About
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, entertainer and businessman. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he made his debut as a performer in 1964 as a member of The Jackson Brothers who were subsequently renamed The Jackson 5. He began a solo career in 1971 while still a member of the group, and that successful career led to him being dubbed the “King of Pop” in subsequent years. Jackson’s 1982 album Thriller remains the world’s best-selling album of all time, and four of his other solo studio albums are among the world’s best-selling records: Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995).
In the early 1980s, he became a dominant figure in American popular music and culture. He was the first African American entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV, with videos such as “Beat It”, “Billie Jean” and Thriller—widely credited with transforming the music video from a promotional tool into an art form—bringing fame to the relatively new channel. Videos such as “Black or White” and “Scream” made Jackson an enduring staple on MTV well into the 1990s. Beyond his success on television, Jackson popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, with his elaborate stage performances. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced many hip hop, pop music and contemporary R&B artists across several generations.
Jackson donated and raised millions of dollars for beneficial causes through his Heal the World Foundation, charity singles, and support of 39 charities. Other aspects of his personal life, including his changing appearances and behavior, generated significant controversy that damaged his public image. Though he was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993, the criminal investigation was closed due to lack of evidence and Jackson was not charged. The singer had experienced health concerns since the early 1990s along with conflicting reports regarding the state of his finances since the late 1990s. Jackson married twice and fathered three children, actions which caused further controversy. In 2005, Jackson was tried and acquitted of different sexual abuse allegations and several other charges. The singer died on June 25, 2009, aged 50, after suffering cardiac arrest.
One of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records—including one for “Most Successful Entertainer of All Time”—13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era—and the sales of over 750 million records worldwide. Jackson’s highly publicized personal life, coupled with his successful career, has made him a part of popular culture for almost four decades.
1958–75: Early life and The Jackson 5
Michael Joseph Jackson was born August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana, an industrial suburb of Chicago.[3] The son of African-American parents Joseph Walter “Joe” Jackson and Katherine Esther Scruse,[3] he was the seventh of nine children. His siblings are Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Randy and Janet.[3] Joseph Jackson was a steel mill employee who often performed in an R&B band called The Falcons with his brother Luther. Jackson was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness by his devout mother.[3]
Jackson stated that he was physically and emotionally abused by his father from a young age, enduring incessant rehearsals, whippings and name-calling. However, he also credited his father’s strict discipline as playing a large part in his success.[4][5] In one altercation—later recalled by Marlon Jackson—Joseph held Michael upside down by one leg and “pummeled him over and over again with his hand, hitting him on his back and buttocks”.[6] Joseph would also trip or push his male children into walls. One night while Jackson was asleep, Joseph climbed into his room through the bedroom window. Wearing a fright mask, he entered the room screaming and shouting. Joseph said he wanted to teach his children not to leave the window open when they went to sleep. For years afterwards, Jackson said he suffered nightmares about being kidnapped from his bedroom.[6] In 2003, Joseph admitted to the BBC that he had whipped Jackson as a child.[7]
Jackson first spoke openly about his childhood abuse in a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey. He said that during his childhood he often cried from loneliness and would sometimes start to vomit upon seeing his father.[8][9][10][11] In Jackson’s other high profile interview, Living with Michael Jackson (2003), the singer covered his face with his hand and began crying when talking about his childhood abuse.[6] Jackson recalled that Joseph sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his siblings rehearsed and that “if you didn’t do it the right way, he would tear you up, really get you”.[12]
Jackson showed musical talent early in his life, performing in front of classmates and others during a Christmas recital at the age of five.[3] In 1964, Jackson and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by brothers Jackie, Tito and Jermaine—as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine, respectively. Jackson later began performing backup vocals and dancing; at the age of eight, he and Jermaine assumed lead vocals, and the group’s name was changed to The Jackson 5.[3] The band toured the Midwest extensively from 1966 to 1968. The band frequently performed at a string of black clubs and venues collectively known as the “chitlin’ circuit”, where they often opened for stripteases and other adult acts. In 1966, they won a major local talent show with renditions of Motown hits and James Brown’s “I Got You (I Feel Good)”, led by Michael.[13]
