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Michael Joseph Jackson (born August 29, 1958) is an American musician and entertainer. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene at the age of eleven as a member of The Jackson 5. Jackson went on to begin a solo career in 1972, becoming a pop icon and named the "King of Pop", in subsequent years. Five of his studio albums, Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995), have become some of the world's best selling pop records. Michael Jackson was unquestionably the biggest pop star of the '80s, and certainly one of the most popular recording artists of all time. In his prime, Jackson was an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the tools to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility, and loads of sheer star power. His 1982 blockbuster Thriller became the biggest-selling album of all time (probably his best-known accomplishment), and he was the first black artist to find stardom on MTV, breaking down innumerable boundaries both for his race and for music video as an art form. Yet as Jackson's career began, very gradually, to descend from the dizzying heights of his peak years, most of the media's attention focused on his increasingly bizarre eccentricities; he was often depicted as an arrested man-child, completely sheltered from adult reality by a life spent in show business. The snickering turned to scandal in 1993, when Jackson was accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy; although he categorically denied the charges, his out-of-court settlement failed to restore his tarnished image. He never quite escaped the stigma of those allegations, and while he continued to sell records at superstar-like levels, he didn't release them with enough frequency (or, many critics thought, inspiration) to once again become better known for his music than his private life. Whether as a pop icon or a tabloid caricature, Jackson always remained bigger than life. Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music in the late 1970s as the first black entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV. The popularity of his videos aired on MTV, such as "Beat It" and "Billie Jean", helped to put the relatively young channel "on the map", while videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made Jackson a staple on MTV into the 1990s. He transformed the music video into an art form and a promotional tool as well. Jackson popularized physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, along with a distinctive musical sound and vocal style that have influenced numerous hip hop, pop, and R&B artists. Jackson has donated and raised several hundred million dollars for beneficial causes, through his Dangerous World Tour, charity singles and support of thirty-nine charities. However other aspects of his personal life has generated significant controversy; plastic surgery, a lightening skin tone due to vitiligo and eccentric behavior have damaged his reputation among the public. He was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993, although the matter was settled out of court. Jackson was tried, and later acquitted, of further child molestation allegations and several other charges in 2005. Jackson has married twice and has three children. He has been the subject of long term financial difficulties and health concerns. Jackson is one of few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. His awards include eight Guinness World Records including one for Thriller, as the worlds best selling album thirteen Grammy Awards, thirteen number one singles in his solo career, and the sale of over 750 million units worldwide. Jackson's highly publicized personal life, coupled with his successful career has made him a part of pop culture for almost four decades. A musical prodigy, Michael's singing and dancing talents were amazingly mature and he soon became the dominant voice and focus of "The Jackson 5." An opening act for such soul groups as the O-Jays and James Brown, it was Gladys Knight (not Diana Ross) who officially brought the group to Berry Gordy's attention, and by 1969 the boys were producing back-to-back chartbusting hits as Motown artists. As a product of the 70s, the boys had emerged as one of the most accomplished black pop/soul vocal groups in music history, successfully evolving from a Temptations-like group act to a disco phenomenon. Solo success for Michael was inevitable, and by the 80s he had become infinitely more popular than his brotherly group. Record sales consistently orbited, culminating in the biggest-selling album of all time, "Thriller." A TV natural, he ventured rather uneasily into films, such as playing the Scarecrow in The Wiz (1978/I), but had better luck with elaborate music videos. In the 90s the down side as an 80s pop phenomenon began to show. Michael grew terribly child-like and introverted by his celebrity. A rather timorous, androgynous figure to begin with, his physical appearance began to change drastically and his behavior grew alarmingly bizarre, making him a consistent target for scandal-making, despite his numerous charitable acts. Two brief marriages -- one to Elvis Presley's daughter Lisa Marie Presley -- were forged and two children produced by his second wife during that time, but the purposes were obviously image oriented. Despite it all, Michael Jackson's skills as a singer, dancer, writer and businessman are unparalleled, and it is these prodigious talents that will ultimately prevail over the extremely negative aspects of his seriously troubled life. Michael Joseph Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana to a working-class family. The son of Joseph Walter (Joe) and Katherine Esther (née Scruse), he was the fifth of six brothers and the seventh of nine children. His brothers and sisters are Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, Randy, Janet, La Toya and Rebbie. Joseph Jackson was a steel mill employee who often performed in an R&B band known as "The Falcons" with his brother, Luther. He was a strict disciplinarian, and many of the Jackson children recall being spanked or whipped by their father for misbehaving. Katherine, a Jehovah's Witness, raised the children in that faith. Michael showed musical talent early in his life, performing in front of his classmates and other audience members during a Christmas recital at his school at the age of five. In 1964, Michael and Marlon joined the "Jackson Brothers", a band begun by brothers Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine, as backup 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". The group recorded a number of singles for the local label Steeltown Records in 1967, and signed with the national Motown Records label in 1968. Rolling Stone described the young Jackson as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts", noting that after Jackson began to dance and sing with his brothers, "he quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer." Even though he 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." The Jackson 5 toured Indiana extensively from 1965 through 1967. After winning a major local talent show in 1966 with renditions of Motown hits and James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)", led by Michael, they began playing professional gigs in Chicago, Illinois and across the mid-eastern United States. Many of these gigs were in a string of black clubs and venues collectively known as the "chitlin' circuit," where the young band often opened for stripteases and other adult acts. The fledgling group set a record when all of their first four singles ("I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There") charted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. During the Jackson 5's early years, Motown's public relations team shortened Michael's age from eleven to nine to make him appear cuter and more accessible to the mainstream audience. 