulay Culkin, Peggy Lipton, and George Wendt. It helped introduce morphing to music videos.[496] It was controversial for scenes in which Jackson rubs his crotch, vandalizes cars, and throws a garbage can through a storefront. He apologized and removed the final scene of the video.[161]

"In the Closet" featured Naomi Campbell in a courtship dance with Jackson.[497] "Remember the Time" was set in ancient Egypt, and featured Eddie Murphy, Iman, and Magic Johnson.[498] The video for "Scream", directed by Mark Romanek and production designer Tom Foden, gained a record 11 MTV Video Music Award Nominations, and won "Best Dance Video", "Best Choreography", and "Best Art Direction".[499] The song and its video are Jackson's response to being accused of child molestation in 1993.[500] A year later, it won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form. It has been reported as the most expensive music video ever made, at $7 million;[501] Romanek has contradicted this.[502] The "Earth Song" video was nominated for the 1997 Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.[503]

Michael Jackson's Ghosts, a short film written by Jackson and Stephen King and directed by Stan Winston, premiered at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival. At over 38 minutes long, it held the Guinness world record for the longest music video until 2013, when it was eclipsed by the video for the Pharrell Williams song "Happy".[504] The 2001 video for "You Rock My World" lasts over 13 minutes, was directed by Paul Hunter, and features Chris Tucker and Marlon Brando.[505] It won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Music Video in 2002.[506]

In December 2009, the Library of Congress selected "Thriller" as the only music video to be preserved in the National Film Registry, as a work of "enduring importance to American culture".[507][508] Huey wrote that Jackson transformed the music video into an artform and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameos, while breaking down racial barriers.[10]

Honors and awards
See also: List of awards and nominations received by Michael Jackson
 The Thriller platinum certified record on display at the Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood. As of 2017, it is certified 33× platinum.[352]
Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists in history,[509] with sales estimated around 500 million records worldwide.[510][Note 2] He had 13 number-one singles in the US in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era.[511] He was invited and honored by a president of the United States at the White House three times. In 1984, he was honored with a "Presidential Public Safety Commendation" award by Ronald Reagan for his humanitarian endeavors.[512] In 1990, he was honored as the "Artist of the Decade" by George H. W. Bush.[513] In 1992, he was honored as a "Point of Light Ambassador" by Bush for inviting disadvantaged children to his Neverland Ranch.[514]

Jackson won hundreds of awards, making him one of the most-awarded artists in popular music.[515] His awards include 39 Guinness World Records, including the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time,[421][422] 13 Grammy Awards,[516] as well as the Grammy Legend Award[517] and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award,[518] and 26 American Music Awards, including the Artist of the Century and Artist of the 1980s.[244] He also received the World Music Awards' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium and the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award.[519] Jackson was inducted onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1980 as a member of the Jacksons, and in 1984 as a solo artist. He was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Vocal Group Hall of Fame as a member of the Jackson 5 in 1997 and 1999,[520] respectively, and again as a solo artist in 2001.[521] In 2002, he was added to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.[522] In 2010, he was the first recording artist to be inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame,[523] and in 2014, he was posthumously inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.[524] In 2021, he was among the inaugural inductees into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.[525]

In 1988, Fisk University honored him with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.[526] In 1992, he was invested as a titular king of Sanwi, a traditional kingdom located in the south-east of Ivory Coast.[527] In July 2009, the Lunar Republic Society named a crater on the Moon after Jackson.[528] In August, for what would have been Jackson's 51st birthday, Google dedicated their Google Doodle to him.[529] In 2012, the extinct hermit crab Mesoparapylocheles michaeljacksoni was named in his honor.[530] In 2014, the British Council of Cultural Relations deemed Jackson's life one of the 80 most important cultural moments of the 20th century.[531] World Vitiligo Day has been celebrated on June 25, the anniversary of Jackson's death, to raise awareness of the auto-immune disorder that Jackson suffered from.[532]

Earnings
Main article: Estate of Michael Jackson
In 1989, Jackson's annual earnings from album sales, endorsements, and concerts were estimated at $125 million.[222] Forbes placed Jackson's annual income at $35 million in 1996 and $20 million in 1997.[533] Estimates of Jackson's net worth during his life range from negative $285 million to positive $350 million for 2002, 2003 and 2007.[534][535] Forbes reported in August 2018 that Jackson's total career pretax earnings in life and death were $4.2 billion.[536][537] Sales of his recordings through Sony's music unit earned him an estimated $300 million in royalties. He may have earned another $400 million from concerts, music publishing (including his share of the Beatles catalog), endorsements, merchandising and music videos.[538]

In 2013, the executors of Jackson's estate filed a petition in the United States Tax Court as a result of a dispute with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over US federal estate taxes.[539] The executors claim that it was worth about $7 million, the IRS that it was worth over $1.1 billion. In February 2014, the IRS reported that Jackson's estate owed $702 million; $505 million in taxes, and $197 million in penalties.[540] A trial was held from February 6 to 24, 2017.[541] In 2021, the Tax Court issued a ruling in favor of the estate, ruling that the estate's total combined value of the estate was $111.5 million and that the value of Jackson's name and likeness was $4 million (not the $61 million estimated by the IRS's outside expert witness).[542]

In 2016, Forbes estimated annual gross earnings by the Jackson Estate at $825 million, the largest ever recorded for a celebrity, mostly due to the sale of the Sony/ATV catalog.[543] In 2018, the figure was $400 million.[544] It was the eighth year since his death that Jackson's annual earnings were reported to be over $100 million, thus bringing Jackson's postmortem total to $2.4 billion.[545] Forbes has consistently recognized Jackson as one of the top-earning dead celebrities since his death, and placed him at the top spot from 2013 to 2023.[546][547]

Discography
Main articles: Michael Jackson albums discography, Michael Jackson singles discography, and List of songs recorded by Michael Jackson
See also: The Jackson 5 discography
Got to Be There (1972)
Ben (1972)
Music & Me (1973)
Forever, Michael (1975)
Off the Wall (1979)
Thriller (1982)
Bad (1987)
Dangerous (1991)
HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995)
Invincible (2001)
Filmography
See also: Michael Jackson videography
The Wiz (1978)
Michael Jackson's Thriller (1983)
Captain EO (1986)
Moonwalker (1988)
Michael Jackson's Ghosts (1997)
Men in Black II (2002)
Miss Cast Away and the Island Girls (2004)
Michael Jackson's This Is It (2009)
Bad 25 (2012)
Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall (2016)
Thriller 40 (2023)
Tours
Main article: List of Michael Jackson concerts
Bad World Tour (1987–1989)
Dangerous World Tour (1992–1993)
HIStory World Tour (1996–1997)
MJ & Friends (1999)
See also
List of dancers
Notes
^ "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana"
^ In 2006, Raymone Bain, Jackson's publicist at that time, claimed that Michael Jackson had sold over 750 million units.[1][2] Since 2006, several sources such as Billboard or Reuters claimed that Michael Jackson had sold around 750 million records;[3][4] while others such as MTV or CBS News claimed that his sales were over 750 million albums.[5][6] In 2009, The Wall Street Journal disputed the 750 million figure (if it referred to albums, instead of units).[2] Later, in 2015, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) stated that Michael Jackson had sold 1 billion records worldwide.[7][8]
^ Blanket changed his name to "Bigi" in 2015.
^ In 2018, its US sales record was overtaken by the Eagles' album Greatest Hits 1971–75, with 38× platinum.[353]
 
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George, Nelson (2004). Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection (booklet). Sony BMG.
Inglis, Ian (2006). Performance and Popular Music: History, Place and Time. Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7546-4057-8.
Jackson, Michael (2009) [First published 1988]. Moonwalk. Random House. ISBN 978-0-307-71698-9.
Knopper, Steve (2016). MJ: The Genius of Michael Jackson. Scribner. ISBN 978-1-4767-3037-0.
Lewis Jones, Jel D. (2005). Michael Jackson, the King of Pop: The Big Picture: the Music! the Man! the Legend! the Interviews: an Anthology. Amber Books Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9749779-0-4.
Mansour, David (2005). From Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century. Andrews McMeel Publishing. ISBN 0-7407-5118-2.
Palmer, Robert (1995). Rock & Roll: An Unruly History. Harmony Books. ISBN 978-0-517-70050-1.
Parameswaran, Radhika (2011). "E-Race-ing Color: Gender and Transnational Visual Economies of Beauty in India". In Sarma Hegde, Radha (ed.). Circuits of Visibility: Gender and Transnational Media Cultures. NYU Press. ISBN 978-0-8147-9060-1.
Ramage, John D.; Bean, John C.; Johnson, June (2001). Writing arguments: a rhetoric with readings. Allyn and Bacon. ISBN 978-0-205-31745-5.
Rojek, Chris (2007). Cultural Studies. Polity. ISBN 978-0-7456-3683-2.
Tannenbaum, Rob; Marks, Craig (2011). I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-1-101-52641-5.
Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2009). Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story, 1958–2009. Grand Central Publishing, 2009. ISBN 978-0-446-56474-8.
Vogel, Joseph (2012). Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson. New York: Sterling. ISBN 978-1-4027-7938-1.
Young, Julie (Fall 2009). "A Hoosier Thriller: Gary, Indiana's Michael Jackson". Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History. 21 (4). Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society. Archived from the original on April 15, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
Further reading
Hidalgo, Susan; Weiner, Robert G. (2010). "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin': MJ in the Scholarly Literature: A Selected Bibliographic Guide" (PDF). The Journal of Pan African Studies. 3 (7).
How Michael Jackson Changed Dance History – biography.com
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation).
"King of Pop" redirects here. For other uses, see King of Pop (disambiguation).
Michael Jackson
 Jackson in 1988
Born
Michael Joseph Jackson

August 29, 1958
Gary, Indiana, US
Died
June 25, 2009 (aged 50)
Los Angeles, California, US
Cause of death
Acute propofol intoxication
Burial place
Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California, US
Other names
Michael Joe Jackson
Occupations
Singer
songwriter
dancer
record producer
Spouses
Lisa Marie Presley
​
​
(m. 1994; div. 1996)​
Debbie Rowe
​
​
(m. 1996; div. 2000)​
Children
3, including Paris
Parents
Joe Jackson
Katherine Jackson
Family
Jackson family
Awards
Full list
Musical career
Genres
Pop
soul
rhythm and blues
funk
rock
disco
post-disco
dance-pop
new jack swing
Instrument(s)
Vocals
Discography
Albums
singles
songs
Years active
1964–2009
Labels
Steeltown
Motown
Epic
Legacy
Sony
MJJ Productions
Formerly of
The Jackson 5
 
Website
michaeljackson.com
Signature
 
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Known as the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. During his four-decade career, his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture. Jackson influenced artists across many music genres. Through stage and video performances, he popularized complicated street dance moves such as the moonwalk, which he named, as well as the robot.

The eighth child of the Jackson family, Jackson made his public debut in 1964 with his older brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon as a member of the Jackson 5 (later known as the Jacksons). Jackson began his solo career in 1971 while at Motown Records. He became a solo star with his 1979 album Off the Wall. His music videos, including those for "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller" from his 1982 album Thriller, are credited with breaking racial barriers and transforming the medium into an art form and promotional tool. He helped propel the success of MTV and continued to innovate with the videos for his subsequent albums: Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995), and Invincible (2001). Thriller became the best-selling album of all time, while Bad was the first album to produce five US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles.[nb 1]

From the late 1980s, Jackson became a figure of controversy and speculation due to his changing appearance, relationships, behavior, and lifestyle. In 1993, he was accused of sexually abusing the child of a family friend. The lawsuit was settled out of civil court; Jackson was not indicted due to lack of evidence. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further child sexual abuse allegations and several other charges. The FBI found no evidence of criminal conduct by Jackson in either case. In 2009, while he was preparing for a series of comeback concerts, This Is It, Jackson died from an overdose of propofol administered by his personal physician, Conrad Murray, who was convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter for his involvement in Jackson's death. His death triggered reactions around the world, creating unprecedented surges of internet traffic and a spike in sales of his music. Jackson's televised memorial service, held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, was estimated to have been viewed by more than 2.5 billion people.

Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with sales estimated around 500 million records worldwide.[nb 2] He had 13 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles (fourth highest of any artist in the Hot 100 era) and was the first artist to have a top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades. His honors include 15 Grammy Awards, six Brit Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and 39 Guinness World Records, including the "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time". Jackson's inductions include the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (twice), the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Dance Hall of Fame (making him the only recording artist to be inducted) and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.

Life and career
Early life and the Jackson 5 (1958–1975)
 Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Indiana, pictured in March 2010
Michael Joseph Jackson[9][10] was born in Gary, Indiana, on August 29, 1958.[11][12] He was the eighth of ten children in the Jackson family, a working-class African-American family living in a two-bedroom house on Jackson Street.[13][14] His mother, Katherine Esther Jackson (née Scruse), played clarinet and piano, had aspired to be a country-and-western performer, and worked part-time at Sears.[15] She was a Jehovah's Witness.[16] His father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, a former boxer, was a crane operator at US Steel and played guitar with a local rhythm and blues band, the Falcons, to supplement the family's income.[17][18] Joe's great-grandfather, July "Jack" Gale, was a US Army scout; family lore held that he was also a Native American medicine man.[19] Michael grew up with three sisters (Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet) and five brothers (Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy).[17] A sixth brother, Marlon's twin Brandon, died shortly after birth.[20]

In 1964, Michael and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by their father which included Jackie, Tito and Jermaine—as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine.[21][22] Michael said his father told him he had a "fat nose",[23] and physically and emotionally abused him during rehearsals. He recalled that Joe often sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his siblings rehearsed, ready to punish any mistakes.[16][24] Joe acknowledged that he regularly whipped Michael.[25] Katherine said that although whipping came to be considered abuse, it was a common way to discipline children when Michael was growing up.[26][27] Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon denied that their father was abusive and said that the whippings, which had a deeper impact on Michael because he was younger, kept them disciplined and out of trouble.[28] Michael said that during his youth he was lonely and isolated.[29]

Later in 1965, Michael began sharing lead vocals with Jermaine, and the group's name was changed to the Jackson 5.[30] In 1965, the group won a talent show; Michael performed the dance to Robert Parker's 1965 song "Barefootin'" and sang the Temptations' "My Girl".[31] From 1966 to 1968, the Jacksons 5 toured the Midwest; they frequently played at a string of black clubs known as the Chitlin' Circuit as the opening act for artists such as Sam & Dave, the O'Jays, Gladys Knight and Etta James. The Jackson 5 also performed at clubs and cocktail lounges, where striptease shows were featured, and at local auditoriums and high school dances.[32][33] In August 1967, while touring the East Coast, they won a weekly amateur night concert at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.[34]

 Michael Jackson (center) as a member of the Jackson 5 in 1972. The group were among the first African American performers to attain a crossover following.[35]
The Jackson 5 recorded several songs for a Gary record label, Steeltown Records; their first single, "Big Boy", was released in 1968.[36] Bobby Taylor of Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers brought the Jackson 5 to Motown after they opened for Taylor at Chicago's Regal Theater in 1968. Taylor produced some of their early Motown recordings, including a version of "Who's Lovin' You".[37] After signing with Motown, the Jackson family relocated to Los Angeles.[38] In 1969, Motown executives decided Diana Ross should introduce the Jackson 5 to the public — partly to bolster her career in television — sending off what was considered Motown's last product of its "production line".[39] The Jackson 5 made their first television appearance in 1969 in the Miss Black America pageant, performing a cover of "It's Your Thing".[40] Rolling Stone later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts" who "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer".[41]

In January 1970, "I Want You Back" became the first Jackson 5 song to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100; it stayed there for four weeks. Three more singles with Motown topped the chart: "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There".[42] In May 1971, the Jackson family moved into a large house at Hayvenhurst, a 2-acre (0.81 ha) estate in Encino, California.[43] During this period, Michael developed from a child performer into a teen idol.[44] Between 1972 and 1975, he released four solo studio albums with Motown: Got to Be There (1972), Ben (1972), Music & Me (1973) and Forever, Michael (1975).[45] "Got to Be There" and "Ben", the title tracks from his first two solo albums, sold well as singles, as did a cover of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin".[46]

Michael maintained ties to the Jackson 5.[45] The Jackson 5 were later described as "a cutting-edge example of black crossover artists".[47] They were frustrated by Motown's refusal to allow them creative input.[48] Jackson's performance of their top five single "Dancing Machine" on Soul Train popularized the robot dance.[49]

Move to Epic and Off the Wall (1975–1981)
 The Jackson siblings in 1977, without Jermaine. From left, back row: Jackie, Michael, Tito, Marlon. Middle row: Randy, La Toya, Rebbie. Front row: Janet
The Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975, signing with Epic Records and renaming themselves the Jacksons.[50] Their younger brother Randy joined the band around this time; Jermaine stayed with Motown and pursued a solo career.[51] The Jacksons continued to tour internationally, and released six more albums between 1976 and 1984. Michael, the group's main songwriter during this time, wrote songs such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" (1978), "This Place Hotel" (1980), and "Can You Feel It" (1980).[52]

In 1977, Jackson moved to New York City to star as the Scarecrow in The Wiz, a musical film directed by Sidney Lumet, alongside Diana Ross, Nipsey Russell, and Ted Ross.[53] The film was a box-office failure.[54] Its score was arranged by Quincy Jones,[55] who later produced three of Jackson's solo albums.[56] During his time in New York, Jackson frequented the Studio 54 nightclub, where he heard early hip hop; this influenced his beatboxing on future tracks such as "Working Day and Night".[57] In 1978, Jackson broke his nose during a dance routine. A rhinoplasty led to breathing difficulties that later affected his career. He was referred to Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson's operations.[58]

Jackson's fifth solo album, Off the Wall (1979), established him as a solo performer and helped him move from the bubblegum pop of his youth to more complex sounds.[44] It produced four top 10 entries in the US: "Off the Wall", "She's Out of My Life", and the chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You".[59] The album reached number three on the US Billboard 200 and sold over 20 million copies worldwide.[60] In 1980, Jackson won three American Music Awards for his solo work: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[61][62] He also won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for 1979 with "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[63] In 1981, Jackson was the American Music Awards winner for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist.[64] Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.[65] In 1980, he secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album profit.[66]

Thriller and Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever (1982–1983)
 The sequined jacket and white glove worn by Jackson at Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever. British Vogue called Jackson "a fashion pioneer [...] who gave new meaning to moonwalking, immortalised solitary, [and] sparkly gloves".[67]
Jackson recorded with Queen's lead singer Freddie Mercury from 1981 to 1983, recording demos of "State of Shock", "Victory" and "There Must Be More to Life Than This". The recordings were intended for an album of duets but, according to Queen's manager Jim Beach, the relationship soured when Jackson brought a llama into the recording studio,[68] and Jackson was upset by Mercury's drug use.[69] "There Must Be More to Life Than This" was released in 2014.[70] Jackson went on to record "State of Shock" with Mick Jagger for the Jacksons' album Victory (1984).[71]

In 1982, Jackson contributed "Someone in the Dark" to the audiobook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Jackson's sixth album, Thriller, was released in late 1982. It was the bestselling album worldwide in 1983,[72][73] and became the bestselling album of all time in the US[74] and the best-selling album of all time worldwide, selling an estimated 70 million copies.[75][76] It topped the Billboard 200 chart for 37 weeks and was in the top 10 of the 200 for 80 consecutive weeks. It was the first album to produce seven Billboard Hot 100 top-10 singles, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It", and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".[77]

On March 25, 1983, Jackson reunited with his brothers for Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, an NBC television special. The show aired on May 16 to an estimated audience of 47 million, and featured the Jacksons and other Motown stars.[78] Jackson's solo performance of "Billie Jean" earned him his first Emmy Award nomination.[79] Wearing a glove decorated with rhinestones,[80] he debuted his moonwalk dance, which Jeffrey Daniel had taught him three years earlier, and it became his signature dance in his repertoire.[81] Jackson had originally turned down the invitation to the show, believing he had been doing too much television. But at the request of Motown founder Berry Gordy, he performed in exchange for an opportunity to do a solo performance.[82] Rolling Stone reporter Mikal Gilmore called the performance "extraordinary".[44] Jackson's performance drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and the Beatles' appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.[83] Anna Kisselgoff of The New York Times praised the perfect timing and technique involved in the dance.[84] Gordy described being "mesmerized" by the performance.[85]

At the 26th Annual Grammy Awards, Thriller won eight awards, and Jackson won an award for the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial storybook. Winning eight Grammys in one ceremony is a record he holds with the band Santana.[63] Jackson and Quincy Jones won the award for Producer of the Year (Non-Classical). Thriller won Album of the Year (with Jackson as the album's artist and Jones as its co-producer), and the single won Best Pop Vocal Performance (Male) award for Jackson. "Beat It" won Record of the Year and Best Rock Vocal Performance (Male). "Billie Jean" won two Grammy awards: Best R&B Song and Best R&B Vocal Performance (Male), with Jackson as songwriter and singer respectively.[63]

Thriller won the Grammy for Best Engineered Recording (Non Classical), acknowledging Bruce Swedien for his work on the album.[86] At the 11th Annual American Music Awards, Jackson won another eight awards and became the youngest artist to win the Award of Merit.[87] He also won Favorite Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Artist, and Favorite Pop/Rock Artist. "Beat It" won Favorite Soul/R&B Video, Favorite Pop/Rock Video and Favorite Pop/Rock Single. The album won Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Pop/Rock Album.[87][88] Thriller's sales doubled after the release of an extended music video, Michael Jackson's Thriller, which sees Jackson dancing with a horde of zombies.[89][90]

The success transformed Jackson into a dominant force in global pop culture.[90] Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point, with about $2 for every album sold (equivalent to $6 in 2023), and was making record-breaking profits. Dolls modeled after Jackson appeared in stores in May 1984 for $12 each.[91] In the same year, The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller, a documentary about the music video, won a Grammy for Best Music Video (Longform).[63] Time described Jackson's influence at that point as "star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style and color too."[91] The New York Times wrote "in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else".[92]

Pepsi incident and other commercial activities (1984–1985)
In November 1983, Jackson and his brothers partnered with PepsiCo in a $5 million promotional deal that broke records for a celebrity endorsement (equivalent to $15.3 million in 2023). The first Pepsi campaign, which ran in the US from 1983 to 1984 and launched its "New Generation" theme, included tour sponsorship, public relations events, and in-store displays. Jackson helped to create the advertisement, and suggested using his song "Billie Jean", with revised lyrics, as its jingle.[93]

On January 27, 1984, Michael and other members of the Jacksons filmed a Pepsi commercial overseen by Phil Dusenberry,[94] a BBDO ad agency executive, and Alan Pottasch, Pepsi's Worldwide Creative Director, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. During a simulated concert before a full house of fans, pyrotechnics accidentally set Jackson's hair on fire, causing second-degree burns to his scalp. Jackson underwent treatment to hide the scars and had his third rhinoplasty shortly thereafter.[95]

Pepsi settled out of court, and Jackson donated the $1.5 million settlement to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California; its now-closed Michael Jackson Burn Center was named in his honor.[96][97] Jackson signed a second agreement with Pepsi in the late 1980s for $10 million. The second campaign covered 20 countries and provided financial support for Jackson's Bad album and 1987–88 world tour. Jackson had endorsements and advertising deals with other companies, such as LA Gear, Suzuki, and Sony, but none were as significant as his deals with Pepsi.[93]

 The Jacksons performing during their Victory Tour at the Arrowhead Stadium, 1984
The Victory Tour of 1984 headlined the Jacksons and showcased Jackson's new solo material to more than two million Americans. It was the last tour he did with his brothers.[98] Following controversy over the concert's ticket sales, Jackson donated his share of the proceeds, an estimated $3 to 5 million, to charity.[99] During the last concert of the Victory Tour at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Jackson announced his split from the Jacksons during "Shake Your Body".[100]

With Lionel Richie, Jackson co-wrote the charity single "We Are the World" (1985), which raised money for the poor in the US and Africa.[101][102] It earned $63 million (equivalent to $178 million in 2023),[102] and became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with 20 million copies sold.[103] It won four Grammy Awards in 1985, including Song of the Year for Jackson and Richie.[101] Jackson, Jones, and the promoter Ken Kragen received special awards for their roles in the song's creation.[101][104][105][106]

 Jackson signing a "We Are the World" poster in 1985
Jackson collaborated with Paul McCartney in the early 1980s, and learned that McCartney was making $40 million a year from owning the rights to other artists' songs.[102] By 1983, Jackson had begun buying publishing rights to others' songs, but he was careful with his acquisitions, only bidding on a few of the dozens that were offered to him. Jackson's early acquisitions of music catalogs and song copyrights such as the Sly Stone collection included "Everyday People" (1968), Len Barry's "1-2-3" (1965), and Dion DiMucci's "The Wanderer" (1961) and "Runaround Sue" (1961).

In 1984, Robert Holmes à Court announced he was selling the ATV Music Publishing catalog comprising the publishing rights to nearly 4,000 songs, including most of the Beatles' material.[107] In 1981, McCartney had been offered the catalog for £20 million ($40 million).[102][108] Jackson submitted a bid of $46 million on November 20, 1984.[107] When Jackson and McCartney were unable to make a joint purchase, McCartney did not want to be the sole owner of the Beatles' songs, and did not pursue an offer on his own.[109][108] Jackson's agents were unable to come to a deal, and in May 1985 left talks after having spent more than $1 million and four months of due diligence work on the negotiations.[107]

In June 1985, Jackson and Branca learned that Charles Koppelman's and Marty Bandier's The Entertainment Company had made a tentative offer to buy ATV Music for $50 million; in early August, Holmes à Court contacted Jackson and talks resumed. Jackson's increased bid of $47.5 million (equivalent to $135 million in 2023) was accepted because he could close the deal more quickly, having already completed due diligence.[107] Jackson agreed to visit Holmes à Court in Australia, where he would appear on the Channel Seven Perth Telethon.[110] His purchase of ATV Music was finalized on August 10, 1985.[102][107]

Increased tabloid speculation (1986–1987)
See also: Health and appearance of Michael Jackson
Jackson's skin had been medium-brown during his youth, but from the mid-1980s gradually grew paler. The change drew widespread media coverage, including speculation that he had been bleaching his skin.[111][112][113] His dermatologist, Arnold Klein, said he observed in 1983 that Jackson had vitiligo,[114] a condition characterized by patches of the skin losing their pigment. He also identified discoid lupus erythematosus in Jackson. He diagnosed Jackson with lupus that year,[114] and with vitiligo in 1986.[115] Vitiligo's drastic effects on the body can cause psychological distress. Jackson used fair-colored makeup,[116] and possibly skin-bleaching prescription creams,[117] to cover up the uneven blotches of color caused by the illness. The creams would depigment the blotches, and, with the application of makeup, he could appear very pale.[118] Jackson said he had not purposely bleached his skin and could not control his vitiligo, adding, "When people make up stories that I don't want to be who I am, it hurts me."[119] He became friends with Klein and Klein's assistant, Debbie Rowe. Rowe later became Jackson's second wife and the mother of his first two children.[120]

In his 1988 autobiography and a 1993 interview, Jackson said he had had two rhinoplasty surgeries and a cleft chin surgery but no more than that. He said he lost weight in the early 1980s because of a change in diet to achieve a dancer's body.[121] Witnesses reported that he was often dizzy, and speculated he was suffering from anorexia nervosa. Periods of weight loss became a recurring problem later in his life.[122] After his death, Jackson's mother said that he first turned to cosmetic procedures to remedy his vitiligo, because he did not want to look like a "spotted cow". She said he had received more than the two cosmetic surgeries he claimed and speculated that he had become addicted to them.[123]

In 1986, it was reported that Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow aging. He denied the story,[124] although it was alleged that Jackson leaked an image of him sleeping in a glass chamber (according to Jackson, this was a promotional shot from an upcoming space opera featuring himself) to The National Enquirer.[125] It was also reported that Jackson took female hormone shots to keep his voice high and facial hair wispy, proposed to Elizabeth Taylor and possibly had a shrine of her, and had cosmetic surgery on his eyes. Jackson's manager Frank DiLeo denied all of them, except for Jackson having a chamber. DiLeo added "I don't know if he sleeps in it. I'm not for it. But Michael thinks it's something that's probably healthy for him. He's a bit of a health fanatic."[126]

When Jackson took his pet chimpanzee Bubbles to tour in Japan, the media portrayed Jackson as an aspiring Disney cartoon character who befriended animals.[127] It was also reported that Jackson had offered to buy the bones of Joseph Merrick (the "Elephant Man").[128] In June 1987, the Chicago Tribune reported Jackson's publicist bidding $1 million for the skeleton to the London Hospital Medical College on his behalf. The college maintained the skeleton was not for sale. DiLeo said Jackson had an "absorbing interest" in Merrick, "purely based on his awareness of the ethical, medical and historical significance."[129]

In September 1986, using the oxygen chamber story, the British tabloid The Sun branded Jackson "Wacko Jacko", a name Jackson came to despise.[10][130] The Atlantic noted that the name "Jacko" has racist connotations, as it originates from Jacko Macacco, a monkey used in monkey-baiting matches at the Westminster Pit in the early 1820s, and "Jacko" was used in Cockney slang to refer to monkeys in general.[131]

Jackson worked with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola on the 17-minute $30 million 3D film Captain EO, which ran from 1986 at Disneyland and Epcot, and later at Tokyo Disneyland and Euro Disneyland.[132] After having been removed in the late 1990s, it returned to the theme park for several years after Jackson's death.[133] In 1987, Ebony reported that Jackson had disassociated himself from the Jehovah's Witnesses.[134] Katherine Jackson said this might have been because some Witnesses strongly opposed the Thriller video,[135] which Michael denounced in a Witness publication in 1984.[136] In 2001, Jackson told an interviewer he was still a Jehovah's Witness.[137]

Bad, autobiography, and Neverland (1987–1990)
 Jackson and President George H. W. Bush at the White House on April 5, 1990. It was the second time that Jackson had been honored by a president of the United States.
Jackson's first album in five years, Bad (1987), was highly anticipated, with the industry expecting another major success.[138] It became the first album to produce five US number-one singles: "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana". Another song, "Smooth Criminal", peaked at number seven.[59] Bad won the 1988 Grammy for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical and the 1990 Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form for "Leave Me Alone".[63][86] Jackson won an Award of Achievement at the American Music Awards in 1989 after Bad generated five number-one singles, became the first album to top the charts in 25 countries and the bestselling album worldwide in 1987 and 1988.[139][140] By 2012, it had sold between 30 and 45 million copies worldwide.[141][142]

The Bad World Tour ran from September 12, 1987, to January 14, 1989.[143] In Japan, the tour had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record for a single tour.[144] The 504,000 people who attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium set a new Guinness World Record.[145]

In 1988, Jackson released his autobiography, Moonwalk, with input from Stephen Davis and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.[146] It sold 200,000 copies,[147] and reached the top of the New York Times bestsellers list.[148] Jackson discussed his childhood, the Jackson 5, and the abuse from his father.[149] He attributed his changing facial appearance to three plastic surgeries, puberty, weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hairstyle, and stage lighting.[150][121] In June, Jackson was honored with the Grand Vermeil Medal of the City of Paris by the then Mayor of Paris Jacques Chirac during his stay in the city as part of the Bad World Tour.[151][152] In October, Jackson released a film, Moonwalker, which featured live footage and short films starring Jackson and Joe Pesci. In the US it was released direct-to-video and became the bestselling video cassette in the country.[153][154] The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it as eight times Platinum in the US.[155]

In March 1988, Jackson purchased 2,700 acres (11 km2) of land near Santa Ynez, California, to build a new home, Neverland Ranch, at a cost of $17 million (equivalent to $44 million in 2023).[156] He installed a Ferris wheel, a carousel, a movie theater and a zoo.[156][157][158] A security staff of 40 patrolled the grounds.[157] Shortly afterwards, he appeared in the first Western television advertisement in the Soviet Union.[159]

Jackson became known as the "King of Pop", a nickname that Jackson's publicists embraced.[24][160][161] When Elizabeth Taylor presented him with the Soul Train Heritage Award in 1989, she called him "the true king of pop, rock and soul."[162] President George H. W. Bush designated him the White House's "Artist of the Decade".[163] From 1985 to 1990, Jackson donated $455,000 to the United Negro College Fund,[164] and all profits from his single "Man in the Mirror" went to charity.[165] His rendition of "You Were There" at Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th birthday celebration won Jackson a second Emmy nomination.[79] Jackson was the bestselling artist of the 1980s.[166]

Dangerous and public social work (1991–1993)
In March 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65 million (equivalent to $145 million in 2023), a record-breaking deal,[167] beating Neil Diamond's renewal contract with Columbia Records.[168] In 1991, he released his eighth album, Dangerous, co-produced with Teddy Riley.[169] It was certified eight times platinum in the US, and by 2018 had sold 32 million copies worldwide.[170][171] In the US, the first single, "Black or White", was the album's highest-charting song; it was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks and achieved similar chart performances worldwide.[172] The second single, "Remember the Time" peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[173] At the end of 1992, Dangerous was the bestselling album of the year worldwide and "Black or White" the bestselling single of the year worldwide at the Billboard Music Awards.[166] In 1993, he performed "Remember the Time" at the Soul Train Music Awards in a chair, saying he twisted his ankle during dance rehearsals.[174] In the UK, "Heal the World" made No. 2 on the charts in 1992.[175]

 Jackson during the Dangerous World Tour in 1993. Dangerous has been recognized by writers as an influence on contemporary pop and R&B artists.[176]
 Michael Jackson with David and Marty Paich in 1991
Jackson founded the Heal the World Foundation in 1992. The charity brought underprivileged children to Jackson's ranch to use the theme park rides, and sent millions of dollars around the globe to help children threatened by war, poverty, and disease. That July, Jackson published his second book, Dancing the Dream, a collection of poetry. The Dangerous World Tour ran between June 1992 and November 1993 and grossed $100 million (equivalent to $210 million in 2023); Jackson performed for 3.5 million people in 70 concerts, all of which were outside the US.[177] Part of the proceeds went to Heal the World Foundation.[178] Jackson sold the broadcast rights of the tour to HBO for $20 million, a record-breaking deal that still stands.[179]

Following the death of HIV/AIDS spokesperson and friend Ryan White, Jackson pleaded with the Clinton administration at Bill Clinton's inaugural gala to give more money to HIV/AIDS charities and research[180][181] and performed "Gone Too Soon", a song dedicated to White, and "Heal the World" at the gala.[182] Jackson visited Africa in early 1992; on his first stop in Gabon he was greeted by more than 100,000 people, some of them carrying signs that read "Welcome Home Michael",[183] and was awarded an Officer of the National Order of Merit from President Omar Bongo.[184][185] During his trip to Ivory Coast, Jackson drew larger crowds than Pope John Paul II on his previous visits.[186] He was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief in the Ivorian village of Krindjabo, where he thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed documents formalizing his kingship, and sat on a golden throne while presiding over ceremonial dances.[183]

In January 1993, Jackson performed at the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show in Pasadena, California. The NFL sought a big-name artist to keep ratings high during halftime following dwindling audience figures.[187][188] It was the first Super Bowl whose half-time performance drew greater audience figures than the game. Jackson played "Jam", "Billie Jean", "Black or White", and "Heal the World". Dangerous rose 90 places in the US albums chart after the performance.[111]

Jackson gave a 90-minute interview with Oprah Winfrey on February 10, 1993. He spoke of his childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he believed he had missed out on much of his childhood, and said that he often cried from loneliness. He denied tabloid rumors that he had bought the bones of the Elephant Man, slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, or bleached his skin, and stated for the first time that he had vitiligo. After the interview, Dangerous re-entered the US albums chart in the top 10, more than a year after its release.[24][111] The interview itself became the most-watched television interview in United States history to date.