The Jackson 5 recorded several songs, including “Big Boy”, for the local record label Steeltown in 1967 and signed with Motown Records in 1968.[3] Rolling Stone magazine later described the young Michael as “a prodigy” with “overwhelming musical gifts”, noting that Michael “quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer” after he began to dance and sing with his brothers.[14] The group set a chart record when its first four singles (”I Want You Back”, “ABC”, “The Love You Save” and “I’ll Be There”) peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.[3] During The Jackson 5’s early years, Motown’s public relations team claimed that Jackson was nine years old—two years younger than he actually was—to make him appear cuter and more accessible to the mainstream audience.[15] Starting in 1972, Jackson released a total of four solo studio albums with Motown, among them Got to Be There and Ben. These were released as part of the Jackson 5 franchise, and produced successful singles such as “Got to Be There”, “Ben” and a remake of Bobby Day’s “Rockin’ Robin”. The group’s sales began declining in 1973, and the band members chafed under Motown’s strict refusal to allow them creative control or input.[16] Although the group scored several top 40 hits, including the top 5 disco single “Dancing Machine” and the top 20 hit “I Am Love”, the Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975.[16]
1975–81: Move to Epic and Off the Wall
The Jackson 5 signed a new contract with CBS Records in June 1975, joining the Philadelphia International Records division, later Epic Records.[16] As a result of legal proceedings, the group was renamed The Jacksons.[17] After the name change, the band continued to tour internationally, releasing six more albums between 1976 and 1984. From 1976 to 1984, Michael Jackson was the lead songwriter of the group, writing hits such as “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)”, “This Place Hotel” and “Can You Feel It”.[13]
In 1978, Jackson starred as Scarecrow in the musical The Wiz.[18] The musical scores were arranged by Quincy Jones, who formed a partnership with Jackson during the film’s production and agreed to produce the singer’s next solo album, Off the Wall.[19] In 1979, Jackson broke his nose during a complex dance routine. His subsequent rhinoplasty surgery was not a complete success; he complained of breathing difficulties that would affect his career. He was referred to Dr. Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson’s second rhinoplasty and other subsequent operations.[20]
Jones and Jackson jointly produced Off the Wall. Songwriters included Jackson, Heatwave’s Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney. Released in 1979, it was the first album to generate four U.S. top 10 hits, including the chart-topping singles “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” and “Rock with You”.[21] Off the Wall reached number three on the Billboard 200 and has since been certified for 7 million shipments in the U.S. and eventually sold over 20 million copies worldwide.[22][23] In 1980, Jackson won three awards at the American Music Awards for his solo efforts: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Male Soul/R&B Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”.[21] That year, he also won Billboard Music Awards for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album and a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (for “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”).[21] Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a much bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.[24] In 1980, Jackson secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37% of wholesale album profit.[25]
1982–85: Thriller, Motown 25, We Are the World and business career
In 1982, Jackson contributed the song “Someone In the Dark” to the storybook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial; the record won a Grammy for Best Album for Children.[26] That year Jackson issued his second Epic album, Thriller. The album remained in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 for 80 consecutive weeks and 37 of those weeks at the peak position. It was the first album to have seven Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles, including “Billie Jean”, “Beat It” and “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”.[27] Thriller was certified for 28 million shipments by the RIAA, giving it Double Diamond status in the US.[28][29] It is often cited as the best-selling album of all time, with worldwide sales between 47 million and 109 million copies.[30][31][32]
Jackson’s attorney John Branca noted that Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point; approximately $2 for every album sold. He was also making record breaking profit from compact discs or the sale of The Making of Michael Jackson’s Thriller; a documentary produced by Jackson and John Landis. Funded by MTV, the documentary sold over 350,000 copies in a few months of sale. The era saw the arrival of novelties like dolls modeled after Michael Jackson, that appeared in stores in May 1984 at a price of $12.[33] Thriller retains a position in American culture. Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli explains, “At some point, Thriller stopped selling like a leisure item—like a magazine, a toy, tickets to a hit movie—and started selling like a household staple.”[34]
Gil Friesen, president of A&M Records, said “the whole industry has a stake in this success”.[33] Thriller raised the importance of albums, but multiple hits also changed notions about the number of singles to release.[35] Time magazine explained that “the fallout from Thriller has given the [music] business its best years since the heady days of 1978, when it had an estimated total domestic revenue of $4.1 billion”.[33] Time summed up Thriller’s impact as a “restoration of confidence” for an industry bordering on “the ruins of punk and the chic regions of synthesizer pop”. The publication 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”.[33] The New York Times called him a “musical phenomenon”, saying that “in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else”.[36] According to the The Washington Post, Thriller paved the way for other acts such as Prince.[37]
Jackson debuts the moonwalk during his performance on Motown 25On March 25, 1983, Jackson performed live on the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever television special, both with The Jackson 5 and on his own singing “Billie Jean”. Debuting his signature dance move—the moonwalk—his performances during the event were seen by 47 million viewers during its initial airing, and drew comparisons to Elvis Presley’s and the The Beatles’ appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.[38] The New York Times said, “The moonwalk that he made famous is an apt metaphor for his dance style. How does he do it? As a technician, he is a great illusionist, a genuine mime. His ability to keep one leg straight as he glides while the other bends and seems to walk requires perfect timing”.[39]