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". Between 1971 and 1975, Michael's voice, according to Rolling Stone, "descended ever so slightly from boy soprano to his current androgynous high tenor." The group's sales began declining in 1973 and they chafed under Motown's strict refusal to allow them creative control or input. Although they scored several top 40 hits, including the top five disco single "Dancing Machine" and the top 20 hit "I Am Love", the Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975. The group signed a new contract with CBS Records in 1976, first joining the Philadelphia International Records division and then Epic Records. Motown Records subsequently sued the group for breach of contract; as a result of the legal proceedings, which were further complicated by the fact that Jermaine Jackson was married to the daughter of Motown president Berry Gordy, the Jacksons lost the rights to use the "Jackson 5" name and logo. Jermaine left the group, choosing to stay at Motown, and the group changed their name to "The Jacksons", featuring youngest brother Randy in Jermaine's place. After the name change, the group's successful career continued, as they toured internationally and released six more albums between 1976 and 1984. Jermaine re-joined in 1983, making "The Jacksons" a sextet. From 1976 to 1984, Michael 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". In 1978, Michael Jackson starred as the Scarecrow in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical The Wiz, with former label mate Diana Ross playing Dorothy. The songs for the musical were arranged by Quincy Jones, who established a partnership with Jackson during the film's production and agreed to produce the singer's next solo album. Off the Wall, issued in 1979, was the first album in music history to have four US top-ten hits, including number one hits "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You". The record itself reached number three on the Billboard album charts, was in the top 20 for 48 consecutive weeks, and sold septuple-Platinum in the United States. Quincy Jones and Jackson jointly produced the album, while the lyrics and music were variously composed by Jackson, Heatwave's Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney, among others. The album eventually sold over fifteen million copies worldwide. Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt the album should have made a much bigger impact and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release. In January 1980, Jackson won three awards for his solo efforts at the American Music Awards; these included 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"). He also won two Billboard Awards later that month, for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album. On February 27, 1980 Jackson won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, also for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". Rolling Stone ranked Off the Wall number 68 on their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and in 2008, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In November 1982 the storybook for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was released, including Jackson's song "Someone in the Dark"; the record won a Grammy for Best Album for Children. A few weeks later Jackson issued his second Epic album, Thriller ; it is one of only three albums to remain in the top ten of the Billboard 200 for a full year, spending eighty consecutive weeks there and thirty-seven of those weeks at number one. It was also the first of three albums to have seven Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 singles and the only album to be the best-seller in the United States for two years (1983–1984). Thriller has been certified 27x platinum by the RIAA, giving it Double Diamond Award status in the U.S., and sold 3.7 million copies in the United Kingdom. The album reached Diamond or Multi-Platinum status in a plethora of countries as well, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, and Spain. Still popular today, Thriller sells an estimated 130,000 copies in the U.S. per year, reaching number two on the U.S. Catalog charts in February 2003 and number 39 in the UK in March 2007. Though sales figures vary with different sources, the album is cited as selling between forty-five million and over one hundred million copies worldwide. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Thriller sold sixty-five million copies as of 2007. The album also became the first in history to spawn seven Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hit singles, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It" and the album's title track, all of which were accompanied by music videos. "Billie Jean"'s video was the first by a black artist to receive regular airplay on MTV. The thirteen-minute "Thriller" video was critically acclaimed and had massive airplay. It was packaged with the featurette Making Michael Jackson's Thriller on VHS, where it became the best-selling music home video ever. On March 25, 1983 Jackson performed "Billie Jean" live on the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever television special. Debuting his signature move the moonwalk his performances during the event led many to perceive him as one of the greatest dancers of all time. The performance was extraordinarily popular, with over 47 million views of the first televised airing. His performance was often compared to Elvis Presley and the The Beatles appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show. A minor incident occurred on January 27, 1984, however; Jackson began filming two Pepsi Cola commercials in front of a simulated live audience at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. As he descended from a podium, fireworks set his hair alight, and he was taken out of the building on a stretcher in front of the public and photographers. The accident was the subject of heavy media scrutiny, with Jackson receiving sympathy from the public and fellow celebrities. Following his burning accident with Pepsi the cola manufacturer gave Jackson $1.5 million, an out of court settlement that he donated to the Michael Jackson Burn Centre. On May 14, 1984 Jackson was invited to the White House to receive an award presented by President Ronald Reagan. The event, notable because an African-American met a Republican president at the White House in the 1980s, was seen as a positive move forward in social views towards race. Thriller put black music on U.S. radio for the first time in years, paving the way for other acts, such as that of Prince. Jackson won eight awards during the 1984 Grammys (in 2008, the Thriller album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame). Unlike later albums, Thriller did not have an official tour to promote it, but the Victory Tour, headlined by The Jacksons and which began on July 6, 1984, showcased much of Jackson's new solo material to more than 2 million Americans. He donated his $5 million share from the Victory Tour to charity. The following year, on March 7, the charity single "We Are the World" was released worldwide to aid people in Africa and the United States. Written primarily by Jackson with help from Lionel Richie, it became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with nearly 20 million copies sold and millions of dollars raised for charity. It was the first instance where Jackson became seen as a humanitarian. Thriller was an enormous hit that made Jackson the seminal icon of American culture at the time. At the age of 25, the New York Times called him a "musical phenomenon," further commenting that "in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else." Time magazine argued that "the fallout from Thriller has given the music business its best years since the heady days of 1978." Stories of Jackson sleeping in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to stall the human process of aging, and allegations that Jackson attempted to purchase the bones of the Elephant Man, began surfacing in tabloids around this time. These inspired the pejorative epithet "Wacko Jacko," a name that Jackson would acquire the following year and came to despise. In 1986, Jackson starred in the George Lucas-produced, 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 some Disney theme parks. Disneyland featured the film in its Tomorrowland area for nearly eleven years, while Walt Disney World screened the film in its Epcot theme park from 1986 to 1994. In 1987, Jackson released Bad; his third album from the Epic Records label, and the final album with producer Quincy Jones. He initially wanted to make the album 30 tracks long, but Jones cut this down to 11. With the industry expecting another monster hit, the release was heavily anticipated as it was Jackson's first album in five years. Jackson hired film director Martin Scorsese to direct the video for the album's title track. When the 18-minute music video debuted, it sparked controversy as Jackson's physical appearance had significantly changed. Bad had lower sales when compared to Thriller, but was still a significant commercial success. In the United States, it spawned seven hit singles, five of which went to number one: "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana". Two decades after it was released, Bad still holds the record for generating more #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 charts than any other album. It went on to sell over 29 million copies worldwide, had over 2 million advance orders, and sold 3.6 million copies in the UK. At the 1993 Grammy Awards, the album was acknowledged as the second best-selling album of all time, but has since been overtaken. In September 1987, Jackson embarked upon his first solo world tour, the Bad World Tour, which had record-breaking attendance figures. In Japan alone, Jackson had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record of 200,000 in a single tour. The tour lasted 16 months, as Jackson performed 123 concerts to 4.5 million fans. This period saw Jackson experience high levels of stardom, previously known to Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and Frank Sinatra, among others. This success