In January 1993, Jackson won three American Music Awards: Favorite Pop/Rock Album (Dangerous), Favorite Soul/R&B Single ("Remember the Time"), and was the first to win the International Artist Award of Excellence.[189][190] In February, he won the "Living Legend Award" at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.[63] He attended the award ceremony with Brooke Shields.[191] Dangerous was nominated for Best Vocal Performance (for "Black or White"), Best R&B Vocal Performance ("Jam") and Best R&B Song ("Jam"), and Bruce Swedien and Teddy Riley won the Grammy for Best Engineered – Non Classical.[86]

First child sexual abuse accusations and first marriage (1993–1995)
Main article: 1993 child sexual abuse accusations against Michael Jackson
In August 1993, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy, Jordan Chandler, and his father, Evan Chandler.[192] Jordan said he and Jackson had engaged in acts of kissing, masturbation and oral sex.[193] While Jordan's mother initially told police that she did not believe Jackson had molested him, her position wavered a few days later.[194][195] Evan was recorded discussing his intention to pursue charges, which Jackson used to argue that he was the victim of a jealous father trying to extort money.[195] Jackson's older sister La Toya accused him of being a pedophile;[196] she later retracted this, saying she had been forced into it by her abusive husband.[197]

Police raided Jackson's home in August and found two legal large-format art books featuring young boys playing, running and swimming in various states of undress.[198] Jackson denied knowing of the books' content and claimed if they were there someone had to send them to him and he did not open them.[199] Jordan Chandler gave police a description of Jackson's genitals. A strip search was made, and the jurors felt the description was not a match.[200][201][202] In January 1994, Jackson settled with the Chandlers out of court for a reported total sum of $23 million.[203] The police never pressed criminal charges.[204] Citing a lack of evidence without Jordan's testimony, the state closed its investigation on September 22, 1994.[205]

Jackson had been taking painkillers for his reconstructive scalp surgeries, administered due to the Pepsi commercial accident in 1984, and became dependent on them to cope with the stress of the sexual abuse allegations.[206] On November 12, 1993, Jackson canceled the remainder of the Dangerous World Tour due to health problems, stress from the allegations and painkiller addiction. He thanked his close friend Elizabeth Taylor for support, encouragement and counsel. The end of the tour concluded his sponsorship deal with Pepsi.[207]

In late 1993, Jackson proposed to Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley, over the phone.[208] They married in La Vega, Dominican Republic, in May 1994 by civil judge Hugo Francisco Álvarez Pérez.[209] The tabloid media speculated that the wedding was a publicity stunt to deflect away from Jackson's sexual abuse allegations and jump-start Presley's career as a singer.[210][209] Their marriage ended little more than a year later, and they separated in December 1995.[211] Presley cited "irreconcilable differences" when filing for divorce the next month and only sought to reclaim her maiden name as her settlement.[210][212] After the divorce, Judge Pérez said, "They lasted longer than I thought they would. I gave them a year. They lasted a year and a half."[209] Presley later said she and Jackson had attempted to reconcile intermittently for four years following their divorce, and that she had traveled the world to be with him.[213]

Jackson composed music for the Sega Genesis video game Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994), but left the project around the time the sexual abuse allegations surfaced and went uncredited.[214][215] The Sega Technical Institute director Roger Hector and the Sonic co-creator Naoto Ohshima said that Jackson's involvement was terminated and his music reworked following the allegations.[216][217] However, Jackson's musical director Brad Buxer and other members of Jackson's team said Jackson went uncredited because he was unhappy with how the Genesis replicated his music.[218]

HIStory, second marriage, fatherhood and Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix (1995–1997)
 Jackson at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of Michael Jackson's Ghosts
In June 1995, Jackson released the double album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. The first disc, HIStory Begins, is a greatest hits album (reissued in 2001 as Greatest Hits: HIStory, Volume I). The second disc, HIStory Continues, contains 13 original songs and two cover versions. The album debuted at number one on the charts and has been certified for eight million shipments in the US.[219] It is the bestselling multi-disc album of all time, with 20 million copies (40 million units) sold worldwide.[172][220] HIStory received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.[63] The New York Times reviewed it as "the testimony of a musician whose self-pity now equals his talent".[221]

The first single from HIStory was "Scream/Childhood". "Scream", a duet with Jackson's youngest sister Janet, protests the media's treatment of Jackson during the 1993 child abuse allegations against him. The single reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100,[173] and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals".[63] The second single, "You Are Not Alone", holds the Guinness world record for the first song to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[222] It received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Performance" in 1995.[63]

In 1995 the Anti-Defamation League and other groups complained that "Jew me, sue me, everybody do me/ Kick me, kike me, don't you black or white me", the original lyrics of "They Don't Care About Us", were antisemitic. Jackson released a revised version of the song.[223]

In late 1995, Jackson was admitted to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance, caused by a stress-related panic attack.[224] In November, Jackson merged his ATV Music catalog with Sony's music publishing division, creating Sony/ATV Music Publishing. He retained ownership of half the company, earning $95 million up front (equivalent to $190 million in 2023) as well as the rights to more songs.[225][226]

"Earth Song" was the third single released from HIStory, and topped the UK Singles Chart for six weeks over Christmas 1995.[175] It became the 87th-bestselling single in the UK.[227] At the 1996 Brit Awards, Jackson's performance of "Earth Song" was disrupted by Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker, who was protesting what Cocker saw as Jackson's "Christ-like" persona. Jackson said the stage invasion was "disgusting and cowardly".[228][229]

In 1996, Jackson won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form, for "Scream" and an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist.[63][230] In July 1996, Jackson performed for Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah's fiftieth birthday at Jerudong Park Amphitheater, which was specifically built for that birthday concert.[231] Jackson was reportedly paid $17 million (equivalent to $33 million in 2023).[232] Jackson promoted HIStory with the HIStory World Tour, from September 7, 1996, to October 15, 1997. He performed 82 concerts in five continents, 35 countries and 58 cities to over 4.5 million fans, his most attended tour. It grossed $165 million.[143] During the tour, in Sydney, Australia, Jackson married Debbie Rowe, a dermatology assistant, who was six months pregnant with his first child.[233]

Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. (commonly known as Prince) was born on February 13, 1997. His sister Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson was born on April 3, 1998.[234] Jackson and Rowe divorced in 2000, Rowe conceded custody of the children, with an $8 million settlement (equivalent to $14.6 million in 2023).[235] In 2004, after the second child abuse allegations against Jackson, she returned to court to reclaim custody. The suit was settled in 2006.[236]

In 1997, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, which contained remixes of singles from HIStory and five new songs. Worldwide sales stand at 6 million copies, making it the best-selling remix album. It reached number one in the UK, as did the single "Blood on the Dance Floor".[237] In the US, the album reached number 24 and was certified platinum.[170]

Label dispute and Invincible (1997–2002)
From October 1997 to September 2001, Jackson worked on his tenth solo album, Invincible, which cost $30 million to record, making it the most expensive album of all time.[238] In June 1999, Jackson joined Luciano Pavarotti for a War Child benefit concert in Modena, Italy. The show raised a million dollars for refugees of the Kosovo War, and additional funds for the children of Guatemala.[239] Later that month, Jackson organized a series of "Michael Jackson & Friends" benefit concerts in Germany and Korea. Other artists involved included Slash, The Scorpions, Boyz II Men, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, A. R. Rahman, Prabhu Deva Sundaram, Shobana, Andrea Bocelli and Luciano Pavarotti. The proceeds went to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, the Red Cross and UNESCO.[240] In 1999, Jackson was presented with the "Outstanding Humanitarian Award" at Bollywood Movie Awards in New York City where he noted Mahatma Gandhi to have been an inspiration for him.[241][242] From August 1999 to 2000, he lived in New York City at 4 East 74th Street.[243] At the turn of the century, Jackson won an American Music Award as Artist of the 1980s.[244] In 2000, Guinness World Records recognized him for supporting 39 charities, more than any other entertainer.[245]

In September 2001, two concerts were held at Madison Square Garden to mark Jackson's 30th year as a solo artist. Jackson performed with his brothers for the first time since 1984. The show also featured Mýa, Usher, Whitney Houston, Destiny's Child, Monica, Liza Minnelli and Slash. The first show was marred by technical lapses, and the crowd booed a speech by Marlon Brando.[246] Almost 30 million people watched the television broadcast of the shows in November.[247] After the September 11 attacks (in which Jackson narrowly avoided death by oversleeping and missing a scheduled meeting at the World Trade Center[248]), Jackson helped organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., on October 21, 2001. Jackson performed "What More Can I Give" as the finale.[249]

The release of Invincible was preceded by a dispute between Jackson and his record label, Sony Music Entertainment. Jackson had expected the licenses to the masters of his albums to revert to him in the early 2000s, after which he would be able to promote the material however he pleased and keep the profits, but clauses in the contract set the revert date years into the future. Jackson sought an early exit from his contract.[250] Invincible was released on October 30, 2001. It was Jackson's first full-length album in six years, and the last album of original material he released in his lifetime.[250] It debuted at number one in 13 countries, and went on to sell eight million copies worldwide, receiving double-platinum certification in the US.[170][251][252]

On January 9, 2002, Jackson won his 22nd American Music Award for Artist of the Century.[253][254] Later that year, an anonymous surrogate mother gave birth to his third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (nicknamed "Blanket"[nb 3]), who had been conceived by artificial insemination.[255] On November 20, Jackson briefly held Blanket over the railing of his Berlin hotel room, four stories above ground level, prompting widespread criticism in the media. Jackson apologized for the incident, calling it "a terrible mistake".[256] On January 22, promoter Marcel Avram filed a breach of contract complaint against Jackson for failing to perform two planned 1999 concerts.[257] In March, a Santa Maria jury ordered Jackson to pay Avram $5.3 million.[258][259] On December 18, 2003, Jackson's attorneys dropped all appeals on the verdict and settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount.[260]

On April 24, 2002, Jackson performed at Apollo Theater. The concert was a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee and former President Bill Clinton.[261] The money collected would be used to encourage citizens to vote. It raised $2.5 million.[262] The concert was called Michael Jackson: Live at the Apollo and was one of Jackson's final on-stage performances.[263]

In July 2002, Jackson called Sony Music chairman Tommy Mottola "a racist, and very, very, very devilish," and someone who exploits black artists for his own gain, at Al Sharpton's National Action Network in Harlem. The accusation prompted Sharpton to form a coalition investigating whether Mottola exploited black artists.[264] Jackson charged that Mottola had called his colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger".[265] Responding to those attacks, Sony issued a statement calling them "ludicrous, spiteful, and hurtful" and defended Mottola as someone who had championed Jackson's career for many years.[264] Sony ultimately refused to renew Jackson's contract and claimed that a $25 million promotional campaign had failed because Jackson refused to tour in the US for Invincible.[238]

Documentary, Number Ones, second child abuse allegations and acquittal (2002–2005)
Further information: Trial of Michael Jackson
 Jackson in Las Vegas, 2003
Beginning in May 2002, a documentary film crew led by Martin Bashir followed Jackson for several months.[256] The documentary, broadcast in February 2003 as Living with Michael Jackson, showed Jackson holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with a twelve-year-old boy.[23][266] He said that he saw nothing wrong with having sleepovers with minors and sharing his bed and bedroom with various people, which aroused controversy. He insisted that the sleepovers were not sexual and that his words had been misunderstood.[267][268]

In October 2003, Jackson received the Key to the City of Las Vegas from Mayor Oscar Goodman.[269] On November 18, 2003, Sony released Number Ones, a greatest hits compilation. It was certified five times platinum by the RIAA, and ten times platinum in the UK, for shipments of at least 3 million units.[170][270]

On December 18, 2003, Santa Barbara authorities charged Jackson with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of intoxicating a minor with alcoholic drinks.[271] Jackson denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.[272] The People v. Jackson trial began on January 31, 2005, in Santa Maria, California, and lasted until the end of May. Jackson found the experience stressful and it affected his health. If convicted, he would have faced up to twenty years in prison.[273] On June 13, 2005, Jackson was acquitted on all counts.[274] FBI files on Jackson, released in 2009, revealed the FBI's role in the 2005 trial and the 1993 allegations, and showed that the FBI found no evidence of criminal conduct on Jackson's behalf.[275][276]

Final years, financial problems, Thriller 25 and This Is It (2005–2009)
 Jackson and his son Blanket in Disneyland Paris, 2006
After the trial, Jackson became reclusive.[277] In June 2005, he moved to Bahrain as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah.[278] In early 2006, it was announced that Jackson had signed a contract with a Bahrain startup, Two Seas Records. Nothing came of the deal, and the Two Seas CEO, Guy Holmes, later said it was never finalized.[279][280] Holmes also found that Jackson was on the verge of bankruptcy and was involved in 47 ongoing lawsuits.[278] By September 2006, Jackson was no longer affiliated with Two Seas.[280]

In April 2006, Jackson agreed to use a piece of his ATV catalog stake, then worth about $1 billion, as collateral against his $270 million worth of loans from Bank of America. Bank of America had sold the loans to Fortress Investments, an investment company that buys distressed loans, the year before. As part of the agreement, Fortress Investments provided Jackson a new loan of $300 million with reduced interest payments (equivalent to $450 million in 2023). Sony Music would have the option to buy half of his stake, or about 25% of the catalog, at a set price. Jackson's financial managers had urged him to shed part of his stake to avoid bankruptcy.[226][281] The main house at Neverland Ranch was closed as a cost-cutting measure, while Jackson lived in Bahrain at the hospitality of Abdullah.[282] At least thirty of Jackson's employees had not been paid on time and were owed $306,000 in back wages. Jackson was ordered to pay $100,000 in penalties.[226] Jackson never returned to Neverland after his acquittal.[283]

In mid-2006, Jackson moved to Grouse Lodge, a residential recording studio near Rosemount, County Westmeath, Ireland. There, he began work on a new album with the American producers will.i.am and Rodney Jenkins.[284] That November, Jackson invited an Access Hollywood camera crew into the studio in Westmeath.[172] On November 15, Jackson briefly joined in on a performance of "We Are the World" at the World Music Awards in London, his last public performance, and accepted the Diamond Award for sales of 100 million records.[172][285] He returned to the US in December, settling in Las Vegas. That month, he attended James Brown's funeral in Augusta, Georgia, where he gave a eulogy calling Brown his greatest inspiration.[286]

 An aerial view of part of Jackson's 2,800-acre (11 km2) Neverland Valley Ranch near Los Olivos, California, showing the rides
In 2007, Jackson and Sony bought another music publishing company, Famous Music LLC, formerly owned by Viacom. The deal gave Jackson the rights to songs by Eminem and Beck, among others.[287][288] In a brief interview, Jackson said he had no regrets about his career despite his problems and "deliberate attempts to hurt [him]".[289] That March, Jackson visited a US Army post in Japan, Camp Zama, to greet more than 3,000 troops and their families.[290][291] As of September, Jackson was still working on his next album, which he never completed.[292]

In 2008, for the 25th anniversary of Thriller, Jackson and Sony released Thriller 25, with two remixes released as singles: "The Girl Is Mine 2008" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008".[293] For Jackson's 50th birthday, Sony BMG released a series of greatest hits albums, King of Pop, with different tracklists for different regions.[294] That July, Fortress Investments threatened to foreclose on Neverland Ranch, which Jackson had used as collateral for his loans. Fortress sold Jackson's debts to Colony Capital LLC.[295][296] In November, Jackson transferred Neverland Ranch's title to Sycamore Valley Ranch Company LLC, a joint venture between Jackson and Colony Capital LLC. The deal earned him $35 million.[297] In 2009, Jackson arranged to sell a collection of his memorabilia of more than 1,000 items through Julien's Auction House, but canceled the auction in April.[298]

In March 2009, amid speculation about his finances and health, Jackson announced a series of comeback concerts, This Is It, at a press conference at the O2 Arena.[299] The shows were to be his first major concerts since the HIStory World Tour in 1997. Jackson suggested he would retire after the shows. The initial plan was for ten concerts in London, followed by shows in Paris, New York City and Mumbai. Randy Phillips, the president and chief executive of AEG Live, predicted the first ten dates would earn Jackson £50 million.[300]

The London residency was increased to fifty dates after record-breaking ticket sales; more than one million were sold in less than two hours.[301] The concerts were to run from July 13, 2009, to March 6, 2010. Jackson moved to Los Angeles, where he rehearsed in the weeks leading up to the tour under the direction of the choreographer Kenny Ortega, whom he had worked with during his previous tours. Rehearsals took place at the Forum and the Staples Center owned by AEG.[302] By this point, Jackson's debt had grown to almost $500 million. By the time of his death, he was three or four months behind payments of his home in San Fernando Valley.[303][304] The Independent reported that Jackson planned a string of further ventures designed to recoup his debts, including a world tour, a new album, films, a museum and a casino.[299]

Death
Main article: Death of Michael Jackson
 Fans placed flowers and notes on Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on the day of his death
On June 25, 2009, less than three weeks before his concert residency was due to begin in London, with all concerts sold out, Jackson died from cardiac arrest, caused by a propofol and benzodiazepine overdose.[305][306] Conrad Murray, his personal physician, had given Jackson various medications to help him sleep at his rented mansion in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles. Paramedics received a 911 call at 12:22 pm Pacific time (19:22 UTC) and arrived three minutes later.[307][308] Jackson was not breathing and CPR was performed.[309] Resuscitation efforts continued en route to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and for more than an hour after Jackson's arrival there, but were unsuccessful,[310][311] and Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 pm Pacific time (21:26 UTC).[312][313]

Murray had administered propofol, lorazepam, and midazolam;[314] his death was caused by a propofol overdose.[306][311] News of his death spread quickly online, causing websites to slow down and crash from user overload,[315] and it put unprecedented strain[316] on many services and websites including Google,[317] AOL Instant Messenger,[316] Twitter and Wikipedia.[317] Overall, web traffic rose by between 11% and 20%.[318][319] MTV and BET aired marathons of Jackson's music videos,[320] and Jackson specials aired on television stations around the world.[321] MTV briefly returned to its original music video format,[11] and they aired hours of Jackson's music videos, with live news specials featuring reactions from MTV personalities and other celebrities.[322]

Memorial service
Main article: Michael Jackson memorial service
 
Jackson's unmarked crypt at the end of the Sanctuary of Ascension in the Holly Terrace of the Great Mausoleum, Forest Lawn Glendale
 
Fans visiting the makeshift memorial set up outside the Neverland Ranch entrance shortly after Jackson's death
Jackson's memorial was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, preceded by a private family service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park's Hall of Liberty. Over 1.6 million fans applied for tickets to the memorial; the 8,750 recipients were drawn at random, and each received two tickets.[323] The memorial service was one of the most watched events in streaming history,[324] with an estimated US audience of 31.1 million[325] and a worldwide audience of an estimated 2.5 to 3 billion.[326][327]

Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Hudson, and Shaheen Jafargholi performed at the memorial, and Smokey Robinson and Queen Latifah gave eulogies.[328] Al Sharpton received a standing ovation with cheers when he told Jackson's children: "Wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with. But he dealt with it anyway."[329] Jackson's 11-year-old daughter Paris Katherine, speaking publicly for the first time, wept as she addressed the crowd.[330][331] Lucious Smith provided a closing prayer.[332] On September 3, 2009, the body of Jackson was entombed at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.[333]

Criminal investigation and prosecution of Conrad Murray
Main article: People v. Murray
In August 2009, the Los Angeles County Coroner ruled that Jackson's death was a homicide.[334][335] Law enforcement officials charged Murray with involuntary manslaughter on February 8, 2010.[336] In late 2011, he was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter[337] and held without bail to await sentencing.[338] Murray was sentenced to four years in prison.[339]

Posthumous sales
At the 2009 American Music Awards, Jackson won four posthumous awards, including two for his compilation album Number Ones, bringing his total American Music Awards to 26.[340][341] In the year after his death, more than 16.1 million copies of Jackson's albums were sold in the US alone, and 35 million copies were sold worldwide, more than any other artist in 2009.[342][343] He became the first artist to sell one million music downloads in a week, with 2.6 million song downloads. Thriller, Number Ones and The Essential Michael Jackson became the first catalog albums to outsell any new album.[344] Jackson also became the first artist to have four of the top-20 bestselling albums in a single year in the US.[345]

Following the surge in sales, in March 2010, Sony Music signed a $250 million deal (equivalent to $350 million in 2023) with the Jackson estate to extend their distribution rights to Jackson's back catalog until at least 2017; it had been due to expire in 2015. It was the most expensive music contract for a single artist in history.[346][347] They agreed to release ten albums of previously unreleased material and new collections of released work.[346][348] The deal was extended in 2017.[349] That July, a Los Angeles court awarded Quincy Jones $9.4 million of disputed royalty payments for Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad.[56] In July 2018, Sony/ATV bought the estate's stake in EMI for $287.5 million.[350]

In 2014, Jackson became the first artist to have a top-ten single in the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades.[351] The following year, Thriller became the first album to be certified for 30 million shipments by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[7] A year later, it was certified 33× platinum after Soundscan added streams and audio downloads to album certifications.[352][nb 4]

In February 2024, Sony Music acquired half of Jackson's publishing rights and recording masters for an estimated $600 million. The deal includes assets from Jackson's Mijac publishing catalog, but excludes royalties from several Jackson-related productions, including the MJ Broadway musical and the Michael biopic. The deal is possibly the largest transaction ever for a single musician's work.[354][355]

Posthumous releases and productions
Jackson's posthumous releases and productions are administered by the estate of Michael Jackson, which owns Jackson's trademarks and rights to his name, image and likeness.[356] The first posthumous Jackson song, "This Is It", co-written in the 1980s with Paul Anka, was released in October 2009. The surviving Jackson brothers reunited to record backing vocals.[357] It was followed by a documentary film about the rehearsals for the canceled This Is It tour, Michael Jackson's This Is It,[358] and a compilation album.[359] Despite a limited two-week engagement, the film became the highest-grossing documentary or concert film ever, with earnings of more than $260 million worldwide.[360] Jackson's estate received 90% of the profits.[361] In late 2010, Sony released the first posthumous album, Michael, and the promotional single "Breaking News". The Jackson collaborator will.i.am expressed disgust, saying that Jackson would not have approved the release.[362]

The video game developer Ubisoft released a music game featuring Jackson for the 2010 holiday season, Michael Jackson: The Experience. It was among the first games to use Kinect and PlayStation Move, the motion-detecting camera systems for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.[363] In April 2011, Mohamed Al-Fayed, the chairman of Fulham Football Club, unveiled a statue of Jackson outside the club stadium, Craven Cottage.[364] It was moved to the National Football Museum in Manchester in May 2014,[365] and removed from display in March 2019 following renewed sexual assault allegations.[366]

In October 2011, the theater company Cirque du Soleil launched Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour, a $57-million production,[367] in Montreal, with a permanent show resident in Las Vegas.[368] A larger and more theatrical Cirque show, Michael Jackson: One, designed for residency at the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas, opened on May 23, 2013, in a renovated theater.[369][370]

In 2012, in an attempt to end a family dispute, Jackson's brother Jermaine retracted his signature on a public letter criticizing executors of Jackson's estate and his mother's advisors over the legitimacy of his brother's will.[371] T.J. Jackson, the son of Tito Jackson, was given co-guardianship of Michael Jackson's children after false reports of Katherine Jackson going missing.[372] Xscape, an album of unreleased material, was released on May 13, 2014.[373] The lead single, a duet between Jackson and Justin Timberlake, "Love Never Felt So Good", reached number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making Jackson the first artist to have a top-10 single on the chart in five different decades.[374]

Later in 2014, Queen released a duet recorded with Jackson in the 1980s.[70] A compilation album, Scream, was released on September 29, 2017.[375] A jukebox musical, MJ the Musical, premiered on Broadway in 2022.[376] Myles Frost won the 2022 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Jackson.[377] On November 18, 2022, a 40th-anniversary edition reissue of Thriller was released.[378][379]

A biographical film based on Jackson's life, Michael, was due to enter production through Lionsgate in 2023, but it was put on hold amid the SAG-AFTRA strike.[380] It will be directed by Antoine Fuqua, produced by Graham King and written by John Logan.[381] Jackson will be played by Jaafar Jackson, son of Jackson's brother Jermaine. Deadline Hollywood reported that the film "will not shy away from the controversies of Jackson's life".[382]

Posthumous child sexual abuse allegations
 Jackson and Safechuck (left) in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1988
In 2013, choreographer Wade Robson filed a lawsuit alleging that Jackson had sexually abused him for seven years, beginning when he was seven years old (1989–1996).[383] In 2014, a case was filed by James Safechuck, alleging sexual abuse over a four-year period from the age of ten (1988–1992).[384][385][386] Both had testified in Jackson's defense during the 1993 allegations; Robson did so again in 2005.[387][388] In 2015, Robson's case against Jackson's estate was dismissed as it had been filed too late. Safechuck's claim was also time-barred.[389]

In 2017, it was ruled that Jackson's corporations could not be held accountable for his alleged past actions.[390][391] The rulings were appealed. On October 20, 2020, Safechuck's lawsuit against Jackson's corporations was again dismissed. The judge ruled that there was no evidence that Safechuck had had a relationship with Jackson's corporation, nor was it proven that there was a special relationship between the two.[392][393][394][395] On April 26, 2021, Robson's case was dismissed because of a lack of supporting evidence that the defendants exercised control over Jackson.[396]

Robson and Safechuck described their allegations against Jackson in graphic detail in the documentary Leaving Neverland, released in March 2019.[397] Radio stations in New Zealand, Canada, the UK and the Netherlands removed Jackson's music from their playlists.[398][399][400] Jackson's family condemned the film as a "public lynching",[401] and the Jackson estate released a statement calling the film a "tabloid character assassination [Jackson] endured in life, and now in death".[402] Close associates of Jackson, such as Corey Feldman, Aaron Carter, Brett Barnes, and Macaulay Culkin, said that Jackson had not molested them.[403][404][405]

Documentaries such as Square One: Michael Jackson, Neverland Firsthand: Investigating the Michael Jackson Documentary and Michael Jackson: Chase the Truth, presented information countering the claims suggested by Leaving Neverland.[406][407][408] Jackson's album sales increased following the documentary screenings.[409] Billboard senior editor Gail Mitchell said she and a colleague interviewed about thirty music executives who believed Jackson's legacy could withstand the controversy.[410] In late 2019, some New Zealand and Canadian radio stations re-added Jackson's music to their playlists, citing "positive listener survey results".[411][412]

On February 21, 2019, the Jackson estate sued HBO for breaching a non-disparagement clause from a 1992 contract. The suit sought to compel HBO to participate in a non-confidential arbitration that could result in $100 million or more in damages awarded to the estate.[413] HBO said they did not breach a contract and filed an anti-SLAPP motion against the estate. In September 2019, Judge George H. Wu denied HBO's motion to dismiss the case, allowing the Jackson estate to arbitrate.[414] HBO appealed, but in December 2020 the appeals court affirmed Wu's ruling.[415]

In 2020, a state law passed in California which granted plaintiffs in child sex abuse cases an additional period to file lawsuits. In October 2020 and again in April 2021, the Los Angeles County Superior Court ruled that MJJ Productions Inc. and MJJ Ventures Inc. employees were not legally obligated to protect the two men from Jackson. In August 2023, California's Second District Court of Appeal overturned the ruling, and the case was approved to move forward to trial court.[416]

Legacy
Main article: Cultural impact of Michael Jackson
See also: List of Michael Jackson records and achievements
Jackson has been referred to as the "King of Pop" for having transformed the art of music videos and paving the way for modern pop music. For much of Jackson's career, he had an unparalleled worldwide influence over the younger generation.[417] His influence extended beyond the music industry; he impacted dance, led fashion trends, and raised awareness for global affairs.[418] Jackson's music and videos fostered racial diversity in MTV's roster and steered its focus from rock to pop music and R&B, shaping the channel into a form that proved enduring.[44]

In songs such as "Man in the Mirror", "Black or White", "Heal the World", "Earth Song" and "They Don't Care About Us", Jackson's music emphasized racial integration and environmentalism and protested injustice.[419][420] He is recognized as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time by Guinness World Records.[421][422] Jackson has also appeared on Rolling Stone's lists of the Greatest Singers of All Time.[423][424] He is considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century,[425] and his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades.[426][427][428]

Trying to trace Michael Jackson's influence on the pop stars that followed him is like trying to trace the influence of oxygen and gravity. So vast, far-reaching and was his impact—particularly in the wake of Thriller's colossal and heretofore unmatched commercial success—that there weren't a whole lot of artists who weren't trying to mimic some of the Jackson formula.

— J. Edward Keyes of Rolling Stone[429]
Danyel Smith, chief content officer of Vibe Media Group and the editor-in-chief of Vibe, described Jackson as "the greatest star".[430] Steve Huey of AllMusic called him "an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the skills to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility and loads of sheer star power".[10] BET said Jackson was "quite simply the greatest entertainer of all time" whose "sound, style, movement and legacy continues to inspire artists of all genres".[431]

 Jackson's Bad era wax figure at Madame Tussauds, London in 1992
In 1984, Time pop critic Jay Cocks wrote that "Jackson is the biggest thing since the Beatles. He is the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley. He just may be the most popular black singer ever." He described Jackson as a "star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style, and color too."[91] In 2003, The Daily Telegraph writer Tom Utley described Jackson as "extremely important" and a "genius".[432] At Jackson's memorial service on July 7, 2009, Motown founder Berry Gordy called Jackson "the greatest entertainer that ever lived".[433][434] In a June 28, 2009 Baltimore Sun article, Jill Rosen wrote that Jackson's legacy influenced fields including sound, dance, fashion, music videos and celebrity.[435]

Pop critic Robert Christgau wrote that Jackson's work from the 1970s to the early 1990s showed "immense originality, adaptability, and ambition" with "genius beats, hooks, arrangements, and vocals (though not lyrics)", music that "will stand forever as a reproach to the puritanical notion that pop music is slick or shallow and that's the end of it". During the 1990s, as Jackson lost control of his "troubling life", his music suffered and began to shape "an arc not merely of promise fulfilled and outlived, but of something approaching tragedy: a phenomenally ebullient child star tops himself like none before, only to transmute audibly into a lost weirdo".[436] In the 2000s, Christgau wrote: "Jackson's obsession with fame, his grotesque life magnified by his grotesque wealth, are such an offense to rock aesthetes that the fact that he's a great musician is now often forgotten".[437]

Philanthropy and humanitarian work
Main article: Philanthropy of Michael Jackson
 President Ronald Reagan rewarding Jackson in 1984 for his support of alcohol and drug abuse charities
Jackson is widely regarded as having been a prolific philanthropist and humanitarian.[438][439][440][441] Jackson's early charitable work has been described by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as having "paved the way for the current surge in celebrity philanthropy",[442] and by the Los Angeles Times as having "set the standard for generosity for other entertainers".[438]

By some estimates, he donated over $500 million, not accounting for inflation, to various charities over the course of his life.[438] In 1992, Jackson established his Heal the World Foundation, to which he donated several million dollars in revenue from his Dangerous World Tour.[443]

Jackson's philanthropic activities went beyond just monetary donations. He also performed at benefit concerts, some of which he arranged. He gifted tickets for his regular concert performances to groups that assist underprivileged children. He visited sick children in hospitals around the world. He opened his own home for visits by underprivileged or sick children and provided special facilities and nurses if the children needed that level of care.

Jackson donated valuable, personal and professional paraphernalia for numerous charity auctions. He received various awards and accolades for his philanthropic work, including two bestowed by presidents of the United States. The vast breadth of Jackson's philanthropic work has earned recognition in the Guinness World Records.[438][444][445]

On May 14, 1984, President Ronald Reagan gave Jackson an award recognizing his support of alcohol and drug abuse charities,[446] and in recognition of his support for the Ad Council's and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Drunk Driving Prevention campaign. Jackson allowed the campaign to use "Beat It" for its public service announcements.[447]

Artistry
Influences
Jackson was influenced by musicians including James Brown, Little Richard, Jackie Wilson, Diana Ross, Fred Astaire, Sammy Davis Jr., Gene Kelly,[448] and David Ruffin.[449] Little Richard had a substantial influence on Jackson,[450] but Brown was his greatest inspiration; he later said that as a small child, his mother would wake him whenever Brown appeared on television. Jackson described being "mesmerized".[451]

Jackson's vocal technique was influenced by Diana Ross; his use of the oooh interjection from a young age was something Ross had used on many of her songs with the Supremes.[452] She was a mother figure to him, and he often watched her rehearse.[453] He said he had learned a lot from watching how she moved and sang, and that she had encouraged him to have confidence in himself.[454]

Choreographer David Winters, who met Jackson while choreographing the 1971 Diana Ross TV special Diana!, said that Jackson watched the musical West Side Story almost every week, and it was his favorite film; he paid tribute to it in "Beat It" and the "Bad" video.[455][456][457]

Vocal style
Jackson sang from childhood, and over time his voice and vocal style changed. Between 1971 and 1975, his voice descended from boy soprano to lyric tenor.[458] He was known for his vocal range.[423] With the arrival of Off the Wall in the late 1970s, Jackson's abilities as a vocalist were well regarded; Rolling Stone compared his vocals to the "breathless, dreamy stutter" of Stevie Wonder, and wrote that "Jackson's feathery-timbred tenor is extraordinarily beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that's used very daringly."[459] By the time of 1982's Thriller, Rolling Stone wrote that Jackson was singing in a "fully adult voice" that was "tinged by sadness".[460]

The turn of the 1990s saw the release of the introspective album Dangerous. The New York Times noted that on some tracks, "he gulps for breath, his voice quivers with anxiety or drops to a desperate whisper, hissing through clenched teeth" and he had a "wretched tone". When singing of brotherhood or self-esteem the musician would return to "smooth" vocals.[461] Of Invincible, Rolling Stone wrote that, at 43, Jackson still performed "exquisitely voiced rhythm tracks and vibrating vocal harmonies".[462] Joseph Vogel notes Jackson's ability to use non-verbal sounds to express emotion.[463] Neil McCormick wrote that Jackson's unorthodox singing style "was original and utterly distinctive".[464]

Musicianship
Jackson had no formal music training and could not read or write music notation. He is credited for playing guitar, keyboard, and drums, but was not proficient in them.[465] When composing, he recorded ideas by beatboxing and imitating instruments vocally.[465] Describing the process, he said: "I'll just sing the bass part into the tape recorder. I'll take that bass lick and put the chords of the melody over the bass lick and that's what inspires the melody." The engineer Robert Hoffman recalled that after Jackson came in with a song he had written overnight, Jackson sang every note of every chord to a guitar player. Hoffman also remembered Jackson singing string arrangements part by part into a cassette recorder.[465]



Dance
Jackson danced from a young age as part of the Jackson 5,[466] and incorporated dance extensively in his performances and music videos.[466] According to Sanjoy Roy of The Guardian, Jackson would "flick and retract his limbs like switchblades, or snap out of a tornado spin into a perfectly poised toe-stand".[466] The moonwalk, taught to him by Jeffrey Daniel,[81] was Jackson's signature dance move and one of the most famous of the 20th century.[467] Jackson is credited for coining the name "moonwalk"; the move was previously known as the "backslide".[468][469] His other moves included the robot,[49] crotch grab, and the "anti-gravity" lean of the "Smooth Criminal" video.[466]

Themes and genres
 Jackson during his Bad World Tour in Vienna, June 1988
Jackson explored genres including pop,[10][470] soul,[10][157] rhythm and blues,[470] funk,[471] rock,[470][471] disco,[472] post-disco,[471] dance-pop[473] and new jack swing.[10] Steve Huey of AllMusic wrote that Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall; the dance and rock tracks were more aggressive, while the pop tunes and ballads were softer and more soulful.[10] Its tracks included the ballads "The Lady in My Life", "Human Nature", and "The Girl Is Mine",[474][460][475] the funk pieces "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'",[474][460] and the disco set "Baby Be Mine" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)".[475]

With Off the Wall, Jackson's "vocabulary of grunts, squeals, hiccups, moans, and asides" vividly showed his maturation into an adult, Robert Christgau wrote in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981). The album's title track suggested to the critic a parallel between Jackson and Stevie Wonder's "oddball" music personas: "Since childhood his main contact with the real world has been on stage and in bed."[476] With Thriller, Christopher Connelly of Rolling Stone commented that Jackson developed his long association with the subliminal theme of paranoia and darker imagery.[460] AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted this on the songs "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".[474] In "Billie Jean", Jackson depicts an obsessive fan who alleges he has fathered her child,[10] and in "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" he argues against gossip and the media.[460] "Beat It" decried gang violence in a homage to West Side Story, and was Jackson's first successful rock cross-over piece, according to Huey.[10][41] He observed that "Thriller" began Jackson's interest with the theme of the supernatural, a topic he revisited in subsequent years. In 1985, Jackson co-wrote the charity anthem "We Are the World"; humanitarian themes later became a recurring theme in his lyrics and public persona.[10]

 Jackson's Bad era jacket on display at the Hollywood Guinness World Records Museum
In Bad, Jackson's concept of the predatory lover is seen on the rock song "Dirty Diana".[477] The lead single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a traditional love ballad, and "Man in the Mirror" is a ballad of confession and resolution. "Smooth Criminal" is an evocation of bloody assault, rape and likely murder.[138] AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that Dangerous presents Jackson as a paradoxical person.[478] The first half of the record is dedicated to new jack swing, including songs like "Jam" and "Remember the Time". It was the first Jackson album in which social ills became a primary theme; "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", for example, protests world hunger, AIDS, homelessness and drugs. Dangerous contains sexually charged songs such as "In the Closet". The title track continues the theme of the predatory lover and compulsive desire. The second half includes introspective, pop-gospel anthems such as "Will You Be There", "Heal the World" and "Keep the Faith".[461] In the ballad "Gone Too Soon", Jackson gives tribute to Ryan White and the plight of those with AIDS.[479]

HIStory creates an atmosphere of paranoia.[480] In the new jack swing-funk rock tracks "Scream" and "Tabloid Junkie", and the R&B ballad "You Are Not Alone", Jackson retaliates against the injustice and isolation he feels, and directs his anger at the media.[481] In the introspective ballad "Stranger in Moscow", Jackson laments his "fall from grace"; "Earth Song", "Childhood", "Little Susie" and "Smile" are operatic pop songs.[480][481] In "D.S.", Jackson attacks lawyer Thomas W. Sneddon Jr., who had prosecuted him in both child sexual abuse cases; he describes Sneddon as a white supremacist who wanted to "get my ass, dead or alive".[482] Invincible includes urban soul tracks such as "Cry" and "The Lost Children", ballads such as "Speechless", "Break of Dawn", and "Butterflies", and mixes hip hop, pop, and R&B in "2000 Watts", "Heartbreaker" and "Invincible".[483][484]

Music videos and choreography
 Jackson (center) performing a dance sequence of "The Way You Make Me Feel" at the Bad World Tour in 1988
Jackson released "Thriller", a 14-minute music video directed by John Landis, in 1983.[485] The zombie-themed video "defined music videos and broke racial barriers" on MTV, which had launched two years earlier.[44] Before Thriller, Jackson struggled to receive coverage on MTV, allegedly because he was African American.[486] Pressure from CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", which led to a lengthy partnership with Jackson, and helped other black music artists gain recognition.[487] The popularity of his videos on MTV helped the relatively new channel's viewing figures, and MTV's focus shifted toward pop and R&B.[487][488] His performance on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever changed the scope of live stage shows, making it acceptable for artists to lip-sync to music video on stage.[489] The choreography in Thriller has been copied in Indian films and prisons in the Philippines.[490] Thriller marked an increase in scale for music videos, and was named the most successful music video ever by the Guinness World Records.[222]

In "Bad"'s 19-minute video—directed by Martin Scorsese—Jackson used sexual imagery and choreography, and touched his chest, torso and crotch. When asked by Winfrey in the 1993 interview about why he grabbed his crotch, he said it was spontaneously compelled by the music. Time magazine described the "Bad" video as "infamous". It featured Wesley Snipes; Jackson's later videos often featured famous cameo roles.[491][492] For the "Smooth Criminal" video, Jackson experimented with leaning forward at a 45 degree angle, beyond the performer's center of gravity. To accomplish this live, Jackson and designers developed a special shoe to lock the performer's feet to the stage, allowing them to lean forward. They were granted U.S. patent 5,255,452 for the device.[493] The video for "Leave Me Alone" was not officially released in the US, but in 1989 was nominated for three Billboard Music Video Awards[494] and won a Golden Lion Award for its special effects. It won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.[63]

He received the MTV Video Vanguard Award in 1988; in 2001 the award was renamed in his honor.[495] The "Black or White" video simultaneously premiered on November 14, 1991, in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million people, the largest audience ever for a music video at the time.[172] Along with Jackson, it featured Macaulay Culkin, Peggy Lipton, and George Wendt. It helped introduce morphing to music videos.[496] It was controversial for scenes in which Jackson rubs his crotch, vandalizes cars, and throws a garbage can through a storefront. He apologized and removed the final scene of the video.[161]

"In the Closet" featured Naomi Campbell in a courtship dance with Jackson.[497] "Remember the Time" was set in ancient Egypt, and featured Eddie Murphy, Iman, and Magic Johnson.[498] The video for "Scream", directed by Mark Romanek and production designer Tom Foden, gained a record 11 MTV Video Music Award Nominations, and won "Best Dance Video", "Best Choreography", and "Best Art Direction".[499] The song and its video are Jackson's response to being accused of child molestation in 1993.[500] A year later, it won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form. It has been reported as the most expensive music video ever made, at $7 million;[501] Romanek has contradicted this.[502] The "Earth Song" video was nominated for the 1997 Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.[503]

Michael Jackson's Ghosts, a short film written by Jackson and Stephen King and directed by Stan Winston, premiered at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival. At over 38 minutes long, it held the Guinness world record for the longest music video until 2013, when it was eclipsed by the video for the Pharrell Williams song "Happy".[504] The 2001 video for "You Rock My World" lasts over 13 minutes, was directed by Paul Hunter, and features Chris Tucker and Marlon Brando.[505] It won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Music Video in 2002.[506]

In December 2009, the Library of Congress selected "Thriller" as the only music video to be preserved in the National Film Registry, as a work of "enduring importance to American culture".[507][508] Huey wrote that Jackson transformed the music video into an artform and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameos, while breaking down racial barriers.[10]

Honors and awards
See also: List of awards and nominations received by Michael Jackson
 The Thriller platinum certified record on display at the Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood. As of 2017, it is certified 33× platinum.[352]
Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists in history,[509] with sales estimated around 500 million records worldwide.[510][Note 2] He had 13 number-one singles in the US in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era.[511] He was invited and honored by a president of the United States at the White House three times. In 1984, he was honored with a "Presidential Public Safety Commendation" award by Ronald Reagan for his humanitarian endeavors.[512] In 1990, he was honored as the "Artist of the Decade" by George H. W. Bush.[513] In 1992, he was honored as a "Point of Light Ambassador" by Bush for inviting disadvantaged children to his Neverland Ranch.[514]

Jackson won hundreds of awards, making him one of the most-awarded artists in popular music.[515] His awards include 39 Guinness World Records, including the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time,[421][422] 13 Grammy Awards,[516] as well as the Grammy Legend Award[517] and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award,[518] and 26 American Music Awards, including the Artist of the Century and Artist of the 1980s.[244] He also received the World Music Awards' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium and the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award.[519] Jackson was inducted onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1980 as a member of the Jacksons, and in 1984 as a solo artist. He was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Vocal Group Hall of Fame as a member of the Jackson 5 in 1997 and 1999,[520] respectively, and again as a solo artist in 2001.[521] In 2002, he was added to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.[522] In 2010, he was the first recording artist to be inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame,[523] and in 2014, he was posthumously inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.[524] In 2021, he was among the inaugural inductees into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.[525]

In 1988, Fisk University honored him with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.[526] In 1992, he was invested as a titular king of Sanwi, a traditional kingdom located in the south-east of Ivory Coast.[527] In July 2009, the Lunar Republic Society named a crater on the Moon after Jackson.[528] In August, for what would have been Jackson's 51st birthday, Google dedicated their Google Doodle to him.[529] In 2012, the extinct hermit crab Mesoparapylocheles michaeljacksoni was named in his honor.[530] In 2014, the British Council of Cultural Relations deemed Jackson's life one of the 80 most important cultural moments of the 20th century.[531] World Vitiligo Day has been celebrated on June 25, the anniversary of Jackson's death, to raise awareness of the auto-immune disorder that Jackson suffered from.[532]

Earnings
Main article: Estate of Michael Jackson
In 1989, Jackson's annual earnings from album sales, endorsements, and concerts were estimated at $125 million.[222] Forbes placed Jackson's annual income at $35 million in 1996 and $20 million in 1997.[533] Estimates of Jackson's net worth during his life range from negative $285 million to positive $350 million for 2002, 2003 and 2007.[534][535] Forbes reported in August 2018 that Jackson's total career pretax earnings in life and death were $4.2 billion.[536][537] Sales of his recordings through Sony's music unit earned him an estimated $300 million in royalties. He may have earned another $400 million from concerts, music publishing (including his share of the Beatles catalog), endorsements, merchandising and music videos.[538]

In 2013, the executors of Jackson's estate filed a petition in the United States Tax Court as a result of a dispute with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over US federal estate taxes.[539] The executors claim that it was worth about $7 million, the IRS that it was worth over $1.1 billion. In February 2014, the IRS reported that Jackson's estate owed $702 million; $505 million in taxes, and $197 million in penalties.[540] A trial was held from February 6 to 24, 2017.[541] In 2021, the Tax Court issued a ruling in favor of the estate, ruling that the estate's total combined value of the estate was $111.5 million and that the value of Jackson's name and likeness was $4 million (not the $61 million estimated by the IRS's outside expert witness).[542]

