Michael Jackson

Early Life

Michael Joseph Jackson was born on 29 August 1958 in Gary, Indiana, the eighth of ten children of Joseph Jackson, a steel mill worker, and Katherine Jackson. He began performing with his older brothers as the Jackson 5 while still a child, singing lead from the age of nine. The group won a talent competition and signed to Motown Records in 1968, moving to Los Angeles, where they had a run of number-one singles. Jackson's childhood was spent largely on stage and in the recording studio, and he later said his father was strict and demanding during rehearsals.

Education

Jackson's formal education was limited by his touring schedule. He attended school in Gary, Indiana, as a child and continued his studies with private tutors while touring with the Jackson 5. He did not attend university; his training was in performance, singing and dance from childhood.

Career

Jackson began performing with his brothers as the Jackson 5, signing to Motown and becoming lead singer at the age of nine. The group had hits including I Want You Back, ABC and I'll Be There. He began a solo career while still with the group, and his 1979 album Off the Wall, produced by Quincy Jones, made him a solo star. Thriller followed in 1982 and made him the most popular entertainer in the world. His 1983 performance of Billie Jean on the Motown 25 television special introduced the moonwalk to a wide audience. He released Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), HIStory (1995) and Invincible (2001), and toured the world on the Victory Tour in 1984 and the Bad, Dangerous and HIStory world tours. In 1985 he co-wrote the charity single We Are the World with Lionel Richie, and in 1993 he performed at the Super Bowl halftime show. He bought the Neverland Ranch in California in 1988, where he lived for many years. In the 1990s and 2000s he faced accusations of child molestation; he settled a civil case in 1994 and was acquitted on all charges in a criminal trial in 2005. In 2009 he was preparing a series of comeback concerts, This Is It, at the O2 Arena in London when he died suddenly on 25 June 2009 in Los Angeles.

Achievements

Jackson's central achievement was Thriller (1982), which sold more than 40 million copies and became the best-selling album in history, winning eight Grammy Awards in a single night in 1984. He won 13 Grammy Awards in total. His music videos for Billie Jean, Beat It and Thriller broke racial barriers on MTV and turned the music video into an art form. Bad (1987) was the first album to produce five number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, with the Jackson 5 in 1997 and as a solo artist in 2001, and he was honoured at the White House in 1984 for his support of a campaign against drunk driving.

• Became lead singer of the Jackson 5 at the age of nine
• Released the solo album Off the Wall in 1979 with producer Quincy Jones
• Released Thriller in 1982, which became the best-selling album in history
• Won eight Grammy Awards for Thriller in 1984, a record for one night
• Won 13 Grammy Awards in total across his career
• Released Bad in 1987, the first album to produce five number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100
• Introduced the moonwalk dance during the Motown 25 television special in 1983
• Released the albums Dangerous (1991), HIStory (1995) and Invincible (2001)
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, with the Jackson 5 in 1997 and as a solo artist in 2001
• Received the Presidential Public Safety Commendation at the White House in 1984

Legacy

Jackson is remembered as the King of Pop and as one of the most influential entertainers of the twentieth century, whose albums, videos and dance transformed popular music and broke racial barriers on television. A film assembled from rehearsal footage, Michael Jackson's This Is It, was released in cinemas around the world in October 2009. His music has remained popular after his death, and his estate has released posthumous albums and staged shows based on his work. His legacy is also marked by controversy: the child molestation accusations against him divided public opinion, with supporters maintaining his innocence and pointing to his 2005 acquittal, and critics maintaining that the accusations damaged his standing. His death at 50, ruled a homicide caused by a lethal combination of sedatives and propofol, led to the conviction of his personal physician for involuntary manslaughter in 2011.

Contributions

Jackson's contribution was to make the album and the music video central to popular music. Thriller set the standard for the blockbuster album, and his videos for Billie Jean, Beat It and Thriller opened MTV to Black artists and made dance a defining part of pop performance. His vocal style, songwriting and stagecraft influenced generations of performers who followed him.

Notable Works

• Off the Wall (1979)
• Thriller (1982)
• Bad (1987)
• Dangerous (1991)
• HIStory: Past, Present, and Future, Book I (1995)
• Invincible (2001)
• Billie Jean (single, 1983)
• Beat It (single, 1983)

Milestones

• 1958 — Born on 29 August in Gary, Indiana Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
• 1967 — Became lead singer of the Jackson 5 Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
• 1968 — The Jackson 5 signed to Motown Records Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
• 1971 — Began his solo recording career Source: Wikipedia
• 1979 — Released Off the Wall with Quincy Jones Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
• 1982 — Released Thriller, the best-selling album in history Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
• 1983 — Introduced the moonwalk on the Motown 25 special Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
• 1984 — Won eight Grammy Awards for Thriller in one night Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
• 1984 — Received the Presidential Public Safety Commendation at the White House Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
• 1987 — Released Bad, the first album with five Hot 100 number-one singles Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
• 1991 — Released Dangerous Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
• 1995 — Released HIStory Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
• 2001 — Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
• 2005 — Acquitted on all charges in a criminal trial Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
• 2009 — Died in Los Angeles at the age of 50 Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica

Timeline

1. 29 August 1958

   Born in Gary, Indiana

   Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
2. 1967

   Became lead singer of the Jackson 5

   Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
3. 1968

   The Jackson 5 signed to Motown Records

   Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
4. 1971

   Began his solo recording career while still with the Jackson 5

   Year only — exact date unknown Source: Wikipedia
5. 1979

   Released the solo album Off the Wall, produced by Quincy Jones

   Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
6. 30 November 1982

   Released Thriller, which became the best-selling album in history

   Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
7. 25 March 1983

   Performed Billie Jean on the Motown 25 television special, introducing the moonwalk

   Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
8. 28 February 1984

   Won eight Grammy Awards for Thriller in a single night

   Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
9. 14 May 1984

   Received the Presidential Public Safety Commendation at the White House

   Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
10. 1987

    Released Bad, the first album with five Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles

    Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
11. 1991

    Released Dangerous

    Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
12. 1995

    Released HIStory: Past, Present, and Future, Book I

    Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
13. 2001

    Released Invincible; inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist

    Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
14. 13 June 2005

    Acquitted on all charges in a criminal trial in California

    Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
15. 25 June 2009

    Died in Los Angeles at the age of 50, while preparing the This Is It concerts

    Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica

In Their Words

“In a world filled with hate, we must still dare to hope.” Source: Michael Jackson, speech at the Oxford Union, Oxford, 2001 — From his speech to the Oxford Union, in which he spoke about hope and healing in a divided world.

Related Personalities

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• William Shakespeare Playwright · 1564–1616

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources & References

1. Michael Jackson — Encyclopaedia Britannica — Encyclopaedia Britannica (accessed 13 November 2026)
2. Michael Jackson — Wikipedia (cross-check) — Wikipedia (accessed 13 November 2026)
3. Michael Jackson — Britannica Kids — Britannica Kids (accessed 13 November 2026)
4. File:Michael Jackson receives the Presidential Public Safety Commendation at the White House (C21788-18) (cropped).jpg — Wikimedia Commons (portrait file page) — Wikimedia Commons (accessed 13 November 2026)

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