In a shocking turn of events, singer Michael Jackson has died at the young age of 50.
Michael Jackson The iconic singer had reportedly been working out 6-8 hours a day in order to prepare for his upcoming tour and was rushed to the hospital this afternoon after suffering from cardiac arrest.
While being treated for his heart attack, it was reported by TMZ.com that Michael Jackson had officially died.
Other news sources are hesitant to confirm the news but TMZ has a record of being accurate with their information.
The story is still developing so we’ll keep you posted.
Fans of the controversial singer are devastated with the news. Feel free to leave your comments (only positive comments please) in the area below.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Michaels friends, family and fans during this difficult time.
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Michael Jack Biography
Michael Joseph Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana (an industrial suburb of Chicago, Illinois) to a working-class family on August 29, 1958.[5] The son of Joseph Walter “Joe” and Katherine Esther (née Scruse),[5] he is the seventh of nine children. His siblings are Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Randy and Janet.[5] Joseph Jackson was a steel mill employee who often performed in an R&B band called The Falcons with his brother Luther.[5] Jackson was raised as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses by his devout mother.[5]
From a young age Jackson was physically and mentally abused by his father, enduring incessant rehearsals, whippings and name-calling. Jackson’s abuse as a child affected him throughout his grown life.[6] 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”.[7] Joseph would often trip up, or push the male children into walls.[7] 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 afterward, Jackson suffered nightmares about being kidnapped from his bedroom.[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 get sick or start to regurgitate 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.[7] 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.[5] 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.[5] 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.[5] 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] Though Michael sang with a “child’s piping voice, he danced like a grown-up hoofer and sang with the R&B/gospel inflections of Sam Cooke, James Brown, Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder”.[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.[5] 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]
1975–1981: 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 film 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 US 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 US 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]
1982–1985: 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.[23][28] It is often cited as the best-selling album of all time, with worldwide sales between 47 million and 109 million copies.[29][30][31]
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.[32] 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.”[33]
Gil Friesen, president of A&M Records, said “the whole industry has a stake in this success”.[32] Thriller raised the importance of albums, but multiple hits also changed notions about the number of singles to release.[34] 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”.[32] 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”.[32] 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”.[35] According to the The Washington Post, Thriller paved the way for other acts such as Prince.[36]
On 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.[37] 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”.[38]
Jackson at the White House South Portico with President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan, 1984.
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.[39] 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.[39] 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.[40] 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.[41] He donated his $5 million share from the Victory Tour to charity.[42]
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.[43]
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 millions of dollars he had made from 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 afterward, Northern Songs—a music catalog holding thousands of songs, including The Beatles’ back catalog—was put up for sale.[44][45]
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. When McCartney found out he said, “I think it’s dodgy to do things like that. To be someone’s friend and then buy the rug they’re standing on”. Reacting to that statement, biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli observed that McCartney made millions of dollars from the music of other people. He had more money than Jackson at that point so could have made a substantial bid for his own music and would not have suffered financial difficulties from Jackson owning the catalog.[44][46]
1986–1990: Tabloids, appearance, Bad, autobiography and films
See also: Michael Jackson’s health and appearance
In 1986, the tabloid press ran a story claiming that Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow the aging process; he was pictured lying down in a glass box. Although the claim was untrue, Jackson disseminated the fabricated story himself. The singer was promoting his upcoming movie Captain EO and wanted to promote a science fiction image of himself.[47][48] Jackson had a fourth rhinoplasty and, wanting masculine features, had a cleft put in his chin.[20] Then he starred in the Francis Ford Coppola-directed 3-D film Captain EO. It was the most expensive film produced on a per-minute basis at the time, and was later hosted in Disney theme parks. Disneyland featured the film in its Tomorrowland area for nearly 11 years, while Walt Disney World screened the film in its Epcot theme park from 1986 to 1994.[49]