In 2016, Forbes estimated annual gross earnings by the Jackson Estate at $825 million, the largest ever recorded for a celebrity, mostly due to the sale of the Sony/ATV catalog.[543] In 2018, the figure was $400 million.[544] It was the eighth year since his death that Jackson's annual earnings were reported to be over $100 million, thus bringing Jackson's postmortem total to $2.4 billion.[545] Forbes has consistently recognized Jackson as one of the top-earning dead celebrities since his death, and placed him at the top spot from 2013 to 2023.[546][547]

Discography
Main articles: Michael Jackson albums discography, Michael Jackson singles discography, and List of songs recorded by Michael Jackson
See also: The Jackson 5 discography
Got to Be There (1972)
Ben (1972)
Music & Me (1973)
Forever, Michael (1975)
Off the Wall (1979)
Thriller (1982)
Bad (1987)
Dangerous (1991)
HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995)
Invincible (2001)
Filmography
See also: Michael Jackson videography
The Wiz (1978)
Michael Jackson's Thriller (1983)
Captain EO (1986)
Moonwalker (1988)
Michael Jackson's Ghosts (1997)
Men in Black II (2002)
Miss Cast Away and the Island Girls (2004)
Michael Jackson's This Is It (2009)
Bad 25 (2012)
Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall (2016)
Thriller 40 (2023)
Tours
Main article: List of Michael Jackson concerts
Bad World Tour (1987–1989)
Dangerous World Tour (1992–1993)
HIStory World Tour (1996–1997)
MJ & Friends (1999)
See also
List of dancers
Notes
^ "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana"
^ In 2006, Raymone Bain, Jackson's publicist at that time, claimed that Michael Jackson had sold over 750 million units.[1][2] Since 2006, several sources such as Billboard or Reuters claimed that Michael Jackson had sold around 750 million records;[3][4] while others such as MTV or CBS News claimed that his sales were over 750 million albums.[5][6] In 2009, The Wall Street Journal disputed the 750 million figure (if it referred to albums, instead of units).[2] Later, in 2015, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) stated that Michael Jackson had sold 1 billion records worldwide.[7][8]
^ Blanket changed his name to "Bigi" in 2015.
^ In 2018, its US sales record was overtaken by the Eagles' album Greatest Hits 1971–75, with 38× platinum.[353]
 
References
Citations
^ Bain, Raymone K. (October 31, 2006). "Statement from Raymone Bain to all fans and fanclubs". Mjtmc.com. Archived from the original on February 17, 2007.
^ Jump up to:a b Bialik, Carl (July 15, 2009). "Spun: The Off-the-Wall Accounting of Record Sales". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on March 10, 2015. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
^ "Michael Jackson's Partial Comeback Is No Thriller". Billboard. November 16, 2006. Archived from the original on December 17, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
^ "Factbox: The life and death of pop star Michael Jackson" (Press release). Reuters. September 6, 2011. Archived from the original on December 17, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
^ Ditzian, Eric (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson's Groundbreaking Career, by the Numbers". MTV. Archived from the original on December 30, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
^ "Michael Jackson Opens Up". CBS News. November 6, 2007. Archived from the original on December 17, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
^ Jump up to:a b "Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' First Ever 30X Multi-Platinum RIAA Certification". Recording Industry Association of America. December 16, 2015. Archived from the original on January 28, 2016. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
^ Adamczyk, Alicia (December 16, 2015). "Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' Just Smashed Another Record". Money. Archived from the original on May 8, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
^ County of Los Angeles Department of Health Services (2009). Michael Jackson death certificate.
^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g h i j k Huey, Steve. "Michael Jackson – Artist Biography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 7, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Jump up to:a b Barnes, Brokes (June 25, 2009). "A Star Idolized and Haunted, Michael Jackson Dies at 50". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2009.
^ "Michael Jackson: 10 Achievements That Made Him The King of Pop". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. June 24, 2014. Archived from the original on February 15, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
^ Jackson 2009, p. 26.
^ Young 2009, p. 18.
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Print sources
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Campbell, Lisa D (1995). Michael Jackson: The King of Pop's Darkest Hour. Branden. ISBN 978-0-8283-2003-0.
Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: J". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 0-89919-026-X. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
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Inglis, Ian (2006). Performance and Popular Music: History, Place and Time. Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7546-4057-8.
Jackson, Michael (2009) [First published 1988]. Moonwalk. Random House. ISBN 978-0-307-71698-9.
Knopper, Steve (2016). MJ: The Genius of Michael Jackson. Scribner. ISBN 978-1-4767-3037-0.
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Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2009). Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story, 1958–2009. Grand Central Publishing, 2009. ISBN 978-0-446-56474-8.
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Young, Julie (Fall 2009). "A Hoosier Thriller: Gary, Indiana's Michael Jackson". Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History. 21 (4). Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society. Archived from the original on April 15, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
Further reading
Hidalgo, Susan; Weiner, Robert G. (2010). "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin': MJ in the Scholarly Literature: A Selected Bibliographic Guide" (PDF). The Journal of Pan African Studies. 3 (7).
How Michael Jackson Changed Dance History – biography.com
External links
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation).
"King of Pop" redirects here. For other uses, see King of Pop (disambiguation).
Michael Jackson
 Jackson in 1988
Born
Michael Joseph Jackson

August 29, 1958
Gary, Indiana, US
Died
June 25, 2009 (aged 50)
Los Angeles, California, US
Cause of death
Acute propofol intoxication
Burial place
Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California, US
Other names
Michael Joe Jackson
Occupations
Singer
songwriter
dancer
record producer
Spouses
Lisa Marie Presley
​
​
(m. 1994; div. 1996)​
Debbie Rowe
​
​
(m. 1996; div. 2000)​
Children
3, including Paris
Parents
Joe Jackson
Katherine Jackson
Family
Jackson family
Awards
Full list
Musical career
Genres
Pop
soul
rhythm and blues
funk
rock
disco
post-disco
dance-pop
new jack swing
Instrument(s)
Vocals
Discography
Albums
singles
songs
Years active
1964–2009
Labels
Steeltown
Motown
Epic
Legacy
Sony
MJJ Productions
Formerly of
The Jackson 5
 
Website
michaeljackson.com
Signature
 
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Known as the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. During his four-decade career, his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture. Jackson influenced artists across many music genres. Through stage and video performances, he popularized complicated street dance moves such as the moonwalk, which he named, as well as the robot.

The eighth child of the Jackson family, Jackson made his public debut in 1964 with his older brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon as a member of the Jackson 5 (later known as the Jacksons). Jackson began his solo career in 1971 while at Motown Records. He became a solo star with his 1979 album Off the Wall. His music videos, including those for "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller" from his 1982 album Thriller, are credited with breaking racial barriers and transforming the medium into an art form and promotional tool. He helped propel the success of MTV and continued to innovate with the videos for his subsequent albums: Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995), and Invincible (2001). Thriller became the best-selling album of all time, while Bad was the first album to produce five US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles.[nb 1]

From the late 1980s, Jackson became a figure of controversy and speculation due to his changing appearance, relationships, behavior, and lifestyle. In 1993, he was accused of sexually abusing the child of a family friend. The lawsuit was settled out of civil court; Jackson was not indicted due to lack of evidence. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further child sexual abuse allegations and several other charges. The FBI found no evidence of criminal conduct by Jackson in either case. In 2009, while he was preparing for a series of comeback concerts, This Is It, Jackson died from an overdose of propofol administered by his personal physician, Conrad Murray, who was convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter for his involvement in Jackson's death. His death triggered reactions around the world, creating unprecedented surges of internet traffic and a spike in sales of his music. Jackson's televised memorial service, held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, was estimated to have been viewed by more than 2.5 billion people.

Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with sales estimated around 500 million records worldwide.[nb 2] He had 13 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles (fourth highest of any artist in the Hot 100 era) and was the first artist to have a top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades. His honors include 15 Grammy Awards, six Brit Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and 39 Guinness World Records, including the "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time". Jackson's inductions include the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (twice), the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Dance Hall of Fame (making him the only recording artist to be inducted) and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.

Life and career
Early life and the Jackson 5 (1958–1975)
 Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Indiana, pictured in March 2010
Michael Joseph Jackson[9][10] was born in Gary, Indiana, on August 29, 1958.[11][12] He was the eighth of ten children in the Jackson family, a working-class African-American family living in a two-bedroom house on Jackson Street.[13][14] His mother, Katherine Esther Jackson (née Scruse), played clarinet and piano, had aspired to be a country-and-western performer, and worked part-time at Sears.[15] She was a Jehovah's Witness.[16] His father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, a former boxer, was a crane operator at US Steel and played guitar with a local rhythm and blues band, the Falcons, to supplement the family's income.[17][18] Joe's great-grandfather, July "Jack" Gale, was a US Army scout; family lore held that he was also a Native American medicine man.[19] Michael grew up with three sisters (Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet) and five brothers (Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy).[17] A sixth brother, Marlon's twin Brandon, died shortly after birth.[20]

In 1964, Michael and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by their father which included Jackie, Tito and Jermaine—as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine.[21][22] Michael said his father told him he had a "fat nose",[23] and physically and emotionally abused him during rehearsals. He recalled that Joe often sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his siblings rehearsed, ready to punish any mistakes.[16][24] Joe acknowledged that he regularly whipped Michael.[25] Katherine said that although whipping came to be considered abuse, it was a common way to discipline children when Michael was growing up.[26][27] Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon denied that their father was abusive and said that the whippings, which had a deeper impact on Michael because he was younger, kept them disciplined and out of trouble.[28] Michael said that during his youth he was lonely and isolated.[29]

Later in 1965, Michael began sharing lead vocals with Jermaine, and the group's name was changed to the Jackson 5.[30] In 1965, the group won a talent show; Michael performed the dance to Robert Parker's 1965 song "Barefootin'" and sang the Temptations' "My Girl".[31] From 1966 to 1968, the Jacksons 5 toured the Midwest; they frequently played at a string of black clubs known as the Chitlin' Circuit as the opening act for artists such as Sam & Dave, the O'Jays, Gladys Knight and Etta James. The Jackson 5 also performed at clubs and cocktail lounges, where striptease shows were featured, and at local auditoriums and high school dances.[32][33] In August 1967, while touring the East Coast, they won a weekly amateur night concert at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.[34]

 Michael Jackson (center) as a member of the Jackson 5 in 1972. The group were among the first African American performers to attain a crossover following.[35]
The Jackson 5 recorded several songs for a Gary record label, Steeltown Records; their first single, "Big Boy", was released in 1968.[36] Bobby Taylor of Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers brought the Jackson 5 to Motown after they opened for Taylor at Chicago's Regal Theater in 1968. Taylor produced some of their early Motown recordings, including a version of "Who's Lovin' You".[37] After signing with Motown, the Jackson family relocated to Los Angeles.[38] In 1969, Motown executives decided Diana Ross should introduce the Jackson 5 to the public — partly to bolster her career in television — sending off what was considered Motown's last product of its "production line".[39] The Jackson 5 made their first television appearance in 1969 in the Miss Black America pageant, performing a cover of "It's Your Thing".[40] Rolling Stone later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts" who "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer".[41]

In January 1970, "I Want You Back" became the first Jackson 5 song to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100; it stayed there for four weeks. Three more singles with Motown topped the chart: "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There".[42] In May 1971, the Jackson family moved into a large house at Hayvenhurst, a 2-acre (0.81 ha) estate in Encino, California.[43] During this period, Michael developed from a child performer into a teen idol.[44] Between 1972 and 1975, he released four solo studio albums with Motown: Got to Be There (1972), Ben (1972), Music & Me (1973) and Forever, Michael (1975).[45] "Got to Be There" and "Ben", the title tracks from his first two solo albums, sold well as singles, as did a cover of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin".[46]

Michael maintained ties to the Jackson 5.[45] The Jackson 5 were later described as "a cutting-edge example of black crossover artists".[47] They were frustrated by Motown's refusal to allow them creative input.[48] Jackson's performance of their top five single "Dancing Machine" on Soul Train popularized the robot dance.[49]

Move to Epic and Off the Wall (1975–1981)
 The Jackson siblings in 1977, without Jermaine. From left, back row: Jackie, Michael, Tito, Marlon. Middle row: Randy, La Toya, Rebbie. Front row: Janet
The Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975, signing with Epic Records and renaming themselves the Jacksons.[50] Their younger brother Randy joined the band around this time; Jermaine stayed with Motown and pursued a solo career.[51] The Jacksons continued to tour internationally, and released six more albums between 1976 and 1984. Michael, the group's main songwriter during this time, wrote songs such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" (1978), "This Place Hotel" (1980), and "Can You Feel It" (1980).[52]

In 1977, Jackson moved to New York City to star as the Scarecrow in The Wiz, a musical film directed by Sidney Lumet, alongside Diana Ross, Nipsey Russell, and Ted Ross.[53] The film was a box-office failure.[54] Its score was arranged by Quincy Jones,[55] who later produced three of Jackson's solo albums.[56] During his time in New York, Jackson frequented the Studio 54 nightclub, where he heard early hip hop; this influenced his beatboxing on future tracks such as "Working Day and Night".[57] In 1978, Jackson broke his nose during a dance routine. A rhinoplasty led to breathing difficulties that later affected his career. He was referred to Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson's operations.[58]

Jackson's fifth solo album, Off the Wall (1979), established him as a solo performer and helped him move from the bubblegum pop of his youth to more complex sounds.[44] It produced four top 10 entries in the US: "Off the Wall", "She's Out of My Life", and the chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You".[59] The album reached number three on the US Billboard 200 and sold over 20 million copies worldwide.[60] In 1980, Jackson won three American Music Awards for his solo work: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[61][62] He also won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for 1979 with "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[63] In 1981, Jackson was the American Music Awards winner for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist.[64] Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.[65] In 1980, he secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album profit.[66]

Thriller and Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever (1982–1983)
 The sequined jacket and white glove worn by Jackson at Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever. British Vogue called Jackson "a fashion pioneer [...] who gave new meaning to moonwalking, immortalised solitary, [and] sparkly gloves".[67]
Jackson recorded with Queen's lead singer Freddie Mercury from 1981 to 1983, recording demos of "State of Shock", "Victory" and "There Must Be More to Life Than This". The recordings were intended for an album of duets but, according to Queen's manager Jim Beach, the relationship soured when Jackson brought a llama into the recording studio,[68] and Jackson was upset by Mercury's drug use.[69] "There Must Be More to Life Than This" was released in 2014.[70] Jackson went on to record "State of Shock" with Mick Jagger for the Jacksons' album Victory (1984).[71]

In 1982, Jackson contributed "Someone in the Dark" to the audiobook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Jackson's sixth album, Thriller, was released in late 1982. It was the bestselling album worldwide in 1983,[72][73] and became the bestselling album of all time in the US[74] and the best-selling album of all time worldwide, selling an estimated 70 million copies.[75][76] It topped the Billboard 200 chart for 37 weeks and was in the top 10 of the 200 for 80 consecutive weeks. It was the first album to produce seven Billboard Hot 100 top-10 singles, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It", and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".[77]

On March 25, 1983, Jackson reunited with his brothers for Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, an NBC television special. The show aired on May 16 to an estimated audience of 47 million, and featured the Jacksons and other Motown stars.[78] Jackson's solo performance of "Billie Jean" earned him his first Emmy Award nomination.[79] Wearing a glove decorated with rhinestones,[80] he debuted his moonwalk dance, which Jeffrey Daniel had taught him three years earlier, and it became his signature dance in his repertoire.[81] Jackson had originally turned down the invitation to the show, believing he had been doing too much television. But at the request of Motown founder Berry Gordy, he performed in exchange for an opportunity to do a solo performance.[82] Rolling Stone reporter Mikal Gilmore called the performance "extraordinary".[44] Jackson's performance drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and the Beatles' appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.[83] Anna Kisselgoff of The New York Times praised the perfect timing and technique involved in the dance.[84] Gordy described being "mesmerized" by the performance.[85]

At the 26th Annual Grammy Awards, Thriller won eight awards, and Jackson won an award for the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial storybook. Winning eight Grammys in one ceremony is a record he holds with the band Santana.[63] Jackson and Quincy Jones won the award for Producer of the Year (Non-Classical). Thriller won Album of the Year (with Jackson as the album's artist and Jones as its co-producer), and the single won Best Pop Vocal Performance (Male) award for Jackson. "Beat It" won Record of the Year and Best Rock Vocal Performance (Male). "Billie Jean" won two Grammy awards: Best R&B Song and Best R&B Vocal Performance (Male), with Jackson as songwriter and singer respectively.[63]

Thriller won the Grammy for Best Engineered Recording (Non Classical), acknowledging Bruce Swedien for his work on the album.[86] At the 11th Annual American Music Awards, Jackson won another eight awards and became the youngest artist to win the Award of Merit.[87] He also won Favorite Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Artist, and Favorite Pop/Rock Artist. "Beat It" won Favorite Soul/R&B Video, Favorite Pop/Rock Video and Favorite Pop/Rock Single. The album won Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Pop/Rock Album.[87][88] Thriller's sales doubled after the release of an extended music video, Michael Jackson's Thriller, which sees Jackson dancing with a horde of zombies.[89][90]

The success transformed Jackson into a dominant force in global pop culture.[90] Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point, with about $2 for every album sold (equivalent to $6 in 2023), and was making record-breaking profits. Dolls modeled after Jackson appeared in stores in May 1984 for $12 each.[91] In the same year, The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller, a documentary about the music video, won a Grammy for Best Music Video (Longform).[63] Time described Jackson's influence at that point as "star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style and color too."[91] The New York Times wrote "in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else".[92]

Pepsi incident and other commercial activities (1984–1985)
In November 1983, Jackson and his brothers partnered with PepsiCo in a $5 million promotional deal that broke records for a celebrity endorsement (equivalent to $15.3 million in 2023). The first Pepsi campaign, which ran in the US from 1983 to 1984 and launched its "New Generation" theme, included tour sponsorship, public relations events, and in-store displays. Jackson helped to create the advertisement, and suggested using his song "Billie Jean", with revised lyrics, as its jingle.[93]

On January 27, 1984, Michael and other members of the Jacksons filmed a Pepsi commercial overseen by Phil Dusenberry,[94] a BBDO ad agency executive, and Alan Pottasch, Pepsi's Worldwide Creative Director, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. During a simulated concert before a full house of fans, pyrotechnics accidentally set Jackson's hair on fire, causing second-degree burns to his scalp. Jackson underwent treatment to hide the scars and had his third rhinoplasty shortly thereafter.[95]

Pepsi settled out of court, and Jackson donated the $1.5 million settlement to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California; its now-closed Michael Jackson Burn Center was named in his honor.[96][97] Jackson signed a second agreement with Pepsi in the late 1980s for $10 million. The second campaign covered 20 countries and provided financial support for Jackson's Bad album and 1987–88 world tour. Jackson had endorsements and advertising deals with other companies, such as LA Gear, Suzuki, and Sony, but none were as significant as his deals with Pepsi.[93]

 The Jacksons performing during their Victory Tour at the Arrowhead Stadium, 1984
The Victory Tour of 1984 headlined the Jacksons and showcased Jackson's new solo material to more than two million Americans. It was the last tour he did with his brothers.[98] Following controversy over the concert's ticket sales, Jackson donated his share of the proceeds, an estimated $3 to 5 million, to charity.[99] During the last concert of the Victory Tour at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Jackson announced his split from the Jacksons during "Shake Your Body".[100]

With Lionel Richie, Jackson co-wrote the charity single "We Are the World" (1985), which raised money for the poor in the US and Africa.[101][102] It earned $63 million (equivalent to $178 million in 2023),[102] and became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with 20 million copies sold.[103] It won four Grammy Awards in 1985, including Song of the Year for Jackson and Richie.[101] Jackson, Jones, and the promoter Ken Kragen received special awards for their roles in the song's creation.[101][104][105][106]

 Jackson signing a "We Are the World" poster in 1985
Jackson collaborated with Paul McCartney in the early 1980s, and learned that McCartney was making $40 million a year from owning the rights to other artists' songs.[102] By 1983, Jackson had begun buying publishing rights to others' songs, but he was careful with his acquisitions, only bidding on a few of the dozens that were offered to him. Jackson's early acquisitions of music catalogs and song copyrights such as the Sly Stone collection included "Everyday People" (1968), Len Barry's "1-2-3" (1965), and Dion DiMucci's "The Wanderer" (1961) and "Runaround Sue" (1961).

In 1984, Robert Holmes à Court announced he was selling the ATV Music Publishing catalog comprising the publishing rights to nearly 4,000 songs, including most of the Beatles' material.[107] In 1981, McCartney had been offered the catalog for £20 million ($40 million).[102][108] Jackson submitted a bid of $46 million on November 20, 1984.[107] When Jackson and McCartney were unable to make a joint purchase, McCartney did not want to be the sole owner of the Beatles' songs, and did not pursue an offer on his own.[109][108] Jackson's agents were unable to come to a deal, and in May 1985 left talks after having spent more than $1 million and four months of due diligence work on the negotiations.[107]

In June 1985, Jackson and Branca learned that Charles Koppelman's and Marty Bandier's The Entertainment Company had made a tentative offer to buy ATV Music for $50 million; in early August, Holmes à Court contacted Jackson and talks resumed. Jackson's increased bid of $47.5 million (equivalent to $135 million in 2023) was accepted because he could close the deal more quickly, having already completed due diligence.[107] Jackson agreed to visit Holmes à Court in Australia, where he would appear on the Channel Seven Perth Telethon.[110] His purchase of ATV Music was finalized on August 10, 1985.[102][107]

Increased tabloid speculation (1986–1987)
See also: Health and appearance of Michael Jackson
Jackson's skin had been medium-brown during his youth, but from the mid-1980s gradually grew paler. The change drew widespread media coverage, including speculation that he had been bleaching his skin.[111][112][113] His dermatologist, Arnold Klein, said he observed in 1983 that Jackson had vitiligo,[114] a condition characterized by patches of the skin losing their pigment. He also identified discoid lupus erythematosus in Jackson. He diagnosed Jackson with lupus that year,[114] and with vitiligo in 1986.[115] Vitiligo's drastic effects on the body can cause psychological distress. Jackson used fair-colored makeup,[116] and possibly skin-bleaching prescription creams,[117] to cover up the uneven blotches of color caused by the illness. The creams would depigment the blotches, and, with the application of makeup, he could appear very pale.[118] Jackson said he had not purposely bleached his skin and could not control his vitiligo, adding, "When people make up stories that I don't want to be who I am, it hurts me."[119] He became friends with Klein and Klein's assistant, Debbie Rowe. Rowe later became Jackson's second wife and the mother of his first two children.[120]

In his 1988 autobiography and a 1993 interview, Jackson said he had had two rhinoplasty surgeries and a cleft chin surgery but no more than that. He said he lost weight in the early 1980s because of a change in diet to achieve a dancer's body.[121] Witnesses reported that he was often dizzy, and speculated he was suffering from anorexia nervosa. Periods of weight loss became a recurring problem later in his life.[122] After his death, Jackson's mother said that he first turned to cosmetic procedures to remedy his vitiligo, because he did not want to look like a "spotted cow". She said he had received more than the two cosmetic surgeries he claimed and speculated that he had become addicted to them.[123]

In 1986, it was reported that Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow aging. He denied the story,[124] although it was alleged that Jackson leaked an image of him sleeping in a glass chamber (according to Jackson, this was a promotional shot from an upcoming space opera featuring himself) to The National Enquirer.[125] It was also reported that Jackson took female hormone shots to keep his voice high and facial hair wispy, proposed to Elizabeth Taylor and possibly had a shrine of her, and had cosmetic surgery on his eyes. Jackson's manager Frank DiLeo denied all of them, except for Jackson having a chamber. DiLeo added "I don't know if he sleeps in it. I'm not for it. But Michael thinks it's something that's probably healthy for him. He's a bit of a health fanatic."[126]

When Jackson took his pet chimpanzee Bubbles to tour in Japan, the media portrayed Jackson as an aspiring Disney cartoon character who befriended animals.[127] It was also reported that Jackson had offered to buy the bones of Joseph Merrick (the "Elephant Man").[128] In June 1987, the Chicago Tribune reported Jackson's publicist bidding $1 million for the skeleton to the London Hospital Medical College on his behalf. The college maintained the skeleton was not for sale. DiLeo said Jackson had an "absorbing interest" in Merrick, "purely based on his awareness of the ethical, medical and historical significance."[129]

In September 1986, using the oxygen chamber story, the British tabloid The Sun branded Jackson "Wacko Jacko", a name Jackson came to despise.[10][130] The Atlantic noted that the name "Jacko" has racist connotations, as it originates from Jacko Macacco, a monkey used in monkey-baiting matches at the Westminster Pit in the early 1820s, and "Jacko" was used in Cockney slang to refer to monkeys in general.[131]

Jackson worked with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola on the 17-minute $30 million 3D film Captain EO, which ran from 1986 at Disneyland and Epcot, and later at Tokyo Disneyland and Euro Disneyland.[132] After having been removed in the late 1990s, it returned to the theme park for several years after Jackson's death.[133] In 1987, Ebony reported that Jackson had disassociated himself from the Jehovah's Witnesses.[134] Katherine Jackson said this might have been because some Witnesses strongly opposed the Thriller video,[135] which Michael denounced in a Witness publication in 1984.[136] In 2001, Jackson told an interviewer he was still a Jehovah's Witness.[137]

Bad, autobiography, and Neverland (1987–1990)
 Jackson and President George H. W. Bush at the White House on April 5, 1990. It was the second time that Jackson had been honored by a president of the United States.
Jackson's first album in five years, Bad (1987), was highly anticipated, with the industry expecting another major success.[138] It became the first album to produce five US number-one singles: "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana". Another song, "Smooth Criminal", peaked at number seven.[59] Bad won the 1988 Grammy for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical and the 1990 Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form for "Leave Me Alone".[63][86] Jackson won an Award of Achievement at the American Music Awards in 1989 after Bad generated five number-one singles, became the first album to top the charts in 25 countries and the bestselling album worldwide in 1987 and 1988.[139][140] By 2012, it had sold between 30 and 45 million copies worldwide.[141][142]

The Bad World Tour ran from September 12, 1987, to January 14, 1989.[143] In Japan, the tour had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record for a single tour.[144] The 504,000 people who attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium set a new Guinness World Record.[145]

In 1988, Jackson released his autobiography, Moonwalk, with input from Stephen Davis and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.[146] It sold 200,000 copies,[147] and reached the top of the New York Times bestsellers list.[148] Jackson discussed his childhood, the Jackson 5, and the abuse from his father.[149] He attributed his changing facial appearance to three plastic surgeries, puberty, weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hairstyle, and stage lighting.[150][121] In June, Jackson was honored with the Grand Vermeil Medal of the City of Paris by the then Mayor of Paris Jacques Chirac during his stay in the city as part of the Bad World Tour.[151][152] In October, Jackson released a film, Moonwalker, which featured live footage and short films starring Jackson and Joe Pesci. In the US it was released direct-to-video and became the bestselling video cassette in the country.[153][154] The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it as eight times Platinum in the US.[155]

In March 1988, Jackson purchased 2,700 acres (11 km2) of land near Santa Ynez, California, to build a new home, Neverland Ranch, at a cost of $17 million (equivalent to $44 million in 2023).[156] He installed a Ferris wheel, a carousel, a movie theater and a zoo.[156][157][158] A security staff of 40 patrolled the grounds.[157] Shortly afterwards, he appeared in the first Western television advertisement in the Soviet Union.[159]

Jackson became known as the "King of Pop", a nickname that Jackson's publicists embraced.[24][160][161] When Elizabeth Taylor presented him with the Soul Train Heritage Award in 1989, she called him "the true king of pop, rock and soul."[162] President George H. W. Bush designated him the White House's "Artist of the Decade".[163] From 1985 to 1990, Jackson donated $455,000 to the United Negro College Fund,[164] and all profits from his single "Man in the Mirror" went to charity.[165] His rendition of "You Were There" at Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th birthday celebration won Jackson a second Emmy nomination.[79] Jackson was the bestselling artist of the 1980s.[166]

Dangerous and public social work (1991–1993)
In March 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65 million (equivalent to $145 million in 2023), a record-breaking deal,[167] beating Neil Diamond's renewal contract with Columbia Records.[168] In 1991, he released his eighth album, Dangerous, co-produced with Teddy Riley.[169] It was certified eight times platinum in the US, and by 2018 had sold 32 million copies worldwide.[170][171] In the US, the first single, "Black or White", was the album's highest-charting song; it was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks and achieved similar chart performances worldwide.[172] The second single, "Remember the Time" peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[173] At the end of 1992, Dangerous was the bestselling album of the year worldwide and "Black or White" the bestselling single of the year worldwide at the Billboard Music Awards.[166] In 1993, he performed "Remember the Time" at the Soul Train Music Awards in a chair, saying he twisted his ankle during dance rehearsals.[174] In the UK, "Heal the World" made No. 2 on the charts in 1992.[175]

 Jackson during the Dangerous World Tour in 1993. Dangerous has been recognized by writers as an influence on contemporary pop and R&B artists.[176]
 Michael Jackson with David and Marty Paich in 1991
Jackson founded the Heal the World Foundation in 1992. The charity brought underprivileged children to Jackson's ranch to use the theme park rides, and sent millions of dollars around the globe to help children threatened by war, poverty, and disease. That July, Jackson published his second book, Dancing the Dream, a collection of poetry. The Dangerous World Tour ran between June 1992 and November 1993 and grossed $100 million (equivalent to $210 million in 2023); Jackson performed for 3.5 million people in 70 concerts, all of which were outside the US.[177] Part of the proceeds went to Heal the World Foundation.[178] Jackson sold the broadcast rights of the tour to HBO for $20 million, a record-breaking deal that still stands.[179]

Following the death of HIV/AIDS spokesperson and friend Ryan White, Jackson pleaded with the Clinton administration at Bill Clinton's inaugural gala to give more money to HIV/AIDS charities and research[180][181] and performed "Gone Too Soon", a song dedicated to White, and "Heal the World" at the gala.[182] Jackson visited Africa in early 1992; on his first stop in Gabon he was greeted by more than 100,000 people, some of them carrying signs that read "Welcome Home Michael",[183] and was awarded an Officer of the National Order of Merit from President Omar Bongo.[184][185] During his trip to Ivory Coast, Jackson drew larger crowds than Pope John Paul II on his previous visits.[186] He was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief in the Ivorian village of Krindjabo, where he thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed documents formalizing his kingship, and sat on a golden throne while presiding over ceremonial dances.[183]

In January 1993, Jackson performed at the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show in Pasadena, California. The NFL sought a big-name artist to keep ratings high during halftime following dwindling audience figures.[187][188] It was the first Super Bowl whose half-time performance drew greater audience figures than the game. Jackson played "Jam", "Billie Jean", "Black or White", and "Heal the World". Dangerous rose 90 places in the US albums chart after the performance.[111]

Jackson gave a 90-minute interview with Oprah Winfrey on February 10, 1993. He spoke of his childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he believed he had missed out on much of his childhood, and said that he often cried from loneliness. He denied tabloid rumors that he had bought the bones of the Elephant Man, slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, or bleached his skin, and stated for the first time that he had vitiligo. After the interview, Dangerous re-entered the US albums chart in the top 10, more than a year after its release.[24][111] The interview itself became the most-watched television interview in United States history to date.

In January 1993, Jackson won three American Music Awards: Favorite Pop/Rock Album (Dangerous), Favorite Soul/R&B Single ("Remember the Time"), and was the first to win the International Artist Award of Excellence.[189][190] In February, he won the "Living Legend Award" at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.[63] He attended the award ceremony with Brooke Shields.[191] Dangerous was nominated for Best Vocal Performance (for "Black or White"), Best R&B Vocal Performance ("Jam") and Best R&B Song ("Jam"), and Bruce Swedien and Teddy Riley won the Grammy for Best Engineered – Non Classical.[86]

First child sexual abuse accusations and first marriage (1993–1995)
Main article: 1993 child sexual abuse accusations against Michael Jackson
In August 1993, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy, Jordan Chandler, and his father, Evan Chandler.[192] Jordan said he and Jackson had engaged in acts of kissing, masturbation and oral sex.[193] While Jordan's mother initially told police that she did not believe Jackson had molested him, her position wavered a few days later.[194][195] Evan was recorded discussing his intention to pursue charges, which Jackson used to argue that he was the victim of a jealous father trying to extort money.[195] Jackson's older sister La Toya accused him of being a pedophile;[196] she later retracted this, saying she had been forced into it by her abusive husband.[197]

Police raided Jackson's home in August and found two legal large-format art books featuring young boys playing, running and swimming in various states of undress.[198] Jackson denied knowing of the books' content and claimed if they were there someone had to send them to him and he did not open them.[199] Jordan Chandler gave police a description of Jackson's genitals. A strip search was made, and the jurors felt the description was not a match.[200][201][202] In January 1994, Jackson settled with the Chandlers out of court for a reported total sum of $23 million.[203] The police never pressed criminal charges.[204] Citing a lack of evidence without Jordan's testimony, the state closed its investigation on September 22, 1994.[205]

Jackson had been taking painkillers for his reconstructive scalp surgeries, administered due to the Pepsi commercial accident in 1984, and became dependent on them to cope with the stress of the sexual abuse allegations.[206] On November 12, 1993, Jackson canceled the remainder of the Dangerous World Tour due to health problems, stress from the allegations and painkiller addiction. He thanked his close friend Elizabeth Taylor for support, encouragement and counsel. The end of the tour concluded his sponsorship deal with Pepsi.[207]

In late 1993, Jackson proposed to Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley, over the phone.[208] They married in La Vega, Dominican Republic, in May 1994 by civil judge Hugo Francisco Álvarez Pérez.[209] The tabloid media speculated that the wedding was a publicity stunt to deflect away from Jackson's sexual abuse allegations and jump-start Presley's career as a singer.[210][209] Their marriage ended little more than a year later, and they separated in December 1995.[211] Presley cited "irreconcilable differences" when filing for divorce the next month and only sought to reclaim her maiden name as her settlement.[210][212] After the divorce, Judge Pérez said, "They lasted longer than I thought they would. I gave them a year. They lasted a year and a half."[209] Presley later said she and Jackson had attempted to reconcile intermittently for four years following their divorce, and that she had traveled the world to be with him.[213]

Jackson composed music for the Sega Genesis video game Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994), but left the project around the time the sexual abuse allegations surfaced and went uncredited.[214][215] The Sega Technical Institute director Roger Hector and the Sonic co-creator Naoto Ohshima said that Jackson's involvement was terminated and his music reworked following the allegations.[216][217] However, Jackson's musical director Brad Buxer and other members of Jackson's team said Jackson went uncredited because he was unhappy with how the Genesis replicated his music.[218]

HIStory, second marriage, fatherhood and Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix (1995–1997)
 Jackson at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of Michael Jackson's Ghosts
In June 1995, Jackson released the double album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. The first disc, HIStory Begins, is a greatest hits album (reissued in 2001 as Greatest Hits: HIStory, Volume I). The second disc, HIStory Continues, contains 13 original songs and two cover versions. The album debuted at number one on the charts and has been certified for eight million shipments in the US.[219] It is the bestselling multi-disc album of all time, with 20 million copies (40 million units) sold worldwide.[172][220] HIStory received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.[63] The New York Times reviewed it as "the testimony of a musician whose self-pity now equals his talent".[221]

The first single from HIStory was "Scream/Childhood". "Scream", a duet with Jackson's youngest sister Janet, protests the media's treatment of Jackson during the 1993 child abuse allegations against him. The single reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100,[173] and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals".[63] The second single, "You Are Not Alone", holds the Guinness world record for the first song to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[222] It received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Performance" in 1995.[63]

In 1995 the Anti-Defamation League and other groups complained that "Jew me, sue me, everybody do me/ Kick me, kike me, don't you black or white me", the original lyrics of "They Don't Care About Us", were antisemitic. Jackson released a revised version of the song.[223]

In late 1995, Jackson was admitted to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance, caused by a stress-related panic attack.[224] In November, Jackson merged his ATV Music catalog with Sony's music publishing division, creating Sony/ATV Music Publishing. He retained ownership of half the company, earning $95 million up front (equivalent to $190 million in 2023) as well as the rights to more songs.[225][226]

"Earth Song" was the third single released from HIStory, and topped the UK Singles Chart for six weeks over Christmas 1995.[175] It became the 87th-bestselling single in the UK.[227] At the 1996 Brit Awards, Jackson's performance of "Earth Song" was disrupted by Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker, who was protesting what Cocker saw as Jackson's "Christ-like" persona. Jackson said the stage invasion was "disgusting and cowardly".[228][229]

In 1996, Jackson won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form, for "Scream" and an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist.[63][230] In July 1996, Jackson performed for Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah's fiftieth birthday at Jerudong Park Amphitheater, which was specifically built for that birthday concert.[231] Jackson was reportedly paid $17 million (equivalent to $33 million in 2023).[232] Jackson promoted HIStory with the HIStory World Tour, from September 7, 1996, to October 15, 1997. He performed 82 concerts in five continents, 35 countries and 58 cities to over 4.5 million fans, his most attended tour. It grossed $165 million.[143] During the tour, in Sydney, Australia, Jackson married Debbie Rowe, a dermatology assistant, who was six months pregnant with his first child.[233]

Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. (commonly known as Prince) was born on February 13, 1997. His sister Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson was born on April 3, 1998.[234] Jackson and Rowe divorced in 2000, Rowe conceded custody of the children, with an $8 million settlement (equivalent to $14.6 million in 2023).[235] In 2004, after the second child abuse allegations against Jackson, she returned to court to reclaim custody. The suit was settled in 2006.[236]

In 1997, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, which contained remixes of singles from HIStory and five new songs. Worldwide sales stand at 6 million copies, making it the best-selling remix album. It reached number one in the UK, as did the single "Blood on the Dance Floor".[237] In the US, the album reached number 24 and was certified platinum.[170]

Label dispute and Invincible (1997–2002)
From October 1997 to September 2001, Jackson worked on his tenth solo album, Invincible, which cost $30 million to record, making it the most expensive album of all time.[238] In June 1999, Jackson joined Luciano Pavarotti for a War Child benefit concert in Modena, Italy. The show raised a million dollars for refugees of the Kosovo War, and additional funds for the children of Guatemala.[239] Later that month, Jackson organized a series of "Michael Jackson & Friends" benefit concerts in Germany and Korea. Other artists involved included Slash, The Scorpions, Boyz II Men, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, A. R. Rahman, Prabhu Deva Sundaram, Shobana, Andrea Bocelli and Luciano Pavarotti. The proceeds went to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, the Red Cross and UNESCO.[240] In 1999, Jackson was presented with the "Outstanding Humanitarian Award" at Bollywood Movie Awards in New York City where he noted Mahatma Gandhi to have been an inspiration for him.[241][242] From August 1999 to 2000, he lived in New York City at 4 East 74th Street.[243] At the turn of the century, Jackson won an American Music Award as Artist of the 1980s.[244] In 2000, Guinness World Records recognized him for supporting 39 charities, more than any other entertainer.[245]

In September 2001, two concerts were held at Madison Square Garden to mark Jackson's 30th year as a solo artist. Jackson performed with his brothers for the first time since 1984. The show also featured Mýa, Usher, Whitney Houston, Destiny's Child, Monica, Liza Minnelli and Slash. The first show was marred by technical lapses, and the crowd booed a speech by Marlon Brando.[246] Almost 30 million people watched the television broadcast of the shows in November.[247] After the September 11 attacks (in which Jackson narrowly avoided death by oversleeping and missing a scheduled meeting at the World Trade Center[248]), Jackson helped organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., on October 21, 2001. Jackson performed "What More Can I Give" as the finale.[249]

The release of Invincible was preceded by a dispute between Jackson and his record label, Sony Music Entertainment. Jackson had expected the licenses to the masters of his albums to revert to him in the early 2000s, after which he would be able to promote the material however he pleased and keep the profits, but clauses in the contract set the revert date years into the future. Jackson sought an early exit from his contract.[250] Invincible was released on October 30, 2001. It was Jackson's first full-length album in six years, and the last album of original material he released in his lifetime.[250] It debuted at number one in 13 countries, and went on to sell eight million copies worldwide, receiving double-platinum certification in the US.[170][251][252]