led to him to be dubbed the "King of Pop", a nickname conceived by actress and friend Elizabeth Taylor when she presented Jackson with an "Artist of the Decade" award in 1989, proclaiming him "the true king of pop, rock and soul." In 1990, the White House presented the singer with its own special "Artist of the Decade" award, in recognition Jackson's musical influence in the 1980s. It was awarded to him by President George H. W. Bush, who commended Jackson for acquiring a "tremendous following", among other achievements. From 1985 to 1990, Jackson donated $500,000 to the United Negro College Fund and all profits from his 1988 hit single "Man in the Mirror" went to charity. In November 1991, Jackson issued Dangerous, which has 7 million shipments in the United States, sold 2 million copies in the UK and sold 27 million copies worldwide, registering sales figures slightly lower to those of Bad. It became one of the most successful New jack swing albums of all time. Dangerous featured hits, including "Black or White", "Remember the Time", "In the Closet", "Give In To Me", "Heal the World" and "Will You Be There". The album was highly anticipated, as highlighted by an incident at the Los Angeles International Airport that witnessed a group of armed robbers stealing 30,000 copies of the new album before its official release. The biggest hit single in the United States from the album was "Black or White", which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained there for seven weeks, with similar performances around the world. The single was accompanied by a controversial music video, which, on November 14, 1991, simultaneously premiered in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million people, the largest viewing ever for a music video. It featured scenes construed as having a sexual nature as well as depictions of violence. The offending scenes in the final half of the 14-minute version were edited out to prevent the video from being banned. The second single released from Dangerous was "Remember The Time", which spent eight weeks in the Top Five in the United States and hit a peak at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. In 1993, Jackson performed the song at the Soul Train Awards in a wheel chair saying he had an injury in rehearsals. At the ceremony, he was given three awards: "Best Male Single" of the year for "Remember The Time", "Best R&B Album" for Dangerous, and a Humanitarian Award for his charitable contributions to date. In the UK, as well as other parts of Europe, "Heal the World" was the biggest hit from the album. In Britain, it sold 450,000 copies alone and spent five weeks at #2 in 1992. Jackson founded the "Heal the World Foundation" in 1992, in reference to his humanitarian single "Heal the World". The charity organization brought underprivileged children to Jackson's Neverland Ranch, located outside Santa Ynez, California, to go on theme park rides which Jackson had built on the property after he purchased it in 1988. The foundation also sent millions of dollars around the globe to help children threatened by war and disease. All profits from the Dangerous World Tour went to his foundation, raising many millions of dollars in relief. Later that year, Jackson made a high-profile visit to Africa, in which he visited several countries, among them Gabon and Egypt. 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". In his trip to the Ivory Coast, Jackson was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief. 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. In January 1993, he performed during the halftime show at Super Bowl XXVII. It drew one of the largest viewing audiences in the history of American television. Jackson was given the "Living Legend Award" at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. In the late 1980s, Jackson befriended Ryan White, a child suffering from AIDS. White made headlines around the world, fighting against legal and social prejudices towards AIDS victims. Jackson, who was sympathetic to the cause, drew public attention to the disease, something that was still controversial at the time. White died in at the age of eighteen in 1990, Jackson attended the funeral. In 1993, Jackson publically pleaded with the Clinton Administration, at Bill Clintons Inaugural Gala, to give more money to AIDS charities and research. He dedicated the song "Gone Too Soon" from his Dangerous album to White. In 1993, it was revealed that Jackson often allowed children to sleepover at his Neverland ranch, a fact which came under much media and public scrutiny when child molestation allegations were brought against him by a child who had stayed with him on several occasions. Jordan Chandler, the son of former Beverly Hills dentist Evan Chandler, represented by civil lawyer Larry Feldman, accused Jackson of molestation. On December 22, Jackson responded to the allegations via satellite from his Neverland compound and stated that he was "totally innocent of any wrongdoing". In January of 1994 , Jackson settled the issue out of court for an undisclosed sum, reported to be $20 million while Chandler refused to testify. Later that year, Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley. They first meet in 1974, during one of Jacksons family engagements at the MGM Grand and were reconnected through a mutual friend in early 1993. After that they stayed in contact every day over the telephone. As child molestation accusations became public Jackson became dependant on Lisa Marie for emotional support, she was concerned about his faltering health and his addiction to drugs. 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." In one phone call he made to her, she described him as high, incoherent and delusional. Shortly afterwards she tried to persuade Jackson to settle the allegations out of court and go into rehabilitation to recover he subsequently did both. 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?". The marriage was, in her words, "a married couple's life ... that was sexually active". They divorced less than two years later, remaining friends. In June 1995, Jackson released HIStory: Past, Present And Future — Book I, resulting in one Grammy Award for "best video of the year". It debuted at number one on the charts and has sold 15 million copies (30 million units) worldwide, while being certified for seven million shipments in the United States and selling 1.5 million copies in the UK. To promote the album, Jackson embarked on the successful HIStory World Tour, which was attended by more than 4.5 million people. The first disc, HIStory Begins, was a 15-track greatest hits album and was later released as Greatest Hits HIStory Vol. I, in 2001. The second disc, HIStory Continues, contained 15 new songs. The first single released from the album was "Scream", sung and performed with Jackson's youngest sister Janet. The single had the highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100 at #5 and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals". The music video for "Scream" is one of his most critically acclaimed, winning three MTV awards in 1995, a Grammy in 1996, and remains the most expensive music video ever made. "You Are Not Alone" was the second single released from HIStory and would become the first song ever to debut at number one on the Hot 100, beating his previous single "Scream". It was seen as a major artistic and commercial success, receiving a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Performance". "Earth Song" was the third single released from HIStory, accompanied by an expensive but well-received music video that was nominated for a Grammy in 1996 but lost to his earlier video "Scream". The song topped the United Kingdom singles chart for six weeks over Christmas 1995 and sold one million copies, making it his most successful single in Britain. Slash appeared at Jackson's MTV Music Video Awards 1995 performance during "Black or White", played a solo, then played along to the opening of "Billie Jean". Jackson showed a shift in his concerns to environmental issues and ended the night with a message asking for donations for his "Heal the World Foundation". In 1996, at the BRIT awards, Jackson was given a special "Artist of a Generation" award. At the ceremony he performed his single "Earth Song", making a symbolic Christ-like pose while surrounded by children. That led Jarvis Cocker, of the band Pulp, to mount the stage in protest of the performance. Cocker was subsequently questioned by the police on suspicion of causing injury towards three of the children in Jackson's performance, although no criminal proceedings followed. On November 13 of that year, during the Australian leg of the HIStory World Tour, Jackson married his dermatologist's nurse, Deborah Jeanne Rowe, with whom he fathered a son, Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr. (also known as "Prince"), and a daughter, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson. They first meet in the early 1980s when Jackson was diagnosed with Vitiligo. Originally there were no plans to marry but following Rowes