Jackson two years after he was diagnosed with vitiligo, pictured in the early stages of the disease.[50]
Jackson bought and befriended a pet chimpanzee called Bubbles, an act which extended his eccentric persona. In 2003 the singer claimed that Bubbles shared his toilet, and cleaned his bedroom.[48] Later it was reported that Jackson bought the bones of The Elephant Man. Although untrue, it was a story that Jackson again disseminated to the tabloid press.[47][48] These stories inspired the pejorative nickname “Wacko Jacko”, which Jackson acquired the following year. He would eventually come to despise the nickname. Realizing his mistake, he stopped leaking untruths to the press. However due to the profit being made, the media began making up their own stories.[48][51]
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 is in remission in Jackson’s case, and both illnesses make him sensitive to sunlight. The treatments he uses for his condition further lighten his skin tone, and, with the application of pancake makeup to even out blotches, he can appear very pale.[52] The structure of his face has changed as well; several surgeons have speculated that Jackson had undergone multiple nasal surgeries, a forehead lift, thinned lips and a cheekbone surgery.[53] 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”.[54] 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.[55] Some medical professionals have publicly stated their belief that the singer has body dysmorphic disorder, a psychological condition whereby the sufferer has no concept of how they are perceived by others.[52]
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”.[56]
—Michael Jackson
With the industry expecting another major hit, Jackson’s first album in five years, Bad (1987), was highly anticipated.[57] Bad had lower sales than Thriller, but was still a substantial commercial success. In the US, it spawned seven hit singles, five of which (”I Just Can’t Stop Loving You”, “Bad”, “The Way You Make Me Feel”, “Man in the Mirror” and “Dirty Diana”) reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, more than any other album.[58] As of 2008, the album sold 30 million copies worldwide, including eight million shipments in the US.[59][60]
A gold plated military style jacket with belt, worn by Jackson in the Bad era.
The Bad World Tour began on September 12, 1987, and finished on January 14, 1989.[61] In Japan alone, the tour had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record of 200,000 in a single tour.[62] Jackson broke a Guinness World Record when 504,000 people attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium. He performed a total of 123 concerts to a total audience of 4.4 million people, and gained a further Guinness World Record when the tour grossed him $125 million. During the trip he invited underprivileged children to watch for free and gave donations to hospitals, orphanages and other charities.[61]
From a young age Jackson was physically and mentally abused by his father, enduring incessant rehearsals, whippings and name-calling. Jackson’s abuse as a child affected him throughout his grown life.[6] 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”.[7] Joseph would often trip up, or push the male children into walls.[7] 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 afterward, Jackson suffered nightmares about being kidnapped from his bedroom.[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 get sick or start to regurgitate 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.[7] 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.[5] 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.[5] 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.[5] 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] Though Michael sang with a “child’s piping voice, he danced like a grown-up hoofer and sang with the R&B/gospel inflections of Sam Cooke, James Brown, Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder”.[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.[5] 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]
1975–1981: 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 film 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 US 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 US 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]
1982–1985: 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.[23][28] It is often cited as the best-selling album of all time, with worldwide sales between 47 million and 109 million copies.[29][30][31]
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.[32] 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.”[33]
Gil Friesen, president of A&M Records, said “the whole industry has a stake in this success”.[32] Thriller raised the importance of albums, but multiple hits also changed notions about the number of singles to release.[34] 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”.[32] 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”.[32] 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”.[35] According to the The Washington Post, Thriller paved the way for other acts such as Prince.[36]
On 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.[37] 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”.[38]
Jackson at the White House South Portico with President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan, 1984.