On January 9, 2002, Jackson won his 22nd American Music Award for Artist of the Century.[253][254] Later that year, an anonymous surrogate mother gave birth to his third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (nicknamed "Blanket"[nb 3]), who had been conceived by artificial insemination.[255] On November 20, Jackson briefly held Blanket over the railing of his Berlin hotel room, four stories above ground level, prompting widespread criticism in the media. Jackson apologized for the incident, calling it "a terrible mistake".[256] On January 22, promoter Marcel Avram filed a breach of contract complaint against Jackson for failing to perform two planned 1999 concerts.[257] In March, a Santa Maria jury ordered Jackson to pay Avram $5.3 million.[258][259] On December 18, 2003, Jackson's attorneys dropped all appeals on the verdict and settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount.[260]

On April 24, 2002, Jackson performed at Apollo Theater. The concert was a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee and former President Bill Clinton.[261] The money collected would be used to encourage citizens to vote. It raised $2.5 million.[262] The concert was called Michael Jackson: Live at the Apollo and was one of Jackson's final on-stage performances.[263]

In July 2002, Jackson called Sony Music chairman Tommy Mottola "a racist, and very, very, very devilish," and someone who exploits black artists for his own gain, at Al Sharpton's National Action Network in Harlem. The accusation prompted Sharpton to form a coalition investigating whether Mottola exploited black artists.[264] Jackson charged that Mottola had called his colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger".[265] Responding to those attacks, Sony issued a statement calling them "ludicrous, spiteful, and hurtful" and defended Mottola as someone who had championed Jackson's career for many years.[264] Sony ultimately refused to renew Jackson's contract and claimed that a $25 million promotional campaign had failed because Jackson refused to tour in the US for Invincible.[238]

Documentary, Number Ones, second child abuse allegations and acquittal (2002–2005)
Further information: Trial of Michael Jackson
 Jackson in Las Vegas, 2003
Beginning in May 2002, a documentary film crew led by Martin Bashir followed Jackson for several months.[256] The documentary, broadcast in February 2003 as Living with Michael Jackson, showed Jackson holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with a twelve-year-old boy.[23][266] He said that he saw nothing wrong with having sleepovers with minors and sharing his bed and bedroom with various people, which aroused controversy. He insisted that the sleepovers were not sexual and that his words had been misunderstood.[267][268]

In October 2003, Jackson received the Key to the City of Las Vegas from Mayor Oscar Goodman.[269] On November 18, 2003, Sony released Number Ones, a greatest hits compilation. It was certified five times platinum by the RIAA, and ten times platinum in the UK, for shipments of at least 3 million units.[170][270]

On December 18, 2003, Santa Barbara authorities charged Jackson with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of intoxicating a minor with alcoholic drinks.[271] Jackson denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.[272] The People v. Jackson trial began on January 31, 2005, in Santa Maria, California, and lasted until the end of May. Jackson found the experience stressful and it affected his health. If convicted, he would have faced up to twenty years in prison.[273] On June 13, 2005, Jackson was acquitted on all counts.[274] FBI files on Jackson, released in 2009, revealed the FBI's role in the 2005 trial and the 1993 allegations, and showed that the FBI found no evidence of criminal conduct on Jackson's behalf.[275][276]

Final years, financial problems, Thriller 25 and This Is It (2005–2009)
 Jackson and his son Blanket in Disneyland Paris, 2006
After the trial, Jackson became reclusive.[277] In June 2005, he moved to Bahrain as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah.[278] In early 2006, it was announced that Jackson had signed a contract with a Bahrain startup, Two Seas Records. Nothing came of the deal, and the Two Seas CEO, Guy Holmes, later said it was never finalized.[279][280] Holmes also found that Jackson was on the verge of bankruptcy and was involved in 47 ongoing lawsuits.[278] By September 2006, Jackson was no longer affiliated with Two Seas.[280]

In April 2006, Jackson agreed to use a piece of his ATV catalog stake, then worth about $1 billion, as collateral against his $270 million worth of loans from Bank of America. Bank of America had sold the loans to Fortress Investments, an investment company that buys distressed loans, the year before. As part of the agreement, Fortress Investments provided Jackson a new loan of $300 million with reduced interest payments (equivalent to $450 million in 2023). Sony Music would have the option to buy half of his stake, or about 25% of the catalog, at a set price. Jackson's financial managers had urged him to shed part of his stake to avoid bankruptcy.[226][281] The main house at Neverland Ranch was closed as a cost-cutting measure, while Jackson lived in Bahrain at the hospitality of Abdullah.[282] At least thirty of Jackson's employees had not been paid on time and were owed $306,000 in back wages. Jackson was ordered to pay $100,000 in penalties.[226] Jackson never returned to Neverland after his acquittal.[283]

In mid-2006, Jackson moved to Grouse Lodge, a residential recording studio near Rosemount, County Westmeath, Ireland. There, he began work on a new album with the American producers will.i.am and Rodney Jenkins.[284] That November, Jackson invited an Access Hollywood camera crew into the studio in Westmeath.[172] On November 15, Jackson briefly joined in on a performance of "We Are the World" at the World Music Awards in London, his last public performance, and accepted the Diamond Award for sales of 100 million records.[172][285] He returned to the US in December, settling in Las Vegas. That month, he attended James Brown's funeral in Augusta, Georgia, where he gave a eulogy calling Brown his greatest inspiration.[286]

 An aerial view of part of Jackson's 2,800-acre (11 km2) Neverland Valley Ranch near Los Olivos, California, showing the rides
In 2007, Jackson and Sony bought another music publishing company, Famous Music LLC, formerly owned by Viacom. The deal gave Jackson the rights to songs by Eminem and Beck, among others.[287][288] In a brief interview, Jackson said he had no regrets about his career despite his problems and "deliberate attempts to hurt [him]".[289] That March, Jackson visited a US Army post in Japan, Camp Zama, to greet more than 3,000 troops and their families.[290][291] As of September, Jackson was still working on his next album, which he never completed.[292]

In 2008, for the 25th anniversary of Thriller, Jackson and Sony released Thriller 25, with two remixes released as singles: "The Girl Is Mine 2008" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008".[293] For Jackson's 50th birthday, Sony BMG released a series of greatest hits albums, King of Pop, with different tracklists for different regions.[294] That July, Fortress Investments threatened to foreclose on Neverland Ranch, which Jackson had used as collateral for his loans. Fortress sold Jackson's debts to Colony Capital LLC.[295][296] In November, Jackson transferred Neverland Ranch's title to Sycamore Valley Ranch Company LLC, a joint venture between Jackson and Colony Capital LLC. The deal earned him $35 million.[297] In 2009, Jackson arranged to sell a collection of his memorabilia of more than 1,000 items through Julien's Auction House, but canceled the auction in April.[298]

In March 2009, amid speculation about his finances and health, Jackson announced a series of comeback concerts, This Is It, at a press conference at the O2 Arena.[299] The shows were to be his first major concerts since the HIStory World Tour in 1997. Jackson suggested he would retire after the shows. The initial plan was for ten concerts in London, followed by shows in Paris, New York City and Mumbai. Randy Phillips, the president and chief executive of AEG Live, predicted the first ten dates would earn Jackson £50 million.[300]

The London residency was increased to fifty dates after record-breaking ticket sales; more than one million were sold in less than two hours.[301] The concerts were to run from July 13, 2009, to March 6, 2010. Jackson moved to Los Angeles, where he rehearsed in the weeks leading up to the tour under the direction of the choreographer Kenny Ortega, whom he had worked with during his previous tours. Rehearsals took place at the Forum and the Staples Center owned by AEG.[302] By this point, Jackson's debt had grown to almost $500 million. By the time of his death, he was three or four months behind payments of his home in San Fernando Valley.[303][304] The Independent reported that Jackson planned a string of further ventures designed to recoup his debts, including a world tour, a new album, films, a museum and a casino.[299]

Death
Main article: Death of Michael Jackson
 Fans placed flowers and notes on Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on the day of his death
On June 25, 2009, less than three weeks before his concert residency was due to begin in London, with all concerts sold out, Jackson died from cardiac arrest, caused by a propofol and benzodiazepine overdose.[305][306] Conrad Murray, his personal physician, had given Jackson various medications to help him sleep at his rented mansion in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles. Paramedics received a 911 call at 12:22 pm Pacific time (19:22 UTC) and arrived three minutes later.[307][308] Jackson was not breathing and CPR was performed.[309] Resuscitation efforts continued en route to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and for more than an hour after Jackson's arrival there, but were unsuccessful,[310][311] and Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 pm Pacific time (21:26 UTC).[312][313]

Murray had administered propofol, lorazepam, and midazolam;[314] his death was caused by a propofol overdose.[306][311] News of his death spread quickly online, causing websites to slow down and crash from user overload,[315] and it put unprecedented strain[316] on many services and websites including Google,[317] AOL Instant Messenger,[316] Twitter and Wikipedia.[317] Overall, web traffic rose by between 11% and 20%.[318][319] MTV and BET aired marathons of Jackson's music videos,[320] and Jackson specials aired on television stations around the world.[321] MTV briefly returned to its original music video format,[11] and they aired hours of Jackson's music videos, with live news specials featuring reactions from MTV personalities and other celebrities.[322]

Memorial service
Main article: Michael Jackson memorial service
 
Jackson's unmarked crypt at the end of the Sanctuary of Ascension in the Holly Terrace of the Great Mausoleum, Forest Lawn Glendale
 
Fans visiting the makeshift memorial set up outside the Neverland Ranch entrance shortly after Jackson's death
Jackson's memorial was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, preceded by a private family service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park's Hall of Liberty. Over 1.6 million fans applied for tickets to the memorial; the 8,750 recipients were drawn at random, and each received two tickets.[323] The memorial service was one of the most watched events in streaming history,[324] with an estimated US audience of 31.1 million[325] and a worldwide audience of an estimated 2.5 to 3 billion.[326][327]

Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Hudson, and Shaheen Jafargholi performed at the memorial, and Smokey Robinson and Queen Latifah gave eulogies.[328] Al Sharpton received a standing ovation with cheers when he told Jackson's children: "Wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with. But he dealt with it anyway."[329] Jackson's 11-year-old daughter Paris Katherine, speaking publicly for the first time, wept as she addressed the crowd.[330][331] Lucious Smith provided a closing prayer.[332] On September 3, 2009, the body of Jackson was entombed at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.[333]

Criminal investigation and prosecution of Conrad Murray
Main article: People v. Murray
In August 2009, the Los Angeles County Coroner ruled that Jackson's death was a homicide.[334][335] Law enforcement officials charged Murray with involuntary manslaughter on February 8, 2010.[336] In late 2011, he was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter[337] and held without bail to await sentencing.[338] Murray was sentenced to four years in prison.[339]

Posthumous sales
At the 2009 American Music Awards, Jackson won four posthumous awards, including two for his compilation album Number Ones, bringing his total American Music Awards to 26.[340][341] In the year after his death, more than 16.1 million copies of Jackson's albums were sold in the US alone, and 35 million copies were sold worldwide, more than any other artist in 2009.[342][343] He became the first artist to sell one million music downloads in a week, with 2.6 million song downloads. Thriller, Number Ones and The Essential Michael Jackson became the first catalog albums to outsell any new album.[344] Jackson also became the first artist to have four of the top-20 bestselling albums in a single year in the US.[345]

Following the surge in sales, in March 2010, Sony Music signed a $250 million deal (equivalent to $350 million in 2023) with the Jackson estate to extend their distribution rights to Jackson's back catalog until at least 2017; it had been due to expire in 2015. It was the most expensive music contract for a single artist in history.[346][347] They agreed to release ten albums of previously unreleased material and new collections of released work.[346][348] The deal was extended in 2017.[349] That July, a Los Angeles court awarded Quincy Jones $9.4 million of disputed royalty payments for Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad.[56] In July 2018, Sony/ATV bought the estate's stake in EMI for $287.5 million.[350]

In 2014, Jackson became the first artist to have a top-ten single in the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades.[351] The following year, Thriller became the first album to be certified for 30 million shipments by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[7] A year later, it was certified 33× platinum after Soundscan added streams and audio downloads to album certifications.[352][nb 4]

In February 2024, Sony Music acquired half of Jackson's publishing rights and recording masters for an estimated $600 million. The deal includes assets from Jackson's Mijac publishing catalog, but excludes royalties from several Jackson-related productions, including the MJ Broadway musical and the Michael biopic. The deal is possibly the largest transaction ever for a single musician's work.[354][355]

Posthumous releases and productions
Jackson's posthumous releases and productions are administered by the estate of Michael Jackson, which owns Jackson's trademarks and rights to his name, image and likeness.[356] The first posthumous Jackson song, "This Is It", co-written in the 1980s with Paul Anka, was released in October 2009. The surviving Jackson brothers reunited to record backing vocals.[357] It was followed by a documentary film about the rehearsals for the canceled This Is It tour, Michael Jackson's This Is It,[358] and a compilation album.[359] Despite a limited two-week engagement, the film became the highest-grossing documentary or concert film ever, with earnings of more than $260 million worldwide.[360] Jackson's estate received 90% of the profits.[361] In late 2010, Sony released the first posthumous album, Michael, and the promotional single "Breaking News". The Jackson collaborator will.i.am expressed disgust, saying that Jackson would not have approved the release.[362]

The video game developer Ubisoft released a music game featuring Jackson for the 2010 holiday season, Michael Jackson: The Experience. It was among the first games to use Kinect and PlayStation Move, the motion-detecting camera systems for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.[363] In April 2011, Mohamed Al-Fayed, the chairman of Fulham Football Club, unveiled a statue of Jackson outside the club stadium, Craven Cottage.[364] It was moved to the National Football Museum in Manchester in May 2014,[365] and removed from display in March 2019 following renewed sexual assault allegations.[366]

In October 2011, the theater company Cirque du Soleil launched Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour, a $57-million production,[367] in Montreal, with a permanent show resident in Las Vegas.[368] A larger and more theatrical Cirque show, Michael Jackson: One, designed for residency at the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas, opened on May 23, 2013, in a renovated theater.[369][370]

In 2012, in an attempt to end a family dispute, Jackson's brother Jermaine retracted his signature on a public letter criticizing executors of Jackson's estate and his mother's advisors over the legitimacy of his brother's will.[371] T.J. Jackson, the son of Tito Jackson, was given co-guardianship of Michael Jackson's children after false reports of Katherine Jackson going missing.[372] Xscape, an album of unreleased material, was released on May 13, 2014.[373] The lead single, a duet between Jackson and Justin Timberlake, "Love Never Felt So Good", reached number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making Jackson the first artist to have a top-10 single on the chart in five different decades.[374]

Later in 2014, Queen released a duet recorded with Jackson in the 1980s.[70] A compilation album, Scream, was released on September 29, 2017.[375] A jukebox musical, MJ the Musical, premiered on Broadway in 2022.[376] Myles Frost won the 2022 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Jackson.[377] On November 18, 2022, a 40th-anniversary edition reissue of Thriller was released.[378][379]

A biographical film based on Jackson's life, Michael, was due to enter production through Lionsgate in 2023, but it was put on hold amid the SAG-AFTRA strike.[380] It will be directed by Antoine Fuqua, produced by Graham King and written by John Logan.[381] Jackson will be played by Jaafar Jackson, son of Jackson's brother Jermaine. Deadline Hollywood reported that the film "will not shy away from the controversies of Jackson's life".[382]

Posthumous child sexual abuse allegations
 Jackson and Safechuck (left) in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1988
In 2013, choreographer Wade Robson filed a lawsuit alleging that Jackson had sexually abused him for seven years, beginning when he was seven years old (1989–1996).[383] In 2014, a case was filed by James Safechuck, alleging sexual abuse over a four-year period from the age of ten (1988–1992).[384][385][386] Both had testified in Jackson's defense during the 1993 allegations; Robson did so again in 2005.[387][388] In 2015, Robson's case against Jackson's estate was dismissed as it had been filed too late. Safechuck's claim was also time-barred.[389]

In 2017, it was ruled that Jackson's corporations could not be held accountable for his alleged past actions.[390][391] The rulings were appealed. On October 20, 2020, Safechuck's lawsuit against Jackson's corporations was again dismissed. The judge ruled that there was no evidence that Safechuck had had a relationship with Jackson's corporation, nor was it proven that there was a special relationship between the two.[392][393][394][395] On April 26, 2021, Robson's case was dismissed because of a lack of supporting evidence that the defendants exercised control over Jackson.[396]

Robson and Safechuck described their allegations against Jackson in graphic detail in the documentary Leaving Neverland, released in March 2019.[397] Radio stations in New Zealand, Canada, the UK and the Netherlands removed Jackson's music from their playlists.[398][399][400] Jackson's family condemned the film as a "public lynching",[401] and the Jackson estate released a statement calling the film a "tabloid character assassination [Jackson] endured in life, and now in death".[402] Close associates of Jackson, such as Corey Feldman, Aaron Carter, Brett Barnes, and Macaulay Culkin, said that Jackson had not molested them.[403][404][405]

Documentaries such as Square One: Michael Jackson, Neverland Firsthand: Investigating the Michael Jackson Documentary and Michael Jackson: Chase the Truth, presented information countering the claims suggested by Leaving Neverland.[406][407][408] Jackson's album sales increased following the documentary screenings.[409] Billboard senior editor Gail Mitchell said she and a colleague interviewed about thirty music executives who believed Jackson's legacy could withstand the controversy.[410] In late 2019, some New Zealand and Canadian radio stations re-added Jackson's music to their playlists, citing "positive listener survey results".[411][412]

On February 21, 2019, the Jackson estate sued HBO for breaching a non-disparagement clause from a 1992 contract. The suit sought to compel HBO to participate in a non-confidential arbitration that could result in $100 million or more in damages awarded to the estate.[413] HBO said they did not breach a contract and filed an anti-SLAPP motion against the estate. In September 2019, Judge George H. Wu denied HBO's motion to dismiss the case, allowing the Jackson estate to arbitrate.[414] HBO appealed, but in December 2020 the appeals court affirmed Wu's ruling.[415]

In 2020, a state law passed in California which granted plaintiffs in child sex abuse cases an additional period to file lawsuits. In October 2020 and again in April 2021, the Los Angeles County Superior Court ruled that MJJ Productions Inc. and MJJ Ventures Inc. employees were not legally obligated to protect the two men from Jackson. In August 2023, California's Second District Court of Appeal overturned the ruling, and the case was approved to move forward to trial court.[416]

Legacy
Main article: Cultural impact of Michael Jackson
See also: List of Michael Jackson records and achievements
Jackson has been referred to as the "King of Pop" for having transformed the art of music videos and paving the way for modern pop music. For much of Jackson's career, he had an unparalleled worldwide influence over the younger generation.[417] His influence extended beyond the music industry; he impacted dance, led fashion trends, and raised awareness for global affairs.[418] Jackson's music and videos fostered racial diversity in MTV's roster and steered its focus from rock to pop music and R&B, shaping the channel into a form that proved enduring.[44]

In songs such as "Man in the Mirror", "Black or White", "Heal the World", "Earth Song" and "They Don't Care About Us", Jackson's music emphasized racial integration and environmentalism and protested injustice.[419][420] He is recognized as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time by Guinness World Records.[421][422] Jackson has also appeared on Rolling Stone's lists of the Greatest Singers of All Time.[423][424] He is considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century,[425] and his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades.[426][427][428]

Trying to trace Michael Jackson's influence on the pop stars that followed him is like trying to trace the influence of oxygen and gravity. So vast, far-reaching and was his impact—particularly in the wake of Thriller's colossal and heretofore unmatched commercial success—that there weren't a whole lot of artists who weren't trying to mimic some of the Jackson formula.

— J. Edward Keyes of Rolling Stone[429]
Danyel Smith, chief content officer of Vibe Media Group and the editor-in-chief of Vibe, described Jackson as "the greatest star".[430] Steve Huey of AllMusic called him "an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the skills to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility and loads of sheer star power".[10] BET said Jackson was "quite simply the greatest entertainer of all time" whose "sound, style, movement and legacy continues to inspire artists of all genres".[431]

 Jackson's Bad era wax figure at Madame Tussauds, London in 1992
In 1984, Time pop critic Jay Cocks wrote that "Jackson is the biggest thing since the Beatles. He is the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley. He just may be the most popular black singer ever." He described Jackson as a "star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style, and color too."[91] In 2003, The Daily Telegraph writer Tom Utley described Jackson as "extremely important" and a "genius".[432] At Jackson's memorial service on July 7, 2009, Motown founder Berry Gordy called Jackson "the greatest entertainer that ever lived".[433][434] In a June 28, 2009 Baltimore Sun article, Jill Rosen wrote that Jackson's legacy influenced fields including sound, dance, fashion, music videos and celebrity.[435]

Pop critic Robert Christgau wrote that Jackson's work from the 1970s to the early 1990s showed "immense originality, adaptability, and ambition" with "genius beats, hooks, arrangements, and vocals (though not lyrics)", music that "will stand forever as a reproach to the puritanical notion that pop music is slick or shallow and that's the end of it". During the 1990s, as Jackson lost control of his "troubling life", his music suffered and began to shape "an arc not merely of promise fulfilled and outlived, but of something approaching tragedy: a phenomenally ebullient child star tops himself like none before, only to transmute audibly into a lost weirdo".[436] In the 2000s, Christgau wrote: "Jackson's obsession with fame, his grotesque life magnified by his grotesque wealth, are such an offense to rock aesthetes that the fact that he's a great musician is now often forgotten".[437]

Philanthropy and humanitarian work
Main article: Philanthropy of Michael Jackson
 President Ronald Reagan rewarding Jackson in 1984 for his support of alcohol and drug abuse charities
Jackson is widely regarded as having been a prolific philanthropist and humanitarian.[438][439][440][441] Jackson's early charitable work has been described by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as having "paved the way for the current surge in celebrity philanthropy",[442] and by the Los Angeles Times as having "set the standard for generosity for other entertainers".[438]

By some estimates, he donated over $500 million, not accounting for inflation, to various charities over the course of his life.[438] In 1992, Jackson established his Heal the World Foundation, to which he donated several million dollars in revenue from his Dangerous World Tour.[443]

Jackson's philanthropic activities went beyond just monetary donations. He also performed at benefit concerts, some of which he arranged. He gifted tickets for his regular concert performances to groups that assist underprivileged children. He visited sick children in hospitals around the world. He opened his own home for visits by underprivileged or sick children and provided special facilities and nurses if the children needed that level of care.

Jackson donated valuable, personal and professional paraphernalia for numerous charity auctions. He received various awards and accolades for his philanthropic work, including two bestowed by presidents of the United States. The vast breadth of Jackson's philanthropic work has earned recognition in the Guinness World Records.[438][444][445]

On May 14, 1984, President Ronald Reagan gave Jackson an award recognizing his support of alcohol and drug abuse charities,[446] and in recognition of his support for the Ad Council's and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Drunk Driving Prevention campaign. Jackson allowed the campaign to use "Beat It" for its public service announcements.[447]

Artistry
Influences
Jackson was influenced by musicians including James Brown, Little Richard, Jackie Wilson, Diana Ross, Fred Astaire, Sammy Davis Jr., Gene Kelly,[448] and David Ruffin.[449] Little Richard had a substantial influence on Jackson,[450] but Brown was his greatest inspiration; he later said that as a small child, his mother would wake him whenever Brown appeared on television. Jackson described being "mesmerized".[451]

Jackson's vocal technique was influenced by Diana Ross; his use of the oooh interjection from a young age was something Ross had used on many of her songs with the Supremes.[452] She was a mother figure to him, and he often watched her rehearse.[453] He said he had learned a lot from watching how she moved and sang, and that she had encouraged him to have confidence in himself.[454]

Choreographer David Winters, who met Jackson while choreographing the 1971 Diana Ross TV special Diana!, said that Jackson watched the musical West Side Story almost every week, and it was his favorite film; he paid tribute to it in "Beat It" and the "Bad" video.[455][456][457]

Vocal style
Jackson sang from childhood, and over time his voice and vocal style changed. Between 1971 and 1975, his voice descended from boy soprano to lyric tenor.[458] He was known for his vocal range.[423] With the arrival of Off the Wall in the late 1970s, Jackson's abilities as a vocalist were well regarded; Rolling Stone compared his vocals to the "breathless, dreamy stutter" of Stevie Wonder, and wrote that "Jackson's feathery-timbred tenor is extraordinarily beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that's used very daringly."[459] By the time of 1982's Thriller, Rolling Stone wrote that Jackson was singing in a "fully adult voice" that was "tinged by sadness".[460]

The turn of the 1990s saw the release of the introspective album Dangerous. The New York Times noted that on some tracks, "he gulps for breath, his voice quivers with anxiety or drops to a desperate whisper, hissing through clenched teeth" and he had a "wretched tone". When singing of brotherhood or self-esteem the musician would return to "smooth" vocals.[461] Of Invincible, Rolling Stone wrote that, at 43, Jackson still performed "exquisitely voiced rhythm tracks and vibrating vocal harmonies".[462] Joseph Vogel notes Jackson's ability to use non-verbal sounds to express emotion.[463] Neil McCormick wrote that Jackson's unorthodox singing style "was original and utterly distinctive".[464]

Musicianship
Jackson had no formal music training and could not read or write music notation. He is credited for playing guitar, keyboard, and drums, but was not proficient in them.[465] When composing, he recorded ideas by beatboxing and imitating instruments vocally.[465] Describing the process, he said: "I'll just sing the bass part into the tape recorder. I'll take that bass lick and put the chords of the melody over the bass lick and that's what inspires the melody." The engineer Robert Hoffman recalled that after Jackson came in with a song he had written overnight, Jackson sang every note of every chord to a guitar player. Hoffman also remembered Jackson singing string arrangements part by part into a cassette recorder.[465]



Dance
Jackson danced from a young age as part of the Jackson 5,[466] and incorporated dance extensively in his performances and music videos.[466] According to Sanjoy Roy of The Guardian, Jackson would "flick and retract his limbs like switchblades, or snap out of a tornado spin into a perfectly poised toe-stand".[466] The moonwalk, taught to him by Jeffrey Daniel,[81] was Jackson's signature dance move and one of the most famous of the 20th century.[467] Jackson is credited for coining the name "moonwalk"; the move was previously known as the "backslide".[468][469] His other moves included the robot,[49] crotch grab, and the "anti-gravity" lean of the "Smooth Criminal" video.[466]

Themes and genres
 Jackson during his Bad World Tour in Vienna, June 1988
Jackson explored genres including pop,[10][470] soul,[10][157] rhythm and blues,[470] funk,[471] rock,[470][471] disco,[472] post-disco,[471] dance-pop[473] and new jack swing.[10] Steve Huey of AllMusic wrote that Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall; the dance and rock tracks were more aggressive, while the pop tunes and ballads were softer and more soulful.[10] Its tracks included the ballads "The Lady in My Life", "Human Nature", and "The Girl Is Mine",[474][460][475] the funk pieces "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'",[474][460] and the disco set "Baby Be Mine" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)".[475]

With Off the Wall, Jackson's "vocabulary of grunts, squeals, hiccups, moans, and asides" vividly showed his maturation into an adult, Robert Christgau wrote in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981). The album's title track suggested to the critic a parallel between Jackson and Stevie Wonder's "oddball" music personas: "Since childhood his main contact with the real world has been on stage and in bed."[476] With Thriller, Christopher Connelly of Rolling Stone commented that Jackson developed his long association with the subliminal theme of paranoia and darker imagery.[460] AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted this on the songs "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".[474] In "Billie Jean", Jackson depicts an obsessive fan who alleges he has fathered her child,[10] and in "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" he argues against gossip and the media.[460] "Beat It" decried gang violence in a homage to West Side Story, and was Jackson's first successful rock cross-over piece, according to Huey.[10][41] He observed that "Thriller" began Jackson's interest with the theme of the supernatural, a topic he revisited in subsequent years. In 1985, Jackson co-wrote the charity anthem "We Are the World"; humanitarian themes later became a recurring theme in his lyrics and public persona.[10]

 Jackson's Bad era jacket on display at the Hollywood Guinness World Records Museum
In Bad, Jackson's concept of the predatory lover is seen on the rock song "Dirty Diana".[477] The lead single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a traditional love ballad, and "Man in the Mirror" is a ballad of confession and resolution. "Smooth Criminal" is an evocation of bloody assault, rape and likely murder.[138] AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that Dangerous presents Jackson as a paradoxical person.[478] The first half of the record is dedicated to new jack swing, including songs like "Jam" and "Remember the Time". It was the first Jackson album in which social ills became a primary theme; "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", for example, protests world hunger, AIDS, homelessness and drugs. Dangerous contains sexually charged songs such as "In the Closet". The title track continues the theme of the predatory lover and compulsive desire. The second half includes introspective, pop-gospel anthems such as "Will You Be There", "Heal the World" and "Keep the Faith".[461] In the ballad "Gone Too Soon", Jackson gives tribute to Ryan White and the plight of those with AIDS.[479]

HIStory creates an atmosphere of paranoia.[480] In the new jack swing-funk rock tracks "Scream" and "Tabloid Junkie", and the R&B ballad "You Are Not Alone", Jackson retaliates against the injustice and isolation he feels, and directs his anger at the media.[481] In the introspective ballad "Stranger in Moscow", Jackson laments his "fall from grace"; "Earth Song", "Childhood", "Little Susie" and "Smile" are operatic pop songs.[480][481] In "D.S.", Jackson attacks lawyer Thomas W. Sneddon Jr., who had prosecuted him in both child sexual abuse cases; he describes Sneddon as a white supremacist who wanted to "get my ass, dead or alive".[482] Invincible includes urban soul tracks such as "Cry" and "The Lost Children", ballads such as "Speechless", "Break of Dawn", and "Butterflies", and mixes hip hop, pop, and R&B in "2000 Watts", "Heartbreaker" and "Invincible".[483][484]

Music videos and choreography
 Jackson (center) performing a dance sequence of "The Way You Make Me Feel" at the Bad World Tour in 1988
Jackson released "Thriller", a 14-minute music video directed by John Landis, in 1983.[485] The zombie-themed video "defined music videos and broke racial barriers" on MTV, which had launched two years earlier.[44] Before Thriller, Jackson struggled to receive coverage on MTV, allegedly because he was African American.[486] Pressure from CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", which led to a lengthy partnership with Jackson, and helped other black music artists gain recognition.[487] The popularity of his videos on MTV helped the relatively new channel's viewing figures, and MTV's focus shifted toward pop and R&B.[487][488] His performance on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever changed the scope of live stage shows, making it acceptable for artists to lip-sync to music video on stage.[489] The choreography in Thriller has been copied in Indian films and prisons in the Philippines.[490] Thriller marked an increase in scale for music videos, and was named the most successful music video ever by the Guinness World Records.[222]

In "Bad"'s 19-minute video—directed by Martin Scorsese—Jackson used sexual imagery and choreography, and touched his chest, torso and crotch. When asked by Winfrey in the 1993 interview about why he grabbed his crotch, he said it was spontaneously compelled by the music. Time magazine described the "Bad" video as "infamous". It featured Wesley Snipes; Jackson's later videos often featured famous cameo roles.[491][492] For the "Smooth Criminal" video, Jackson experimented with leaning forward at a 45 degree angle, beyond the performer's center of gravity. To accomplish this live, Jackson and designers developed a special shoe to lock the performer's feet to the stage, allowing them to lean forward. They were granted U.S. patent 5,255,452 for the device.[493] The video for "Leave Me Alone" was not officially released in the US, but in 1989 was nominated for three Billboard Music Video Awards[494] and won a Golden Lion Award for its special effects. It won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.[63]

He received the MTV Video Vanguard Award in 1988; in 2001 the award was renamed in his honor.[495] The "Black or White" video simultaneously premiered on November 14, 1991, in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million people, the largest audience ever for a music video at the time.[172] Along with Jackson, it featured Macaulay Culkin, Peggy Lipton, and George Wendt. It helped introduce morphing to music videos.[496] It was controversial for scenes in which Jackson rubs his crotch, vandalizes cars, and throws a garbage can through a storefront. He apologized and removed the final scene of the video.[161]

"In the Closet" featured Naomi Campbell in a courtship dance with Jackson.[497] "Remember the Time" was set in ancient Egypt, and featured Eddie Murphy, Iman, and Magic Johnson.[498] The video for "Scream", directed by Mark Romanek and production designer Tom Foden, gained a record 11 MTV Video Music Award Nominations, and won "Best Dance Video", "Best Choreography", and "Best Art Direction".[499] The song and its video are Jackson's response to being accused of child molestation in 1993.[500] A year later, it won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form. It has been reported as the most expensive music video ever made, at $7 million;[501] Romanek has contradicted this.[502] The "Earth Song" video was nominated for the 1997 Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.[503]

Michael Jackson's Ghosts, a short film written by Jackson and Stephen King and directed by Stan Winston, premiered at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival. At over 38 minutes long, it held the Guinness world record for the longest music video until 2013, when it was eclipsed by the video for the Pharrell Williams song "Happy".[504] The 2001 video for "You Rock My World" lasts over 13 minutes, was directed by Paul Hunter, and features Chris Tucker and Marlon Brando.[505] It won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Music Video in 2002.[506]

In December 2009, the Library of Congress selected "Thriller" as the only music video to be preserved in the National Film Registry, as a work of "enduring importance to American culture".[507][508] Huey wrote that Jackson transformed the music video into an artform and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameos, while breaking down racial barriers.[10]

Honors and awards
See also: List of awards and nominations received by Michael Jackson
 The Thriller platinum certified record on display at the Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood. As of 2017, it is certified 33× platinum.[352]
Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists in history,[509] with sales estimated around 500 million records worldwide.[510][Note 2] He had 13 number-one singles in the US in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era.[511] He was invited and honored by a president of the United States at the White House three times. In 1984, he was honored with a "Presidential Public Safety Commendation" award by Ronald Reagan for his humanitarian endeavors.[512] In 1990, he was honored as the "Artist of the Decade" by George H. W. Bush.[513] In 1992, he was honored as a "Point of Light Ambassador" by Bush for inviting disadvantaged children to his Neverland Ranch.[514]

Jackson won hundreds of awards, making him one of the most-awarded artists in popular music.[515] His awards include 39 Guinness World Records, including the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time,[421][422] 13 Grammy Awards,[516] as well as the Grammy Legend Award[517] and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award,[518] and 26 American Music Awards, including the Artist of the Century and Artist of the 1980s.[244] He also received the World Music Awards' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium and the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award.[519] Jackson was inducted onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1980 as a member of the Jacksons, and in 1984 as a solo artist. He was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Vocal Group Hall of Fame as a member of the Jackson 5 in 1997 and 1999,[520] respectively, and again as a solo artist in 2001.[521] In 2002, he was added to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.[522] In 2010, he was the first recording artist to be inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame,[523] and in 2014, he was posthumously inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.[524] In 2021, he was among the inaugural inductees into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.[525]

In 1988, Fisk University honored him with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.[526] In 1992, he was invested as a titular king of Sanwi, a traditional kingdom located in the south-east of Ivory Coast.[527] In July 2009, the Lunar Republic Society named a crater on the Moon after Jackson.[528] In August, for what would have been Jackson's 51st birthday, Google dedicated their Google Doodle to him.[529] In 2012, the extinct hermit crab Mesoparapylocheles michaeljacksoni was named in his honor.[530] In 2014, the British Council of Cultural Relations deemed Jackson's life one of the 80 most important cultural moments of the 20th century.[531] World Vitiligo Day has been celebrated on June 25, the anniversary of Jackson's death, to raise awareness of the auto-immune disorder that Jackson suffered from.[532]

Earnings
Main article: Estate of Michael Jackson
In 1989, Jackson's annual earnings from album sales, endorsements, and concerts were estimated at $125 million.[222] Forbes placed Jackson's annual income at $35 million in 1996 and $20 million in 1997.[533] Estimates of Jackson's net worth during his life range from negative $285 million to positive $350 million for 2002, 2003 and 2007.[534][535] Forbes reported in August 2018 that Jackson's total career pretax earnings in life and death were $4.2 billion.[536][537] Sales of his recordings through Sony's music unit earned him an estimated $300 million in royalties. He may have earned another $400 million from concerts, music publishing (including his share of the Beatles catalog), endorsements, merchandising and music videos.[538]

In 2013, the executors of Jackson's estate filed a petition in the United States Tax Court as a result of a dispute with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over US federal estate taxes.[539] The executors claim that it was worth about $7 million, the IRS that it was worth over $1.1 billion. In February 2014, the IRS reported that Jackson's estate owed $702 million; $505 million in taxes, and $197 million in penalties.[540] A trial was held from February 6 to 24, 2017.[541] In 2021, the Tax Court issued a ruling in favor of the estate, ruling that the estate's total combined value of the estate was $111.5 million and that the value of Jackson's name and likeness was $4 million (not the $61 million estimated by the IRS's outside expert witness).[542]

In 2016, Forbes estimated annual gross earnings by the Jackson Estate at $825 million, the largest ever recorded for a celebrity, mostly due to the sale of the Sony/ATV catalog.[543] In 2018, the figure was $400 million.[544] It was the eighth year since his death that Jackson's annual earnings were reported to be over $100 million, thus bringing Jackson's postmortem total to $2.4 billion.[545] Forbes has consistently recognized Jackson as one of the top-earning dead celebrities since his death, and placed him at the top spot from 2013 to 2023.[546][547]

Discography
Main articles: Michael Jackson albums discography, Michael Jackson singles discography, and List of songs recorded by Michael Jackson
See also: The Jackson 5 discography
Got to Be There (1972)
Ben (1972)
Music & Me (1973)
Forever, Michael (1975)
Off the Wall (1979)
Thriller (1982)
Bad (1987)
Dangerous (1991)
HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995)
Invincible (2001)
Filmography
See also: Michael Jackson videography
The Wiz (1978)
Michael Jackson's Thriller (1983)
Captain EO (1986)
Moonwalker (1988)
Michael Jackson's Ghosts (1997)
Men in Black II (2002)
Miss Cast Away and the Island Girls (2004)
Michael Jackson's This Is It (2009)
Bad 25 (2012)
Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall (2016)
Thriller 40 (2023)
Tours
Main article: List of Michael Jackson concerts
Bad World Tour (1987–1989)
Dangerous World Tour (1992–1993)
HIStory World Tour (1996–1997)
MJ & Friends (1999)
See also
List of dancers
Notes
^ "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana"
^ In 2006, Raymone Bain, Jackson's publicist at that time, claimed that Michael Jackson had sold over 750 million units.[1][2] Since 2006, several sources such as Billboard or Reuters claimed that Michael Jackson had sold around 750 million records;[3][4] while others such as MTV or CBS News claimed that his sales were over 750 million albums.[5][6] In 2009, The Wall Street Journal disputed the 750 million figure (if it referred to albums, instead of units).[2] Later, in 2015, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) stated that Michael Jackson had sold 1 billion records worldwide.[7][8]
^ Blanket changed his name to "Bigi" in 2015.
^ In 2018, its US sales record was overtaken by the Eagles' album Greatest Hits 1971–75, with 38× platinum.[353]
 