first pregnancy, Jacksons mother intervened and persuaded them to. The couple divorced in 1999, with Rowe giving full custody rights of the children over to Jackson. In 1997, Jackson released an album of new material titled Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, with remixes of hit singles from HIStory, and five new songs; it sold 6 million copies worldwide, becoming a best selling remix album. It reached number one in the United Kingdom, as did the title track. In the United States, the album was certified platinum but only reached number twenty-four. Of the new songs in the album, three were released globally: the title track, "Ghosts," and "Is It Scary". The singles "Ghosts" and "Is It Scary" were based on a film created by Jackson called "Ghosts". The short film, written by Jackson and Stephen King and directed by Stan Winston, features many special effects and dance moves choreographed to original music, which Jackson himself authored. The music video for "Ghosts" is over 35 minutes long and holds the record as the world's longest music video. Throughout June of 1999, Jackson was involved with a number of charitable events. He joining Luciano Pavarotti for a benefit concert in Modena, Italy. The show was in support of the non-profit organization Warchild and raised approximately $1 million for the refugees of Kosovo aswell as additional funds for the children of Guatemala. Later that month Jackson organized a set of "Michael Jackson & Friends" benefit concerts in Germany and Korea. Other artists involved included Slash, The Scorpions, Boys II Men, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli, and Luciano Pavarotti. The proceeds went to the "Nelson Mandela Children's Fund", the Red Cross, and UNESCO. In October 2001, Invincible was issued, debuted at number one in thirteen countries, and went on to sell approximately 10 million copies worldwide. this included a double platinum certification in the United States. The album spawned three singles: "You Rock My World," "Cry," and "Butterflies." The sales for Invincible were low compared to his previous releases, which may be due to the lack of a supporting world tour and because only one music video was released to promote the album. While most reviewers felt that the album was one of Jackson's least impressive, negative reviewers often discussed the singer's perceived eccentric image rather than the music. Just before the release of Invincible, Jackson informed the head of Sony Music Entertainment, Tommy Mottola, that he was not going to renew his contract; the contract was on the verge of expiration in terms of supplying the label with albums of new material for release through Epic Records/SME. In 2002, all singles releases, video shootings, and promotions concerning the Invincible album were canceled. Subsequently, Jackson made allegations that Mottola was a "devil" and a "racist" who did not support his African-American artists, using them merely for his own personal gain. He charged that Mottola had called his colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger". On September 7 and September 10, 2001 Jackson organized a special 30th Anniversary celebration at Madison Square Garden for his 30th year of being a solo artist. The show aired on November 13 and featured performances by Mýa, Usher, Whitney Houston, 'N Sync, the Jacksons, Slash, among other artists. In wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks on America, Jackson helped organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C. The concert was aired on October 21, 2001 and included performances from dozens of major artists, including Jackson, who performed his song "What More Can I Give" as the finale. Jackson's third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (also known as Blanket) was born in 2002. The mothers identity has not been released by Jackson but he has said it was the result of artificial insemination, from a surrogate mother and his own sperm cells. In November of that year, a media frenzy, resulting from a picture of Jackson holding his newborn baby outside a hotel window, began. He was surrounded by fans outside his room at the Hotel Adlon who were chanting in support of the singer, who were called out to see his son. In response, Jackson brought his son onto the balcony, holding him in his right arm with a cloth loosely draped over the baby's face in order to protect his identity from the media; this included Jackson briefly extending the baby over the railing of the balcony. In November 2003, Jackson and Sony Records put out a compilation of his number-one hits on CD and DVD titled Number Ones, which sold over 6 million copies worldwide. In the United States it peaked at #13, it has been certified platinum by the RIAA, and in the UK it sold 1.5 million copies. On December 18, 2003, Jackson was charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent in order to commit that felony, all regarding the same boy, Gavin Arvizo, under 14 at the time of the incident. Earlier that year, a Granada Television documentary featuring the pop-singer showed him holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with Avizno, who would later accuse him of child molestation. The felony complaint stated that Jackson had committed seven lewd acts and two acts of administration of an intoxicating agent to enable the former accusations. Jackson denied these allegations, saying that the sleepovers were in no way sexual in nature. Jackson's friend, Elizabeth Taylor, defended him on Larry King Live, saying that she had been there when they "were in the bed, watching television. There was nothing abnormal about it. There was no touchy-feely going on. We laughed like children, and we watched a lot of Walt Disney. There was nothing odd about it." The People v. Jackson trial began in Santa Maria, California on January 31, 2005, and lasted until the end of May 2005; Jackson was acquitted on all counts in June. The District Attorney of Santa Barbara County, Tom Sneddon, has led two efforts against Jackson involving child molestation/ These prosecutions have led to complaints that Sneddon was motivated by a "vendetta" against Jackson. Evidence to support these claims include Sneddon joking about Jackson's greatest hits album being released on the same day as his arrest, calling Jackson "Wacko Jacko," and shouting "we got him, we finally got him" to the media, when he had just began an investigation and gathered limited information or evidence. Following the trial, Jackson relocated to the Persian Gulf island of Bahrain, where he reportedly bought a house formerly owned by a Bahrain Member of Parliament. In September 2005, it was announced that Jackson was producing an all-star charity single entitled "I Have This Dream" to help raise relief funds for victims of Hurricane Katrina. The single has not yet been released. Beginning in February 2006, Sony BMG released Visionary: The Video Singles to the European market: a series of twenty of his biggest hit singles of the 1980s and 1990s. Each single was issued weekly over a five-month period in DualDisc format (DVD video on one side, CD audio on the other), and the whole group of discs was made available as a boxed set afterwards. The boxed set was released in the United States on November 14, 2006. Jackson's first documented public appearance since his trial was in November 2006 when he visited the London office of the Guinness World Records. There, he received eight awards, among them "First Entertainer to Earn More Than 100 Million Dollars in a Year" and "First Entertainer to Sell More Than 100 Million Albums Outside the United States". Jackson was awarded the Diamond Award on November 15, 2006 for selling over 100 million albums at the World Music Awards. Following the death of James Brown, Jackson returned to the United States to pay his respects. He, along with more than 8,000 people, paid tribute during Brown's public funeral on December 30, 2006. In late 2006 Jackson agreed to share joint custody of his first two children with his second ex-wife. On February 11, 2008, Jackson issued Thriller 25, a 25th anniversary edition of his top-selling album Thriller. The album consists of two discs; disc one contains the original nine tracks from Thriller, five remixed Thriller tracks, a song originally recorded in the Thriller era called "For All Time", a voice over by Vincent Price, and included renditions by will.i.am, Fergie, Kanye West, and Akon, with single releases alongside the album. Disc two is a DVD which contains the three music videos from "Thriller" and Jackson's performance of "Billie Jean" at Motown 25. Internationally, "The Girl Is Mine 2008" was released as a single, while in the United States, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" was the first single, both of which were moderately successful. Thriller 25 was a commercial success, having done particularly well as a re-issue, peaking at number one in eight countries, Europe and the United World Chart. It reached number two in the United States, number three in the United Kingdom, and Top 10 on over thirty national charts. In the United States, Thriller 25 was just 14,000 copies short of reaching the number one position selling 166,000 copies. It was ineligible for the Billboard 200 chart as a re-release, but entered the Pop Catalog Charts at number one, where it stayed for ten non-consecutive weeks and had the best sales on that chart since December 1996. This was Jackson's best launch since Invincible in 2001, in 12 weeks the album had sold 556,000 copies in the US, 1.8 million copies worldwide and shipped 3 million copies. 