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.[39] 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.[39] 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.[40] 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.[41] He donated his $5 million share from the Victory Tour to charity.[42]
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.[43]
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 millions of dollars he had made from 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 afterward, Northern Songs—a music catalog holding thousands of songs, including The Beatles’ back catalog—was put up for sale.[44][45]
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. When McCartney found out he said, “I think it’s dodgy to do things like that. To be someone’s friend and then buy the rug they’re standing on”. Reacting to that statement, biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli observed that McCartney made millions of dollars from the music of other people. He had more money than Jackson at that point so could have made a substantial bid for his own music and would not have suffered financial difficulties from Jackson owning the catalog.[44][46]
1986–1990: Tabloids, appearance, Bad, autobiography and films
See also: Michael Jackson’s health and appearance
In 1986, the tabloid press ran a story claiming that Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow the aging process; he was pictured lying down in a glass box. Although the claim was untrue, Jackson disseminated the fabricated story himself. The singer was promoting his upcoming movie Captain EO and wanted to promote a science fiction image of himself.[47][48] Jackson had a fourth rhinoplasty and, wanting masculine features, had a cleft put in his chin.[20] Then he starred in the Francis Ford Coppola-directed 3-D film Captain EO. It was the most expensive film produced on a per-minute basis at the time, and was later hosted in Disney theme parks. Disneyland featured the film in its Tomorrowland area for nearly 11 years, while Walt Disney World screened the film in its Epcot theme park from 1986 to 1994.[49]
Jackson two years after he was diagnosed with vitiligo, pictured in the early stages of the disease.[50]
Jackson bought and befriended a pet chimpanzee called Bubbles, an act which extended his eccentric persona. In 2003 the singer claimed that Bubbles shared his toilet, and cleaned his bedroom.[48] Later it was reported that Jackson bought the bones of The Elephant Man. Although untrue, it was a story that Jackson again disseminated to the tabloid press.[47][48] These stories inspired the pejorative nickname “Wacko Jacko”, which Jackson acquired the following year. He would eventually come to despise the nickname. Realizing his mistake, he stopped leaking untruths to the press. However due to the profit being made, the media began making up their own stories.[48][51]
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 is in remission in Jackson’s case, and both illnesses make him sensitive to sunlight. The treatments he uses for his condition further lighten his skin tone, and, with the application of pancake makeup to even out blotches, he can appear very pale.[52] The structure of his face has changed as well; several surgeons have speculated that Jackson had undergone multiple nasal surgeries, a forehead lift, thinned lips and a cheekbone surgery.[53] 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”.[54] 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.[55] Some medical professionals have publicly stated their belief that the singer has body dysmorphic disorder, a psychological condition whereby the sufferer has no concept of how they are perceived by others.[52]
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”.[56]
—Michael Jackson
With the industry expecting another major hit, Jackson’s first album in five years, Bad (1987), was highly anticipated.[57] Bad had lower sales than Thriller, but was still a substantial commercial success. In the US, it spawned seven hit singles, five of which (”I Just Can’t Stop Loving You”, “Bad”, “The Way You Make Me Feel”, “Man in the Mirror” and “Dirty Diana”) reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, more than any other album.[58] As of 2008, the album sold 30 million copies worldwide, including eight million shipments in the US.[59][60]
A gold plated military style jacket with belt, worn by Jackson in the Bad era.
The Bad World Tour began on September 12, 1987, and finished on January 14, 1989.[61] In Japan alone, the tour had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record of 200,000 in a single tour.[62] Jackson broke a Guinness World Record when 504,000 people attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium. He performed a total of 123 concerts to a total audience of 4.4 million people, and gained a further Guinness World Record when the tour grossed him $125 million. During the trip he invited underprivileged children to watch for free and gave donations to hospitals, orphanages and other charities.[61]
Michael Jackson: the king of pop dies
MICHAEL Jackson was a child prodigy, a musical genius and remains one of the most idolised artists on earth.
The 50-year-old pop megastar was hospitalized Thursday after suffering a cardiac arrest, and entertainment website TMZ.com said the pop icon had died after paramedics could not revive him.
For all his fame and legions of fans, Jackson has lived as a virtual recluse since he was acquitted in 2005 on charges of child molestation and plotting to kidnap his young accuser.
Despite his acquittal, the trial was a body blow from which the pop music superstar has yet to recover.