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^ Tucker, Ken (June 5, 1988). "Summer Reading; Firing Your Father Isn't Easy". The New York Times. p. 751. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ "100 Greatest Singers: 65 – David Ruffin". Rolling Stone. November 27, 2008. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Herron, Martin (June 27, 2009). "Michael Jackson saved my life". Scarborough Evening News. Archived from the original on June 28, 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ "Jackson Attends Brown's Public Funeral". Contactmusic.com. January 2, 2007. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Taraborrelli 2009, p. 64.
^ Simon, Mallory (July 3, 2009). "Jackson shared bond with 'very dear friend Diana Ross'" (Press release). CNN. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
^ Taraborrelli 2009, p. 60.
^ Lewis Jones 2005, pp. 6, 54.
^ Winters, David (June 26, 2009). "David Winters remembers Michael Jackson". Magick Papers. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015.
^ Hernandez, Eugene (June 27, 2009). "Remembering Michael Jackson, on Screen". IndieWire. Archived from the original on June 27, 2009.
^ Brackett & Hoard 2004, p. 414.
^ Holden, Stephen (November 1, 1979). "Michael Jackson: Off The Wall". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 7, 2016. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
^ Jump up to:a b c d e Connelly, Christopher (January 28, 1983). "Michael Jackson: Thriller". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
^ Jump up to:a b Pareles, Jon (November 24, 1991). "Recordings View; Michael Jackson in the Electronic Wilderness". The New York Times. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Hunter, James (December 6, 2001). "Michael Jackson: Invincible". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 1, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
^ Vogel 2012, p. 9.
^ McCormick, Neil (June 30, 2009). "Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen & Bono". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on July 3, 2009. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
^ Jump up to:a b c Jones, Lucy (April 2, 2014). "The Incredible Way Michael Jackson Wrote Music". NME. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
^ Jump up to:a b c d Roy, Sanjoy (June 26, 2009). "What Michael Jackson did for dance". The Guardian. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
^ "Rolling Stone Readers Pick Their 10 Favorite Dancing Musicians". Rolling Stone. July 14, 2011. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
^ Suddath, Claire (June 25, 2009). "How to Moonwalk like Michael". Time. Archived from the original on May 15, 2011.
^ Catton, Pia (June 20, 2018). "How Michael Jackson Changed Dance History". Biography. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
^ Jump up to:a b c "Michael Jackson Turns 30!". Jet. Vol. 74, no. 35. August 29, 1988. p. 58. ISSN 0021-5996.
^ Jump up to:a b c Heyliger, M. "A State-of-the-Art Pop Album: Thriller by Michael". Consumerhelpweb.com. Archived from the original on December 4, 2008. Not many artists could pull off such a variety of styles (funk, post-disco, rock, easy listening, ballads)...
^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Michael Jackson – Off the Wall – Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
^ Palmer 1995, p. 285.
^ Jump up to:a b c Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Michael Jackson – Thriller – Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Jump up to:a b Henderson, Eric (October 18, 2003). "Michael Jackson – Thriller". Slant Magazine. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Christgau 1981, Consumer Guide '70s: J.
^ Pareles, Jon (September 3, 1987). "Critic's Notebook; How Good Is Jackson's 'Bad'?". The New York Times. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Michael Jackson – Dangerous – Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
^ Harrington, Richard (November 24, 1991). "Jackson's 'Dangerous' Departures; Stylistic Shifts Mar His First Album in 4 Years". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012.
^ Jump up to:a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Michael Jackson – HIStory – Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Jump up to:a b Hunter, James (August 10, 1995). "Michael Jackson: HIStory: Past, Present, Future, Book I". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 18, 2016. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
^ "Thomas W. (Tom) Sneddon Jr". National Defense Authorization Act. Archived from the original on June 27, 2006. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Michael Jackson – Invincible – Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved September 9, 2007.
^ Beaumont, Mark (November 30, 2001). "Michael Jackson: Invincible". NME. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Dobuzinskis, Alex (December 30, 2009). "Jackson "Thriller" film picked for U.S. registry". Reuters (Press release). Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ "Michael Jackson, "Billie Jean," directed by Steve Barron, produced by Simon Fields & Paul Flattery". Blender. October 2005.
^ Jump up to:a b Gundersen, Edna (August 25, 2005). "Music videos changing places". USA Today. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Robinson, Bryan (February 23, 2005). "Why Are Michael Jackson's Fans So Devoted?". ABC News. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Inglis 2006, pp. 119, 127: "That Jackson lip-synced 'Billie Jean' is, in itself, not extraordinary, but the fact that it did not change the impact of the performance is extraordinary; whether the performance was live or lip-synced made no difference to the audience."
^ "Philippine jailhouse rocks to Thriller". BBC News. July 26, 2007. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 370–373.
^ Corliss, Richard (September 6, 1993). "Michael Jackson: Who's Bad?". Time. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
^ US 5255452, Michael J. Jackson; Michael L. Bush & Dennis Tompkins, "Method and means for creating anti-gravity illusion", issued October 26, 1993
^ Campbell 1993, p. 273.
^ Anderson, Kyle (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson's Video Vanguard Award, in MJ's Top MTV Moments". MTV News. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
^ Campbell 1993, p. 303.
^ "Michael Jackson Co-Directs Music Film, 'In the Closet'". Jet. April 27, 1992. p. 56.
^ Campbell 1993, pp. 313–314.
^ Boepple 1995, p. 52.
^ Bark, Ed (June 26, 1995). "Michael Jackson Interview Raises Questions, Answers". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 06E.
^ McIntyre, Hugh (August 24, 2014). "The 5 Most Expensive Music Videos of All Time". Forbes. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
^ Gottlieb, Steven (August 28, 2014). ""Scream" Gets Named Most Expensive Video Ever; Director Mark Romanek Disagrees". VideoStatic. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
^ Kot, Greg (January 8, 1997). "Pumpkins a Smash Hit with 7 Grammy Nominations". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
^ "Longest music video". Guinness World Records. November 21, 2013. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
^ Montgomery, James (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson's Video Co-Stars: From Eddie Murphy to Marlon Brando". MTV. Retrieved March 22, 2010.
^ "NAACP Image Award Spotlight Black' Achievements". Jet. Vol. 101, no. 13. March 18, 2002. p. 36. ISSN 0021-5996.
^ "Zorro, Nemo, Muppets & More: Wide Variety Tapped for 2009 Film Registry". Library of Congress. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Itzkoff, Dave (December 30, 2009). "'Thriller' Video Added to U.S. Film Registry". The New York Times. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Hinckley, David (June 25, 2014). "Michael Jackson remembered 5 years later: How the Daily News covered the tragic story of icon's death". New York Daily News. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
^ Wyman, Bill (January 4, 2013). "Did "Thriller" Really Sell a Hundred Million Copies". The New Yorker. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
^ "Hot 100 Anniversary: Most No. 1s by Artist". Billboard. August 6, 2008. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ "Remarks at a White House Ceremony Marking Progress Made in the Campaign Against Drunk Driving". Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. University of Texas at Austin. May 14, 1984. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
^ George 2004, pp. 44–45.
^ Campbell 1993, p. 321.
^ Lewis, Monica (June 14, 2007). "20 People Who Changed Black Music: Michael Jackson, the Child Star-Turned-Adult Enigma". The Miami Herald. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
^ Collett-White, Mike (March 11, 2009). "Michael Jackson to add concerts after sellout". Reuters. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ "Grammy Legend Award". Grammy Awards. Archived from the original on January 22, 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ "Lifetime Achievement Award". Grammy Awards. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ "Michael Jackson and Halle Berry Pick Up Bambi Awards in Berlin". Hello!. November 22, 2002. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ "The Vocal Group Hall of Fame: Album Categories 1999 Inductee". The Vocal Group Hall of Fame Foundation. Archived from the original on October 15, 2017.
^ Masley, Ed (March 28, 2019). "Stevie Nicks is about to join these 22 men as a two-time Rock and Rock Hall of Fame inductee". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
^ Sanneh, Kelefa (June 15, 2002). "Hall of Fame Inducts Songwriters". The New York Times. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
^ Keiser, Tom (August 15, 2010). "Photos: Michael Jackson induction ceremony". The News-Times. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Yarborough, Chuck (August 19, 2014). "R&B Music Hall of Fame sets big weekend to induct sophomore class featuring Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Marvin Gaye, Norm N. Nite and more". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Ruggieri, Melissa (May 5, 2021). "Black Music Walk of Fame to honor James Brown, OutKast, Usher and others in Atlanta". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
^ "Doctorates of Rock". Rolling Stone. July 19, 2011. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
^ "Sanwi kingdom mourns passing of a prince". France 24. June 29, 2009. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
^ Leach, Ben (July 9, 2009). "Moon crater named after Michael Jackson". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
^ Chivers, Tom (September 28, 2009). "Google's Doodles: 10 of the best including UFOs and Google". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
^ Kent State University (January 19, 2012). "Mesoparapylocheles michaeljacksoni: Fossil hermit crab named after Michael Jackson". Phys.org. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
^ "80 Moments That Shaped the World" (PDF). British Council. 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
^ Harris, John E. (June 24, 2014). "Speaking of Vitiligo..." Vitiligo Clinic & Research Center. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
^ Gundersen, Edna (November 24, 2003). "For Jackson, scandal could spell financial ruin". USA Today. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
^ Deutsch, Linda (May 4, 2005). "Forensic accountant tells court Jackson is in financial straits". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on March 26, 2017. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
^ Pulley, Brett (November 21, 2003). "Michael Jackson's Ups And Downs". Forbes. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ Greenburg, Zack O'Malley (August 29, 2018). "Michael Jackson at 60: The King of Pop by the Numbers". Forbes. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
^ "Stress killed MJ, says ex-publicist". The Times of India. June 27, 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ O'Brien, Timothy L (May 14, 2006). "What Happened to the Fortune Michael Jackson Made?". The New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
^ "Estate of Michael J. Jackson, Deceased, John G. Branca, Co-Executor and John McClain, Co-Executor". August 19, 2016. Archived from the original on November 6, 2018. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
^ Gottlieb, Jeff (February 7, 2014). "Michael Jackson estate embroiled in tax fight with IRS". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ "United States Tax Court: Washington, DC 20217". February 2, 2016. Archived from the original on October 11, 2016. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
^ Sisario, Ben (May 3, 2021). "Michael Jackson's Estate Is Winner in Tax Judge's Ruling". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 28, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
^ Greenburg, Zack O'Malley (October 14, 2016). "Michael Jackson's Earnings: $825 Million In 2016". Forbes. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
^ Greenburg, Zack O'Malley; Robehmed, Natalie (October 31, 2017). "The Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities of 2018". Forbes. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
^ Greenburg, Zack O'Malley (October 30, 2019). "The Real Reason Behind Michael Jackson's Earnings Drop". Forbes. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
^ Freeman, Abigail. "The Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities 2021". Forbes. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
^ "The Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities of 2023". Forbes.
Print sources
Boepple, Leanne (1995). "Scream: Space Odyssey, Jackson-Style. (video production; Michael and Janet Jackson video)". TCI: Theatre Crafts International. 29. Theatre Crafts International. ISSN 1063-9497.
Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Fireside. ISBN 978-0-7432-0169-8.
Bronson, Fred (2003). Billboard's Hottest Hot 100 Hits (3rd ed.). Billboard Books. ISBN 978-0-8230-7738-0.
Campbell, Lisa D (1993). Michael Jackson: The King of Pop. Branden. ISBN 978-0-8283-1957-7.
Campbell, Lisa D (1995). Michael Jackson: The King of Pop's Darkest Hour. Branden. ISBN 978-0-8283-2003-0.
Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: J". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 0-89919-026-X. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
DeMello, Margo (2012). Faces Around the World: A Cultural Encyclopedia of the Human Face. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-59884-618-8.
George, Nelson (2004). Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection (booklet). Sony BMG.
Inglis, Ian (2006). Performance and Popular Music: History, Place and Time. Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7546-4057-8.
Jackson, Michael (2009) [First published 1988]. Moonwalk. Random House. ISBN 978-0-307-71698-9.
Knopper, Steve (2016). MJ: The Genius of Michael Jackson. Scribner. ISBN 978-1-4767-3037-0.
Lewis Jones, Jel D. (2005). Michael Jackson, the King of Pop: The Big Picture: the Music! the Man! the Legend! the Interviews: an Anthology. Amber Books Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9749779-0-4.
Mansour, David (2005). From Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century. Andrews McMeel Publishing. ISBN 0-7407-5118-2.
Palmer, Robert (1995). Rock & Roll: An Unruly History. Harmony Books. ISBN 978-0-517-70050-1.
Parameswaran, Radhika (2011). "E-Race-ing Color: Gender and Transnational Visual Economies of Beauty in India". In Sarma Hegde, Radha (ed.). Circuits of Visibility: Gender and Transnational Media Cultures. NYU Press. ISBN 978-0-8147-9060-1.
Ramage, John D.; Bean, John C.; Johnson, June (2001). Writing arguments: a rhetoric with readings. Allyn and Bacon. ISBN 978-0-205-31745-5.
Rojek, Chris (2007). Cultural Studies. Polity. ISBN 978-0-7456-3683-2.
Tannenbaum, Rob; Marks, Craig (2011). I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-1-101-52641-5.
Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2009). Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story, 1958–2009. Grand Central Publishing, 2009. ISBN 978-0-446-56474-8.
Vogel, Joseph (2012). Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson. New York: Sterling. ISBN 978-1-4027-7938-1.
Young, Julie (Fall 2009). "A Hoosier Thriller: Gary, Indiana's Michael Jackson". Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History. 21 (4). Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society. Archived from the original on April 15, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
Further reading
Hidalgo, Susan; Weiner, Robert G. (2010). "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin': MJ in the Scholarly Literature: A Selected Bibliographic Guide" (PDF). The Journal of Pan African Studies. 3 (7).
How Michael Jackson Changed Dance History – biography.com
External links
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see NASA (disambiguation).
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
 
 NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Agency overview
Abbreviation
NASA
Formed
July 29, 1958; 65 years ago
Preceding agency
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (1915–1958)[1]
Type
Space agency
Aeronautics research agency
Jurisdiction
United States Federal Government
Headquarters
Washington, D.C.
 38°52′59″N 77°0′59″W
Administrator
Bill Nelson
Deputy Administrator
Pamela Melroy
Primary spaceports
John F. Kennedy Space Center
Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Vandenberg Space Force Base
Employees
17,960 (2022)[2]
Annual budget
  US$25.384 billion (2023)[3]
Website
nasa.gov
Part of a series on the
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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA /ˈnæsə/) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. Established in 1958, it succeeded the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) to give the U.S. space development effort a distinctly civilian orientation, emphasizing peaceful applications in space science.[4][5][6] It has since led most American space exploration, including Project Mercury, Project Gemini, the 1968–1972 Apollo Moon landing missions, the Skylab space station, and the Space Shuttle. It currently supports the International Space Station and oversees the development of the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System for the crewed lunar Artemis program, the Commercial Crew spacecraft, and the planned Lunar Gateway space station.

NASA's science is focused on better understanding Earth through the Earth Observing System;[7] advancing heliophysics through the efforts of the Science Mission Directorate's Heliophysics Research Program;[8] exploring bodies throughout the Solar System with advanced robotic spacecraft such as New Horizons and planetary rovers such as Perseverance;[9] and researching astrophysics topics, such as the Big Bang, through the James Webb Space Telescope, the Great Observatories and associated programs.[10] The Launch Services Program oversees launch operations and countdown management for its uncrewed launches.

History
Creating a civil aeronautics and space agency
Main articles: Creation of NASA and National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
 A U.S. Air Force Bell X-1 test flight
NASA traces its roots to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). Despite being the birthplace of aviation, by 1914 the United States recognized that it was far behind Europe in aviation capability. Determined to regain American leadership in aviation, Congress created the Aviation Section of the U.S. Army Signal Corps in 1914 and established NACA in 1915 to foster aeronautical research and development. Over the next forty years NACA would conduct aeronautical research in support of the U.S. Air Force, its predecessors in the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, and the civil aviation sector. After the end of World War II, NACA became interested in the possibilities of guided missiles and supersonic aircraft, developing and testing the Bell X-1 in a joint program with the U.S. Air Force. NACA's interest in space grew out of its rocketry program at the Pilotless Aircraft Research Division.[11]

 Launch of the Army Ballistic Missile Agency's Explorer 1, America's first satellite
The Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik 1 ushered in the Space Age and kicked off the Space Race. Despite NACA's early rocketry program, the responsibility for launching the first American satellite fell to the Naval Research Laboratory's Project Vanguard, whose operational issues ensured the Army Ballistic Missile Agency would launch Explorer 1, America's first satellite, on February 1, 1958.

The Eisenhower Administration decided to split the United States' military and civil spaceflight programs, which were organized together under the Defense Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency. NASA was established on July 29, 1958, with the signing of the National Aeronautics and Space Act and it began operations on October 1, 1958.[11]

As the United States' premier aeronautics agency, NACA formed the core of NASA's new structure, absorbing its 8,000 employees and three major research laboratories. NASA also proceeded to absorb the Naval Research Laboratory's Project Vanguard, the Army's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Army Ballistic Missile Agency under Wernher von Braun. This left NASA firmly as the United States' civil space lead and the Air Force as the military space lead.[11]

First orbital and hypersonic flights
Main article: Project Mercury
 Launch of Friendship 7, NASA's first orbital flight, February 20, 1962
Plans for human spaceflight began in the U.S. Armed Forces prior to NASA's creation. The Air Force's Man in Space Soonest and the Army's Project Adam served as the foundation for Project Mercury, the first American program to put people in space. NASA established the Space Task Group to manage the program, which would conduct sub-orbital flights with the Army's Redstone rockets and orbital flights with the Air Force's Atlas launch vehicles. While NASA intended for its first astronauts to be civilians, President Eisenhower directed that they be selected from the military. The Mercury 7 astronauts included three Air Force pilots, three Navy aviators, and one Marine Corps pilot.[11]

 The NASA-Air Force X-15 hypersonic aircraft
On May 5, 1961 Alan Shepard became the first American to enter space, performing a suborbital spaceflight in the Freedom 7. This flight occurred less than a month after the Soviet Union's Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space, executing a full orbital spaceflight. NASA's first orbital spaceflight was conducted by John Glenn on February 20, 1962, in the Friendship 7, conducting three full orbits before reentering. Glenn had to fly parts of his final two orbits manually due to a malfunction in the autopilot. The sixth and final Mercury mission was flown by Gordon Cooper in May 1963, performing 22 orbits over 34 hours in the Faith 7. The Mercury Program was a resounding success, achieving its objectives to orbit a human in space, develop tracking and control systems, and identify other issues associated with human spaceflight.[11]

While much of NASA's attention turned to space, it did not forget its aeronautics mission. Early aeronautics research attempted to build upon the X-1's supersonic flight to build an aircraft capable of hypersonic flight. The North American X-15 was a joint NASA-U.S. Air Force program, with the hypersonic test aircraft becoming the first non-dedicated spacecraft to cross from the atmosphere to outer space. The X-15 also served as a testbed for Apollo program technologies and ramjet and scramjet propulsion.[11]

Moon landing
Main articles: Project Gemini and Apollo program
 Gemini 6 and Gemini 7 conduct an orbital rendezvous
Escalations in the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union prompted President John F. Kennedy to charge NASA with landing an American on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth by the end of the 1960s, and installed James E. Webb as NASA administrator to achieve this goal. On May 25, 1961, President Kennedy openly declared this goal in his "Urgent National Needs" speech to the United States Congress, declaring:

I believe this Nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish.
Kennedy gave his "We choose to go to the Moon" speech the next year, on September 12, 1962 at Rice University.

Despite attacks on the goal of landing astronauts on the Moon from the former president Dwight Eisenhower and 1964 presidential candidate Barry Goldwater, President Kennedy was able to protect NASA's growing budget, of which 50% went directly to human spaceflight and it was later estimated that, at its height, 5% of Americans worked on some aspect of the Apollo program.[11]

 Launch of Apollo 11
To manage the Apollo program, NASA required a more rigorous approach than it applied to Project Mercury. Mirroring the Department of Defense's program management concept using redundant systems in building the first intercontinental ballistic missiles, NASA requested the Air Force assign Major General Samuel C. Phillips to the space agency where he would serve as the director of the Apollo program. Development of the Saturn V rocket was led by Wernher von Braun and his team at the Marshall Space Flight Center, derived from the Army Ballistic Missile Agency's original Saturn I. The Apollo spacecraft was designed and built by North American Aviation, while the Apollo Lunar Module was designed and built by Grumman.[11]

To develop the spaceflight skills and equipment required for a lunar mission, NASA initiated Project Gemini. Using a modified Air Force Titan II launch vehicle, the Gemini capsule could hold two astronauts for flights of over two weeks. Gemini pioneered the use of fuel cells instead of legacy batteries and demonstrated spacewalks and rendezvous operations. NASA also needed more detailed information about the Moon's geography and composition to prepare for a landing, using three uncrewed spacecraft programs.

 Buzz Aldrin salutes the United States flag on the lunar surface
The Ranger Program was started in the 1950s as a response to Soviet lunar exploration but was generally considered to be a failure. The Lunar Orbiter program had greater success, mapping the surface in preparation for Apollo landings and measured Selenography, conducted meteoroid detection, and measured radiation levels. The Surveyor program conducted uncrewed lunar landings and takeoffs, as well as taking surface and regolith observations.[11] Despite the setback caused by the Apollo 1 fire, which killed three astronauts, the program proceeded.

Apollo 8 was the first crewed spacecraft to leave low Earth orbit and the first human spaceflight to reach the Moon. The crew orbited the Moon ten times on December 24 and 25, 1968, and then traveled safely back to Earth.[12][13][14] The three Apollo 8 astronauts—Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders—were the first humans to see the Earth as a globe in space, the first to witness an Earthrise, and the first to see and manually photograph the far side of the Moon.

The first lunar landing was conducted by Apollo 11. Commanded by Neil Armstrong with astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, Apollo 11 was one of the most significant missions in NASA's history, marking the end of the Space Race when the Soviet Union gave up its lunar ambitions. As the first human to step on the surface of the Moon, Neil Armstrong uttered the now famous words:

That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
NASA would conduct six total lunar landings as part of the Apollo program, with Apollo 17 concluding the program in 1972.[11]

 Apollo 15 CSM Endeavour in lunar orbit
Wernher von Braun had advocated for NASA to develop a space station since the agency was created. In 1973, following the end of the Apollo lunar missions, NASA launched its first space station, Skylab, on the final launch of the Saturn V. Skylab repurposed a significant amount of former Apollo and Saturn hardware, with a repurposed Saturn V third stage serving as primary module for the space station. Damage to Skylab during launch required spacewalks by the first crew to make it habitable and operational. Skylab only hosted 9 missions and was decommissioned in 1974 and deorbited in 1979, two years prior to the Space Shuttle's launch and any possibility of boosting its orbit.[11]

In 1975, the Apollo–Soyuz mission was the first ever international spaceflight and a major diplomatic accomplishment between the Cold War rivals. Flown in 1975, a U.S. Apollo spacecraft docked with a Soviet Soyuz capsule. It also was the last flight of the Apollo capsule.[11]

Interplanetary exploration and space science
 Image from Mars taken by the Viking 2 lander
During the 1960s, NASA started its space science and interplanetary probe program. The Mariner program was its flagship program, launching probes to Venus, Mars, and Mercury in the 1960s. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory was the lead NASA center for robotic interplanetary exploration, making significant discoveries about the inner planets. Despite these successes, Congress was unwilling to fund further interplanetary missions and NASA Administrator James Webb suspended all future interplanetary probes to focus resources on the Apollo program.[11]

Following the conclusion of the Apollo program, NASA resumed launching interplanetary probes and expanded its space science program. The first planet tagged for exploration was Venus, sharing many similar characteristics to Earth. First visited by American Mariner 2 spacecraft, Venus was observed to be a hot and inhospitable planet. Follow-on missions included the Pioneer Venus project in the 1970s and Magellan, which performed radar mapping of Venus' surface in the 1980s and 1990s. Future missions were flybys of Venus, on their way to other destinations in the Solar System.[11]

Mars has long been a planet of intense fascination for NASA, being suspected of potentially having harbored life. Mariner 5 was the first NASA spacecraft to flyby Mars, followed by Mariner 6 and Mariner 7. Mariner 9 was the first orbital mission to Mars. Launched in 1975, Viking program consisted of two landings on Mars in 1976. Follow-on missions would not be launched until 1996, with the Mars Global Surveyor orbiter and Mars Pathfinder, deploying the first Mars rover, Sojourner. During the early 2000s, the 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter reached the planet and in 2004 the Sprit and Opportunity rovers landed on the Red Planet. This was followed in 2005 by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and 2007 Phoenix Mars lander. The 2012 landing of Curiosity discovered that the radiation levels on Mars were equal to those on the International Space Station, greatly increasing the possibility of Human exploration, and observed the key chemical ingredients for life to occur. In 2013, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission observed the Martian upper atmosphere and space environment and in 2018, the Interior exploration using Seismic Investigations Geodesy, and Heat Transport (InSight) studied the Martian interior. The 2021 Perseverance rover carried the first extraplanetary aircraft, a helicopter named Ingenuity.[11]

 Curiosity on the surface of Mars
NASA also launched missions to Mercury in 2004, with the MESSENGER probe demonstrating as the first use of a solar sail. NASA also launched probes to the outer Solar System starting in the 1960s. Pioneer 10 was the first probe to the outer planets, flying by Jupiter, while Pioneer 11 provided the first close up view of the planet. Both probes became the first objects to leave the Solar System. The Voyager program launched in 1977, conducting flybys of Jupiter and Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus on a trajectory to leave the Solar System. The Galileo spacecraft, deployed from the Space Shuttle flight STS-34, was the first spacecraft to orbit Jupiter, discovering evidence of subsurface oceans on the Europa and observed that the moon may hold ice or liquid water. A joint NASA-European Space Agency-Italian Space Agency mission, Cassini–Huygens, was sent to Saturn's moon of Titan, which along with Mars and Europa, are the only objects non-Terran objects in the Solar System suspected of being capable of harboring life. Cassini discovered three new moons of Saturn and the Huygens probe entered Titan's atmosphere. The mission discovered evidence of liquid hydrocarbon lakes on Titan and subsurface water oceans on the moon of Enceladus, which could harbor life. Finally launched in 2006, the New Horizons mission was the first spacecraft to visit Pluto and the Kuiper Belt.[11]

Beyond interplanetary probes, NASA has a long tradition of launching space telescopes. Launched in the 1960s, the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory were NASA's first orbital telescopes, providing ultraviolet, gamma-ray, x-ray, and infrared observations. Not just looking up, NASA launched the Orbiting Geophysical Observatory to look down at Earth and observe its interactions with the Sun. The Uhuru satellite was the first dedicated x-ray telescope, mapping 85% of the sky and discovering a large number of black holes.[11]

 The Hubble Space Telescope in Low Earth Orbit
Launched in the 1990s and early 2000s, the Great Observatories program are among NASA's most powerful telescopes. The Hubble Space Telescope was launched in 1990 on STS-31 from the Discovery and could view galaxies 15 billion light years away. A major defect in the telescope's mirror could have crippled the program, had NASA not used computer enhancement to compensate for the imperfection and launched five Space Shuttle servicing flights to replace the damaged components. The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory was launched from the Atlantis on STS-37 in 1991, discovering a possible source of antimatter at the center of the Milky Way and observing that the majority of gamma-ray bursts occur outside of the Milky Way galaxy. The Chandra X-ray Observatory was launched from the Columbia on STS-93 in 1999, observing black holes, quasars, supernova, and dark matter. It provided critical observations on the Sagittarius A* black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy and the separation of dark and regular matter during galactic collisions. Finally, the Spitzer Space Telescope is an infrared telescope and the last of the great observatories, launched in 2003 from a Delta II rocket. It is in a trailing orbit around the Sun, following the Earth and discovered the existence of brown dwarf stars.[11]

Other telescopes, such as the Cosmic Background Explorer and the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe, provided evidence to support the Big Bang. The James Webb Space Telescope, named after the NASA administrator who lead the Apollo program, is an infrared observatory launched in 2021. The James Webb Space Telescope is a direct successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, intended to observe the formation of the first galaxies. Other space telescopes include the Kepler space telescope, launched in 2009 to identify planets orbiting extrasolar stars that may be Terran and possibly harbor life. The first exoplanet that the Keplar space telescope confirmed was Kepler-22b, orbiting within the habitable zone of its star.[11]

NASA also launched a number of different satellites to study Earth, such as Television Infrared Observation Satellite (TIROS) in 1960, which was the first weather satellite. NASA and the United States Weather Bureau cooperated on future TIROS and the second generation Nimbus program of weather satellites. It also worked with the Environmental Science Services Administration on a series of weather satellites and the agency launched its experimental Applications Technology Satellites into geosynchronous orbit. NASA's first dedicated Earth observation satellite, Landsat, was launched in 1972. This led to NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration jointly developing the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite and discovering Ozone depletion.[11]

Space Shuttle
Main article: Space Shuttle
 Launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-120
NASA had been pursuing spaceplanes since the 1960s, blending the administration's dual aeronautics and space missions. NASA viewed a spaceplane as part of a larger program, providing routine and economical logistical support to a space station in Earth orbit that would be used as a hub for lunar and Mars missions. A reusable launch vehicle would end the need for expensive and expendable boosters like the Saturn V.[11]

In 1969, NASA designated the Johnson Space Center as the lead center for developing the design, development, and manufacturing of the Space Shuttle orbiter, while the Marshall Space Flight Center would lead the development of the launch system. NASA's series of lifting body aircraft, culminating in the joint NASA-U.S. Air Force Martin Marietta X-24, directly informed the development of the Space Shuttle and future hypersonic flight aircraft. Official development of the Space Shuttle began in 1972, with Rockwell International contracted to design the orbiter and engines, Martin Marietta for the external fuel tank, and Morton Thiokol for the solid rocket boosters. NASA acquired six orbiters: the Enterprise, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour[11]

The Space Shuttle program also allowed NASA to make dramatic changes to its Astronaut Corps. While almost all previous astronauts were Air Force or Naval test pilots, the Space Shuttle allowed NASA to begin recruiting more non-military scientific and technical experts. A prime example is Sally Ride, who became the first American woman to fly in space on STS-7. It also allowed NASA to accept exchange astronauts from U.S. allies and partners for the first time.[11]

The first Space Shuttle flight occurred in 1981, when the Columbia launched on the STS-1 mission, designed to serve as a flight test for the new spaceplane. NASA intended for the Space Shuttle to replace expendable launch systems like the Air Force's Atlas, Delta, and Titan and the European Space Agency's Ariane. The Space Shuttle's Spacelab payload, developed by the European Space Agency, dramatically increased the scientific capabilities of shuttle missions over anything NASA was able to previously accomplish.[11]

 Space Shuttle Discovery in Low Earth Orbit on STS-120
NASA launched its first commercial satellites on the STS-5 mission and in 1984, the STS-41-C mission conducted the world's first on-orbit satellite servicing mission when the Challenger captured and repaired the malfunctioning Solar Maximum Mission satellite. It also had the capability to return malfunctioning satellite to Earth, like it did with the Palapa B2 and Westar 6 satellites. Once returned to Earth, the satellites were repaired and relaunched.[11]

Despite ushering in a new era of spaceflight, where NASA was contracting launch services to commercial companies, the Space Shuttle was criticized for not being as reusable and cost-effective as advertised. In 1986, Challenger disaster on the STS-51L mission resulted in the loss of the spacecraft and all seven astronauts on launch, grounding the entire space shuttle fleet for 36 months and forced the 44 commercial companies that contracted with NASA to deploy their satellites to return to expendable launch vehicles. When the Space Shuttle returned to flight with the STS-26 mission, it had undergone significant modifications to improve its reliability and safety.[11]

 An Air Force Space Command Defense Support Program missile warning spacecraft deploys from the Space Shuttle Atlantis on the STS-44 mission
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russian Federation and United States initiated the Shuttle-Mir program. The first Russian cosmonaut flew on the STS-60 mission in 1994 and the Discovery rendezvoused, but did not dock with, the Russian Mir in the STS-63 mission. This was followed by Atlantis' STS-71 mission where it accomplished the initial intended mission for the Space Shuttle, docking with a space station and transferring supplies and personnel. The Shuttle-Mir program would continue until 1998, when a series of orbital accidents on the space station spelled an end to the program.[11]

In 2003, a second space shuttle was lost when the Columbia was lost upon reentry during the STS-107 mission, resulting in the loss of the spacecraft and all seven astronauts. This accident marked the beginning of the end of the Space Shuttle program, with President George W. Bush directing that upon the completion of the International Space Station, the space shuttle be retired. In 2006, the Space Shuttle returned to flight and flew several additional missions, flying several mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope, but was retired with the completion of the completion of the STS-135 resupply mission to the International Space Station in 2011.

Space stations
Main articles: Space Station Freedom and International Space Station
 Skylab seen on the Skylab 4 mission
NASA never gave up on the idea of a space station after Skylab's reentry in 1979. The agency began lobbing politicians to support building a space station as soon as the Space Shuttle began flying, selling it as an orbital laboratory, repair station, and a jumping off point for lunar and Mars missions. NASA found a strong advocate in President Ronald Reagan, who declared in a 1984 speech:

America has always been greatest when we dared to be great. We can reach for greatness again. We can follow our dreams to distant stars, living and working in space for peaceful, economic, and scientific gain. Tonight I am directing NASA to develop a permanently manned space station and to do it within a decade.
In 1985, NASA proposed the Space Station Freedom, which both the agency and President Reagan intended to be an international program. While this would add legitimacy to the program, there were concerns within NASA that the international component would dilute its authority within the project, having never been willing to work with domestic or international partners as true equals. There was also a concern with sharing sensitive space technologies with the Europeans, which had the potential to dilute America's technical lead. Ultimately, an international agreement to develop the Space Station Freedom program would be signed with thirteen countries in 1985, including the European Space Agency member states, Canada, and Japan.[11]

Despite its status as the first international space program, the Space Station Freedom was controversial, with much of the debate centering on cost. Several redesigns to reduce cost were conducted in the early 1990s, stripping away much of its functions. Despite calls for Congress to terminate the program, it continued, in large part because by 1992 it had created 75,000 jobs across 39 states. By 1993, President Bill Clinton attempted to significantly reduce NASA's budget and directed costs be significantly reduced, aerospace industry jobs were not lost, and the Russians be included.[11]

 The International Space Station seen from the Space Shuttle Atlantis on the STS-132 mission
In 1993, the Clinton Administration announced that the Space Station Freedom would become the International Space Station in an agreement with the Russian Federation. This allowed the Russians to maintain their space program through an infusion of American currency to maintain their status as one of the two premier space programs. While the United States built and launched the majority of the International Space Station, Russia, Canada, Japan, and the European Space Agency all contributed components. Despite NASA's insistence that costs would be kept at a budget of $17.4, they kept rising and NASA had to transfer funds from other programs to keep the International Space Station solvent. Ultimately, the total cost of the station was $150 billion, with the United States paying for two-thirds.Following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003, NASA was forced to rely on Russian Soyuz launches for its astronauts and the 2011 retirement of the Space Shuttle accelerated the station's completion.[11]

In the 1980s, right after the first flight of the Space Shuttle, NASA started a joint program with the Department of Defense to develop the Rockwell X-30 National Aerospace Plane. NASA realized that the Space Shuttle, while a massive technological accomplishment, would not be able to live up to all its promises. Designed to be a single-stage-to-orbit spaceplane, the X-30 had both civil and military applications. With the end of the Cold War, the X-30 was canceled in 1992 before reaching flight status.[11]

Unleashing commercial space and return to the Moon
Main articles: Commercial Crew Program and Artemis program
 Launch of SpaceX Demo-2 from Kennedy Space Center, the first U.S. crewed space launch since the end of the Space Shuttle program
Following the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, President Bush started the Constellation program to smoothly replace the Space Shuttle and expand space exploration beyond low Earth orbit. Constellation was intended to use a significant amount of former Space Shuttle equipment and return astronauts to the Moon. This program was canceled by the Obama Administration and former astronauts Neil Armstrong, Gene Cernan, and Jim Lovell sent a letter to President Barack Obama to warn him that if the United States did not get new human spaceflight ability, the U.S. risked become a second or third-rate space power.[11]

 SpaceX Crew-2 docks with the International Space Station
As early as the Reagan Administration, there had been calls for NASA to expand private sector involvement in space exploration rather than do it all in house. In the 1990s, NASA and Lockheed Martin entered into an agreement to develop the Lockheed Martin X-33 and VentureStar spaceplane, which was intended to replace the Space Shuttle. Due to technical challenges, the spacecraft was cancelled in 2001. Despite this, it was the first time a commercial space company directly expended a significant amount of its own resources into spacecraft development. The advent of space tourism also forced NASA to challenge its assumption that only governments would have people in space. The first space tourist was Dennis Tito, an American investment manager and former aerospace engineer who contracted with the Russians to fly to the International Space Station for four days, despite the opposition of NASA to the idea.[11]

 Launch of Artemis 1
Advocates of this new commercial approach for NASA included former astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who remarked that it would return NASA to its roots as a research and development agency, with commercial entities actually operating the space systems. Having corporations take over orbital operations would also allow NASA to focus all its efforts on deep space exploration and returning humans to the Moon and going to Mars. Embracing this approach, NASA's Commercial Crew Program started by contracting cargo delivery to the International Space Station and flew its first operational contracted mission on SpaceX Crew-1. This marked the first time since the retirement of the Space Shuttle that NASA was able to launch its own astronauts on an American spacecraft from the United States, ending a decade of reliance on the Russians.[11]

In 2019, NASA announced the Artemis program, intending to return to the Moon and establish a permanent human presence.[15] This was paired with the Artemis Accords with partner nations to establish rules of behavior and norms of space commercialization on the Moon.[16]

Active programs
Human spaceflight
International Space Station (1993–present)
Further information: International Space Station
 
 The International Space Station as seen from Space Shuttle Endeavour during STS-134
The International Space Station (ISS) combines NASA's Space Station Freedom project with the Soviet/Russian Mir-2 station, the European Columbus station, and the Japanese Kibō laboratory module.[17] NASA originally planned in the 1980s to develop Freedom alone, but US budget constraints led to the merger of these projects into a single multi-national program in 1993, managed by NASA, the Russian Federal Space Agency (RKA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).[18][19] The station consists of pressurized modules, external trusses, solar arrays and other components, which were manufactured in various factories around the world, and have been launched by Russian Proton and Soyuz rockets, and the US Space Shuttles.[17] The on-orbit assembly began in 1998, the completion of the US Orbital Segment occurred in 2009 and the completion of the Russian Orbital Segment occurred in 2010, though there are some debates of whether new modules should be added in the segment. The ownership and use of the space station is established in intergovernmental treaties and agreements[20] which divide the station into two areas and allow Russia to retain full ownership of the Russian Orbital Segment (with the exception of Zarya),[21][22] with the US Orbital Segment allocated between the other international partners.[20]

Long-duration missions to the ISS are referred to as ISS Expeditions. Expedition crew members typically spend approximately six months on the ISS.[23] The initial expedition crew size was three, temporarily decreased to two following the Columbia disaster. Since May 2009, expedition crew size has been six crew members.[24] Crew size is expected to be increased to seven, the number the ISS was designed for, once the Commercial Crew Program becomes operational.[25] The ISS has been continuously occupied for the past 23 years and 178 days, having exceeded the previous record held by Mir; and has been visited by astronauts and cosmonauts from 15 different nations.[26][27]

The station can be seen from the Earth with the naked eye and, as of 2024, is the largest artificial satellite in Earth orbit with a mass and volume greater than that of any previous space station.[28] The Russian Soyuz and American Dragon spacecraft are used to send astronauts to and from the ISS. Several uncrewed cargo spacecraft provide service to the ISS; they are the Russian Progress spacecraft which has done so since 2000, the European Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) since 2008, the Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) since 2009, the (uncrewed) Dragon since 2012, and the American Cygnus spacecraft since 2013.[29][30] The Space Shuttle, before its retirement, was also used for cargo transfer and would often switch out expedition crew members, although it did not have the capability to remain docked for the duration of their stay. Between the retirement of the Shuttle in 2011 and the commencement of crewed Dragon flights in 2020, American astronauts exclusively used the Soyuz for crew transport to and from the ISS[31] The highest number of people occupying the ISS has been thirteen; this occurred three times during the late Shuttle ISS assembly missions.[32]

The ISS program is expected to continue to 2030,[33] after which the space station will be retired and destroyed in a controlled de-orbit.[34]

Commercial Resupply Services (2008–present)
Further information: Commercial Resupply Services
 
Dragon
 
Cygnus
 
Commercial Resupply Services missions approaching International Space Station
Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) are a contract solution to deliver cargo and supplies to the International Space Station (ISS) on a commercial basis.[35] NASA signed its first CRS contracts in 2008 and awarded $1.6 billion to SpaceX for twelve cargo Dragon and $1.9 billion to Orbital Sciences[note 1] for eight Cygnus flights, covering deliveries to 2016. Both companies evolved or created their launch vehicle products to support the solution (SpaceX with The Falcon 9 and Orbital with the Antares).

SpaceX flew its first operational resupply mission (SpaceX CRS-1) in 2012.[36] Orbital Sciences followed in 2014 (Cygnus CRS Orb-1).[37] In 2015, NASA extended CRS-1 to twenty flights for SpaceX and twelve flights for Orbital ATK.[note 1][38][39]

A second phase of contracts (known as CRS-2) was solicited in 2014; contracts were awarded in January 2016 to Orbital ATK[note 1] Cygnus, Sierra Nevada Corporation Dream Chaser, and SpaceX Dragon 2, for cargo transport flights beginning in 2019 and expected to last through 2024. In March 2022, NASA awarded an additional six CRS-2 missions each to both SpaceX and Northrop Grumman (formerly Orbital).[40]

Northrop Grumman successfully delivered Cygnus NG-17 to the ISS in February 2022.[41] In July 2022, SpaceX launched its 25th CRS flight (SpaceX CRS-25) and successfully delivered its cargo to the ISS.[42] In late 2022, Sierra Nevada continued to assemble their Dream Chaser CRS solution; current estimates put its first launch in early 2023.[43]

Commercial Crew Program (2011–present)
Further information: Commercial Crew Program
 
 
 
The Crew Dragon (left) and Starliner (right) approaching the ISS on their respective missions
The Commercial Crew Program (CCP) provides commercially operated crew transportation service to and from the International Space Station (ISS) under contract to NASA, conducting crew rotations between the expeditions of the International Space Station program. American space manufacturer SpaceX began providing service in 2020, using the Crew Dragon spacecraft,[44] and NASA plans to add Boeing when its Boeing Starliner spacecraft becomes operational some time after 2024.[45] NASA has contracted for six operational missions from Boeing and fourteen from SpaceX, ensuring sufficient support for ISS through 2030.[46]

The spacecraft are owned and operated by the vendor, and crew transportation is provided to NASA as a commercial service. Each mission sends up to four astronauts to the ISS, with an option for a fifth passenger available. Operational flights occur approximately once every six months for missions that last for approximately six months. A spacecraft remains docked to the ISS during its mission, and missions usually overlap by at least a few days. Between the retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2011 and the first operational CCP mission in 2020, NASA relied on the Soyuz program to transport its astronauts to the ISS.