Jackson suffered a setback on January 27, 1984. While filming a Pepsi Cola commercial at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Jackson suffered second degree burns to his scalp after pyrotechnics accidentally set his hair on fire. Happening in front of a full house of fans during a simulated concert, the incident was the subject of heavy media scrutiny and elicited an outpouring of sympathy.[40] PepsiCo settled a lawsuit out of court, and Jackson gave his $1.5 million settlement to the “Michael Jackson Burn Center” which was a piece of new technology to help people with severe burns.[40] Jackson had his third rhinoplasty shortly afterward and grew self conscious about his appearance.[20]
On May 14, 1984, Jackson was invited to the White House to receive an award presented by American President Ronald Reagan. The award was given for Jackson’s support of charities that helped people overcome alcohol and drug abuse.[41] Jackson won eight awards during the 1984 Grammys. Unlike later albums, Thriller did not have an official tour to promote it, but the 1984 Victory Tour, headlined by The Jacksons, showcased much of Jackson’s new solo material to more than two million Americans.[42] He donated his $5 million share from the Victory Tour to charity.[43]
Jackson co-wrote the charity single “We Are the World” with Lionel Richie, which was released worldwide to aid the poor in Africa and the US. He was one of 39 music celebrities who performed on the record. The single became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with nearly 20 million copies sold and millions of dollars donated to famine relief.[44]
While working with Paul McCartney on the two hit singles “The Girl Is Mine” and “Say Say Say”, the pair became friendly, occasionally visiting one another. In one discussion, McCartney told Jackson about the large amount of money he earned from owning music catalogs; he was earning approximately $40 million a year from other people’s songs. Jackson then began a business career buying, selling and distributing publishing rights to music from numerous artists.
Shortly afterwards, ATV Music—a music publishing company owning thousands of music copyrights, including the Northern Songs catalogue that contained the majority of the Lennon-McCartney compositions recorded by the Beatles [1] [2] [3] [4]—was put up for sale.[45][46]
Jackson took immediate interest in the catalog but was warned that he would face strong competition. Excited, he skipped around saying, “I don’t care. I want those songs. Get me those songs Branca [his attorney]“. Branca then contacted the attorney of McCartney, who clarified that his client was not interested in bidding; “It’s too pricey”. After Jackson had started negotiations, McCartney changed his mind and tried to persuade Yoko Ono to join him in a joint bid, she declined, so he pulled out. Jackson eventually beat the rest of the competition in negotiations that lasted 10 months, purchasing the catalog for $47.5 million.[45][47]
1986–90: Appearance, tabloids, Bad, autobiography and films
See also: Michael Jackson’s health and appearance
Jackson’s skin was a medium-brown color for the entire duration of his youth, but starting in the early 1980s, his skin gradually grew paler. This change gained widespread media coverage, including rumors that Jackson was bleaching his skin.[8] In the mid-1980s, Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo and lupus; the latter was in remission in Jackson’s case, and both illnesses made him sensitive to sunlight. The treatments he used for his condition further lightened his skin tone, and, with the application of pancake makeup to even out blotches, he could appear very pale.[48] The structure of his face changed as well; several surgeons have speculated that Jackson had undergone multiple nasal surgeries, a forehead lift, thinned lips and a cheekbone surgery.[49] Changes to his face were, in part, due to periods of significant weight loss.[17] Jackson lost weight in the early 1980s because of a change in diet and a desire for “a dancer’s body”.[50] Witnesses reported that Jackson was often dizzy and speculated that he was suffering from anorexia nervosa; periods of weight loss would become a recurring problem for the singer later in life.[51] Some medical professionals have publicly stated their belief that the singer had body dysmorphic disorder, a psychological condition whereby the sufferer has no concept of how he is perceived by others.[48] Jackson had a fourth rhinoplasty and, wanting masculine features, had a cleft put in his chin.[20][52]
Beginning in 1986, Jackson was the subject of increasingly sensational reports in gossip tabloids as well as mainstream press. That year The National Enquirer published a series of photographs of Jackson lying in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber,[53] claiming that he slept in the chamber to slow the aging process. When Jackson bought a pet chimpanzee called Bubbles, it was reported as an example of increasing detachment from reality.[54] In 2003, the singer claimed that Bubbles had been trained to use the toilet and to clean his own bedroom.[53] Later, it was reported that Jackson had offered $1 million for the bones of Joseph Merrick, the “Elephant Man.”[55] Jackson would not directly address these reports until 1993, but they became embedded in public consciousness,[52] inspiring the pejorative nickname “Wacko Jacko.” Despite Jackson’s insistence that the reports were completely invented, a biographer would claim in 2004 that Jackson’s publicists had leaked the rumors to the press for promotional reasons.[56] When discussing the rumors with that biographer, Jackson remarked:
Why not just tell people I’m an alien from Mars. Tell them I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight. They’ll believe anything you say, because you’re a reporter. But if I, Michael Jackson, were to say, “I’m an alien from Mars and I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight,” people would say, “Oh, man, that Michael Jackson is nuts. He’s cracked up. You can’t believe a damn word that comes out of his mouth.”