Four years later, the 50-year-old is still worshipped by fans for revolutionizing music, dance and music videos at the peak of his success.
The attention however paid to him in recent years has been less flattering, focusing on apparent cosmetic surgery – which he denies – his baby dangling antics and a decade of swirling child abuse allegations.
Born on August 29, 1958, Jackson made his show business debut with four of his older brothers in the Jackson Five pop group, and went on to lead the stage clan with a piping soprano and dazzling dance moves.
By 1969, the group had signed a contract with Motown Records, becoming one of the last great acts to emerge from the legendary label.
The Jacksons produced seven platinum singles for Motown, selling over a million, and three multi-platinum albums, selling more than two million. They moved to CBS’s Epic Records in 1976.
Despite the early success, Jackson was to recall those years as unhappy and lonely ones. Eventually the family act broke up, as Jackson went solo.
In 1979, Quincy Jones produced Jackson’s first solo album for Epic, “Off the Wall”, a huge disco-oriented success that sold 10 million copies.
They teamed up again in 1982 for what would be Jackson’s breakthrough album as a composer and co-producer, ”Thriller”, which became the top-selling album of all time, with sales exceeding 41 million.
According to Robert Thompson, an expert in pop culture at the University of Syracuse, New York, Jackson’s later problems can be traced back to the phenomenal success of ”Thriller”.
”He got to the point that he was so rich, so powerful and so famous, that he was allowed to kind of withdraw from any kind of reality, Thompson said.
”Thriller” was followed by ”Bad” in 1987 (20 million sold) and “Dangerous” in 1991 (21 million sold) with videos whose auto-erotic dance contrasted with Jackson’s sweet, childlike personality offstage.
A pop culture icon with enormous wealth, Jackson in 1991 signed a deal with Sony Music described as the most lucrative contract ever for a recording artist.
Although Jackson’s share was not disclosed, Sony estimated the potential in sales at a billion dollars.
But in 1993, a 13-year-old boy made sex abuse allegations against his former pal Jackson, and prosecutors and police launched an investigation.
A year later, Jackson struck an out-of-court agreement with the family under which he paid out a total 23.3 million dollars, a deal which Jackson has said he now regrets.
The deal halted the criminal case, which was being pursued by Tom Sneddon, the chief prosecutor in Jackson’s trial.
As Jackson’s life was complicated by his meteoric rise to fame, he also started undergoing a dramatic physical transformation.
Over the years, his skin has become much lighter and he appears to have had extensive plastic surgery on his face. Vanity Fair magazine reported in 2003 that the tip of his nose is actually a prosthesis.
In 1994, he stunned the public by marrying Lisa Marie Presley, the 26-year-old daughter of Elvis Presley.
The marriage lasted less than two years and was a hot topic for the tabloids. However, the renewed interest in Jackson’s love life did not spark interest in his music.
In June 1995, he released the double album “HIStory, Past, Present and Future – Book I” to negative reviews and weak sales – despite Sony Music’s 40-million-dollar investment. And Jackson’s next album, ”Invincible”, flopped.
Jackson then married Debbie Rowe, a 37-year-old nurse he met while undergoing plastic surgery in 1997. They had two children, Prince Michael and Paris Michael Katherine, before divorcing in 1999.
Jackson had custody of the two children and of a third, Prince Michael II, born to an unknown woman, when in November 2002 he came under fierce public criticism for dangling his youngest child from a fourth-floor hotel balcony in Berlin for photographers.
Adding to his woes Jackson has also been hit by a flurry of lawsuits from former aides and promoters and from a slew of people suing over alleged unpaid bills. Last November, Jackson and a Bahraini prince struck an ”amicable” deal to avoid going to court in a seven-million-dollar lawsuit.
The extent of Jackson’s financial woes is unclear, with conflicting reports about the singers assets and debts.
But a treasure trove of Jackson memorabilia, including a wrought iron gate from his Neverland Ranch and his famous white glove, are to be auctioned off in Beverly Hills next month, reflecting the singer’s change in circumstances.