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. However, in the early 1980s Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo and lupus, the latter of which is potentially lethal but is in remission in Jackson's case. Both conditions make Jackson sensitive to overexposure to sunlight, which can cause his lupus condition to reawaken. Jackson first spoke publicly about vitiligo in a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey. To treat both these conditions Jackson uses Solaquin, Retin A and Benoquin. He must also have hydroxychloroquin injected directly into his scalp regularly. Ironically, the treatments he uses for his condition further lightens his skin tone, and with the application of pancake makeup to even out his skin tone, he can appear very pale. The structure of his face has changed as well, and several surgeons have speculated that Jackson has undergone multiple nasal surgeries, a forehead lift, thinned lips, and cheekbone surgery. In 1979, Jackson had his first rhinoplasty after breaking his nose during a complex dance routine. However the surgery was not a complete success and Jackson complained of breathing difficulties that would affect his career. He was referred to Dr. Steven Hoefflin, who would perform his second rhinoplasty, as well as more throughout his career. Jackson had his third rhinoplasty in 1984, another in 1986, and had a cleft put in his chin. By 1990, the full extent of Jackson's surgery was unknown; those close to the singer estimated he underwent ten operations on his face, up to this point. Jackson wrote in his 1988 autobiography Moon Walk that he only had two rhinoplastic surgeries and the surgical creation of a cleft in his chin. In the book, he attributed the change in the structure of his face to puberty and a strict vegetarian diet. Changes to his face are, in part, due to periods of significant weight loss. Jackson became slimmer in the early 1980s because of a change in diet and a desire for "a dancers body". By 1984, Jackson had dropped 20 pounds bringing his weight to 105 pounds, the slimmest he had ever been. Witnesses reported that Jackson was often dizzy and speculated that he was suffering from anorexia nervosa. Following accusations of child molestation in 1993, Jackson began to stop eating, losing even more weight. In late 1995, Jackson was rushed to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance, the incident was caused by a stress related panic attack. During his 2005 trial, the singer again suffered from stress related illnesses and severe weight loss. By the fall of 1993, Jackson was addicted to drugs. He began taking painkillers, Valium, Xanax and Ativan to deal with the stress of the allegations made against him. Jackson's health had deteriorated to the extent that he cancelled the remainder of his tour and went into rehabilitation for a few months. In January 2004 following his upcoming trial, Jackson was being treated for a "dependency" to morphine and Demerol. A number of shrewd business moves early in his career helped Jackson accrue a sizeable fortune. In 1984, he paid for the Thriller music video using his own money, as his label felt the album had already been a success and that a third video was therefore unnecessary. The video was successful and Jackson garnered a sizeable profit. In 1984, he purchased The Beatles' back catalog (outbidding Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono) as well as the copyrights to thousands of other songs for $47.5 million. Jackson merged the catalog with Sony's publishing division in 1995, but retained half-ownership. In 1988, he purchased property near Santa Ynez, California to build Neverland Ranch at a cost of $17 million. The property was valued at approximately $100 million in 2003. In 1989, his annual earnings from album sales, endorsements, and concerts was estimated at $125 million for that year alone. In the early 1990s, Jackson signed a renewed $65 million recording contract and sold the broadcast rights to his Dangerous world tour to HBO for $20 million, both of which were record-breaking deals at the time. Forbes placed his annual income at $35 million in 1996 and $20 million in 1997, despite his commercial peak ending several years prior. His total lifetime earnings from royalties on his solo recordings and music videos, revenue from concerts, and endorsements have been estimated at $500 million, while some analysts have speculated that his music catalog holdings could potentially be worth billions of dollars. In recent years, however, it has been reported that Jackson has experienced financial difficulties. In 1993, he settled a child-molestation lawsuit for an undisclosed sum, estimated to be between $15 million and $25 million. The negative publicity surrounding the settlement impacted his future earnings as well. Jackson has been observed in public spending large amounts of money in an apparently frivolous manner, such as in 2003 when he spent $6 million in a single store, or from money given to charity. Reports of financial problems for Jackson became more frequent in 2006 after the closure of the main house on the Neverland Ranch as a cost-cutting measure. One prominent financial issue for him concerned a $270 million loan secured against his music publishing holdings. After delayed repayments on the loan, a refinancing package in 2005 shifted the loans from Bank of America to debt specialists Fortress Investments. A new package proposed by Sony in April 2006 would have had Jackson borrow an additional $300 million and reduce the interest rate payable on the loan, while giving Sony the future option to buy half of Jackson's stake in their jointly-owned publishing company. Jackson agreed to a Sony-backed refinancing deal, although details were not made public. In 2008, Fortress considered a foreclosure sale of Neverland Ranch to service the loan, but ultimately sold the debt to Colony Capital LLC in May of that year. Jackson's successful career has made him a part of pop culture for almost four decades. Inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1984, Jackson has had a notable impact on music and culture throughout the world, breaking down racial barriers and paving the way for modern pop music in his own country. He transformed the music video into an art form and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameo appearances. The popularity of his videos aired on MTV, such as "Beat It" and "Billie Jean", helped to put the relatively young channel "on the map", while videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made Jackson a staple on MTV into the 1990s. Throughout his four-decade career, he received numerous honors and awards, including the World Music Award's Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium, the American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award, and the Bambi's Pop Artist of the Millennium Award. He is a double-inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (once as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1997 and later as a solo artist in 2001) and an inductee of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. His awards include eight Guinness World Records, thirteen Grammy Awards, thirteen number one singles in his solo career, and the sale of over 750 million units worldwide. He is characterized as "an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the tools to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility, and loads of sheer star power". In the mid-1980s, Time Magazine described Jackson as "the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley". He has also been described as an "extremely important figure in the history of popular culture" and a "genius". In 1990, Vanity Fair named him the "Most popular artist in the history of show business". Jackson's work, distinctive musical sound and vocal style that have influenced numerous hip hop, pop, and R&B artists. Such artists include Mariah Carey, Usher, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Ciara, Ne-Yo, and Chris Brown. Among the most celebrated aspects of Jackson's career have been his dance, which has given rise to impersonators all over the world. He popularized physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. On March 25, 1983, Jackson debuted "Billie Jean" before a live audience during taping of the tribute special Motown 25. Dressed in a glittery black jacket, sparkling silver shirt, tight black pants cuffed high to showcase, white spangled socks, black penny loafers, and a single sequined glove, Jackson signalled the start of his routine by grabbing his crotch and snapping a black fedora to his head. Halfway through the performance Jackson threw his fedora into the crowd. It was during this performance that Jackson debuted a set of dance moves, including the "Moonwalk", a name dubbed by the media, not Jackson. The "moonwalk" followed by a tornado spin, and balancing up on his toes; it has since gone on to become Jackson's trademark dance piece. The performance sealed his position as a dance legend up against the likes of Fred Astaire, and it is also said to match the effect on popular culture that Elvis Presley and The Beatles had when they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. Despite Jackson lip-syncing his song, the audience rose to their feet giving an ovation, and the performance is often cited as one of the greatest live performances of all time. Upon its broadcast on May 16, over 47 million viewers witnessed Jackson's performance. 