Michael Jackson

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant figures of the 20th century. Over a four-decade career, his world record music achievements broke racial barriers in America and made him a global figure. Through songs, stages, and fashion, he proliferated visual performance for artists in popular music; popularizing street dance moves including the moonwalk (which he named), the robot, and the anti-gravity lean. Jackson is often deemed the greatest entertainer of all time based on his acclaim and records.

The eighth child of the Jackson family, Michael made his public debut in 1964 at age six, as a member of the Jackson 5 (later known as the Jacksons). After signing with Motown in 1968, the band achieved worldwide success with him as its lead singer. Jackson achieved solo stardom with the release of his fifth album ''Off the Wall'' (1979). He followed it up with ''Thriller'' (1982), the best-selling album of all time, which propelled him to the forefront of pop culture and revolutionized the music video medium with the videos for its title track along with "Beat It" and "Billie Jean". Jackson furthered his position as a global superstar with ''Bad'' (1987), the first album to produce five US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number-one singles: "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana". ''Dangerous'' (1991) marked a new era for Jackson, lauded as his most artistic and socially conscious album. ''HIStory'' (1995) produced "You Are Not Alone", the first song to debut at number one on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, as well as the protest songs "Earth Song" and "They Don't Care About Us". His final album, ''Invincible'', was released in 2001.

From the late 1980s, Jackson became a figure of controversy and speculation due to his changing appearance, relationships, behavior, and lifestyle. He was accused of sexually abusing the child of a family friend in 1993. In 2005, Jackson was tried and acquitted of further child sexual abuse allegations and all other charges. While preparing for a series of comeback concerts, This Is It, Jackson died in 2009 from an overdose of propofol administered by his personal physician Conrad Murray, who was convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter. Jackson's death triggered reactions around the world, creating unprecedented surges of internet traffic and a spike in sales of his music. His televised memorial service, held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, was estimated to have been viewed by more than 2.5 billion people.

Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated sales of over 500 million records worldwide.billion records worldwide.}} He had 13 ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number-one singles (the fourth-highest in Hot 100 history) and is the first artist to have a top-ten single on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in five different decades. Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (twice), the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Dance Hall of Fame (the only recording artist to be inducted). One of the most-awarded artists in popular music, his awards include 13 Grammy Awards, the Grammy Legend Award, and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as three presidential honors. In 1992, Jackson founded Heal the World Foundation, donating an estimated $500 million to charity throughout his lifetime. In 2024, half of his music catalogue sold to Sony for $600 million, the largest music acquisition for a single artist in history. Provided by Wikipedia