The 50-year-old pop megastar was hospitalized Thursday after suffering a cardiac arrest, and entertainment website TMZ.com said the pop icon had died after paramedics could not revive him.
For all his fame and legions of fans, Jackson has lived as a virtual recluse since he was acquitted in 2005 on charges of child molestation and plotting to kidnap his young accuser.
Despite his acquittal, the trial was a body blow from which the pop music superstar has yet to recover.
Four years later, the 50-year-old is still worshipped by fans for revolutionizing music, dance and music videos at the peak of his success.
The attention however paid to him in recent years has been less flattering, focusing on apparent cosmetic surgery – which he denies – his baby dangling antics and a decade of swirling child abuse allegations.
Born on August 29, 1958, Jackson made his show business debut with four of his older brothers in the Jackson Five pop group, and went on to lead the stage clan with a piping soprano and dazzling dance moves.
By 1969, the group had signed a contract with Motown Records, becoming one of the last great acts to emerge from the legendary label.
The Jacksons produced seven platinum singles for Motown, selling over a million, and three multi-platinum albums, selling more than two million. They moved to CBS’s Epic Records in 1976.
Despite the early success, Jackson was to recall those years as unhappy and lonely ones. Eventually the family act broke up, as Jackson went solo.
In 1979, Quincy Jones produced Jackson’s first solo album for Epic, “Off the Wall”, a huge disco-oriented success that sold 10 million copies.
They teamed up again in 1982 for what would be Jackson’s breakthrough album as a composer and co-producer, ”Thriller”, which became the top-selling album of all time, with sales exceeding 41 million.
According to Robert Thompson, an expert in pop culture at the University of Syracuse, New York, Jackson’s later problems can be traced back to the phenomenal success of ”Thriller”.
”He got to the point that he was so rich, so powerful and so famous, that he was allowed to kind of withdraw from any kind of reality, Thompson said.
”Thriller” was followed by ”Bad” in 1987 (20 million sold) and “Dangerous” in 1991 (21 million sold) with videos whose auto-erotic dance contrasted with Jackson’s sweet, childlike personality offstage.
A pop culture icon with enormous wealth, Jackson in 1991 signed a deal with Sony Music described as the most lucrative contract ever for a recording artist.
Although Jackson’s share was not disclosed, Sony estimated the potential in sales at a billion dollars.
But in 1993, a 13-year-old boy made sex abuse allegations against his former pal Jackson, and prosecutors and police launched an investigation.
A year later, Jackson struck an out-of-court agreement with the family under which he paid out a total 23.3 million dollars, a deal which Jackson has said he now regrets.
The deal halted the criminal case, which was being pursued by Tom Sneddon, the chief prosecutor in Jackson’s trial.
As Jackson’s life was complicated by his meteoric rise to fame, he also started undergoing a dramatic physical transformation.
Over the years, his skin has become much lighter and he appears to have had extensive plastic surgery on his face. Vanity Fair magazine reported in 2003 that the tip of his nose is actually a prosthesis.
In 1994, he stunned the public by marrying Lisa Marie Presley, the 26-year-old daughter of Elvis Presley.
The marriage lasted less than two years and was a hot topic for the tabloids. However, the renewed interest in Jackson’s love life did not spark interest in his music.
In June 1995, he released the double album “HIStory, Past, Present and Future – Book I” to negative reviews and weak sales – despite Sony Music’s 40-million-dollar investment. And Jackson’s next album, ”Invincible”, flopped.
Jackson then married Debbie Rowe, a 37-year-old nurse he met while undergoing plastic surgery in 1997. They had two children, Prince Michael and Paris Michael Katherine, before divorcing in 1999.
Jackson had custody of the two children and of a third, Prince Michael II, born to an unknown woman, when in November 2002 he came under fierce public criticism for dangling his youngest child from a fourth-floor hotel balcony in Berlin for photographers.