1991–93: Dangerous and Super Bowl XXVII
In March 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65 million; a record breaking deal at the time, displacing Neil Diamond’s renewal contract with Columbia Records.[70] Jackson released his eighth album Dangerous in 1991. As of 2008, Dangerous has shipped 7 million copies in the U.S. and has sold 32 million copies worldwide; it is the most successful new jack swing album of all time.[23][77][78] In the US, the album’s first single “Black or White” was the album’s biggest hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and remaining there for seven weeks, with similar chart performances worldwide.[79] The album’s second single “Remember the Time” spent eight weeks in the top five in the US, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[10] In 1993, Jackson performed the song at the Soul Train Awards in a chair, saying he had suffered an injury in rehearsals.[80] In the UK and other parts of Europe, “Heal the World” was the biggest hit from the album; it sold 450,000 copies in the UK and spent five weeks at number two in 1992.[10]
Jackson founded the “Heal the World Foundation” in 1992. The charity organization brought underprivileged children to Jackson’s ranch, to go on theme park rides that Jackson had built on the property after he purchased it. The foundation also sent millions of dollars around the globe to help children threatened by war and disease. The Dangerous World Tour began on June 27, 1992, and finished on November 11, 1993. Jackson performed to 3.5 million people in 67 concerts. All profits from the concerts went to the “Heal the World Foundation”, raising millions of dollars in relief.[10][81] He sold the broadcast rights to his Dangerous world tour to HBO for $20 million, a record-breaking deal that still stands.[82] Following the illness and death of Ryan White, Jackson helped draw public attention to HIV/AIDS, something that was still controversial at the time. He publicly pleaded with the Clinton Administration at Bill Clinton’s Inaugural Gala to give more money to HIV/AIDS charities and research.[83][84]
In a high-profile visit to Africa, Jackson visited several countries, among them Gabon and Egypt.[85] His first stop to Gabon was greeted with a sizable reception of more than 100,000 people in “spiritual bedlam”, some of them carrying signs that read, “Welcome Home Michael”.[85] In his trip to the Ivory Coast, Jackson was crowned “King Sani” by a tribal chief.[85] He then thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed official documents formalizing his kingship and sat on a golden throne while presiding over ceremonial dances.[85]
One of Jackson’s most acclaimed performances came during the halftime show at Super Bowl XXVII. As the performances began, Jackson was catapulted onto the stage as fireworks went off behind him. As he landed on the canvass, he maintained a motionless “clenched fist, standing statue stance”, dressed in a gold and black military outfit and sunglasses; he remained completely motionless for several minutes while the crowd cheered. He then slowly removed his sunglasses, threw them away and began to sing and dance. His routine included four songs: “Jam”, “Billie Jean”, “Black or White” and “Heal the World”. It was the first Super Bowl where the audience figures increased during the half-time show, and was viewed by 135 million Americans alone; Jackson’s Dangerous album rose 90 places up the album chart.[8]
Jackson was given the “Living Legend Award” at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. “Black or White” was Grammy nominated for best vocal performance. “Jam” gained two nominations: Best R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song.[10]
1993–94: Sexual abuse accusations and first marriage
Main article: 1993 child sexual abuse accusations against Michael Jackson
Jackson gave a 90-minute interview with Oprah Winfrey in February 1993, his first television interview since 1979. He grimaced when speaking of his childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he believed he had missed out on much of his childhood years, admitting that he often cried from loneliness. He denied previous tabloid rumors that he bought the bones of the Elephant Man or slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. The entertainer went on to dispel suggestions that he bleached his skin, stating for the first time that he had vitiligo. The interview was watched by an American audience of 90 million, becoming the fourth most-viewed non-sport program in U.S. history. It also increased awareness of vitiligo, a relatively unknown condition before then. Dangerous re-entered the album chart in the top 10, more than a year after its original release.[8][9][10]
Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy named Jordan Chandler and his father Evan Chandler.[86] The friendship between Jackson and Evan Chandler broke down. Sometime afterwards, Evan Chandler was tape-recorded saying amongst other things, “If I go through with this, I win big-time. There’s no way I lose. I will get everything I want and they will be destroyed forever…Michael’s career will be over”.[87] A year after they had met, under the influence of sodium amytal, a controversial sedative, Jordan Chandler told his father that Jackson had touched his penis.[88] Evan Chandler and Jackson, represented by their legal teams, then engaged in unsuccessful negotiations to resolve the issue in a financial settlement; the negotiations were initiated by Chandler but Jackson did make several counter offers. Jordan Chandler then told a psychiatrist and later police that he and Jackson had engaged in acts of kissing, masturbation and oral sex, as well as giving a detailed description of what he alleged were the singer’s genitals.[89]
An official investigation began, with Jordan Chandler’s mother adamant that there was no wrongdoing on Jackson’s part. Neverland Ranch was searched; multiple children and family members denied that he was a pedophile.[89] Jackson’s image took a further turn for the worse when his older sister La Toya Jackson accused him of being a pedophile, a statement she later retracted.[90] Jackson agreed to a 25-minute strip search, conducted at his ranch. The search was required to see if a description provided by Jordan Chandler was accurate. Doctors concluded that there were some strong similarities, but it was not a definitive match.[90] Jackson made an emotional public statement on the events; he proclaimed his innocence, criticized what he perceived as biased media coverage and told of his strip search.[86]
Jackson began taking painkillers, Valium and Ativan to help him cope with chronic pain resulting from an accident involving the collapse of stage rigging during the Dangerous Tour and for joint inflammation from Lupus. Jackson started taking Xanax for panic attacks and stress stemming from the allegations made against him of child abuse. By the fall of 1993, Jackson was addicted to the drugs.[91] His health deteriorated to the extent that he canceled the remainder of the Dangerous World Tour and went into drug rehabilitation for a few months.[92] The stress of the allegations also caused Jackson to stop eating, and he lost a significant amount of weight.[93] With his health in decline, Jackson’s friends and legal advisers took over his defense and finances; they called on him to settle the allegations out of court, believing that he could not endure a lengthy trial.[92][93]
Tabloid reaction to the allegations put Jackson in an unfavorable light.[94] Complaints about the coverage and media included everything from bias against Jackson, accepting stories of alleged criminal activity for money to accepting confidential leaked material from the police investigation in return for money paid.[95] On January 1, 1994, Jackson settled with the Chandler family and their legal team out of court, in a civil lawsuit for $22 million. After the settlement Jordan Chandler stopped co-operating with police regarding criminal proceedings. Jackson was never charged, and the state closed its criminal investigation, citing lack of evidence.[96]
In May 1994, Jackson married singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley. They had first met in 1975 during one of Jackson’s family engagements at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, and were reconnected through a mutual friend in early 1993.[94] They stayed in contact every day over the telephone. As child molestation accusations became public, Jackson became dependent on Lisa Marie for emotional support; she was concerned about his faltering health and addiction to drugs.[91] Lisa Marie explained, “I believed he didn’t do anything wrong and that he was wrongly accused and yes I started falling for him. I wanted to save him. I felt that I could do it.”[97] In a phone call he made to her, she described him as high, incoherent and delusional.[91] Shortly afterwards, she tried to persuade Jackson to settle the allegations out of court and go into rehabilitation to recover—he subsequently did both.[91] Jackson proposed to Lisa Marie over the telephone towards the fall of 1993, saying, “If I asked you to marry me, would you do it?”.[91] Presley and Jackson married in the Dominican Republic in secrecy; the parties denied they had been married for nearly two months.[98] The marriage was, in her words, “a married couple’s life … that was sexually active”.[99] At the time, the tabloid media speculated that the wedding was a ploy to prop up Jackson’s public image in light of prior sexual abuse allegations.[98] Jackson and Presley divorced less than two years later, remaining friendly.[100]