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". In the late 1980s, Jackson experimented with an innovative 'leaning' move in his music video performances, for which he was granted U.S. Patent 5,255,452. Jackson's later dancing, however, particularly during between 1987 and 1997, has been criticized as overly sexual or even violent, such as the ending of the video for "Black or White", which portrays Jackson demolishing a car while performing a number of highly-sexualized dance moves. He has been known to grab or touch his chest, torso, and crotch, both in live performances as well as in music videos such as "Bad" and "In The Closet". While he has described this as "choreography," it has garnered a mixed reception from both fans and critics, with Time magazine describing it as "infamous". Jackson's outfits have been central components of his image. In the early 1980s he wore one sequined white glove, white socks (with short trousers to emphasize them), and sparkling jackets, including those used in the "Thriller" and "Beat it" music videos. From the late 1980s to late 1990s Jackson shifted to wearing fedoras, military jackets, shin pads, sunglasses, and plasters on his fingers. He continued to wear white socks with short trousers. More recently, Jackson rarely appears in flamboyant costumes, usually a red shirt, black full-length trousers and sunglasses. His hair has gone from short and curly to long and curly, and now to long and straight. Through his "Heal the World" Foundation, Jackson spearheaded airlifts of food and medical supplies to war-torn Sarajevo, instituted mentoring, immunization and drug-abuse education programs and paid for a Hungarian child's liver transplant. Second child, daughter Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, is born. 3 April 1998, Wife, Rowe, gave birth to a son in Beverly Hills, named Prince Michael Jackson Jr. 13 February 1997, Macaulay Culkin is godfather to his two eldest children. Married Lisa Marie Presley in La Vega, Dominican Republic, by Judge Hugo Francisco Alvarez Perez. Witnesses present were Thomas Keough and Eve Darling (Lisa Marie's ex-brother-in-law and his wife, ex-sister-in-law). 26 May 1994, Shares with Carlos Santana and Norah Jones the record for most Grammys won in one year, with eight in 1984. First solo artist to generate four top ten hits on the Billboard charts on one album with "Off the Wall.", First artist to generate seven top ten hits (USA) on one album with "Thriller." Only artist in history to generate five #1 hits (USA) from one album with "Bad.". With Lionel Richie, co-wrote the song "We Are the World," and was one of its performers. His 1982 album "Thriller" is the biggest selling album of all time, with confirmed sales of over 47 million copies worldwide. His 1991 album "Dangerous" is second to "Thriller" as the biggest selling album of all time, with over 20 million copies sold worldwide. His 1987 album "BAD" is third to "Thriller" as the biggest selling album of all time, with 20 million copies sold worldwide. Brother of (in this order) Rebbie Jackson, Jackie Jackson, Tito Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, La Toya Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Randy Jackson and Janet Jackson. Copied his moon walk after mime Marcel Marceau in "walk-against-the- wind" pantomime techniques. Wrote and recorded a song called "On the Line", produced by Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds, for the film Get on the Bus (1996) that was not included on the soundtrack for the film. The name of his 2700-acre ranch near Santa Ynez, California, is Neverland Valley Ranch. It contains Jackson's house, an amusement park co-designed by Macaulay Culkin, a private theater and dance stage, and exotic animals. Once dated Brooke Shields. He is being sued by two former financial advisors for $25 million over alleged unpaid expenses. Jackson denies owing them anything. Claims to have a skin disease called vitiligo. Was a Jehovah's Witness. Uncle of Jermaine Jackson II, Valencia Jackson, Brittany Jackson, Marlon Jackson Jr.. His estate contains a child's mini coaster, Zipper, Bumper cars, Merry go round, octopus, Giant slide and rocking dragon.. There is also a full size basketball court, water wars section (for water gun fights) 2 Trains, (one steam train) and a zoo where he has various exotic animals including elephants, giraffes, alligators, a tiger and even an Anaconda. He does not own the right to the entire Beatles catalogue. For example, the family of the late George Harrison own songs he wrote, including "Something," and Sony music owns 50% of the catalogue after Jackson sold it to them because he needed the money. Son of Katherine Jackson, and Joe Jackson. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 (as a solo artist). Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 (as a member of the Jackson 5). Jackson shocked his fans when he dangled his third child, infant Prince Michael II, over a balcony on the fourth floor of a Berlin, Germany hotel for all hovering fans to see. He later stated that he made "a terrible mistake." Starting with Black or White (1991), Jackson and his record company refer to his music videos, before or since, as "short films," never "videos". Has his look-alike puppet in the French show "Guignols de l'info, Les" (1988). Father of Prince Michael Jackson I, Prince Michael Jackson II, and Paris Jackson. Is the godfather of Michael Gibb, son of Bee Gees frontman Barry Gibb. He and his lawyer, Mark Geragos, sued jet charter company XtraJet for invasion of privacy. The firm allegedly installed hidden cameras to tape the two's confidential attorney-client conversations. A California judge has barred the firm from releasing or selling any footage it may have obtained. In 2002 had planned to produce and star in the movie "The Nightmares of Edgar Allan Poe", about the last years of writer Edgar Allan Poe. He was to star as the famed 19th century author (who was Caucasian), and had written music for the film as well. For a charity event held at the Neverland Ranch in September 2003, for the first time ever, he invited an artist from the outside to perform there. It was Yannick Harrison, also known as Jay Kid, from Denmark that performed a number of his interpretations of Michael Jackson songs for the specially invited guests. Has sold 170 million albums worldwide. Was present at the private funeral service for Maurice Gibb. He was voted the 35th Greatest Artist of all time in Rock 'n' Roll by Rolling Stone. His favourite "Beatles' song is "Come Together" - his version of the song is on "History - Past, Present and Future." Was found not guilty on ten counts of child molestation on 13 June 2005 due to lack of evidence. Ranked #11 in VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Kid Stars" with his brothers as the Jackson Five. He was (along with Tito Jackson) co-best man at Liza Minnelli's and David Gest's wedding. 