Adding to his woes Jackson has also been hit by a flurry of lawsuits from former aides and promoters and from a slew of people suing over alleged unpaid bills. Last November, Jackson and a Bahraini prince struck an ”amicable” deal to avoid going to court in a seven-million-dollar lawsuit.
The extent of Jackson’s financial woes is unclear, with conflicting reports about the singers assets and debts.
But a treasure trove of Jackson memorabilia, including a wrought iron gate from his Neverland Ranch and his famous white glove, are to be auctioned off in Beverly Hills next month, reflecting the singer’s change in circumstances.
Michael Jackson Dies After Cardiac Arrest
Michael Jackson, one the best-selling and most controversial recording artists of all time, died Thursday, ABC News has confirmed.
Michael Jackson announces a series of London concerts in July.
The Los Angeles Fire Department was called to Jackson’s residence at 12:26 p.m. P.T., according to the Los Angeles Times. The paper reported that paramedics performed CPR on Jackson, who was not breathing when they arrived at his home. He was rushed to UCLA Medical Center, just six miles from his home.
Watch “The Life and Death of Michael Jackson” on a special edition of “20/20″ TONIGHT at 9 p.m. ET.
Jackson’s death came less than a month before the start of a scheduled series of so-called comeback concerts. From July 13 to March 6, 2010, Jackson was scheduled to perform 50 sold-out concerts at London’s O2 Arena.
During a news conference at London’s O2 Arena in March, Jackson assured about 2,000 fans — some who applied for tickets to hear his announcement, others who walked in off the street — that come July, he would be giving his “final curtain call.”
Michael Jackson announces a series of London concerts in July.
The Los Angeles Fire Department was called to Jackson’s residence at 12:26 p.m. P.T., according to the Los Angeles Times. The paper reported that paramedics performed CPR on Jackson, who was not breathing when they arrived at his home. He was rushed to UCLA Medical Center, just six miles from his home.
Watch “The Life and Death of Michael Jackson” on a special edition of “20/20″ TONIGHT at 9 p.m. ET.
Jackson’s death came less than a month before the start of a scheduled series of so-called comeback concerts. From July 13 to March 6, 2010, Jackson was scheduled to perform 50 sold-out concerts at London’s O2 Arena.
During a news conference at London’s O2 Arena in March, Jackson assured about 2,000 fans — some who applied for tickets to hear his announcement, others who walked in off the street — that come July, he would be giving his “final curtain call.”
Michael Jackson’s Death: The Talent and the Tragedy
The tragedy of Michael Jackson’s death at age 50, reportedly from cardiac arrest, pales in comparison to the tragedy of his life. To understand all that Jackson had and lost requires wiping away three decades of plastic surgeries that deformed him, erratic behavior that made his name synonymous with the warping powers of fame, and a 2005 trial for sexually abusing a child that, even though he was spared of any finding of wrongdoing, made him a pariah to all but the most brainwashed of fans.
Related
TIME Archive: Why Jackson’s A Thriller
Photos
(Sort of) Celebrating Michael Jackson’s 50th Birthday
More Related
* Office (et al.) Watch: Let the Kid Drive
* Michael Phelps: A Real GOAT
* THE BEST PEOPLE OF 1993
But if you can forgive or forget all that, underneath was one of the most talented entertainers of the 20th century.
Jackson was born in 1958, the seventh of nine Jackson children, and before he reached age six he had joined his brothers in the Jackson Five. By the age of eight he had taken over lead singing duties with brother Jermaine, but there was no question who was the star of the group. Little Michael was the best dancer and singer of the bunch, but he also had the mysterious thing that record bosses and studio chiefs crave: star power. Michael appeared to be his best and most interesting self when everyone in the world was watching. (See the All-TIME 100 Albums.)
