Michael Jackson has left a strong legacy as an American singer and dancer. He created ten studio albums and won over 748 awards. He is known as the “King of Pop” and much more in our popular culture. The performer had a whole life leading up to these achievements, though.
Early Fame
Michael Jackson was born on August 29th, 1958, in Gary, Indiana. He was born into a family of talented musicians, many of whom gained fame alongside him.
Out of ten Jackson kids, five brothers went on to form the musical group known as the Jackson 5 in 1964. They went on to create nine studio albums together between 1969 and 1975, creating hits like “ABC” and “I’ll Be There”. After their ninth album, the group kept touring. Marlon and Michael announced they were leaving in 1984 after the “Victory” tour ended.
Michael Jackson did not officially leave the group until 1984. However, he released his first album, Got to Be There, in 1972. This album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.
This album was then followed by a second, also released in 1972. The title track “Ben” was his first song to reach #1 on the Billboard charts.
Solo Breakthrough
Michael Jackson released two more albums before his fifth one, Off the Wall, in 1979. This album is seen as his change from a child star to a successful solo artist. This album earned Jackson four top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
A Big Hit
In 1982, he became a superstar after releasing his sixth album, Thriller, with Epic Records. This album remains the best-selling album of all time and has racked up an impressive number of over 70 million copies sold worldwide. This album features some of Michael Jackson’s greatest hits, including the title track “Thriller,” “Beat It,” and “Billie Jean.” When Thriller was released, it changed everything!
Thriller changed promotional standards with a fourteen-minute short film. This film featured Michael Jackson’s Thriller and came with the album. Thriller was directed by John Landis.
The music video’s debut brought MTV many views and showed audiences more of Jackson’s talents. This album won eight out of thirteen of the performer’s Grammy awards. It also broke racial barriers and opened the door for more artists to follow.
Success after Thriller
With the successful album, there was a successful tour. During this tour, Michael Jackson showed his famous moonwalk in a 1983 performance of “Billie Jean.”
Almost five years later, his seventh album, Bad, was released in 1987. It went 11x Platinum and became one of the best-selling albums ever. This further solidified his status as a superstar.
His eighth solo album Dangerous was released in 1991 bringing the world hits like “Black or White” and sold over forty million copies worldwide. After the release of his new music, Michael Jackson gave the U.S. an amazing Super Bowl halftime show in 1993. It is often seen as the best NFL performance ever.
Later Life
Jackson took a break from new releases. In 1994, he married Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley. They divorced just two years later.
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 2001. That same year, he released his tenth and final album called Invincible.
In the years after the artist faced mental health issues and addiction, his struggles made headlines. He died in 2009 from an overdose of prescription painkillers and propofol. His doctor gave him the pills.
In 2011, the doctor was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. He served two years in prison.
Legacy
Michael Jackson’s death was not taken lightly by the world and was met with responses of disbelief, shock, and widespread grief. His musical legacy was celebrated and remembered by fans everywhere as it continues to be today.
- Nyanna Raj
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