A Crew Dragon spacecraft is launched to space atop a Falcon 9 Block 5 launch vehicle and the capsule returns to Earth via splashdown in the ocean near Florida. The program's first operational mission, SpaceX Crew-1, launched on November 16, 2020.[47] Boeing Starliner operational flights will now commence after its final test flight which was launched atop an Atlas V N22 launch vehicle. Instead of a splashdown, a Starliner capsule returns on land with airbags at one of four designated sites in the western United States.[48]

Artemis (2017–present)
Further information: Artemis program
 
 SLS with Orion rolling to Launch Complex 39B for tests, Mar 2022
Since 2017, NASA's crewed spaceflight program has been the Artemis program, which involves the help of US commercial spaceflight companies and international partners such as ESA, JAXA, and CSA.[49] The goal of this program is to land "the first woman and the next man" on the lunar south pole region by 2025. Artemis would be the first step towards the long-term goal of establishing a sustainable presence on the Moon, laying the foundation for companies to build a lunar economy, and eventually sending humans to Mars.

The Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle was held over from the canceled Constellation program for Artemis. Artemis 1 was the uncrewed initial launch of Space Launch System (SLS) that would also send an Orion spacecraft on a Distant Retrograde Orbit.[50]

NASA's next major space initiative is to be the construction of the Lunar Gateway, a small space station in lunar orbit.[51] This space station will be designed primarily for non-continuous human habitation. The first tentative steps of returning to crewed lunar missions will be Artemis 2, which is to include the Orion crew module, propelled by the SLS, and is to launch in 2025.[49][52] This mission is to be a 10-day mission planned to briefly place a crew of four into a Lunar flyby.[53] The construction of the Gateway would begin with the proposed Artemis 3, which is planned to deliver a crew of four to Lunar orbit along with the first modules of the Gateway. This mission would last for up to 30 days. NASA plans to build full scale deep space habitats such as the Lunar Gateway and the Nautilus-X as part of its Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP) program.[54] In 2017, NASA was directed by the congressional NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2017 to get humans to Mars-orbit (or to the Martian surface) by the 2030s.[55][56]

In support of the Artemis missions, NASA has been funding private companies to land robotic probes on the lunar surface in a program known as the Commercial Lunar Payload Services. As of March 2022, NASA has awarded contracts for robotic lunar probes to companies such as Intuitive Machines, Firefly Space Systems, and Astrobotic.[57]

On April 16, 2021, NASA announced they had selected the SpaceX Lunar Starship as its Human Landing System. The agency's Space Launch System rocket will launch four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft for their multi-day journey to lunar orbit where they will transfer to SpaceX's Starship for the final leg of their journey to the surface of the Moon.[58]

In November 2021, it was announced that the goal of landing astronauts on the Moon by 2024 had slipped to no earlier than 2025 due to numerous factors. Artemis 1 launched on November 16, 2022, and returned to Earth safely on December 11, 2022. As of June 2022, NASA plans to launch Artemis 2 in May 2024 and Artemis 3 in December 2025.[59][60] Additional Artemis missions, Artemis 4 and Artemis 5, are planned to launch after 2025.[61]

Commercial LEO Development (2021–present)
Further information: Commercial LEO Destinations program
The Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destinations program is an initiative by NASA to support work on commercial space stations that the agency hopes to have in place by the end of the current decade to replace the "International Space Station". The three selected companies are: Blue Origin (et al.) with their Orbital Reef station concept, Nanoracks (et al.) with their Starlab Space Station concept, and Northrop Grumman with a station concept based on the HALO-module for the Gateway station.[62]

Robotic exploration
Further information: List of NASA missions and List of uncrewed NASA missions
 Video of many of the uncrewed missions used to explore the outer reaches of space
NASA has conducted many uncrewed and robotic spaceflight programs throughout its history. More than 1,000 uncrewed missions have been designed to explore the Earth and the Solar System.[63]

Mission selection process
NASA executes a mission development framework to plan, select, develop, and operate robotic missions. This framework defines cost, schedule and technical risk parameters to enable competitive selection of missions involving mission candidates that have been developed by principal investigators and their teams from across NASA, the broader U.S. Government research and development stakeholders, and industry. The mission development construct is defined by four umbrella programs.

Explorer program
Further information: Explorers Program
The Explorer program derives its origin from the earliest days of the U.S. Space program. In current form, the program consists of three classes of systems – Small Explorers (SMEX), Medium Explorers (MIDEX), and University-Class Explorers (UNEX) missions. The NASA Explorer program office provides frequent flight opportunities for moderate cost innovative solutions from the heliophysics and astrophysics science areas. The Small Explorer missions are required to limit cost to NASA to below $150M (2022 dollars). Medium class explorer missions have typically involved NASA cost caps of $350M. The Explorer program office is based at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.[64]

Discovery program
Further information: Discovery Program
The NASA Discovery program develops and delivers robotic spacecraft solutions in the planetary science domain. Discovery enables scientists and engineers to assemble a team to deliver a solution against a defined set of objectives and competitively bid that solution against other candidate programs. Cost caps vary but recent mission selection processes were accomplished using a $500M cost cap for NASA. The Planetary Mission Program Office is based at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and manages both the Discovery and New Frontiers missions. The office is part of the Science Mission Directorate.[65]

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced on June 2, 2021, that the DAVINCI+ and VERITAS missions were selected to launch to Venus in the late 2020s, having beat out competing proposals for missions to Jupiter's volcanic moon Io and Neptune's large moon Triton that were also selected as Discovery program finalists in early 2020. Each mission has an estimated cost of $500 million, with launches expected between 2028 and 2030. Launch contracts will be awarded later in each mission's development.[66]

New Frontiers program
Further information: New Frontiers program
The New Frontiers program focuses on specific Solar System exploration goals identified as top priorities by the planetary science community. Primary objectives include Solar System exploration employing medium class spacecraft missions to conduct high-science-return investigations. New Frontiers builds on the development approach employed by the Discovery program but provides for higher cost caps and schedule durations than are available with Discovery. Cost caps vary by opportunity; recent missions have been awarded based on a defined cap of $1 billion. The higher cost cap and projected longer mission durations result in a lower frequency of new opportunities for the program – typically one every several years. OSIRIS-REx and New Horizons are examples of New Frontiers missions.[67]

NASA has determined that the next opportunity to propose for the fifth round of New Frontiers missions will occur no later than the fall of 2024. Missions in NASA's New Frontiers Program tackle specific Solar System exploration goals identified as top priorities by the planetary science community. Exploring the Solar System with medium-class spacecraft missions that conduct high-science-return investigations is NASA's strategy to further understand the Solar System.[68]

Large strategic missions
Further information: Large strategic science missions
Large strategic missions (formerly called Flagship missions) are strategic missions that are typically developed and managed by large teams that may span several NASA centers. The individual missions become the program as opposed to being part of a larger effort (see Discovery, New Frontiers, etc.). The James Webb Space Telescope is a strategic mission that was developed over a period of more than 20 years. Strategic missions are developed on an ad-hoc basis as program objectives and priorities are established. Missions like Voyager, had they been developed today, would have been strategic missions. Three of the Great Observatories were strategic missions (the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, and the Hubble Space Telescope). Europa Clipper is the next large strategic mission in development by NASA.

Planetary science missions
NASA continues to play a material role in exploration of the Solar System as it has for decades. Ongoing missions have current science objectives with respect to more than five extraterrestrial bodies within the Solar System – Moon (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), Mars (Perseverance rover), Jupiter (Juno), asteroid Bennu (OSIRIS-REx), and Kuiper Belt Objects (New Horizons). The Juno extended mission will make multiple flybys of the Jovian moon Io in 2023 and 2024 after flybys of Ganymede in 2021 and Europa in 2022. Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 continue to provide science data back to Earth while continuing on their outward journeys into interstellar space.

On November 26, 2011, NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission was successfully launched for Mars. The Curiosity rover successfully landed on Mars on August 6, 2012, and subsequently began its search for evidence of past or present life on Mars.[69][70][71]

In September 2014, NASA's MAVEN spacecraft, which is part of the Mars Scout Program, successfully entered Mars orbit and, as of October 2022, continues its study of the atmosphere of Mars.[72][73] NASA's ongoing Mars investigations include in-depth surveys of Mars by the Perseverance rover and InSight).

NASA's Europa Clipper, planned for launch in October 2024, will study the Galilean moon Europa through a series of flybys while in orbit around Jupiter. Dragonfly will send a mobile robotic rotorcraft to Saturn's biggest moon, Titan.[74] As of May 2021, Dragonfly is scheduled for launch in June 2027.[75][76]

Astrophysics missions
 NASA astrophysics spacecraft fleet, credit NASA GSFC, 2022
The NASA Science Mission Directorate Astrophysics division manages the agency's astrophysics science portfolio. NASA has invested significant resources in the development, delivery, and operations of various forms of space telescopes. These telescopes have provided the means to study the cosmos over a large range of the electromagnetic spectrum.[77]

The Great Observatories that were launched in the 1980s and 1990s have provided a wealth of observations for study by physicists across the planent. The first of them, the Hubble Space Telescope, was delivered to orbit in 1990 and continues to function, in part due to prior servicing missions performed by the Space Shuttle.[78][79] The other remaining active great observatories include the Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO), launched by STS-93 in July 1999 and is now in a 64-hour elliptical orbit studying X-ray sources that are not readily viewable from terrestrial observatories.[80]

 Chandra X-ray Observatory (rendering), 2015
The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) is a space observatory designed to improve the understanding of X-ray production in objects such as neutron stars and pulsar wind nebulae, as well as stellar and supermassive black holes.[81] IXPE launched in December 2021 and is an international collaboration between NASA and the Italian Space Agency (ASI). It is part of the NASA Small Explorers program (SMEX) which designs low-cost spacecraft to study heliophysics and astrophysics.[82]

The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory was launched in November 2004 and is Gamma-ray burst observatory that also monitors the afterglow in X-ray, and UV/Visible light at the location of a burst.[83] The mission was developed in a joint partnership between Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and an international consortium from the United States, United Kingdom, and Italy. Pennsylvania State University operates the mission as part of NASA's Medium Explorer program (MIDEX).[84]

The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (FGST) is another gamma-ray focused space observatory that was launched to low Earth orbit in June 2008 and is being used to perform gamma-ray astronomy observations.[85] In addition to NASA, the mission involves the United States Department of Energy, and government agencies in France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Sweden.[86]

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), launched in December 2021 on an Ariane 5 rocket, operates in a halo orbit circling the Sun-Earth L2 point.[87][88][89] JWST's high sensitivity in the infrared spectrum and its imaging resolution will allow it to view more distant, faint, or older objects than its predecessors, including Hubble.[90]

Earth Sciences Program missions (1965–present)
Further information: NASA Earth Science
 Schematic of NASA Earth Science Division operating satellite missions as of February 2015
NASA Earth Science is a large, umbrella program comprising a range of terrestrial and space-based collection systems in order to better understand the Earth system and its response to natural and human-caused changes. Numerous systems have been developed and fielded over several decades to provide improved prediction for weather, climate, and other changes in the natural environment. Several of the current operating spacecraft programs include: Aqua,[91] Aura,[92] Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 (OCO-2),[93] Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-on (GRACE FO),[94] and Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite 2 (ICESat-2).[95]

In addition to systems already in orbit, NASA is designing a new set of Earth Observing Systems to study, assess, and generate responses for climate change, natural hazards, forest fires, and real-time agricultural processes.[96] The GOES-T satellite (designated GOES-18 after launch) joined the fleet of U.S. geostationary weather monitoring satellites in March 2022.[97]

NASA also maintains the Earth Science Data Systems (ESDS) program to oversee the life cycle of NASA's Earth science data — from acquisition through processing and distribution. The primary goal of ESDS is to maximize the scientific return from NASA's missions and experiments for research and applied scientists, decision makers, and society at large.[98]

The Earth Science program is managed by the Earth Science Division of the NASA Science Mission Directorate.

Space operations architecture
NASA invests in various ground and space-based infrastructures to support its science and exploration mandate. The agency maintains access to suborbital and orbital space launch capabilities and sustains ground station solutions to support its evolving fleet of spacecraft and remote systems.

Deep Space Network (1963–present)
Further information: NASA Deep Space Network
The NASA Deep Space Network (DSN) serves as the primary ground station solution for NASA's interplanetary spacecraft and select Earth-orbiting missions.[99] The system employs ground station complexes near Barstow California in the United States, in Spain near Madrid, and in Australia near Canberra. The placement of these ground stations approximately 120 degrees apart around the planet provides the ability for communications to spacecraft throughout the Solar System even as the Earth rotates about its axis on a daily basis. The system is controlled at a 24x7 operations center at JPL in Pasadena California which manages recurring communications linkages with up to 40 spacecraft.[100] The system is managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).[99]

Near Space Network (1983–present)
Further information: Near Earth Network and Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System
 Near Earth Network Ground Stations, 2021
The Near Space Network (NSN) provides telemetry, commanding, ground-based tracking, data and communications services to a wide range of customers with satellites in low earth orbit (LEO), geosynchronous orbit (GEO), highly elliptical orbits (HEO), and lunar orbits. The NSN accumulates ground station and antenna assets from the Near-Earth Network and the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRS) which operates in geosynchronous orbit providing continuous real-time coverage for launch vehicles and low earth orbit NASA missions.[101]

The NSN consists of 19 ground stations worldwide operated by the US Government and by contractors including Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT), Swedish Space Corporation (SSC), and South African National Space Agency (SANSA).[102] The ground network averages between 120 and 150 spacecraft contacts a day with TDRS engaging with systems on a near-continuous basis as needed; the system is managed and operated by the Goddard Space Flight Center.[103]

Sounding Rocket Program (1959–present)
Further information: NASA Sounding Rocket Program
 NASA sounding rocket launch from the Wallops Flight Facility
The NASA Sounding Rocket Program (NSRP) is located at the Wallops Flight Facility and provides launch capability, payload development and integration, and field operations support to execute suborbital missions.[104] The program has been in operation since 1959 and is managed by the Goddard Space Flight Center using a combined US Government and contractor team.[105] The NSRP team conducts approximately 20 missions per year from both Wallops and other launch locations worldwide to allow scientists to collect data "where it occurs". The program supports the strategic vision of the Science Mission Directorate collecting important scientific data for earth science, heliophysics, and astrophysics programs.[104]

In June 2022, NASA conducted its first rocket launch from a commercial spaceport outside the US. It launched a Black Brant IX from the Arnhem Space Centre in Australia.[106]

Launch Services Program (1990–present)
Further information: NASA Launch Services Program
 
The NASA Launch Services Program (LSP) is responsible for procurement of launch services for NASA uncrewed missions and oversight of launch integration and launch preparation activity, providing added quality and mission assurance to meet program objectives.[107] Since 1990, NASA has purchased expendable launch vehicle launch services directly from commercial providers, whenever possible, for its scientific and applications missions. Expendable launch vehicles can accommodate all types of orbit inclinations and altitudes and are ideal vehicles for launching Earth-orbit and interplanetary missions. LSP operates from Kennedy Space Center and falls under the NASA Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD).[108][109]

Aeronautics Research
Further information: NASA research and Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate
The Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) is one of five mission directorates within NASA, the other four being the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, the Space Operations Mission Directorate, the Science Mission Directorate, and the Space Technology Mission Directorate.[110] The ARMD is responsible for NASA's aeronautical research, which benefits the commercial, military, and general aviation sectors. ARMD performs its aeronautics research at four NASA facilities: Ames Research Center and Armstrong Flight Research Center in California, Glenn Research Center in Ohio, and Langley Research Center in Virginia.[111]

NASA X-57 Maxwell aircraft (2016–present)
Further information: NASA X-57 Maxwell
The NASA X-57 Maxwell is an experimental aircraft being developed by NASA to demonstrate the technologies required to deliver a highly efficient all-electric aircraft.[112] The primary goal of the program is to develop and deliver all-electric technology solutions that can also achieve airworthiness certification with regulators. The program involves development of the system in several phases, or modifications, to incrementally grow the capability and operability of the system. The initial configuration of the aircraft has now completed ground testing as it approaches its first flights. In mid-2022, the X-57 was scheduled to fly before the end of the year.[113] The development team includes staff from the NASA Armstrong, Glenn, and Langley centers along with number of industry partners from the United States and Italy.[114]

Next Generation Air Transportation System (2007–present)
Further information: Next Generation Air Transportation System
NASA is collaborating with the Federal Aviation Administration and industry stakeholders to modernize the United States National Airspace System (NAS). Efforts began in 2007 with a goal to deliver major modernization components by 2025.[115] The modernization effort intends to increase the safety, efficiency, capacity, access, flexibility, predictability, and resilience of the NAS while reducing the environmental impact of aviation.[116] The Aviation Systems Division of NASA Ames operates the joint NASA/FAA North Texas Research Station. The station supports all phases of NextGen research, from concept development to prototype system field evaluation. This facility has already transitioned advanced NextGen concepts and technologies to use through technology transfers to the FAA.[115] NASA contributions also include development of advanced automation concepts and tools that provide air traffic controllers, pilots, and other airspace users with more accurate real-time information about the nation's traffic flow, weather, and routing. Ames' advanced airspace modeling and simulation tools have been used extensively to model the flow of air traffic flow across the U.S., and to evaluate new concepts in airspace design, traffic flow management, and optimization.[117]

Technology research
For technologies funded or otherwise supported by NASA, see NASA spinoff technologies.
Nuclear in-space power and propulsion (ongoing)
NASA has made use of technologies such as the multi-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generator (MMRTG), which is a type of radioisotope thermoelectric generator used to power spacecraft.[118] Shortages of the required plutonium-238 have curtailed deep space missions since the turn of the millennium.[119] An example of a spacecraft that was not developed because of a shortage of this material was New Horizons 2.[119]

In July 2021, NASA announced contract awards for development of nuclear thermal propulsion reactors. Three contractors will develop individual designs over 12 months for later evaluation by NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy.[120] NASA's space nuclear technologies portfolio are led and funded by its Space Technology Mission Directorate.

In January 2023, NASA announced a partnership with Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency on the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) program to demonstrate a NTR engine in space, an enabling capability for NASA missions to Mars.[121] In July 2023, NASA and DARPA jointly announced the award of $499 million to Lockheed Martin to design and build an experimental NTR rocket to be launched in 2027.[122]

Other initiatives
Free Space Optics. NASA contracted a third party to study the probability of using Free Space Optics (FSO) to communicate with Optical (laser) Stations on the Ground (OGS) called laser-com RF networks for satellite communications.[123]

Water Extraction from Lunar Soil. On July 29, 2020, NASA requested American universities to propose new technologies for extracting water from the lunar soil and developing power systems. The idea will help the space agency conduct sustainable exploration of the Moon.[124]

In 2024, NASA was tasked by the US Government to create a Time standard for the Moon. The standard is to be called Coordinated Lunar Time and is expected to be finalized in 2026.[125]

Human Spaceflight Research (2005–present)
 
 SpaceX Crew-4 astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti operating the rHEALTH ONE on the ISS to address key health risks for space travel
NASA's Human Research Program (HRP) is designed to study the effects of space on human health and also to provide countermeasures and technologies for human space exploration. The medical effects of space exploration are reasonably limited in low Earth orbit or in travel to the Moon. Travel to Mars is significantly longer and deeper into space, significant medical issues can result. These include bone density loss, radiation exposure, vision changes, circadian rhythm disturbances, heart remodeling, and immune alterations. In order to study and diagnose these ill-effects, HRP has been tasked with identifying or developing small portable instrumentation with low mass, volume, and power to monitor the health of astronauts.[126] To achieve this aim, on May 13, 2022, NASA and SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts successfully tested its rHEALTH ONE universal biomedical analyzer for its ability to identify and analyzer biomarkers, cells, microorganisms, and proteins in a spaceflight environment.[127]

Planetary Defense (2016–present)
Further information: Planetary Defense Coordination Office and Near Earth Objects
 
NASA established the Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) in 2016 to catalog and track potentially hazardous near-Earth objects (NEO), such as asteroids and comets and develop potential responses and defenses against these threats.[128] The PDCO is chartered to provide timely and accurate information to the government and the public on close approaches by Potentially hazardous objects (PHOs) and any potential for impact. The office functions within the Science Mission Directorate Planetary Science division.[129]

The PDCO augmented prior cooperative actions between the United States, the European Union, and other nations which had been scanning the sky for NEOs since 1998 in an effort called Spaceguard.[130]

 
Near Earth object detection (1998–present)
From the 1990s NASA has run many NEO detection programs from Earth bases observatories, greatly increasing the number of objects that have been detected. Many asteroids are very dark and those near the Sun are much harder to detect from Earth-based telescopes which observe at night, and thus face away from the Sun. NEOs inside Earth orbit only reflect a part of light also rather than potentially a "full Moon" when they are behind the Earth and fully lit by the Sun.

In 1998, the United States Congress gave NASA a mandate to detect 90% of near-Earth asteroids over 1 km (0.62 mi) diameter (that threaten global devastation) by 2008.[131] This initial mandate was met by 2011.[132] In 2005, the original USA Spaceguard mandate was extended by the George E. Brown, Jr. Near-Earth Object Survey Act, which calls for NASA to detect 90% of NEOs with diameters of 140 m (460 ft) or greater, by 2020 (compare to the 20-meter Chelyabinsk meteor that hit Russia in 2013).[133] As of January 2020, it is estimated that less than half of these have been found, but objects of this size hit the Earth only about once in 2,000 years.[134]

In January 2020, NASA officials estimated it would take 30 years to find all objects meeting the 140 m (460 ft) size criteria, more than twice the timeframe that was built into the 2005 mandate.[135] In June 2021, NASA authorized the development of the NEO Surveyor spacecraft to reduce that projected duration to achieve the mandate down to 10 years.[136][137]

Involvement in current robotic missions
NASA has incorporated planetary defense objectives into several ongoing missions.

In 1999, NASA visited 433 Eros with the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft which entered its orbit in 2000, closely imaging the asteroid with various instruments at that time.[138] NEAR Shoemaker became the first spacecraft to successfully orbit and land on an asteroid, improving our understanding of these bodies and demonstrating our capacity to study them in greater detail.[139]

OSIRIS-REx used its suite of instruments to transmit radio tracking signals and capture optical images of Bennu during its study of the asteroid that will help NASA scientists determine its precise position in the solar system and its exact orbital path. As Bennu has the potential for recurring approaches to the Earth-Moon system in the next 100–200 years, the precision gained from OSIRIS-REx will enable scientists to better predict the future gravitational interactions between Bennu and our planet and resultant changes in Bennu's onward flight path.[140][141]

The WISE/NEOWISE mission was launched by NASA JPL in 2009 as an infrared-wavelength astronomical space telescope. In 2013, NASA repurposed it as the NEOWISE mission to find potentially hazardous near-Earth asteroids and comets; its mission has been extended into 2023.[142][143]

NASA and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (JHAPL) jointly developed the first planetary defense purpose-built satellite, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) to test possible planetary defense concepts.[144] DART was launched in November 2021 by a SpaceX Falcon 9 from California on a trajectory designed to impact the Dimorphos asteroid. Scientists were seeking to determine whether an impact could alter the subsequent path of the asteroid; a concept that could be applied to future planetary defense.[145] On September 26, 2022, DART hit its target. In the weeks following impact, NASA declared DART a success, confirming it had shortened Dimorphos' orbital period around Didymos by about 32 minutes, surpassing the pre-defined success threshold of 73 seconds.[146][147]

NEO Surveyor, formerly called the Near-Earth Object Camera (NEOCam) mission, is a space-based infrared telescope under development to survey the Solar System for potentially hazardous asteroids.[148] The spacecraft is scheduled to launch in 2026.

Study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (2022–present)
In June 2022, the head of the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Thomas Zurbuchen, confirmed the start of NASA's UAP independent study team.[149] At a speech before the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, Zurbuchen said the space agency would bring a scientific perspective to efforts already underway by the Pentagon and intelligence agencies to make sense of dozens of such sightings. He said it was "high-risk, high-impact" research that the space agency should not shy away from, even if it is a controversial field of study.[150]

Collaboration
NASA Advisory Council
In response to the Apollo 1 accident, which killed three astronauts in 1967, Congress directed NASA to form an Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) to advise the NASA Administrator on safety issues and hazards in NASA's air and space programs. In the aftermath of the Shuttle Columbia disaster, Congress required that the ASAP submit an annual report to the NASA Administrator and to Congress.[151] By 1971, NASA had also established the Space Program Advisory Council and the Research and Technology Advisory Council to provide the administrator with advisory committee support. In 1977, the latter two were combined to form the NASA Advisory Council (NAC).[152] The NASA Authorization Act of 2014 reaffirmed the importance of ASAP.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Further information: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
 
NASA and NOAA have cooperated for decades on the development, delivery and operation of polar and geosynchronous weather satellites.[153] The relationship typically involves NASA developing the space systems, launch solutions, and ground control technology for the satellites and NOAA operating the systems and delivering weather forecasting products to users. Multiple generations of NOAA Polar orbiting platforms have operated to provide detailed imaging of weather from low altitude.[154] Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) provide near-real-time coverage of the western hemisphere to ensure accurate and timely understanding of developing weather phenomenon.[155]

United States Space Force
Further information: United States Space Force
 
The United States Space Force (USSF) is the space service branch of the United States Armed Forces, while the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for civil spaceflight. NASA and the Space Force's predecessors in the Air Force have a long-standing cooperative relationship, with the Space Force supporting NASA launches out of Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and Vandenberg Space Force Base, to include range support and rescue operations from Task Force 45.[156] NASA and the Space Force also partner on matters such as defending Earth from asteroids.[157] Space Force members can be NASA astronauts, with Colonel Michael S. Hopkins, the commander of SpaceX Crew-1, commissioned into the Space Force from the International Space Station on December 18, 2020.[158][159][160] In September 2020, the Space Force and NASA signed a memorandum of understanding formally acknowledging the joint role of both agencies. This new memorandum replaced a similar document signed in 2006 between NASA and Air Force Space Command.[161][162]

U.S. Geological Survey
Further information: United States Geological Survey and Landsat 9
 
The Landsat program is the longest-running enterprise for acquisition of satellite imagery of Earth. It is a joint NASA / USGS program.[163] On July 23, 1972, the Earth Resources Technology Satellite was launched. This was eventually renamed to Landsat 1 in 1975.[164] The most recent satellite in the series, Landsat 9, was launched on September 27, 2021.[165]

The instruments on the Landsat satellites have acquired millions of images. The images, archived in the United States and at Landsat receiving stations around the world, are a unique resource for global change research and applications in agriculture, cartography, geology, forestry, regional planning, surveillance and education, and can be viewed through the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) "EarthExplorer" website. The collaboration between NASA and USGS involves NASA designing and delivering the space system (satellite) solution, launching the satellite into orbit with the USGS operating the system once in orbit.[163] As of October 2022, nine satellites have been built with eight of them successfully operating in orbit.

European Space Agency (ESA)
Further information: European Space Agency
 
NASA collaborates with the European Space Agency on a wide range of scientific and exploration requirements.[166] From participation with the Space Shuttle (the Spacelab missions) to major roles on the Artemis program (the Orion Service Module), ESA and NASA have supported the science and exploration missions of each agency. There are NASA payloads on ESA spacecraft and ESA payloads on NASA spacecraft. The agencies have developed joint missions in areas including heliophysics (e.g. Solar Orbiter)[167] and astronomy (Hubble Space Telescope, James Webb Space Telescope).[168] Under the Artemis Gateway partnership, ESA will contribute habitation and refueling modules, along with enhanced lunar communications, to the Gateway.[169][170] NASA and ESA continue to advance cooperation in relation to Earth Science including climate change with agreements to cooperate on various missions including the Sentinel-6 series of spacecraft[171]

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Further information: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
 
NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) cooperate on a range of space projects. JAXA is a direct participant in the Artemis program, including the Lunar Gateway effort. JAXA's planned contributions to Gateway include I-Hab's environmental control and life support system, batteries, thermal control, and imagery components, which will be integrated into the module by the European Space Agency (ESA) prior to launch. These capabilities are critical for sustained Gateway operations during crewed and uncrewed time periods.[172][173]

JAXA and NASA have collaborated on numerous satellite programs, especially in areas of Earth science. NASA has contributed to JAXA satellites and vice versa. Japanese instruments are flying on NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites, and NASA sensors have flown on previous Japanese Earth-observation missions. The NASA-JAXA Global Precipitation Measurement mission was launched in 2014 and includes both NASA- and JAXA-supplied sensors on a NASA satellite launched on a JAXA rocket. The mission provides the frequent, accurate measurements of rainfall over the entire globe for use by scientists and weather forecasters.[174]

Roscosmos
Further information: Roscosmos
 
NASA and Roscosmos have cooperated on the development and operation of the International Space Station since September 1993.[175] The agencies have used launch systems from both countries to deliver station elements to orbit. Astronauts and Cosmonauts jointly maintain various elements of the station. Both countries provide access to the station via launch systems noting Russia's unique role as the sole provider of delivery of crew and cargo upon retirement of the space shuttle in 2011 and prior to commencement of NASA COTS and crew flights. In July 2022, NASA and Roscosmos signed a deal to share space station flights enabling crew from each country to ride on the systems provided by the other.[176] Current geopolitical conditions in late 2022 make it unlikely that cooperation will be extended to other programs such as Artemis or lunar exploration.[177]

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
Further information: ISRO
 
In September 2014, NASA and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) signed a partnership to collaborate on and launch a joint radar mission, the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperature Radar (NISAR) mission. The mission is targeted to launch in 2024. NASA will provide the mission's L-band synthetic aperture radar, a high-rate communication subsystem for science data, GPS receivers, a solid-state recorder and payload data subsystem. ISRO provides the spacecraft bus, the S-band radar, the launch vehicle and associated launch services.[178][179]

 
Artemis Accords
Further information: Artemis Accords
The Artemis Accords have been established to define a framework for cooperating in the peaceful exploration and exploitation of the Moon, Mars, asteroids, and comets. The Accords were drafted by NASA and the U.S. State Department and are executed as a series of bilateral agreements between the United States and the participating countries.[180][181] As of September 2022, 21 countries have signed the accords. They are Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.[182][183]

China National Space Administration
Further information: Wolf Amendment and China National Space Administration
The Wolf Amendment was passed by the U.S. Congress into law in 2011 and prevents NASA from engaging in direct, bilateral cooperation with the Chinese government and China-affiliated organizations such as the China National Space Administration without the explicit authorization from Congress and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The law has been renewed annually since by inclusion in annual appropriations bills.[184]

Management
Leadership
 Administrator Bill Nelson (2021–present)
The agency's administration is located at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC, and provides overall guidance and direction.[185] Except under exceptional circumstances, NASA civil service employees are required to be US citizens.[186] NASA's administrator is nominated by the President of the United States subject to the approval of the US Senate,[187] and serves at the President's pleasure as a senior space science advisor. The current administrator is Bill Nelson, appointed by President Joe Biden, since May 3, 2021.[188]

Strategic plan
NASA operates with four FY2022 strategic goals.[189]

Expand human knowledge through new scientific discoveries
Extend human presence to the Moon and on towards Mars for sustainable long-term exploration, development, and utilization
Catalyze economic growth and drive innovation to address national challenges
Enhance capabilities and operations to catalyze current and future mission success
Budget
Further information: Budget of NASA
NASA budget requests are developed by NASA and approved by the administration prior to submission to the U.S. Congress. Authorized budgets are those that have been included in enacted appropriations bills that are approved by both houses of Congress and enacted into law by the U.S. president.[190]

NASA fiscal year budget requests and authorized budgets are provided below.

Year
Budget Request
in bil. US$
Authorized Budget
in bil. US$
U.S. Government
Employees
2018
$19.092[191]
$20.736[192]
17,551[193]
2019
$19.892[192]
$21.500[194]
17,551[195]
2020
$22.613[194]
$22.629[196]
18,048[197]
2021
$25.246[196]
$23.271[198]
18,339[199]
2022
$24.802[198]
$24.041[200]
18,400 est
Organization
NASA funding and priorities are developed through its six Mission Directorates.

Mission Directorate
Associate Administrator
% of NASA Budget (FY22)[198]
Aeronautics Research (ARMD)
Catherine A. Koerner[201]
4%
Exploration Systems Development (ESDMD)
James Free[202]
28%
Space Operations (SOMD)
Kenneth Bowersox[203]
17%
Science (SMD)
Nicola Fox[204]
32%
Space Technology (STMD)
Kurt Vogel [205]
5%
Mission Support (MSD)
Robert Gibbs[206]
14%
Center-wide activities such as the Chief Engineer and Safety and Mission Assurance organizations are aligned to the headquarters function. The MSD budget estimate includes funds for these HQ functions. The administration operates 10 major field centers with several managing additional subordinate facilities across the country. Each is led by a Center Director (data below valid as of September 1, 2022).

Field Center
Primary Location
Center Director
Ames Research Center
Mountain View, California
Eugene L. Tu[207]
Armstrong Flight Research Center
Palmdale, California
Brad Flick (acting)[208]
Glenn Research Center
Cleveland, Ohio
James A. Kenyon (acting)[209]
Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
Makenzie Lystrup[210]
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
La Canada-Flintridge, California
Laurie Leshin[211]
Johnson Space Center
Houston, Texas
Vanessa E. Wyche[212]
Kennedy Space Center
Merritt Island, Florida
Janet Petro[213]
Langley Research Center
Hampton, Virginia
Clayton Turner[214]
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama
Jody Singer[215]
Stennis Space Center
Hancock County, Mississippi
Richard J. Gilbrech[216]
Sustainability
Environmental impact
The exhaust gases produced by rocket propulsion systems, both in Earth's atmosphere and in space, can adversely affect the Earth's environment. Some hypergolic rocket propellants, such as hydrazine, are highly toxic prior to combustion, but decompose into less toxic compounds after burning. Rockets using hydrocarbon fuels, such as kerosene, release carbon dioxide and soot in their exhaust.[217] Carbon dioxide emissions are insignificant compared to those from other sources; on average, the United States consumed 803 million US gal (3.0 million m3) of liquid fuels per day in 2014, while a single Falcon 9 rocket first stage burns around 25,000 US gallons (95 m3) of kerosene fuel per launch.[218][219] Even if a Falcon 9 were launched every single day, it would only represent 0.006% of liquid fuel consumption (and carbon dioxide emissions) for that day. Additionally, the exhaust from LOx- and LH2- fueled engines, like the SSME, is almost entirely water vapor.[220] NASA addressed environmental concerns with its canceled Constellation program in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act in 2011.[221] In contrast, ion engines use harmless noble gases like xenon for propulsion.[222][223]

An example of NASA's environmental efforts is the NASA Sustainability Base. Additionally, the Exploration Sciences Building was awarded the LEED Gold rating in 2010.[224] On May 8, 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency recognized NASA as the first federal agency to directly use landfill gas to produce energy at one of its facilities—the Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland.[225]

In 2018, NASA along with other companies including Sensor Coating Systems, Pratt & Whitney, Monitor Coating and UTRC launched the project CAUTION (CoAtings for Ultra High Temperature detectION). This project aims to enhance the temperature range of the Thermal History Coating up to 1,500 °C (2,730 °F) and beyond. The final goal of this project is improving the safety of jet engines as well as increasing efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions.[226]

Climate change
NASA also researches and publishes on climate change.[227] Its statements concur with the global scientific consensus that the global climate is warming.[228] Bob Walker, who has advised US President Donald Trump on space issues, has advocated that NASA should focus on space exploration and that its climate study operations should be transferred to other agencies such as NOAA. Former NASA atmospheric scientist J. Marshall Shepherd countered that Earth science study was built into NASA's mission at its creation in the 1958 National Aeronautics and Space Act.[229] NASA won the 2020 Webby People's Voice Award for Green in the category Web.[230]

STEM Initiatives
Further information: STEM
Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa). Since 2011, the ELaNa program has provided opportunities for NASA to work with university teams to test emerging technologies and commercial-off-the-shelf solutions by providing launch opportunities for developed CubeSats using NASA procured launch opportunities.[231] By example, two NASA-sponsored CubeSats launched in June 2022 on a Virgin Orbit LauncherOne vehicle as the ELaNa 39 mission.[232]

Cubes in Space. NASA started an annual competition in 2014 named "Cubes in Space".[233] It is jointly organized by NASA and the global education company I Doodle Learning, with the objective of teaching school students aged 11–18 to design and build scientific experiments to be launched into space on a NASA rocket or balloon. On June 21, 2017, the world's smallest satellite, KalamSAT, was launched.[234]

Use of the metric system
US law requires the International System of Units to be used in all US Government programs, "except where impractical".[235]

In 1969, Apollo 11 landed on the Moon using a mix of United States customary units and metric units. In the 1980s, NASA started the transition towards the metric system, but was still using both systems in the 1990s.[236][237] On September 23, 1999, a mixup between NASA's use of SI units and Lockheed Martin Space's use of US units resulted in the loss of the Mars Climate Orbiter.[238]

In August 2007, NASA stated that all future missions and explorations of the Moon would be done entirely using the SI system. This was done to improve cooperation with space agencies of other countries that already use the metric system.[239] As of 2007, NASA is predominantly working with SI units, but some projects still use US units, and some, including the International Space Station, use a mix of both.[240]

Media presence
NASA TV
Further information: NASA TV
Approaching 40 years of service, the NASA TV channel airs content ranging from live coverage of crewed missions to video coverage of significant milestones for operating robotic spacecraft (e.g. rover landings on Mars) and domestic and international launches.[241] The channel is delivered by NASA and is broadcast by satellite and over the Internet. The system initially started to capture archival footage of important space events for NASA managers and engineers and expanded as public interest grew. The Apollo 8 Christmas Eve broadcast while in orbit around the Moon was received by more than a billion people.[242] NASA's video transmission of the Apollo 11 Moon landing was awarded a primetime Emmy in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the landing.[243] The channel is a product of the U.S. Government and is widely available across many television and Internet platforms.[244]

NASAcast
NASAcast is the official audio and video podcast of the NASA website. Created in late 2005, the podcast service contains the latest audio and video features from the NASA web site, including NASA TV's This Week at NASA and educational materials produced by NASA. Additional NASA podcasts, such as Science@NASA, are also featured and give subscribers an in-depth look at content by subject matter.[245]

NASA EDGE
 NASA EDGE broadcasting live from White Sands Missile Range in 2010
NASA EDGE is a video podcast which explores different missions, technologies and projects developed by NASA. The program was released by NASA on March 18, 2007, and, as of August 2020, there have been 200 vodcasts produced. It is a public outreach vodcast sponsored by NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate and based out of the Exploration and Space Operations Directorate at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The NASA EDGE team takes an insider's look at current projects and technologies from NASA facilities around the United States, and it is depicted through personal interviews, on-scene broadcasts, computer animations, and personal interviews with top scientists and engineers at NASA.[note 2]

The show explores the contributions NASA has made to society as well as the progress of current projects in materials and space exploration. NASA EDGE vodcasts can be downloaded from the NASA website and from iTunes.

In its first year of production, the show was downloaded over 450,000 times. As of February 2010, the average download rate is more than 420,000 per month, with over one million downloads in December 2009 and January 2010.[247]

NASA and the NASA EDGE have also developed interactive programs designed to complement the vodcast. The Lunar Electric Rover App allows users to drive a simulated Lunar Electric Rover between objectives, and it provides information about and images of the vehicle.[248] The NASA EDGE Widget provides a graphical user interface for accessing NASA EDGE vodcasts, image galleries, and the program's Twitter feed, as well as a live NASA news feed.[249]

Astronomy Picture of the Day
This section is an excerpt from Astronomy Picture of the Day.[edit]
Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) is a website provided by NASA and Michigan Technological University (MTU). It reads: "Each day a different image or photograph of our universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer."[250] The photograph does not necessarily correspond to a celestial event on the exact day that it is displayed, and images are sometimes repeated.[251] These often relate to current events in astronomy and space exploration. The text has several hyperlinks to more pictures and websites for more information. The images are either visible spectrum photographs, images taken at non-visible wavelengths and displayed in false color, video footage, animations, artist's conceptions, or micrographs that relate to space or cosmology.