As Michael aged into adolescence the Jackson Five, renamed The Jacksons after their departure from Motown Records, inevitably lost some of its charm. A solo career followed, and after a steady stream of middling hits that attempted to milk the last bit of innocence from Jackson’s voice, Jackson had the good fortune to hook up with Quincy Jones while filming The Wiz. The two shared a vision for what Jackson’s career as an adult might be and on 1979’s Off The Wall they executed it beyond even Jackson’s dreams. With songwriting help from Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder, Off the Wall spun off four Top 10 hits and two number-ones — “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” and “Rock with You.” (Read TIME’s 1984 cover story on Michael Jackson)
At 22, Jackson not only became one of the most admired pop musicians in the world, but one of the globe’s most famous people. And his fame only increased with the 1981 release of Thriller, which was to become the best-selling album of all-time (until it was eclipsed in the late ’90s by The Eagles Greatest Hits, 1971-1975.) Seven of the record’s nine tracks made the Top 10, and the Quincy Jones-produced hooks remain awe-inspiring. In a cover story about Jackson and Thriller, TIME described him as “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.”
While Jackson had few ambitions at the time beyond global domination, it’s worth noting that “The Girl is Mine” established interracial love as a pop music theme and “Beat It” (with Eddie Van Halen’s guitar solo) bridged arena rock and soul four years before Run DMC met Aerosmith. On March 25, 1983, Jackson may have reached the very peak of his fame when he unveiled his signature dance move, the moonwalk, live on the “Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever” television special.
The years after Thriller, however, were marked by a slow descent into what was first dismissible as eccentricity. Jackson attended the Grammys on a triple date with Emmanuel Lewis and Madonna, purchased a chimpanzee named Bubbles and was diagnosed with vitiligo, a condition that he said was responsible for the steady lightening of his skin. But his songwriting genius remained undeniable. With Lionel Richie Jackson, he co-wrote “We Are the World,” a 1985 charity single that raised an estimated $50 million for famine relief in Africa and ushered in the era of celebrity philanthropy.
After the release of 1987’s Bad, a disappointing follow-up to Thriller, Jackson purchased the 2,800-acre Neverland Ranch in California, and his public weirdness became almost aggressive. In his biography, Moonwalk, Jackson wrote of childhood abuse at the hands of his father and multiple plastic surgeries, subjects he returned to in a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey that was one of the most watched non-sports programs in American history.
Shortly after, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse in a suit brought by Evan Chandler on behalf of his then 13-year-old son Jordan. Chandler told a psychiatrist and police that he and Jackson had engaged in sexual acts that included oral sex; the boy gave a detailed description of Jackson’s genitals. The case was settled out of court for a reported $22 million, but the strain led Jackson to begin taking painkillers. Eventually he became addicted.
To counteract the stigma that came with the allegations of pedophilia, Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley in a relationship Elvis’ only daughter later dismissed as a sham. Two years later they divorced.
Given the tumult in his personal life, it’s no surprise that the 1990s were a barren period for Jackson creatively. In 2001 he managed to pull himself together enough to release Invincible and stage two concerts celebrating his 30th anniversary as a performer at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The shows, held a few days before Sept. 11, were a capsule of all Jackson had become. There were bizarre cameos from friends Marlon Brando, Liza Minnelli and Eliabeth Taylor. Macaulay Culkin sat next to Jackson in a royal box. But several hours after the proceedings began, when Jackson finally took the stage, all the years of Wacko Jacko melted away. Then in his early 40s, he could still dance and sing better than almost anyone in the world, and he still had star power. The Jackson on display in those concerts was one the world admired and the one that will be missed.
Related
TIME Archive: Why Jackson’s A Thriller
Photos
(Sort of) Celebrating Michael Jackson’s 50th Birthday
More Related
* Office (et al.) Watch: Let the Kid Drive
* Michael Phelps: A Real GOAT
* THE BEST PEOPLE OF 1993
But if you can forgive or forget all that, underneath was one of the most talented entertainers of the 20th century.