'Tatum O'Neal (I)' was Jackson's first girlfriend and allegedly his first real love. His hit song "Bad" from 1987 was initially supposed to be a duet with fellow 80's superstar Prince. Prince said in an interview that he did not wish to sing the line "Your butt is mine". Ex-brother-in-law of James DeBarge. President Ronald Reagan wanted to award a special White House medal to Jackson, Bob Hope and the late John Wayne in 1984. However, future Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Roberts advised against the proposal, saying the award was too much for a pop singer. Received a Presidential Humanitarian Award from President Reagan at the White House in May 1984, in recognition of Jackson's contribution to the government's campaign against drunk driving. "Beat It" was used in television advertisements. Jackson joined Chris Tucker, Tony Bennett, former president Bill Clinton and members of the Democratic National Committee at Harlem's Apollo Theatre in New York for a concert fundraiser. Tucker co-hosted the event with actress Cicely Tyson, while Rubén Blades, k.d. lang and Bennett performed. Jackson sang a medley of songs that included "Black or White" and "Smooth Criminal," and was joined by Jane's Addiction guitarist and former Red Hot Chili Pepper David M. Navarro for a portion of his set. (24 April 2002) Attended a memorial service for the late actor Marlon Brando in August 2004, along with Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson and Sean Penn. Addressed the Oxford Union on the subject of child welfare and his new initiative "Heal the Kids". (6 March 2001). Was asked to write and perform the songs for Batman (1989), but had to turn it down due to his concert commitments. In January 2000 Jackson announced he was considering retiring from the music industry, citing his weariness at publicity as a reason. In 1997, Jackson released an album of new material coupled with remixes of hit singles from the "HIStory" album titled "Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix". He dedicated the album to his friend Sir Elton John, who had helped him through his addiction to prescribed painkillers. It went on to sell 6 million copies worldwide, making it the biggest selling remix album of all time. His album "HIStory: Past, Present and Future - Book I" has sold 16 million copies worldwide since its release in 1995, making it the biggest selling multiple-disc album of all time. His 2001 album "Invincible" sold 8 million copies worldwide. In January 1993 Jackson performed during the halftime show at Super Bowl XXVII. It drew the largest viewing audience in the history of American television. In a move named by Jackson's advisers as "refinancing," it was announced in April 2006 that Jackson had struck a deal with Sony and Fortress investments. In the deal Sony may be allowed to take control of half of Jackson's 50% stake in Sony/ ATV Music Publishing (worth an estimated $1 billion) which Jackson co-owns. Jackson would be left with 25% of the catalog, with the rest belonging to Sony. In exchange, Sony negotiated with a loans company on behalf of Jackson. Jackson's $200m in loans were due in December 2005 and were secured on the catalog. Jackson failed to pay and the Bank of America sold them to Fortress investments, a company dealing in distressed loans. However, Jackson hasn't as yet sold any of the remainder of his stake. The possible purchase by Sony of 25% of Sony/ATV Music Publishing is a conditional option; it is assumed the singer will try to avoid having to sell part of the catalog of songs including material by other artists such as Bob Dylan and Destiny's Child. As another part of the deal Jackson was given a new $300 million loan, and a lower interest rate on the old loan to match the original Bank of America rate. When the loan was sold to Fortress investments they increased the interest rate to 20%. Winner of the Brit Award for International Male in 1989. Winner of the British Phonographic Industry Award for International Solo Artist in 1988. Winner of the British Phonographic Industry Award for International Solo Artist in 1984. Was a frequent guest at the infamous "Studio 54". On 27 May 2006, Jackson accepted a Legend Award at MTV Japan's VMA Awards in Tokyo. It was his first public appearance since being found not guilty in his child molestation trial almost a year earlier. The award was honoring his influence and impact in music videos over the past 25 years. Despite a number of surgeons' claims that Jackson has undergone multiple nasal surgeries as well as a forehead lift, thinned lips and cheekbone surgery, Jackson wrote in his 1988 autobiography "Moon Walk" that he only had two rhinoplastic surgeries and the surgical creation of a cleft in his chin, while attributing puberty and diet to the noticeable change in the structure of his face. Jackson hired film director Martin Scorsese to direct the video for the "Bad" album's title track. When the 18-minute music video debuted on television, it sparked a great deal of controversy as it was apparent that Jackson's appearance had changed dramatically. Although Jackson's skin color had been a medium- brown color for the entire duration of his youth, his skin had gradually become paler since 1982, and had now become a light brown color. This was now so noticeable that the entire press took out widespread coverage on it and claimed that Jackson had bleached his own skin. In 1993 Jackson claimed that his changing skin color is due to a skin disorder vitiligo whilst on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" (1986). Performed at the ball for President Bill Clinton's first inauguration on 20 January 1993. "Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection", his third greatest hits package in less than ten years, sold 250,000 copies worldwide following its release in October 2004. "The Essential Michael Jackson", another greatest hits package, debuted at a surprisingly high Number 2 on the UK charts and sold 200,000 copies within five months. In the United States it only reached Number 96 and soon disappeared. Recorded an anti-war song about the US invasion of Iraq, "We've Had Enough", which was included on his greatest hits package "Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection". His greatest hits compilation "Michael Jackson: Number Ones" sold 6 million copies worldwide following its release in November 2003, peaking at Number 1 in most countries except the United States. It had been planned at the last minute after "Resurrection", a follow-up to his 2001 album "Invincible", was canceled. Fortress Investment Group foreclosed and took possession of Jackson's half- interest in the Sony/ATV Music Publishing company, estimated to be worth $1 billion, as well as the entire MiJac Music Publishing company. Promotional videos of his songs directed by, among others, John Landis and John Singleton have cost more than some motion pictures. Paid $1.5 million in 1999 for the Best Picture Oscar awarded to David O. Selznick for Gone with the Wind (1939). Announced his intention to record a charity single dedicated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina entitled, "I Have This Dream". Ciara, Snoop Dogg, R. Kelly, Keyshia Cole, James Ingram, Michael Jackson's brother Jermaine Jackson, Shanice, the Shirley Caesar and The O'Jays all supposedly lent their voices to the charity song. At the time, Jackson's spokesperson, Raymone K. Bain, said the list of performers included Mary J. Blige, 'Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliott', Jay-Z, James Brown and Lenny Kravitz. All of these artists later appeared to be no longer participating. More than a year later, the Katrina Charity Single remains unreleased. (13 September 2005) He is a close friend of the former child star Mark Lester, and is godfather to his children. Former son-in-law of Elvis Presley. Is spoofed in Eminem's music video "Just lose it". Jackson was fired from Two Seas Records, with whom he had signed a recording contract in April 2006 for one album. The album had been set for a fall 2007 release. (September 2006). California state authorities ordered Jackson to close the Neverland Ranch and fined him more than $100,000 for failing to pay the staff there or maintain proper insurance. (March 2006). When Jackson and his brothers performed in England in the early 1970s, he asked to meet actor Mark Lester. "He wanted to meet someone who had a similar background, a child star," Lester said. The result has been a lifelong friendship. Presented with an "Artist of the decade" award by Elizabeth Taylor in 1989, proclaiming him "the true king of pop, rock and soul". Ordered to pay Debbie Rowe $60,000 for legal fees in their battle for custody over of their two children. Los Angeles Judge Robert Schnider gave Jackson until 28 September to obey the order. Rowe had asked for $195,000, but the judge noted that she had received eight million dollars in the divorce. (6 September 2006). Was reported to have attempted suicide in December 2005. His 2001 album "Invincible" had incredibly low sales figures. Instead of blaming this on what was, by most fans and critics, considered mediocre music, he blamed his record label and industry executives, most notably the legendary producer Tommy Mottola, whom Jackson likened to Satan and accused of racism. In October 2002 it was revealed by various international banks that Jackson was in financial debt into the tens of millions of dollars due to various unpaid loans. Some of his favorite pastimes were water balloon fights and climbing trees. He wrote several songs sitting in his favorite tree at Neverland, which he called Giving Tree, because it was so inspiring. Is portrayed by Alex Burrall and Jason Weaver in The Jacksons: An American Dream (1992). Godmother of his daughter Paris Jackson is Elizabeth Taylor. Godmother of his son Prince Michael Jackson I is Elizabeth Taylor. Godfather of Nicole Richie. Besides being godfather to Michael's first child Prince Michael Jackson I, Macaulay Culkin is also godfather to Jackson's daughter Paris Jackson. Did not tour America after the BAD tour in 1987. Received a Special Award for a Generation at the Brit Awards in 1996. Received the World Music Award for world's best-selling album of all time, "Thriller", at the Monte Carlo Sporting Club, on 8 May 1996. Received the