Past images are stored in the APOD Archive, with the first image appearing on June 16, 1995.[252] This initiative has received support from NASA, the National Science Foundation, and MTU. The images are sometimes authored by people or organizations outside NASA, and therefore APOD images are often copyrighted, unlike many other NASA image galleries.[253]
NASA+
Main article: NASA+
In July 2023, NASA announced a new streaming service known as NASA+. It launched on November 8, 2023, and has live coverage of launches, documentaries and original programs. According to NASA, it will be free of ads and subscription fees. It will be a part of the NASA app on iOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on the web on desktop and mobile devices.[254][255][256]

Gallery
NASA spacecraft observations of the Solar System
 
Sun image by Solar Dynamics Observatory, 2010
  
Planet Mercury image by MESSENGER, 2008
  
Planet Venus image by Mariner 10, 1974
  
Planet Earth image by Apollo 17 crew, 1972
  
Moon image by Apollo 8 crew, 1968
  
Planet Mars image by Viking 1, 1976
  
Asteroid 433 Eros image by NEAR Shoemaker, 2000
  
Dwarf planet Ceres image by Dawn, 2015
  
Planet Jupiter image by Juno, 2019
  
Moon Io (Jupiter) image by Galileo, 1999
  
Planet Saturn image by Cassini, 2016
  
Moon Mimas (Saturn) image by Cassini, 2010
  
Planet Uranus by Voyager 2, 1986
  
Moon Miranda (Uranus) image by Voyager 2, 1986
  
Planet Neptune image by Voyager 2, 1989
  
Dwarf planet Pluto image by New Horizons, 2015
  
Moon Charon (Pluto) image by New Horizons, 2015
NASA Great Observatory images
 
Helix Nebula by Spitzer Space Telescope, 2007
  
1901 GK Persei supernova by Chandra X-ray Observatory, 2015
  
Carina Nebula by Hubble Space Telescope, 2010
  
Stephens quintet by James Webb Space Telescope, Jul 2022
NASA spacecraft
 
Comparison of Apollo, Gemini, and Mercury systems[note 3]
  
Surveyor 3, Pete Conrad, and Apollo 12 on the Moon, 1969
  
Space Shuttle Endeavor in orbit, 2008
  
Hubble Space Telescope released in orbit after servicing, 2009.
  
James Webb Space Telescope now in orbit, 2022.
  
Opportunity rover on surface of Mars (rendering), 2003
  
Curiosity rover self-portrait on Mars, 2021
  
Perseverance rover during Mars skycrane landing, February 2021
  
Voyager 2, now 19.5 billion kilometers from the Earth, July 2022
  
Orion spacecraft and European Service Module testing, 2020
NASA space launch systems
 
Saturn V and Apollo 11 at launch, Jul 1969
  
Titan III/Centaur launching Voyager 2 spacecraft, Jul 1977
  
Delta II launching Spirit rover, Jun 2003
  
Space Shuttle (STS-124) during launch, May 2008
  
Space Launch System and Artemis 1 at launch, Nov 2022
Concepts and plans
 
Concept of space tug cargo transport to a Nuclear Shuttle, 1960s
  
Space Tug concept, 1970s
  
NASA Interstellar probe concept, 2022
  
Langley's Mars Ice Dome design for a Mars habitat, 2010s
  
Lunar Gateway space station, 2020
  
NASA lunar outpost concept, 2006
  
NASA concept for crewed floating outpost on Venus, 2014
  
NASA concept for 2069 Alpha Centauri solar sail mission
See also
 United States portal
 Politics portal
 Spaceflight portal
 Rocketry portal
List of crewed spacecraft
List of NASA aircraft
List of space disasters
List of United States rockets
Category: NASA people
NASA Advanced Space Transportation Program
NASA Art Program
NASA Research Park – Research park near San Jose, California
TechPort (NASA) – Technology Portfolio System
NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts
Explanatory notes
^ Jump up to:a b c Orbital Sciences was awarded a CRS contract in 2008. In 2015, Orbital Sciences became Orbital ATK through a business merger. Orbital ATK was awarded a CRS-2 contract in 2016. In 2018, Orbital ATK was acquired by Northrop Grumman.
^ NASA EDGE Cast and Crew: Chris Giersch (Host); Blair Allen (Co-host and senior producer); Franklin Fitzgerald (News anchor and "everyman"); Jaqueline Mirielle Cortez (Special co-host); Ron Beard (Director and "set therapist"); and Don Morrison (Audio/video engineer)[246]
^ From left to right: Launch vehicle of Apollo (Saturn 5), Gemini (Titan 2) and Mercury (Atlas). Left, top-down: Spacecraft of Apollo, Gemini and Mercury. The Saturn IB and Mercury-Redstone launch vehicles are left out.
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Further reading
Library resources about
NASA 
Resources in your library
Resources in other libraries
Alexander, Joseph K. Science Advice to NASA: Conflict, Consensus, Partnership, Leadership (2019) excerpt
Bizony, Piers et al. The NASA Archives. 60 Years in Space (2019)
Brady, Kevin M. "NASA Launches Houston into Orbit How America's Space Program Contributed to Southeast Texas's Economic Growth, Scientific Development, and Modernization during the Late Twentieth Century." Journal of the West (2018) 57#4 pp 13–54.
Bromberg, Joan Lisa. NASA and the Space Industry (Johns Hopkins UP, 1999).
Clemons, Jack. Safely to Earth: The Men and Women Who Brought the Astronauts Home (2018) excerpt
Dick, Steven J., and Roger D. Launius, eds. Critical Issues in the History of Spaceflight (NASA, 2006)
Launius, Roger D. "Eisenhower, Sputnik, and the Creation of NASA." Prologue-Quarterly of the National Archives 28.2 (1996): 127–143.
Pyle, Rod. Space 2.0: How Private Spaceflight, a Resurgent NASA, and International Partners are Creating a New Space Age (2019), overview of space exploration excerpt
Spencer, Brett. "The Book and the Rocket: The Symbiotic Relationship between American Public Libraries and the Space Program, 1950–2015", Information & Culture 51, no. 4 (2016): 550–82.
Weinzierl, Matthew. "Space, the final economic frontier." Journal of Economic Perspectives 32.2 (2018): 173–92. online Archived December 31, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, review of economics literature
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"CALLATE HIJO DE SU PUTA MADRE

amielkpoSun, 28 Apr 2024 07:15

Mejor Masturbación del Mundo - Joven Puta masturba una gran polla de 24 cm en sus manos antes de tomarla profundamente - KRISTAL ASS

"

"Mejor Masturbación del Mundo - Joven Puta masturba una gran polla de 24 cm en sus manos antes de tomarla profundamente - KRISTAL ASS"

"From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation).
"King of Pop" redirects here. For other uses, see King of Pop (disambiguation).
Michael Jackson
 Jackson in 1988
Born
Michael Joseph Jackson

August 29, 1958
Gary, Indiana, US
Died
June 25, 2009 (aged 50)
Los Angeles, California, US
Cause of death
Acute propofol intoxication
Burial place
Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California, US
Other names
Michael Joe Jackson
Occupations
Singer
songwriter
dancer
record producer
Spouses
Lisa Marie Presley
​
​
(m. 1994; div. 1996)​
Debbie Rowe
​
​
(m. 1996; div. 2000)​
Children
3, including Paris
Parents
Joe Jackson
Katherine Jackson
Family
Jackson family
Awards
Full list
Musical career
Genres
Pop
soul
rhythm and blues
funk
rock
disco
post-disco
dance-pop
new jack swing
Instrument(s)
Vocals
Discography
Albums
singles
songs
Years active
1964–2009
Labels
Steeltown
Motown
Epic
Legacy
Sony
MJJ Productions
Formerly of
The Jackson 5
 
Website
michaeljackson.com
Signature
 
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Known as the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. During his four-decade career, his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture. Jackson influenced artists across many music genres. Through stage and video performances, he popularized complicated street dance moves such as the moonwalk, which he named, as well as the robot.

The eighth child of the Jackson family, Jackson made his public debut in 1964 with his older brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon as a member of the Jackson 5 (later known as the Jacksons). Jackson began his solo career in 1971 while at Motown Records. He became a solo star with his 1979 album Off the Wall. His music videos, including those for "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller" from his 1982 album Thriller, are credited with breaking racial barriers and transforming the medium into an art form and promotional tool. He helped propel the success of MTV and continued to innovate with the videos for his subsequent albums: Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995), and Invincible (2001). Thriller became the best-selling album of all time, while Bad was the first album to produce five US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles.[nb 1]

From the late 1980s, Jackson became a figure of controversy and speculation due to his changing appearance, relationships, behavior, and lifestyle. In 1993, he was accused of sexually abusing the child of a family friend. The lawsuit was settled out of civil court; Jackson was not indicted due to lack of evidence. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further child sexual abuse allegations and several other charges. The FBI found no evidence of criminal conduct by Jackson in either case. In 2009, while he was preparing for a series of comeback concerts, This Is It, Jackson died from an overdose of propofol administered by his personal physician, Conrad Murray, who was convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter for his involvement in Jackson's death. His death triggered reactions around the world, creating unprecedented surges of internet traffic and a spike in sales of his music. Jackson's televised memorial service, held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, was estimated to have been viewed by more than 2.5 billion people.

Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with sales estimated around 500 million records worldwide.[nb 2] He had 13 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles (fourth highest of any artist in the Hot 100 era) and was the first artist to have a top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades. His honors include 15 Grammy Awards, six Brit Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and 39 Guinness World Records, including the "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time". Jackson's inductions include the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (twice), the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Dance Hall of Fame (making him the only recording artist to be inducted) and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.

Life and career
Early life and the Jackson 5 (1958–1975)
 Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Indiana, pictured in March 2010
Michael Joseph Jackson[9][10] was born in Gary, Indiana, on August 29, 1958.[11][12] He was the eighth of ten children in the Jackson family, a working-class African-American family living in a two-bedroom house on Jackson Street.[13][14] His mother, Katherine Esther Jackson (née Scruse), played clarinet and piano, had aspired to be a country-and-western performer, and worked part-time at Sears.[15] She was a Jehovah's Witness.[16] His father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, a former boxer, was a crane operator at US Steel and played guitar with a local rhythm and blues band, the Falcons, to supplement the family's income.[17][18] Joe's great-grandfather, July "Jack" Gale, was a US Army scout; family lore held that he was also a Native American medicine man.[19] Michael grew up with three sisters (Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet) and five brothers (Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy).[17] A sixth brother, Marlon's twin Brandon, died shortly after birth.[20]

In 1964, Michael and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by their father which included Jackie, Tito and Jermaine—as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine.[21][22] Michael said his father told him he had a "fat nose",[23] and physically and emotionally abused him during rehearsals. He recalled that Joe often sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his siblings rehearsed, ready to punish any mistakes.[16][24] Joe acknowledged that he regularly whipped Michael.[25] Katherine said that although whipping came to be considered abuse, it was a common way to discipline children when Michael was growing up.[26][27] Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon denied that their father was abusive and said that the whippings, which had a deeper impact on Michael because he was younger, kept them disciplined and out of trouble.[28] Michael said that during his youth he was lonely and isolated.[29]

Later in 1965, Michael began sharing lead vocals with Jermaine, and the group's name was changed to the Jackson 5.[30] In 1965, the group won a talent show; Michael performed the dance to Robert Parker's 1965 song "Barefootin'" and sang the Temptations' "My Girl".[31] From 1966 to 1968, the Jacksons 5 toured the Midwest; they frequently played at a string of black clubs known as the Chitlin' Circuit as the opening act for artists such as Sam & Dave, the O'Jays, Gladys Knight and Etta James. The Jackson 5 also performed at clubs and cocktail lounges, where striptease shows were featured, and at local auditoriums and high school dances.[32][33] In August 1967, while touring the East Coast, they won a weekly amateur night concert at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.[34]

 Michael Jackson (center) as a member of the Jackson 5 in 1972. The group were among the first African American performers to attain a crossover following.[35]
The Jackson 5 recorded several songs for a Gary record label, Steeltown Records; their first single, "Big Boy", was released in 1968.[36] Bobby Taylor of Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers brought the Jackson 5 to Motown after they opened for Taylor at Chicago's Regal Theater in 1968. Taylor produced some of their early Motown recordings, including a version of "Who's Lovin' You".[37] After signing with Motown, the Jackson family relocated to Los Angeles.[38] In 1969, Motown executives decided Diana Ross should introduce the Jackson 5 to the public — partly to bolster her career in television — sending off what was considered Motown's last product of its "production line".[39] The Jackson 5 made their first television appearance in 1969 in the Miss Black America pageant, performing a cover of "It's Your Thing".[40] Rolling Stone later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts" who "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer".[41]

In January 1970, "I Want You Back" became the first Jackson 5 song to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100; it stayed there for four weeks. Three more singles with Motown topped the chart: "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There".[42] In May 1971, the Jackson family moved into a large house at Hayvenhurst, a 2-acre (0.81 ha) estate in Encino, California.[43] During this period, Michael developed from a child performer into a teen idol.[44] Between 1972 and 1975, he released four solo studio albums with Motown: Got to Be There (1972), Ben (1972), Music & Me (1973) and Forever, Michael (1975).[45] "Got to Be There" and "Ben", the title tracks from his first two solo albums, sold well as singles, as did a cover of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin".[46]

Michael maintained ties to the Jackson 5.[45] The Jackson 5 were later described as "a cutting-edge example of black crossover artists".[47] They were frustrated by Motown's refusal to allow them creative input.[48] Jackson's performance of their top five single "Dancing Machine" on Soul Train popularized the robot dance.[49]

Move to Epic and Off the Wall (1975–1981)
 The Jackson siblings in 1977, without Jermaine. From left, back row: Jackie, Michael, Tito, Marlon. Middle row: Randy, La Toya, Rebbie. Front row: Janet
The Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975, signing with Epic Records and renaming themselves the Jacksons.[50] Their younger brother Randy joined the band around this time; Jermaine stayed with Motown and pursued a solo career.[51] The Jacksons continued to tour internationally, and released six more albums between 1976 and 1984. Michael, the group's main songwriter during this time, wrote songs such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" (1978), "This Place Hotel" (1980), and "Can You Feel It" (1980).[52]

In 1977, Jackson moved to New York City to star as the Scarecrow in The Wiz, a musical film directed by Sidney Lumet, alongside Diana Ross, Nipsey Russell, and Ted Ross.[53] The film was a box-office failure.[54] Its score was arranged by Quincy Jones,[55] who later produced three of Jackson's solo albums.[56] During his time in New York, Jackson frequented the Studio 54 nightclub, where he heard early hip hop; this influenced his beatboxing on future tracks such as "Working Day and Night".[57] In 1978, Jackson broke his nose during a dance routine. A rhinoplasty led to breathing difficulties that later affected his career. He was referred to Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson's operations.[58]

Jackson's fifth solo album, Off the Wall (1979), established him as a solo performer and helped him move from the bubblegum pop of his youth to more complex sounds.[44] It produced four top 10 entries in the US: "Off the Wall", "She's Out of My Life", and the chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You".[59] The album reached number three on the US Billboard 200 and sold over 20 million copies worldwide.[60] In 1980, Jackson won three American Music Awards for his solo work: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[61][62] He also won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for 1979 with "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[63] In 1981, Jackson was the American Music Awards winner for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist.[64] Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.[65] In 1980, he secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album profit.[66]

Thriller and Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever (1982–1983)
 The sequined jacket and white glove worn by Jackson at Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever. British Vogue called Jackson "a fashion pioneer [...] who gave new meaning to moonwalking, immortalised solitary, [and] sparkly gloves".[67]
Jackson recorded with Queen's lead singer Freddie Mercury from 1981 to 1983, recording demos of "State of Shock", "Victory" and "There Must Be More to Life Than This". The recordings were intended for an album of duets but, according to Queen's manager Jim Beach, the relationship soured when Jackson brought a llama into the recording studio,[68] and Jackson was upset by Mercury's drug use.[69] "There Must Be More to Life Than This" was released in 2014.[70] Jackson went on to record "State of Shock" with Mick Jagger for the Jacksons' album Victory (1984).[71]

In 1982, Jackson contributed "Someone in the Dark" to the audiobook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Jackson's sixth album, Thriller, was released in late 1982. It was the bestselling album worldwide in 1983,[72][73] and became the bestselling album of all time in the US[74] and the best-selling album of all time worldwide, selling an estimated 70 million copies.[75][76] It topped the Billboard 200 chart for 37 weeks and was in the top 10 of the 200 for 80 consecutive weeks. It was the first album to produce seven Billboard Hot 100 top-10 singles, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It", and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".[77]

On March 25, 1983, Jackson reunited with his brothers for Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, an NBC television special. The show aired on May 16 to an estimated audience of 47 million, and featured the Jacksons and other Motown stars.[78] Jackson's solo performance of "Billie Jean" earned him his first Emmy Award nomination.[79] Wearing a glove decorated with rhinestones,[80] he debuted his moonwalk dance, which Jeffrey Daniel had taught him three years earlier, and it became his signature dance in his repertoire.[81] Jackson had originally turned down the invitation to the show, believing he had been doing too much television. But at the request of Motown founder Berry Gordy, he performed in exchange for an opportunity to do a solo performance.[82] Rolling Stone reporter Mikal Gilmore called the performance "extraordinary".[44] Jackson's performance drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and the Beatles' appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.[83] Anna Kisselgoff of The New York Times praised the perfect timing and technique involved in the dance.[84] Gordy described being "mesmerized" by the performance.[85]

At the 26th Annual Grammy Awards, Thriller won eight awards, and Jackson won an award for the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial storybook. Winning eight Grammys in one ceremony is a record he holds with the band Santana.[63] Jackson and Quincy Jones won the award for Producer of the Year (Non-Classical). Thriller won Album of the Year (with Jackson as the album's artist and Jones as its co-producer), and the single won Best Pop Vocal Performance (Male) award for Jackson. "Beat It" won Record of the Year and Best Rock Vocal Performance (Male). "Billie Jean" won two Grammy awards: Best R&B Song and Best R&B Vocal Performance (Male), with Jackson as songwriter and singer respectively.[63]

Thriller won the Grammy for Best Engineered Recording (Non Classical), acknowledging Bruce Swedien for his work on the album.[86] At the 11th Annual American Music Awards, Jackson won another eight awards and became the youngest artist to win the Award of Merit.[87] He also won Favorite Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Artist, and Favorite Pop/Rock Artist. "Beat It" won Favorite Soul/R&B Video, Favorite Pop/Rock Video and Favorite Pop/Rock Single. The album won Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Pop/Rock Album.[87][88] Thriller's sales doubled after the release of an extended music video, Michael Jackson's Thriller, which sees Jackson dancing with a horde of zombies.[89][90]

The success transformed Jackson into a dominant force in global pop culture.[90] Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point, with about $2 for every album sold (equivalent to $6 in 2023), and was making record-breaking profits. Dolls modeled after Jackson appeared in stores in May 1984 for $12 each.[91] In the same year, The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller, a documentary about the music video, won a Grammy for Best Music Video (Longform).[63] Time described Jackson's influence at that point as "star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style and color too."[91] The New York Times wrote "in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else".[92]

Pepsi incident and other commercial activities (1984–1985)
In November 1983, Jackson and his brothers partnered with PepsiCo in a $5 million promotional deal that broke records for a celebrity endorsement (equivalent to $15.3 million in 2023). The first Pepsi campaign, which ran in the US from 1983 to 1984 and launched its "New Generation" theme, included tour sponsorship, public relations events, and in-store displays. Jackson helped to create the advertisement, and suggested using his song "Billie Jean", with revised lyrics, as its jingle.[93]

On January 27, 1984, Michael and other members of the Jacksons filmed a Pepsi commercial overseen by Phil Dusenberry,[94] a BBDO ad agency executive, and Alan Pottasch, Pepsi's Worldwide Creative Director, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. During a simulated concert before a full house of fans, pyrotechnics accidentally set Jackson's hair on fire, causing second-degree burns to his scalp. Jackson underwent treatment to hide the scars and had his third rhinoplasty shortly thereafter.[95]

Pepsi settled out of court, and Jackson donated the $1.5 million settlement to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California; its now-closed Michael Jackson Burn Center was named in his honor.[96][97] Jackson signed a second agreement with Pepsi in the late 1980s for $10 million. The second campaign covered 20 countries and provided financial support for Jackson's Bad album and 1987–88 world tour. Jackson had endorsements and advertising deals with other companies, such as LA Gear, Suzuki, and Sony, but none were as significant as his deals with Pepsi.[93]

 The Jacksons performing during their Victory Tour at the Arrowhead Stadium, 1984
The Victory Tour of 1984 headlined the Jacksons and showcased Jackson's new solo material to more than two million Americans. It was the last tour he did with his brothers.[98] Following controversy over the concert's ticket sales, Jackson donated his share of the proceeds, an estimated $3 to 5 million, to charity.[99] During the last concert of the Victory Tour at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Jackson announced his split from the Jacksons during "Shake Your Body".[100]

With Lionel Richie, Jackson co-wrote the charity single "We Are the World" (1985), which raised money for the poor in the US and Africa.[101][102] It earned $63 million (equivalent to $178 million in 2023),[102] and became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with 20 million copies sold.[103] It won four Grammy Awards in 1985, including Song of the Year for Jackson and Richie.[101] Jackson, Jones, and the promoter Ken Kragen received special awards for their roles in the song's creation.[101][104][105][106]

 Jackson signing a "We Are the World" poster in 1985
Jackson collaborated with Paul McCartney in the early 1980s, and learned that McCartney was making $40 million a year from owning the rights to other artists' songs.[102] By 1983, Jackson had begun buying publishing rights to others' songs, but he was careful with his acquisitions, only bidding on a few of the dozens that were offered to him. Jackson's early acquisitions of music catalogs and song copyrights such as the Sly Stone collection included "Everyday People" (1968), Len Barry's "1-2-3" (1965), and Dion DiMucci's "The Wanderer" (1961) and "Runaround Sue" (1961).

In 1984, Robert Holmes à Court announced he was selling the ATV Music Publishing catalog comprising the publishing rights to nearly 4,000 songs, including most of the Beatles' material.[107] In 1981, McCartney had been offered the catalog for £20 million ($40 million).[102][108] Jackson submitted a bid of $46 million on November 20, 1984.[107] When Jackson and McCartney were unable to make a joint purchase, McCartney did not want to be the sole owner of the Beatles' songs, and did not pursue an offer on his own.[109][108] Jackson's agents were unable to come to a deal, and in May 1985 left talks after having spent more than $1 million and four months of due diligence work on the negotiations.[107]

In June 1985, Jackson and Branca learned that Charles Koppelman's and Marty Bandier's The Entertainment Company had made a tentative offer to buy ATV Music for $50 million; in early August, Holmes à Court contacted Jackson and talks resumed. Jackson's increased bid of $47.5 million (equivalent to $135 million in 2023) was accepted because he could close the deal more quickly, having already completed due diligence.[107] Jackson agreed to visit Holmes à Court in Australia, where he would appear on the Channel Seven Perth Telethon.[110] His purchase of ATV Music was finalized on August 10, 1985.[102][107]

Increased tabloid speculation (1986–1987)
See also: Health and appearance of Michael Jackson
Jackson's skin had been medium-brown during his youth, but from the mid-1980s gradually grew paler. The change drew widespread media coverage, including speculation that he had been bleaching his skin.[111][112][113] His dermatologist, Arnold Klein, said he observed in 1983 that Jackson had vitiligo,[114] a condition characterized by patches of the skin losing their pigment. He also identified discoid lupus erythematosus in Jackson. He diagnosed Jackson with lupus that year,[114] and with vitiligo in 1986.[115] Vitiligo's drastic effects on the body can cause psychological distress. Jackson used fair-colored makeup,[116] and possibly skin-bleaching prescription creams,[117] to cover up the uneven blotches of color caused by the illness. The creams would depigment the blotches, and, with the application of makeup, he could appear very pale.[118] Jackson said he had not purposely bleached his skin and could not control his vitiligo, adding, "When people make up stories that I don't want to be who I am, it hurts me."[119] He became friends with Klein and Klein's assistant, Debbie Rowe. Rowe later became Jackson's second wife and the mother of his first two children.[120]

In his 1988 autobiography and a 1993 interview, Jackson said he had had two rhinoplasty surgeries and a cleft chin surgery but no more than that. He said he lost weight in the early 1980s because of a change in diet to achieve a dancer's body.[121] Witnesses reported that he was often dizzy, and speculated he was suffering from anorexia nervosa. Periods of weight loss became a recurring problem later in his life.[122] After his death, Jackson's mother said that he first turned to cosmetic procedures to remedy his vitiligo, because he did not want to look like a "spotted cow". She said he had received more than the two cosmetic surgeries he claimed and speculated that he had become addicted to them.[123]

In 1986, it was reported that Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow aging. He denied the story,[124] although it was alleged that Jackson leaked an image of him sleeping in a glass chamber (according to Jackson, this was a promotional shot from an upcoming space opera featuring himself) to The National Enquirer.[125] It was also reported that Jackson took female hormone shots to keep his voice high and facial hair wispy, proposed to Elizabeth Taylor and possibly had a shrine of her, and had cosmetic surgery on his eyes. Jackson's manager Frank DiLeo denied all of them, except for Jackson having a chamber. DiLeo added "I don't know if he sleeps in it. I'm not for it. But Michael thinks it's something that's probably healthy for him. He's a bit of a health fanatic."[126]

When Jackson took his pet chimpanzee Bubbles to tour in Japan, the media portrayed Jackson as an aspiring Disney cartoon character who befriended animals.[127] It was also reported that Jackson had offered to buy the bones of Joseph Merrick (the "Elephant Man").[128] In June 1987, the Chicago Tribune reported Jackson's publicist bidding $1 million for the skeleton to the London Hospital Medical College on his behalf. The college maintained the skeleton was not for sale. DiLeo said Jackson had an "absorbing interest" in Merrick, "purely based on his awareness of the ethical, medical and historical significance."[129]

In September 1986, using the oxygen chamber story, the British tabloid The Sun branded Jackson "Wacko Jacko", a name Jackson came to despise.[10][130] The Atlantic noted that the name "Jacko" has racist connotations, as it originates from Jacko Macacco, a monkey used in monkey-baiting matches at the Westminster Pit in the early 1820s, and "Jacko" was used in Cockney slang to refer to monkeys in general.[131]

Jackson worked with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola on the 17-minute $30 million 3D film Captain EO, which ran from 1986 at Disneyland and Epcot, and later at Tokyo Disneyland and Euro Disneyland.[132] After having been removed in the late 1990s, it returned to the theme park for several years after Jackson's death.[133] In 1987, Ebony reported that Jackson had disassociated himself from the Jehovah's Witnesses.[134] Katherine Jackson said this might have been because some Witnesses strongly opposed the Thriller video,[135] which Michael denounced in a Witness publication in 1984.[136] In 2001, Jackson told an interviewer he was still a Jehovah's Witness.[137]

Bad, autobiography, and Neverland (1987–1990)
 Jackson and President George H. W. Bush at the White House on April 5, 1990. It was the second time that Jackson had been honored by a president of the United States.
Jackson's first album in five years, Bad (1987), was highly anticipated, with the industry expecting another major success.[138] It became the first album to produce five US number-one singles: "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana". Another song, "Smooth Criminal", peaked at number seven.[59] Bad won the 1988 Grammy for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical and the 1990 Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form for "Leave Me Alone".[63][86] Jackson won an Award of Achievement at the American Music Awards in 1989 after Bad generated five number-one singles, became the first album to top the charts in 25 countries and the bestselling album worldwide in 1987 and 1988.[139][140] By 2012, it had sold between 30 and 45 million copies worldwide.[141][142]

The Bad World Tour ran from September 12, 1987, to January 14, 1989.[143] In Japan, the tour had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record for a single tour.[144] The 504,000 people who attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium set a new Guinness World Record.[145]

In 1988, Jackson released his autobiography, Moonwalk, with input from Stephen Davis and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.[146] It sold 200,000 copies,[147] and reached the top of the New York Times bestsellers list.[148] Jackson discussed his childhood, the Jackson 5, and the abuse from his father.[149] He attributed his changing facial appearance to three plastic surgeries, puberty, weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hairstyle, and stage lighting.[150][121] In June, Jackson was honored with the Grand Vermeil Medal of the City of Paris by the then Mayor of Paris Jacques Chirac during his stay in the city as part of the Bad World Tour.[151][152] In October, Jackson released a film, Moonwalker, which featured live footage and short films starring Jackson and Joe Pesci. In the US it was released direct-to-video and became the bestselling video cassette in the country.[153][154] The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it as eight times Platinum in the US.[155]

In March 1988, Jackson purchased 2,700 acres (11 km2) of land near Santa Ynez, California, to build a new home, Neverland Ranch, at a cost of $17 million (equivalent to $44 million in 2023).[156] He installed a Ferris wheel, a carousel, a movie theater and a zoo.[156][157][158] A security staff of 40 patrolled the grounds.[157] Shortly afterwards, he appeared in the first Western television advertisement in the Soviet Union.[159]

Jackson became known as the "King of Pop", a nickname that Jackson's publicists embraced.[24][160][161] When Elizabeth Taylor presented him with the Soul Train Heritage Award in 1989, she called him "the true king of pop, rock and soul."[162] President George H. W. Bush designated him the White House's "Artist of the Decade".[163] From 1985 to 1990, Jackson donated $455,000 to the United Negro College Fund,[164] and all profits from his single "Man in the Mirror" went to charity.[165] His rendition of "You Were There" at Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th birthday celebration won Jackson a second Emmy nomination.[79] Jackson was the bestselling artist of the 1980s.[166]

Dangerous and public social work (1991–1993)
In March 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65 million (equivalent to $145 million in 2023), a record-breaking deal,[167] beating Neil Diamond's renewal contract with Columbia Records.[168] In 1991, he released his eighth album, Dangerous, co-produced with Teddy Riley.[169] It was certified eight times platinum in the US, and by 2018 had sold 32 million copies worldwide.[170][171] In the US, the first single, "Black or White", was the album's highest-charting song; it was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks and achieved similar chart performances worldwide.[172] The second single, "Remember the Time" peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[173] At the end of 1992, Dangerous was the bestselling album of the year worldwide and "Black or White" the bestselling single of the year worldwide at the Billboard Music Awards.[166] In 1993, he performed "Remember the Time" at the Soul Train Music Awards in a chair, saying he twisted his ankle during dance rehearsals.[174] In the UK, "Heal the World" made No. 2 on the charts in 1992.[175]

 Jackson during the Dangerous World Tour in 1993. Dangerous has been recognized by writers as an influence on contemporary pop and R&B artists.[176]
 Michael Jackson with David and Marty Paich in 1991
Jackson founded the Heal the World Foundation in 1992. The charity brought underprivileged children to Jackson's ranch to use the theme park rides, and sent millions of dollars around the globe to help children threatened by war, poverty, and disease. That July, Jackson published his second book, Dancing the Dream, a collection of poetry. The Dangerous World Tour ran between June 1992 and November 1993 and grossed $100 million (equivalent to $210 million in 2023); Jackson performed for 3.5 million people in 70 concerts, all of which were outside the US.[177] Part of the proceeds went to Heal the World Foundation.[178] Jackson sold the broadcast rights of the tour to HBO for $20 million, a record-breaking deal that still stands.[179]

Following the death of HIV/AIDS spokesperson and friend Ryan White, Jackson pleaded with the Clinton administration at Bill Clinton's inaugural gala to give more money to HIV/AIDS charities and research[180][181] and performed "Gone Too Soon", a song dedicated to White, and "Heal the World" at the gala.[182] Jackson visited Africa in early 1992; on his first stop in Gabon he was greeted by more than 100,000 people, some of them carrying signs that read "Welcome Home Michael",[183] and was awarded an Officer of the National Order of Merit from President Omar Bongo.[184][185] During his trip to Ivory Coast, Jackson drew larger crowds than Pope John Paul II on his previous visits.[186] He was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief in the Ivorian village of Krindjabo, where he thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed documents formalizing his kingship, and sat on a golden throne while presiding over ceremonial dances.[183]

In January 1993, Jackson performed at the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show in Pasadena, California. The NFL sought a big-name artist to keep ratings high during halftime following dwindling audience figures.[187][188] It was the first Super Bowl whose half-time performance drew greater audience figures than the game. Jackson played "Jam", "Billie Jean", "Black or White", and "Heal the World". Dangerous rose 90 places in the US albums chart after the performance.[111]

Jackson gave a 90-minute interview with Oprah Winfrey on February 10, 1993. He spoke of his childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he believed he had missed out on much of his childhood, and said that he often cried from loneliness. He denied tabloid rumors that he had bought the bones of the Elephant Man, slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, or bleached his skin, and stated for the first time that he had vitiligo. After the interview, Dangerous re-entered the US albums chart in the top 10, more than a year after its release.[24][111] The interview itself became the most-watched television interview in United States history to date.

In January 1993, Jackson won three American Music Awards: Favorite Pop/Rock Album (Dangerous), Favorite Soul/R&B Single ("Remember the Time"), and was the first to win the International Artist Award of Excellence.[189][190] In February, he won the "Living Legend Award" at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.[63] He attended the award ceremony with Brooke Shields.[191] Dangerous was nominated for Best Vocal Performance (for "Black or White"), Best R&B Vocal Performance ("Jam") and Best R&B Song ("Jam"), and Bruce Swedien and Teddy Riley won the Grammy for Best Engineered – Non Classical.[86]

First child sexual abuse accusations and first marriage (1993–1995)
Main article: 1993 child sexual abuse accusations against Michael Jackson
In August 1993, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy, Jordan Chandler, and his father, Evan Chandler.[192] Jordan said he and Jackson had engaged in acts of kissing, masturbation and oral sex.[193] While Jordan's mother initially told police that she did not believe Jackson had molested him, her position wavered a few days later.[194][195] Evan was recorded discussing his intention to pursue charges, which Jackson used to argue that he was the victim of a jealous father trying to extort money.[195] Jackson's older sister La Toya accused him of being a pedophile;[196] she later retracted this, saying she had been forced into it by her abusive husband.[197]

Police raided Jackson's home in August and found two legal large-format art books featuring young boys playing, running and swimming in various states of undress.[198] Jackson denied knowing of the books' content and claimed if they were there someone had to send them to him and he did not open them.[199] Jordan Chandler gave police a description of Jackson's genitals. A strip search was made, and the jurors felt the description was not a match.[200][201][202] In January 1994, Jackson settled with the Chandlers out of court for a reported total sum of $23 million.[203] The police never pressed criminal charges.[204] Citing a lack of evidence without Jordan's testimony, the state closed its investigation on September 22, 1994.[205]

Jackson had been taking painkillers for his reconstructive scalp surgeries, administered due to the Pepsi commercial accident in 1984, and became dependent on them to cope with the stress of the sexual abuse allegations.[206] On November 12, 1993, Jackson canceled the remainder of the Dangerous World Tour due to health problems, stress from the allegations and painkiller addiction. He thanked his close friend Elizabeth Taylor for support, encouragement and counsel. The end of the tour concluded his sponsorship deal with Pepsi.[207]

In late 1993, Jackson proposed to Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley, over the phone.[208] They married in La Vega, Dominican Republic, in May 1994 by civil judge Hugo Francisco Álvarez Pérez.[209] The tabloid media speculated that the wedding was a publicity stunt to deflect away from Jackson's sexual abuse allegations and jump-start Presley's career as a singer.[210][209] Their marriage ended little more than a year later, and they separated in December 1995.[211] Presley cited "irreconcilable differences" when filing for divorce the next month and only sought to reclaim her maiden name as her settlement.[210][212] After the divorce, Judge Pérez said, "They lasted longer than I thought they would. I gave them a year. They lasted a year and a half."[209] Presley later said she and Jackson had attempted to reconcile intermittently for four years following their divorce, and that she had traveled the world to be with him.[213]

Jackson composed music for the Sega Genesis video game Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994), but left the project around the time the sexual abuse allegations surfaced and went uncredited.[214][215] The Sega Technical Institute director Roger Hector and the Sonic co-creator Naoto Ohshima said that Jackson's involvement was terminated and his music reworked following the allegations.[216][217] However, Jackson's musical director Brad Buxer and other members of Jackson's team said Jackson went uncredited because he was unhappy with how the Genesis replicated his music.[218]

HIStory, second marriage, fatherhood and Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix (1995–1997)
 Jackson at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of Michael Jackson's Ghosts
In June 1995, Jackson released the double album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. The first disc, HIStory Begins, is a greatest hits album (reissued in 2001 as Greatest Hits: HIStory, Volume I). The second disc, HIStory Continues, contains 13 original songs and two cover versions. The album debuted at number one on the charts and has been certified for eight million shipments in the US.[219] It is the bestselling multi-disc album of all time, with 20 million copies (40 million units) sold worldwide.[172][220] HIStory received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.[63] The New York Times reviewed it as "the testimony of a musician whose self-pity now equals his talent".[221]

The first single from HIStory was "Scream/Childhood". "Scream", a duet with Jackson's youngest sister Janet, protests the media's treatment of Jackson during the 1993 child abuse allegations against him. The single reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100,[173] and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals".[63] The second single, "You Are Not Alone", holds the Guinness world record for the first song to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[222] It received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Performance" in 1995.[63]

In 1995 the Anti-Defamation League and other groups complained that "Jew me, sue me, everybody do me/ Kick me, kike me, don't you black or white me", the original lyrics of "They Don't Care About Us", were antisemitic. Jackson released a revised version of the song.[223]

In late 1995, Jackson was admitted to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance, caused by a stress-related panic attack.[224] In November, Jackson merged his ATV Music catalog with Sony's music publishing division, creating Sony/ATV Music Publishing. He retained ownership of half the company, earning $95 million up front (equivalent to $190 million in 2023) as well as the rights to more songs.[225][226]

"Earth Song" was the third single released from HIStory, and topped the UK Singles Chart for six weeks over Christmas 1995.[175] It became the 87th-bestselling single in the UK.[227] At the 1996 Brit Awards, Jackson's performance of "Earth Song" was disrupted by Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker, who was protesting what Cocker saw as Jackson's "Christ-like" persona. Jackson said the stage invasion was "disgusting and cowardly".[228][229]

In 1996, Jackson won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form, for "Scream" and an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist.[63][230] In July 1996, Jackson performed for Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah's fiftieth birthday at Jerudong Park Amphitheater, which was specifically built for that birthday concert.[231] Jackson was reportedly paid $17 million (equivalent to $33 million in 2023).[232] Jackson promoted HIStory with the HIStory World Tour, from September 7, 1996, to October 15, 1997. He performed 82 concerts in five continents, 35 countries and 58 cities to over 4.5 million fans, his most attended tour. It grossed $165 million.[143] During the tour, in Sydney, Australia, Jackson married Debbie Rowe, a dermatology assistant, who was six months pregnant with his first child.[233]

Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. (commonly known as Prince) was born on February 13, 1997. His sister Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson was born on April 3, 1998.[234] Jackson and Rowe divorced in 2000, Rowe conceded custody of the children, with an $8 million settlement (equivalent to $14.6 million in 2023).[235] In 2004, after the second child abuse allegations against Jackson, she returned to court to reclaim custody. The suit was settled in 2006.[236]

In 1997, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, which contained remixes of singles from HIStory and five new songs. Worldwide sales stand at 6 million copies, making it the best-selling remix album. It reached number one in the UK, as did the single "Blood on the Dance Floor".[237] In the US, the album reached number 24 and was certified platinum.[170]

Label dispute and Invincible (1997–2002)
From October 1997 to September 2001, Jackson worked on his tenth solo album, Invincible, which cost $30 million to record, making it the most expensive album of all time.[238] In June 1999, Jackson joined Luciano Pavarotti for a War Child benefit concert in Modena, Italy. The show raised a million dollars for refugees of the Kosovo War, and additional funds for the children of Guatemala.[239] Later that month, Jackson organized a series of "Michael Jackson & Friends" benefit concerts in Germany and Korea. Other artists involved included Slash, The Scorpions, Boyz II Men, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, A. R. Rahman, Prabhu Deva Sundaram, Shobana, Andrea Bocelli and Luciano Pavarotti. The proceeds went to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, the Red Cross and UNESCO.[240] In 1999, Jackson was presented with the "Outstanding Humanitarian Award" at Bollywood Movie Awards in New York City where he noted Mahatma Gandhi to have been an inspiration for him.[241][242] From August 1999 to 2000, he lived in New York City at 4 East 74th Street.[243] At the turn of the century, Jackson won an American Music Award as Artist of the 1980s.[244] In 2000, Guinness World Records recognized him for supporting 39 charities, more than any other entertainer.[245]