Jackson was born in 1958, the seventh of nine Jackson children, and before he reached age six he had joined his brothers in the Jackson Five. By the age of eight he had taken over lead singing duties with brother Jermaine, but there was no question who was the star of the group. Little Michael was the best dancer and singer of the bunch, but he also had the mysterious thing that record bosses and studio chiefs crave: star power. Michael appeared to be his best and most interesting self when everyone in the world was watching. (See the All-TIME 100 Albums.)
As Michael aged into adolescence the Jackson Five, renamed The Jacksons after their departure from Motown Records, inevitably lost some of its charm. A solo career followed, and after a steady stream of middling hits that attempted to milk the last bit of innocence from Jackson’s voice, Jackson had the good fortune to hook up with Quincy Jones while filming The Wiz. The two shared a vision for what Jackson’s career as an adult might be and on 1979’s Off The Wall they executed it beyond even Jackson’s dreams. With songwriting help from Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder, Off the Wall spun off four Top 10 hits and two number-ones — “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” and “Rock with You.” (Read TIME’s 1984 cover story on Michael Jackson)
At 22, Jackson not only became one of the most admired pop musicians in the world, but one of the globe’s most famous people. And his fame only increased with the 1981 release of Thriller, which was to become the best-selling album of all-time (until it was eclipsed in the late ’90s by The Eagles Greatest Hits, 1971-1975.) Seven of the record’s nine tracks made the Top 10, and the Quincy Jones-produced hooks remain awe-inspiring. In a cover story about Jackson and Thriller, TIME described him as “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.”
While Jackson had few ambitions at the time beyond global domination, it’s worth noting that “The Girl is Mine” established interracial love as a pop music theme and “Beat It” (with Eddie Van Halen’s guitar solo) bridged arena rock and soul four years before Run DMC met Aerosmith. On March 25, 1983, Jackson may have reached the very peak of his fame when he unveiled his signature dance move, the moonwalk, live on the “Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever” television special.
The years after Thriller, however, were marked by a slow descent into what was first dismissible as eccentricity. Jackson attended the Grammys on a triple date with Emmanuel Lewis and Madonna, purchased a chimpanzee named Bubbles and was diagnosed with vitiligo, a condition that he said was responsible for the steady lightening of his skin. But his songwriting genius remained undeniable. With Lionel Richie Jackson, he co-wrote “We Are the World,” a 1985 charity single that raised an estimated $50 million for famine relief in Africa and ushered in the era of celebrity philanthropy.
After the release of 1987’s Bad, a disappointing follow-up to Thriller, Jackson purchased the 2,800-acre Neverland Ranch in California, and his public weirdness became almost aggressive. In his biography, Moonwalk, Jackson wrote of childhood abuse at the hands of his father and multiple plastic surgeries, subjects he returned to in a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey that was one of the most watched non-sports programs in American history.
Shortly after, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse in a suit brought by Evan Chandler on behalf of his then 13-year-old son Jordan. Chandler told a psychiatrist and police that he and Jackson had engaged in sexual acts that included oral sex; the boy gave a detailed description of Jackson’s genitals. The case was settled out of court for a reported $22 million, but the strain led Jackson to begin taking painkillers. Eventually he became addicted.
To counteract the stigma that came with the allegations of pedophilia, Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley in a relationship Elvis’ only daughter later dismissed as a sham. Two years later they divorced.
Given the tumult in his personal life, it’s no surprise that the 1990s were a barren period for Jackson creatively. In 2001 he managed to pull himself together enough to release Invincible and stage two concerts celebrating his 30th anniversary as a performer at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The shows, held a few days before Sept. 11, were a capsule of all Jackson had become. There were bizarre cameos from friends Marlon Brando, Liza Minnelli and Eliabeth Taylor. Macaulay Culkin sat next to Jackson in a royal box. But several hours after the proceedings began, when Jackson finally took the stage, all the years of Wacko Jacko melted away. Then in his early 40s, he could still dance and sing better than almost anyone in the world, and he still had star power. The Jackson on display in those concerts was one the world admired and the one that will be missed.
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