Diamond Award for selling more than 100 million albums at the World Music Awards in London on 15 November 2006. Ended more than a year of speculation by buying the British music publishing company ATV Music for a reported £34 million ($50 million) in August 1985. The company owned 40,000 songs, including the Northern Songs catalog which contained all The Beatles songs up to their Apple Days. Jackson outbid Coca-Cola, EMI, CBS (who thereafter looked after the catalog for Jackson) and a very disappointed Paul McCartney, who had originally tried to buy Northern Songs for £21 million ($35 million) in 1981 and then later - again unsuccessfully - in conjunction with Yoko Ono. 1st May 2001: His video for "Thriller" was voted at #1 by VH1 on their countdown of the Top 100 Greatest Videos Of All Time. At #2 was "Like A Prayer" by Madonna. Won a poll of superstars to have his image on a stamp issued by the Virgin Islands in July 1985. He asked that the Virgin Islands donated all revenue (the stamps were priced between 60 cents and $1.50) to welfare and education. Disappointed his fans by singing a few lines from "We Are the World", accompanied by a children's choir, after he had been rumored to perform his 1982 hit "Thriller" as a triumphant comeback at the World Music Awards at Earls Court, London. Jackson left the stage to audible boos from the audience - some of his fans had paid up to £500 a ticket to see him perform. (15 November 2006). Filed complaints against the Independent Television Commission and the Broadcasting Standards Commission of the UK following the documentary Living with Michael Jackson: A Tonight Special (2003). Held his first live concert in four years at Madison Square Garden, New York, in early September 2001. He was paid £10 million for two concerts. Originally intended to begin his solo career when he turned eighteen in 1976, but financial problems forced him to remain with the Jackson Five, renaming themselves The Jacksons for legals reasons, until 1979. While Jackson has claimed 104 million sales for his 1982 album "Thriller", the Guinness Book of World Records has put the figure at 51 million copies sold as of 2006. A $10 million lawsuit filed by Jackson was dismissed by a US judge. The lawsuit was filed against a man from New Jersey who was allegedly in possession of items and memorabilia that Jackson claims were stolen. (14 January 2006). In 1997 a survey declared Jackson the most famous person in the world, ahead of Pope John Paul II and then US President Bill Clinton. It is clear in the opinion of a number of plastic surgeons that Jackson has undergone extensive plastic surgery and it may be said that he is hardly recognizable as the same person he was as an adolescent, but the effectiveness of his cosmetic surgery has been hotly debated. He was the highest earning singer of 1988-1989, with $125 million from his worldwide "BAD" album tour. He was thwarted in his bid to buy the remains of the Victorian "Elephant Man, John Meyrick, in June 1987. The London Medical College told Jackson he would not be allowed to buy it, no matter how much money he offered. Honored by CBS as the "top selling act of the Eighties" in March 1990. Jackson was seen by a record 500,000 people during his seven day stand at Wembley Stadium in July 1988. Moonwalker (1988) was certified as the all-time top selling music video in March 1989. Attended James Brown's funeral in Augusta, Georgia. (30 December 2006). Inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame for his outstanding contribution to British music and integral part of British music culture. He returned to live in the United States on 24 December 2006, setting up residence in Las Vegas. Has sold over 300 million records worldwide. On 13 June 2003, the day after his neighbor and friend of 25 years Gregory Peck died, Jackson went to Peck's house to help his widow plan the memorial service. Peck had once publicly praised the singer as a model parent. The music video for his song "Thriller" was with 13 minutes the longest music video ever, until this record was broken by The Streets with the video for the song "When You Wasn't Famous". Jackson greeted thousands of US troops in a US army base south of Tokyo on 10 March 2007. About 3,000 troops and their family members gathered in a fitness center at Camp Zama. Jackson, after shaking hands with and thanking the troops personally for their service, spoke to the crowd gathered, saying, "Those of you in here today are some of the most special people in the world. It is because of you in here today, and others who so valiantly have given their lives to protect us, that we enjoy our freedom." Jackson also attended a ceremony at the camp for an army member being promoted and put a pin on his uniform. At his peak, Jackson was reportedly worth around $700 million. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002. His 1979 debut solo album "Off the Wall" has sold around 20 million copies worldwide. His 2001 album "Invincible" was his first full album of new material for ten years, since 1991's "Dangerous". Fell out with Quincy Jones after the producer cut half the songs from his 1987 album "BAD". In a 2006 interview with "The Daily Telegraph" newspaper, Jones admitted he had not spoken to Jackson for years. Diagnosed with lupus in 1984. Claims to have given $300 million to charity, more than any other celebrity apart from Oprah Winfrey. Former son-in-law of Priscilla Presley. Childhood school friend of David Gest. Attended the funeral of his close friend Ryan White in April 1990. Longtime supporter of AIDS research. In the early 1970s while still very young and a member of "The Jackson 5", appeared on "The Dating Game" (1965). Roles were reversed; Michael asked questions and picked a date from three eligible "bachelorettes". Jackson's earlier material, such as Off the Wall and Thriller, focused almost exclusively on producing melodies and rhythms characteristics of pop songs. This preoccupation with musical accessibility would continue throughout his future work, even as the material became colored with various shifts and improvisations. Despite the light pop flavor of Jackson's early material, it already displayed foreshadowings of the contradictory thematic elements that would come to characterize his later work. For example, Thriller transitioned seamlessly from the melodious and comfortable sounds of "Lady in My Life" to "Billie Jean" and "Beat It", where women accused Jackson of fathering their children and the outside world seemed strange and hostile. Some critics felt that Bad was focused too much on consolidating a traditional pop sound with the intention of breaking the records set by Jackson's previous albums, and that as a result the lyrics suffered in comparison to his earlier work. The album did, however, leave clues for the themes of isolation that would be explored in future projects, such as the line "A lot of people misunderstand me.... because they don't know me at all" in the introduction to "I Just Can't Stop Loving You". Bad also included Jackson's first major inspirational song, "Man in the Mirror". The song and its accompanying video were praised for their message, sound and imagery, despite being criticized by some as "pure pabulum." Jackson's work in the 1990s was characterized by more introspective material. Some have argued that the Dangerous album represented Jackson at a "near peak" in terms of musical quality and creativity, and received more critical acclaim than his previous Bad album. While Jackson continued to explore some of the themes of his previous work, such as the "predatory lover" motif, (which was continued on the title track to Dangerous) more and more of his music in this decade started addressing sociopolitical issues around the world, such as "Black or White", "Heal the World", "They Don't Care About Us", and "Earth Song". The music in Dangerous, described as a "a sonic machine world" with "synthetic basslines, swooshing scratched records, and clanking metallic noises", reflected old influences while absorbing new trends. This ability to incorporate new developments in the sound of pop music was made all the more pressing by the long intervals between Jackson's albums. HIStory, arguably Jackson's most conflictive album, revealed a "furious" pop icon worn by years of superstardom, with Jon Pareles of the The New York Times writing, "It has been a long time since Michael Jackson was simply a performer. He's the main asset of his own corporation, which is a profitable subsidiary of Sony". The album featured Jackson using profanity and other controversial lyrics, which forced him to modify some of the words to "They Don't Care About Us". Edged onwards by a quasi-messianic flair, he also railed against the media in "Tabloid Junkie", singing, "With your pen you torture me/ You'd crucify the Lord" and that "Just because you read it in a magazine/ Or see it on a TV screen/ Don't make it factual". HIStory mostly encompassed reflective compositions, presenting only one conventional love song, "You Are Not Alone". |
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