In September 2001, two concerts were held at Madison Square Garden to mark Jackson's 30th year as a solo artist. Jackson performed with his brothers for the first time since 1984. The show also featured Mýa, Usher, Whitney Houston, Destiny's Child, Monica, Liza Minnelli and Slash. The first show was marred by technical lapses, and the crowd booed a speech by Marlon Brando.[246] Almost 30 million people watched the television broadcast of the shows in November.[247] After the September 11 attacks (in which Jackson narrowly avoided death by oversleeping and missing a scheduled meeting at the World Trade Center[248]), Jackson helped organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., on October 21, 2001. Jackson performed "What More Can I Give" as the finale.[249]

The release of Invincible was preceded by a dispute between Jackson and his record label, Sony Music Entertainment. Jackson had expected the licenses to the masters of his albums to revert to him in the early 2000s, after which he would be able to promote the material however he pleased and keep the profits, but clauses in the contract set the revert date years into the future. Jackson sought an early exit from his contract.[250] Invincible was released on October 30, 2001. It was Jackson's first full-length album in six years, and the last album of original material he released in his lifetime.[250] It debuted at number one in 13 countries, and went on to sell eight million copies worldwide, receiving double-platinum certification in the US.[170][251][252]

On January 9, 2002, Jackson won his 22nd American Music Award for Artist of the Century.[253][254] Later that year, an anonymous surrogate mother gave birth to his third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (nicknamed "Blanket"[nb 3]), who had been conceived by artificial insemination.[255] On November 20, Jackson briefly held Blanket over the railing of his Berlin hotel room, four stories above ground level, prompting widespread criticism in the media. Jackson apologized for the incident, calling it "a terrible mistake".[256] On January 22, promoter Marcel Avram filed a breach of contract complaint against Jackson for failing to perform two planned 1999 concerts.[257] In March, a Santa Maria jury ordered Jackson to pay Avram $5.3 million.[258][259] On December 18, 2003, Jackson's attorneys dropped all appeals on the verdict and settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount.[260]

On April 24, 2002, Jackson performed at Apollo Theater. The concert was a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee and former President Bill Clinton.[261] The money collected would be used to encourage citizens to vote. It raised $2.5 million.[262] The concert was called Michael Jackson: Live at the Apollo and was one of Jackson's final on-stage performances.[263]

In July 2002, Jackson called Sony Music chairman Tommy Mottola "a racist, and very, very, very devilish," and someone who exploits black artists for his own gain, at Al Sharpton's National Action Network in Harlem. The accusation prompted Sharpton to form a coalition investigating whether Mottola exploited black artists.[264] Jackson charged that Mottola had called his colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger".[265] Responding to those attacks, Sony issued a statement calling them "ludicrous, spiteful, and hurtful" and defended Mottola as someone who had championed Jackson's career for many years.[264] Sony ultimately refused to renew Jackson's contract and claimed that a $25 million promotional campaign had failed because Jackson refused to tour in the US for Invincible.[238]

Documentary, Number Ones, second child abuse allegations and acquittal (2002–2005)
Further information: Trial of Michael Jackson
 Jackson in Las Vegas, 2003
Beginning in May 2002, a documentary film crew led by Martin Bashir followed Jackson for several months.[256] The documentary, broadcast in February 2003 as Living with Michael Jackson, showed Jackson holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with a twelve-year-old boy.[23][266] He said that he saw nothing wrong with having sleepovers with minors and sharing his bed and bedroom with various people, which aroused controversy. He insisted that the sleepovers were not sexual and that his words had been misunderstood.[267][268]

In October 2003, Jackson received the Key to the City of Las Vegas from Mayor Oscar Goodman.[269] On November 18, 2003, Sony released Number Ones, a greatest hits compilation. It was certified five times platinum by the RIAA, and ten times platinum in the UK, for shipments of at least 3 million units.[170][270]

On December 18, 2003, Santa Barbara authorities charged Jackson with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of intoxicating a minor with alcoholic drinks.[271] Jackson denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.[272] The People v. Jackson trial began on January 31, 2005, in Santa Maria, California, and lasted until the end of May. Jackson found the experience stressful and it affected his health. If convicted, he would have faced up to twenty years in prison.[273] On June 13, 2005, Jackson was acquitted on all counts.[274] FBI files on Jackson, released in 2009, revealed the FBI's role in the 2005 trial and the 1993 allegations, and showed that the FBI found no evidence of criminal conduct on Jackson's behalf.[275][276]

Final years, financial problems, Thriller 25 and This Is It (2005–2009)
 Jackson and his son Blanket in Disneyland Paris, 2006
After the trial, Jackson became reclusive.[277] In June 2005, he moved to Bahrain as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah.[278] In early 2006, it was announced that Jackson had signed a contract with a Bahrain startup, Two Seas Records. Nothing came of the deal, and the Two Seas CEO, Guy Holmes, later said it was never finalized.[279][280] Holmes also found that Jackson was on the verge of bankruptcy and was involved in 47 ongoing lawsuits.[278] By September 2006, Jackson was no longer affiliated with Two Seas.[280]

In April 2006, Jackson agreed to use a piece of his ATV catalog stake, then worth about $1 billion, as collateral against his $270 million worth of loans from Bank of America. Bank of America had sold the loans to Fortress Investments, an investment company that buys distressed loans, the year before. As part of the agreement, Fortress Investments provided Jackson a new loan of $300 million with reduced interest payments (equivalent to $450 million in 2023). Sony Music would have the option to buy half of his stake, or about 25% of the catalog, at a set price. Jackson's financial managers had urged him to shed part of his stake to avoid bankruptcy.[226][281] The main house at Neverland Ranch was closed as a cost-cutting measure, while Jackson lived in Bahrain at the hospitality of Abdullah.[282] At least thirty of Jackson's employees had not been paid on time and were owed $306,000 in back wages. Jackson was ordered to pay $100,000 in penalties.[226] Jackson never returned to Neverland after his acquittal.[283]

In mid-2006, Jackson moved to Grouse Lodge, a residential recording studio near Rosemount, County Westmeath, Ireland. There, he began work on a new album with the American producers will.i.am and Rodney Jenkins.[284] That November, Jackson invited an Access Hollywood camera crew into the studio in Westmeath.[172] On November 15, Jackson briefly joined in on a performance of "We Are the World" at the World Music Awards in London, his last public performance, and accepted the Diamond Award for sales of 100 million records.[172][285] He returned to the US in December, settling in Las Vegas. That month, he attended James Brown's funeral in Augusta, Georgia, where he gave a eulogy calling Brown his greatest inspiration.[286]

 An aerial view of part of Jackson's 2,800-acre (11 km2) Neverland Valley Ranch near Los Olivos, California, showing the rides
In 2007, Jackson and Sony bought another music publishing company, Famous Music LLC, formerly owned by Viacom. The deal gave Jackson the rights to songs by Eminem and Beck, among others.[287][288] In a brief interview, Jackson said he had no regrets about his career despite his problems and "deliberate attempts to hurt [him]".[289] That March, Jackson visited a US Army post in Japan, Camp Zama, to greet more than 3,000 troops and their families.[290][291] As of September, Jackson was still working on his next album, which he never completed.[292]

In 2008, for the 25th anniversary of Thriller, Jackson and Sony released Thriller 25, with two remixes released as singles: "The Girl Is Mine 2008" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008".[293] For Jackson's 50th birthday, Sony BMG released a series of greatest hits albums, King of Pop, with different tracklists for different regions.[294] That July, Fortress Investments threatened to foreclose on Neverland Ranch, which Jackson had used as collateral for his loans. Fortress sold Jackson's debts to Colony Capital LLC.[295][296] In November, Jackson transferred Neverland Ranch's title to Sycamore Valley Ranch Company LLC, a joint venture between Jackson and Colony Capital LLC. The deal earned him $35 million.[297] In 2009, Jackson arranged to sell a collection of his memorabilia of more than 1,000 items through Julien's Auction House, but canceled the auction in April.[298]

In March 2009, amid speculation about his finances and health, Jackson announced a series of comeback concerts, This Is It, at a press conference at the O2 Arena.[299] The shows were to be his first major concerts since the HIStory World Tour in 1997. Jackson suggested he would retire after the shows. The initial plan was for ten concerts in London, followed by shows in Paris, New York City and Mumbai. Randy Phillips, the president and chief executive of AEG Live, predicted the first ten dates would earn Jackson £50 million.[300]

The London residency was increased to fifty dates after record-breaking ticket sales; more than one million were sold in less than two hours.[301] The concerts were to run from July 13, 2009, to March 6, 2010. Jackson moved to Los Angeles, where he rehearsed in the weeks leading up to the tour under the direction of the choreographer Kenny Ortega, whom he had worked with during his previous tours. Rehearsals took place at the Forum and the Staples Center owned by AEG.[302] By this point, Jackson's debt had grown to almost $500 million. By the time of his death, he was three or four months behind payments of his home in San Fernando Valley.[303][304] The Independent reported that Jackson planned a string of further ventures designed to recoup his debts, including a world tour, a new album, films, a museum and a casino.[299]

Death
Main article: Death of Michael Jackson
 Fans placed flowers and notes on Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on the day of his death
On June 25, 2009, less than three weeks before his concert residency was due to begin in London, with all concerts sold out, Jackson died from cardiac arrest, caused by a propofol and benzodiazepine overdose.[305][306] Conrad Murray, his personal physician, had given Jackson various medications to help him sleep at his rented mansion in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles. Paramedics received a 911 call at 12:22 pm Pacific time (19:22 UTC) and arrived three minutes later.[307][308] Jackson was not breathing and CPR was performed.[309] Resuscitation efforts continued en route to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and for more than an hour after Jackson's arrival there, but were unsuccessful,[310][311] and Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 pm Pacific time (21:26 UTC).[312][313]

Murray had administered propofol, lorazepam, and midazolam;[314] his death was caused by a propofol overdose.[306][311] News of his death spread quickly online, causing websites to slow down and crash from user overload,[315] and it put unprecedented strain[316] on many services and websites including Google,[317] AOL Instant Messenger,[316] Twitter and Wikipedia.[317] Overall, web traffic rose by between 11% and 20%.[318][319] MTV and BET aired marathons of Jackson's music videos,[320] and Jackson specials aired on television stations around the world.[321] MTV briefly returned to its original music video format,[11] and they aired hours of Jackson's music videos, with live news specials featuring reactions from MTV personalities and other celebrities.[322]

Memorial service
Main article: Michael Jackson memorial service
 
Jackson's unmarked crypt at the end of the Sanctuary of Ascension in the Holly Terrace of the Great Mausoleum, Forest Lawn Glendale
 
Fans visiting the makeshift memorial set up outside the Neverland Ranch entrance shortly after Jackson's death
Jackson's memorial was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, preceded by a private family service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park's Hall of Liberty. Over 1.6 million fans applied for tickets to the memorial; the 8,750 recipients were drawn at random, and each received two tickets.[323] The memorial service was one of the most watched events in streaming history,[324] with an estimated US audience of 31.1 million[325] and a worldwide audience of an estimated 2.5 to 3 billion.[326][327]

Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Hudson, and Shaheen Jafargholi performed at the memorial, and Smokey Robinson and Queen Latifah gave eulogies.[328] Al Sharpton received a standing ovation with cheers when he told Jackson's children: "Wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with. But he dealt with it anyway."[329] Jackson's 11-year-old daughter Paris Katherine, speaking publicly for the first time, wept as she addressed the crowd.[330][331] Lucious Smith provided a closing prayer.[332] On September 3, 2009, the body of Jackson was entombed at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.[333]

Criminal investigation and prosecution of Conrad Murray
Main article: People v. Murray
In August 2009, the Los Angeles County Coroner ruled that Jackson's death was a homicide.[334][335] Law enforcement officials charged Murray with involuntary manslaughter on February 8, 2010.[336] In late 2011, he was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter[337] and held without bail to await sentencing.[338] Murray was sentenced to four years in prison.[339]

Posthumous sales
At the 2009 American Music Awards, Jackson won four posthumous awards, including two for his compilation album Number Ones, bringing his total American Music Awards to 26.[340][341] In the year after his death, more than 16.1 million copies of Jackson's albums were sold in the US alone, and 35 million copies were sold worldwide, more than any other artist in 2009.[342][343] He became the first artist to sell one million music downloads in a week, with 2.6 million song downloads. Thriller, Number Ones and The Essential Michael Jackson became the first catalog albums to outsell any new album.[344] Jackson also became the first artist to have four of the top-20 bestselling albums in a single year in the US.[345]

Following the surge in sales, in March 2010, Sony Music signed a $250 million deal (equivalent to $350 million in 2023) with the Jackson estate to extend their distribution rights to Jackson's back catalog until at least 2017; it had been due to expire in 2015. It was the most expensive music contract for a single artist in history.[346][347] They agreed to release ten albums of previously unreleased material and new collections of released work.[346][348] The deal was extended in 2017.[349] That July, a Los Angeles court awarded Quincy Jones $9.4 million of disputed royalty payments for Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad.[56] In July 2018, Sony/ATV bought the estate's stake in EMI for $287.5 million.[350]

In 2014, Jackson became the first artist to have a top-ten single in the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades.[351] The following year, Thriller became the first album to be certified for 30 million shipments by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[7] A year later, it was certified 33× platinum after Soundscan added streams and audio downloads to album certifications.[352][nb 4]

In February 2024, Sony Music acquired half of Jackson's publishing rights and recording masters for an estimated $600 million. The deal includes assets from Jackson's Mijac publishing catalog, but excludes royalties from several Jackson-related productions, including the MJ Broadway musical and the Michael biopic. The deal is possibly the largest transaction ever for a single musician's work.[354][355]

Posthumous releases and productions
Jackson's posthumous releases and productions are administered by the estate of Michael Jackson, which owns Jackson's trademarks and rights to his name, image and likeness.[356] The first posthumous Jackson song, "This Is It", co-written in the 1980s with Paul Anka, was released in October 2009. The surviving Jackson brothers reunited to record backing vocals.[357] It was followed by a documentary film about the rehearsals for the canceled This Is It tour, Michael Jackson's This Is It,[358] and a compilation album.[359] Despite a limited two-week engagement, the film became the highest-grossing documentary or concert film ever, with earnings of more than $260 million worldwide.[360] Jackson's estate received 90% of the profits.[361] In late 2010, Sony released the first posthumous album, Michael, and the promotional single "Breaking News". The Jackson collaborator will.i.am expressed disgust, saying that Jackson would not have approved the release.[362]

The video game developer Ubisoft released a music game featuring Jackson for the 2010 holiday season, Michael Jackson: The Experience. It was among the first games to use Kinect and PlayStation Move, the motion-detecting camera systems for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.[363] In April 2011, Mohamed Al-Fayed, the chairman of Fulham Football Club, unveiled a statue of Jackson outside the club stadium, Craven Cottage.[364] It was moved to the National Football Museum in Manchester in May 2014,[365] and removed from display in March 2019 following renewed sexual assault allegations.[366]

In October 2011, the theater company Cirque du Soleil launched Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour, a $57-million production,[367] in Montreal, with a permanent show resident in Las Vegas.[368] A larger and more theatrical Cirque show, Michael Jackson: One, designed for residency at the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas, opened on May 23, 2013, in a renovated theater.[369][370]

In 2012, in an attempt to end a family dispute, Jackson's brother Jermaine retracted his signature on a public letter criticizing executors of Jackson's estate and his mother's advisors over the legitimacy of his brother's will.[371] T.J. Jackson, the son of Tito Jackson, was given co-guardianship of Michael Jackson's children after false reports of Katherine Jackson going missing.[372] Xscape, an album of unreleased material, was released on May 13, 2014.[373] The lead single, a duet between Jackson and Justin Timberlake, "Love Never Felt So Good", reached number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making Jackson the first artist to have a top-10 single on the chart in five different decades.[374]

Later in 2014, Queen released a duet recorded with Jackson in the 1980s.[70] A compilation album, Scream, was released on September 29, 2017.[375] A jukebox musical, MJ the Musical, premiered on Broadway in 2022.[376] Myles Frost won the 2022 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Jackson.[377] On November 18, 2022, a 40th-anniversary edition reissue of Thriller was released.[378][379]

A biographical film based on Jackson's life, Michael, was due to enter production through Lionsgate in 2023, but it was put on hold amid the SAG-AFTRA strike.[380] It will be directed by Antoine Fuqua, produced by Graham King and written by John Logan.[381] Jackson will be played by Jaafar Jackson, son of Jackson's brother Jermaine. Deadline Hollywood reported that the film "will not shy away from the controversies of Jackson's life".[382]

Posthumous child sexual abuse allegations
 Jackson and Safechuck (left) in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1988
In 2013, choreographer Wade Robson filed a lawsuit alleging that Jackson had sexually abused him for seven years, beginning when he was seven years old (1989–1996).[383] In 2014, a case was filed by James Safechuck, alleging sexual abuse over a four-year period from the age of ten (1988–1992).[384][385][386] Both had testified in Jackson's defense during the 1993 allegations; Robson did so again in 2005.[387][388] In 2015, Robson's case against Jackson's estate was dismissed as it had been filed too late. Safechuck's claim was also time-barred.[389]

In 2017, it was ruled that Jackson's corporations could not be held accountable for his alleged past actions.[390][391] The rulings were appealed. On October 20, 2020, Safechuck's lawsuit against Jackson's corporations was again dismissed. The judge ruled that there was no evidence that Safechuck had had a relationship with Jackson's corporation, nor was it proven that there was a special relationship between the two.[392][393][394][395] On April 26, 2021, Robson's case was dismissed because of a lack of supporting evidence that the defendants exercised control over Jackson.[396]

Robson and Safechuck described their allegations against Jackson in graphic detail in the documentary Leaving Neverland, released in March 2019.[397] Radio stations in New Zealand, Canada, the UK and the Netherlands removed Jackson's music from their playlists.[398][399][400] Jackson's family condemned the film as a "public lynching",[401] and the Jackson estate released a statement calling the film a "tabloid character assassination [Jackson] endured in life, and now in death".[402] Close associates of Jackson, such as Corey Feldman, Aaron Carter, Brett Barnes, and Macaulay Culkin, said that Jackson had not molested them.[403][404][405]

Documentaries such as Square One: Michael Jackson, Neverland Firsthand: Investigating the Michael Jackson Documentary and Michael Jackson: Chase the Truth, presented information countering the claims suggested by Leaving Neverland.[406][407][408] Jackson's album sales increased following the documentary screenings.[409] Billboard senior editor Gail Mitchell said she and a colleague interviewed about thirty music executives who believed Jackson's legacy could withstand the controversy.[410] In late 2019, some New Zealand and Canadian radio stations re-added Jackson's music to their playlists, citing "positive listener survey results".[411][412]

On February 21, 2019, the Jackson estate sued HBO for breaching a non-disparagement clause from a 1992 contract. The suit sought to compel HBO to participate in a non-confidential arbitration that could result in $100 million or more in damages awarded to the estate.[413] HBO said they did not breach a contract and filed an anti-SLAPP motion against the estate. In September 2019, Judge George H. Wu denied HBO's motion to dismiss the case, allowing the Jackson estate to arbitrate.[414] HBO appealed, but in December 2020 the appeals court affirmed Wu's ruling.[415]

In 2020, a state law passed in California which granted plaintiffs in child sex abuse cases an additional period to file lawsuits. In October 2020 and again in April 2021, the Los Angeles County Superior Court ruled that MJJ Productions Inc. and MJJ Ventures Inc. employees were not legally obligated to protect the two men from Jackson. In August 2023, California's Second District Court of Appeal overturned the ruling, and the case was approved to move forward to trial court.[416]

Legacy
Main article: Cultural impact of Michael Jackson
See also: List of Michael Jackson records and achievements
Jackson has been referred to as the "King of Pop" for having transformed the art of music videos and paving the way for modern pop music. For much of Jackson's career, he had an unparalleled worldwide influence over the younger generation.[417] His influence extended beyond the music industry; he impacted dance, led fashion trends, and raised awareness for global affairs.[418] Jackson's music and videos fostered racial diversity in MTV's roster and steered its focus from rock to pop music and R&B, shaping the channel into a form that proved enduring.[44]

In songs such as "Man in the Mirror", "Black or White", "Heal the World", "Earth Song" and "They Don't Care About Us", Jackson's music emphasized racial integration and environmentalism and protested injustice.[419][420] He is recognized as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time by Guinness World Records.[421][422] Jackson has also appeared on Rolling Stone's lists of the Greatest Singers of All Time.[423][424] He is considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century,[425] and his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades.[426][427][428]

Trying to trace Michael Jackson's influence on the pop stars that followed him is like trying to trace the influence of oxygen and gravity. So vast, far-reaching and was his impact—particularly in the wake of Thriller's colossal and heretofore unmatched commercial success—that there weren't a whole lot of artists who weren't trying to mimic some of the Jackson formula.

— J. Edward Keyes of Rolling Stone[429]
Danyel Smith, chief content officer of Vibe Media Group and the editor-in-chief of Vibe, described Jackson as "the greatest star".[430] Steve Huey of AllMusic called him "an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the skills to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility and loads of sheer star power".[10] BET said Jackson was "quite simply the greatest entertainer of all time" whose "sound, style, movement and legacy continues to inspire artists of all genres".[431]

 Jackson's Bad era wax figure at Madame Tussauds, London in 1992
In 1984, Time pop critic Jay Cocks wrote that "Jackson is the biggest thing since the Beatles. He is the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley. He just may be the most popular black singer ever." He described Jackson as a "star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style, and color too."[91] In 2003, The Daily Telegraph writer Tom Utley described Jackson as "extremely important" and a "genius".[432] At Jackson's memorial service on July 7, 2009, Motown founder Berry Gordy called Jackson "the greatest entertainer that ever lived".[433][434] In a June 28, 2009 Baltimore Sun article, Jill Rosen wrote that Jackson's legacy influenced fields including sound, dance, fashion, music videos and celebrity.[435]

Pop critic Robert Christgau wrote that Jackson's work from the 1970s to the early 1990s showed "immense originality, adaptability, and ambition" with "genius beats, hooks, arrangements, and vocals (though not lyrics)", music that "will stand forever as a reproach to the puritanical notion that pop music is slick or shallow and that's the end of it". During the 1990s, as Jackson lost control of his "troubling life", his music suffered and began to shape "an arc not merely of promise fulfilled and outlived, but of something approaching tragedy: a phenomenally ebullient child star tops himself like none before, only to transmute audibly into a lost weirdo".[436] In the 2000s, Christgau wrote: "Jackson's obsession with fame, his grotesque life magnified by his grotesque wealth, are such an offense to rock aesthetes that the fact that he's a great musician is now often forgotten".[437]

Philanthropy and humanitarian work
Main article: Philanthropy of Michael Jackson
 President Ronald Reagan rewarding Jackson in 1984 for his support of alcohol and drug abuse charities
Jackson is widely regarded as having been a prolific philanthropist and humanitarian.[438][439][440][441] Jackson's early charitable work has been described by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as having "paved the way for the current surge in celebrity philanthropy",[442] and by the Los Angeles Times as having "set the standard for generosity for other entertainers".[438]

By some estimates, he donated over $500 million, not accounting for inflation, to various charities over the course of his life.[438] In 1992, Jackson established his Heal the World Foundation, to which he donated several million dollars in revenue from his Dangerous World Tour.[443]

Jackson's philanthropic activities went beyond just monetary donations. He also performed at benefit concerts, some of which he arranged. He gifted tickets for his regular concert performances to groups that assist underprivileged children. He visited sick children in hospitals around the world. He opened his own home for visits by underprivileged or sick children and provided special facilities and nurses if the children needed that level of care.

Jackson donated valuable, personal and professional paraphernalia for numerous charity auctions. He received various awards and accolades for his philanthropic work, including two bestowed by presidents of the United States. The vast breadth of Jackson's philanthropic work has earned recognition in the Guinness World Records.[438][444][445]

On May 14, 1984, President Ronald Reagan gave Jackson an award recognizing his support of alcohol and drug abuse charities,[446] and in recognition of his support for the Ad Council's and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Drunk Driving Prevention campaign. Jackson allowed the campaign to use "Beat It" for its public service announcements.[447]

Artistry
Influences
Jackson was influenced by musicians including James Brown, Little Richard, Jackie Wilson, Diana Ross, Fred Astaire, Sammy Davis Jr., Gene Kelly,[448] and David Ruffin.[449] Little Richard had a substantial influence on Jackson,[450] but Brown was his greatest inspiration; he later said that as a small child, his mother would wake him whenever Brown appeared on television. Jackson described being "mesmerized".[451]

Jackson's vocal technique was influenced by Diana Ross; his use of the oooh interjection from a young age was something Ross had used on many of her songs with the Supremes.[452] She was a mother figure to him, and he often watched her rehearse.[453] He said he had learned a lot from watching how she moved and sang, and that she had encouraged him to have confidence in himself.[454]

Choreographer David Winters, who met Jackson while choreographing the 1971 Diana Ross TV special Diana!, said that Jackson watched the musical West Side Story almost every week, and it was his favorite film; he paid tribute to it in "Beat It" and the "Bad" video.[455][456][457]

Vocal style
Jackson sang from childhood, and over time his voice and vocal style changed. Between 1971 and 1975, his voice descended from boy soprano to lyric tenor.[458] He was known for his vocal range.[423] With the arrival of Off the Wall in the late 1970s, Jackson's abilities as a vocalist were well regarded; Rolling Stone compared his vocals to the "breathless, dreamy stutter" of Stevie Wonder, and wrote that "Jackson's feathery-timbred tenor is extraordinarily beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that's used very daringly."[459] By the time of 1982's Thriller, Rolling Stone wrote that Jackson was singing in a "fully adult voice" that was "tinged by sadness".[460]

The turn of the 1990s saw the release of the introspective album Dangerous. The New York Times noted that on some tracks, "he gulps for breath, his voice quivers with anxiety or drops to a desperate whisper, hissing through clenched teeth" and he had a "wretched tone". When singing of brotherhood or self-esteem the musician would return to "smooth" vocals.[461] Of Invincible, Rolling Stone wrote that, at 43, Jackson still performed "exquisitely voiced rhythm tracks and vibrating vocal harmonies".[462] Joseph Vogel notes Jackson's ability to use non-verbal sounds to express emotion.[463] Neil McCormick wrote that Jackson's unorthodox singing style "was original and utterly distinctive".[464]

Musicianship
Jackson had no formal music training and could not read or write music notation. He is credited for playing guitar, keyboard, and drums, but was not proficient in them.[465] When composing, he recorded ideas by beatboxing and imitating instruments vocally.[465] Describing the process, he said: "I'll just sing the bass part into the tape recorder. I'll take that bass lick and put the chords of the melody over the bass lick and that's what inspires the melody." The engineer Robert Hoffman recalled that after Jackson came in with a song he had written overnight, Jackson sang every note of every chord to a guitar player. Hoffman also remembered Jackson singing string arrangements part by part into a cassette recorder.[465]



Dance
Jackson danced from a young age as part of the Jackson 5,[466] and incorporated dance extensively in his performances and music videos.[466] According to Sanjoy Roy of The Guardian, Jackson would "flick and retract his limbs like switchblades, or snap out of a tornado spin into a perfectly poised toe-stand".[466] The moonwalk, taught to him by Jeffrey Daniel,[81] was Jackson's signature dance move and one of the most famous of the 20th century.[467] Jackson is credited for coining the name "moonwalk"; the move was previously known as the "backslide".[468][469] His other moves included the robot,[49] crotch grab, and the "anti-gravity" lean of the "Smooth Criminal" video.[466]

Themes and genres
 Jackson during his Bad World Tour in Vienna, June 1988
Jackson explored genres including pop,[10][470] soul,[10][157] rhythm and blues,[470] funk,[471] rock,[470][471] disco,[472] post-disco,[471] dance-pop[473] and new jack swing.[10] Steve Huey of AllMusic wrote that Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall; the dance and rock tracks were more aggressive, while the pop tunes and ballads were softer and more soulful.[10] Its tracks included the ballads "The Lady in My Life", "Human Nature", and "The Girl Is Mine",[474][460][475] the funk pieces "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'",[474][460] and the disco set "Baby Be Mine" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)".[475]

With Off the Wall, Jackson's "vocabulary of grunts, squeals, hiccups, moans, and asides" vividly showed his maturation into an adult, Robert Christgau wrote in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981). The album's title track suggested to the critic a parallel between Jackson and Stevie Wonder's "oddball" music personas: "Since childhood his main contact with the real world has been on stage and in bed."[476] With Thriller, Christopher Connelly of Rolling Stone commented that Jackson developed his long association with the subliminal theme of paranoia and darker imagery.[460] AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted this on the songs "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".[474] In "Billie Jean", Jackson depicts an obsessive fan who alleges he has fathered her child,[10] and in "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" he argues against gossip and the media.[460] "Beat It" decried gang violence in a homage to West Side Story, and was Jackson's first successful rock cross-over piece, according to Huey.[10][41] He observed that "Thriller" began Jackson's interest with the theme of the supernatural, a topic he revisited in subsequent years. In 1985, Jackson co-wrote the charity anthem "We Are the World"; humanitarian themes later became a recurring theme in his lyrics and public persona.[10]

 Jackson's Bad era jacket on display at the Hollywood Guinness World Records Museum
In Bad, Jackson's concept of the predatory lover is seen on the rock song "Dirty Diana".[477] The lead single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a traditional love ballad, and "Man in the Mirror" is a ballad of confession and resolution. "Smooth Criminal" is an evocation of bloody assault, rape and likely murder.[138] AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that Dangerous presents Jackson as a paradoxical person.[478] The first half of the record is dedicated to new jack swing, including songs like "Jam" and "Remember the Time". It was the first Jackson album in which social ills became a primary theme; "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", for example, protests world hunger, AIDS, homelessness and drugs. Dangerous contains sexually charged songs such as "In the Closet". The title track continues the theme of the predatory lover and compulsive desire. The second half includes introspective, pop-gospel anthems such as "Will You Be There", "Heal the World" and "Keep the Faith".[461] In the ballad "Gone Too Soon", Jackson gives tribute to Ryan White and the plight of those with AIDS.[479]

HIStory creates an atmosphere of paranoia.[480] In the new jack swing-funk rock tracks "Scream" and "Tabloid Junkie", and the R&B ballad "You Are Not Alone", Jackson retaliates against the injustice and isolation he feels, and directs his anger at the media.[481] In the introspective ballad "Stranger in Moscow", Jackson laments his "fall from grace"; "Earth Song", "Childhood", "Little Susie" and "Smile" are operatic pop songs.[480][481] In "D.S.", Jackson attacks lawyer Thomas W. Sneddon Jr., who had prosecuted him in both child sexual abuse cases; he describes Sneddon as a white supremacist who wanted to "get my ass, dead or alive".[482] Invincible includes urban soul tracks such as "Cry" and "The Lost Children", ballads such as "Speechless", "Break of Dawn", and "Butterflies", and mixes hip hop, pop, and R&B in "2000 Watts", "Heartbreaker" and "Invincible".[483][484]

Music videos and choreography
 Jackson (center) performing a dance sequence of "The Way You Make Me Feel" at the Bad World Tour in 1988
Jackson released "Thriller", a 14-minute music video directed by John Landis, in 1983.[485] The zombie-themed video "defined music videos and broke racial barriers" on MTV, which had launched two years earlier.[44] Before Thriller, Jackson struggled to receive coverage on MTV, allegedly because he was African American.[486] Pressure from CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", which led to a lengthy partnership with Jackson, and helped other black music artists gain recognition.[487] The popularity of his videos on MTV helped the relatively new channel's viewing figures, and MTV's focus shifted toward pop and R&B.[487][488] His performance on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever changed the scope of live stage shows, making it acceptable for artists to lip-sync to music video on stage.[489] The choreography in Thriller has been copied in Indian films and prisons in the Philippines.[490] Thriller marked an increase in scale for music videos, and was named the most successful music video ever by the Guinness World Records.[222]

In "Bad"'s 19-minute video—directed by Martin Scorsese—Jackson used sexual imagery and choreography, and touched his chest, torso and crotch. When asked by Winfrey in the 1993 interview about why he grabbed his crotch, he said it was spontaneously compelled by the music. Time magazine described the "Bad" video as "infamous". It featured Wesley Snipes; Jackson's later videos often featured famous cameo roles.[491][492] For the "Smooth Criminal" video, Jackson experimented with leaning forward at a 45 degree angle, beyond the performer's center of gravity. To accomplish this live, Jackson and designers developed a special shoe to lock the performer's feet to the stage, allowing them to lean forward. They were granted U.S. patent 5,255,452 for the device.[493] The video for "Leave Me Alone" was not officially released in the US, but in 1989 was nominated for three Billboard Music Video Awards[494] and won a Golden Lion Award for its special effects. It won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.[63]

He received the MTV Video Vanguard Award in 1988; in 2001 the award was renamed in his honor.[495] The "Black or White" video simultaneously premiered on November 14, 1991, in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million people, the largest audience ever for a music video at the time.[172] Along with Jackson, it featured Macaulay Culkin, Peggy Lipton, and George Wendt. It helped introduce morphing to music videos.[496] It was controversial for scenes in which Jackson rubs his crotch, vandalizes cars, and throws a garbage can through a storefront. He apologized and removed the final scene of the video.[161]

"In the Closet" featured Naomi Campbell in a courtship dance with Jackson.[497] "Remember the Time" was set in ancient Egypt, and featured Eddie Murphy, Iman, and Magic Johnson.[498] The video for "Scream", directed by Mark Romanek and production designer Tom Foden, gained a record 11 MTV Video Music Award Nominations, and won "Best Dance Video", "Best Choreography", and "Best Art Direction".[499] The song and its video are Jackson's response to being accused of child molestation in 1993.[500] A year later, it won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form. It has been reported as the most expensive music video ever made, at $7 million;[501] Romanek has contradicted this.[502] The "Earth Song" video was nominated for the 1997 Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.[503]

Michael Jackson's Ghosts, a short film written by Jackson and Stephen King and directed by Stan Winston, premiered at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival. At over 38 minutes long, it held the Guinness world record for the longest music video until 2013, when it was eclipsed by the video for the Pharrell Williams song "Happy".[504] The 2001 video for "You Rock My World" lasts over 13 minutes, was directed by Paul Hunter, and features Chris Tucker and Marlon Brando.[505] It won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Music Video in 2002.[506]

In December 2009, the Library of Congress selected "Thriller" as the only music video to be preserved in the National Film Registry, as a work of "enduring importance to American culture".[507][508] Huey wrote that Jackson transformed the music video into an artform and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameos, while breaking down racial barriers.[10]

Honors and awards
See also: List of awards and nominations received by Michael Jackson
 The Thriller platinum certified record on display at the Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood. As of 2017, it is certified 33× platinum.[352]
Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists in history,[509] with sales estimated around 500 million records worldwide.[510][Note 2] He had 13 number-one singles in the US in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era.[511] He was invited and honored by a president of the United States at the White House three times. In 1984, he was honored with a "Presidential Public Safety Commendation" award by Ronald Reagan for his humanitarian endeavors.[512] In 1990, he was honored as the "Artist of the Decade" by George H. W. Bush.[513] In 1992, he was honored as a "Point of Light Ambassador" by Bush for inviting disadvantaged children to his Neverland Ranch.[514]

Jackson won hundreds of awards, making him one of the most-awarded artists in popular music.[515] His awards include 39 Guinness World Records, including the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time,[421][422] 13 Grammy Awards,[516] as well as the Grammy Legend Award[517] and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award,[518] and 26 American Music Awards, including the Artist of the Century and Artist of the 1980s.[244] He also received the World Music Awards' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium and the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award.[519] Jackson was inducted onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1980 as a member of the Jacksons, and in 1984 as a solo artist. He was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Vocal Group Hall of Fame as a member of the Jackson 5 in 1997 and 1999,[520] respectively, and again as a solo artist in 2001.[521] In 2002, he was added to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.[522] In 2010, he was the first recording artist to be inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame,[523] and in 2014, he was posthumously inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.[524] In 2021, he was among the inaugural inductees into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.[525]

In 1988, Fisk University honored him with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.[526] In 1992, he was invested as a titular king of Sanwi, a traditional kingdom located in the south-east of Ivory Coast.[527] In July 2009, the Lunar Republic Society named a crater on the Moon after Jackson.[528] In August, for what would have been Jackson's 51st birthday, Google dedicated their Google Doodle to him.[529] In 2012, the extinct hermit crab Mesoparapylocheles michaeljacksoni was named in his honor.[530] In 2014, the British Council of Cultural Relations deemed Jackson's life one of the 80 most important cultural moments of the 20th century.[531] World Vitiligo Day has been celebrated on June 25, the anniversary of Jackson's death, to raise awareness of the auto-immune disorder that Jackson suffered from.[532]

Earnings
Main article: Estate of Michael Jackson
In 1989, Jackson's annual earnings from album sales, endorsements, and concerts were estimated at $125 million.[222] Forbes placed Jackson's annual income at $35 million in 1996 and $20 million in 1997.[533] Estimates of Jackson's net worth during his life range from negative $285 million to positive $350 million for 2002, 2003 and 2007.[534][535] Forbes reported in August 2018 that Jackson's total career pretax earnings in life and death were $4.2 billion.[536][537] Sales of his recordings through Sony's music unit earned him an estimated $300 million in royalties. He may have earned another $400 million from concerts, music publishing (including his share of the Beatles catalog), endorsements, merchandising and music videos.[538]

In 2013, the executors of Jackson's estate filed a petition in the United States Tax Court as a result of a dispute with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over US federal estate taxes.[539] The executors claim that it was worth about $7 million, the IRS that it was worth over $1.1 billion. In February 2014, the IRS reported that Jackson's estate owed $702 million; $505 million in taxes, and $197 million in penalties.[540] A trial was held from February 6 to 24, 2017.[541] In 2021, the Tax Court issued a ruling in favor of the estate, ruling that the estate's total combined value of the estate was $111.5 million and that the value of Jackson's name and likeness was $4 million (not the $61 million estimated by the IRS's outside expert witness).[542]

In 2016, Forbes estimated annual gross earnings by the Jackson Estate at $825 million, the largest ever recorded for a celebrity, mostly due to the sale of the Sony/ATV catalog.[543] In 2018, the figure was $400 million.[544] It was the eighth year since his death that Jackson's annual earnings were reported to be over $100 million, thus bringing Jackson's postmortem total to $2.4 billion.[545] Forbes has consistently recognized Jackson as one of the top-earning dead celebrities since his death, and placed him at the top spot from 2013 to 2023.[546][547]

Discography
Main articles: Michael Jackson albums discography, Michael Jackson singles discography, and List of songs recorded by Michael Jackson
See also: The Jackson 5 discography
Got to Be There (1972)
Ben (1972)
Music & Me (1973)
Forever, Michael (1975)
Off the Wall (1979)
Thriller (1982)
Bad (1987)
Dangerous (1991)
HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995)
Invincible (2001)
Filmography
See also: Michael Jackson videography
The Wiz (1978)
Michael Jackson's Thriller (1983)
Captain EO (1986)
Moonwalker (1988)
Michael Jackson's Ghosts (1997)
Men in Black II (2002)
Miss Cast Away and the Island Girls (2004)
Michael Jackson's This Is It (2009)
Bad 25 (2012)
Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall (2016)
Thriller 40 (2023)
Tours
Main article: List of Michael Jackson concerts
Bad World Tour (1987–1989)
Dangerous World Tour (1992–1993)
HIStory World Tour (1996–1997)
MJ & Friends (1999)
See also
List of dancers
Notes
^ "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana"
^ In 2006, Raymone Bain, Jackson's publicist at that time, claimed that Michael Jackson had sold over 750 million units.[1][2] Since 2006, several sources such as Billboard or Reuters claimed that Michael Jackson had sold around 750 million records;[3][4] while others such as MTV or CBS News claimed that his sales were over 750 million albums.[5][6] In 2009, The Wall Street Journal disputed the 750 million figure (if it referred to albums, instead of units).[2] Later, in 2015, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) stated that Michael Jackson had sold 1 billion records worldwide.[7][8]
^ Blanket changed his name to "Bigi" in 2015.
^ In 2018, its US sales record was overtaken by the Eagles' album Greatest Hits 1971–75, with 38× platinum.[353]
 
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Print sources
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Further reading
Hidalgo, Susan; Weiner, Robert G. (2010). "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin': MJ in the Scholarly Literature: A Selected Bibliographic Guide" (PDF). The Journal of Pan African Studies. 3 (7).
How Michael Jackson Changed Dance History – biography.com
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