[Music] [Applause] we knew him as the King of Pop welcome to watchmojo.com and today we're taking a look at the life and career of Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson was born on August 29th 1958 in Gary Indiana he first got into music in 1954 when he joined his older siblings in the band the Jackson brothers as a backup musician and vocalist the group changed his name to the Jackson 5 shortly after Michael started sharing lead vocal duties with Jermaine my mother caught me making my bed one day and I was singing and she said to
my father that I could sing and he didn't want to hear of it you know he said that jemaine's the beat singer not Michael the mother said Joe you really should hear him sing though Jackson's father was a very strict disciplinarian Michael was a natural talent whose vocals and dance moves quickly turned him into the Jackson 5's main draw the group signed with Motown Records in 1968 and released four number-one singles on the label including I want you back and I'll be there [Music] Jackson released four solo albums on Motown including his solo debut the
January 1972 album gotta be there and August 1972 s been the title track of this sophomore effort gave Jackson his first number-one solo single [Music] meanwhile in June 1975 the Jackson 5 signed with Epic Records and became the Jacksons between 1976 and 1984 the Jacksons released six albums it was during this period that Michael met Quincy Jones while he starred in the 1978 film The Wiz an African American remake of The Wizard of Oz you can't win [Music] people keep saying things that come with a change but they look is like to stay in the
same Jones then went on to produce Jackson's 1979 record off the wall which produced four top ten singles such as don't stop so you get enough and rocky [Music] so Michael had not yet officially left the Jacksons his solo career was taking off next up was 1982 s thriller which became the best-selling album of all time and one Jackson's seven Grammys and eight American Music Awards seven of thrillers nine tracks became top-10 singles including Billie Jean beat it and the girl is mine a duet with Paul McCartney the Jones produced record not only solidified Jackson's
staying power but also helped bring the music video to the next level 1983 saw Jackson reunite with his brothers during a live television performance on the show Motown 25 yesterday today forever on that same special he debuted his now trademark dance move the moonwalk during a solo performance the next year Jackson and his brothers were filming a commercial for Pepsi Cola when Michael's hair was accidentally set on fire this injury is credited by many as having prompted Jackson's obsession with plastic surgery though his look had begun to change prior to the Pepsi fiasco a few
months later he went on tour with his brothers to promote his last album with the Justin's victory [Music] Jackson donated all funds from the Victory Tour to charity while Jackson had collaborated a second time with Paul McCartney on the 1983 single say say say their friendship ended when Michael acquired the publishing rights to most of the Beatles songs by purchasing a TV musics catalog in 1984 the next year Jackson showed his philanthropic streak when he co-wrote the charity song we are the world with Lionel Richie by the mid-1980s Jackson's physical appearance began to change more
obviously he underwent a few cosmetic surgeries as well as treatments for vitiligo a disorder that lightened the color of his skin tabloids were also spreading outrageous rumors about his personal life during this time it's been said that Michael Jackson underwent plastic surgery to make himself look more like you I don't think so is that true no I well I don't think he has no conservatory he's never told me that I don't think so 1986 saw Jackson collaborate with directors George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola on a short and innovative 3d film called Captain EO that
was shown at Disney theme parks by 1987 Jackson's next album bad was finally released though it was not as successful as Thriller it did spawned several number-one singles the bad world tour that followed ultimately became the highest grossing tour of all time 1988 saw Jackson's first autobiography moonwalk hit number one on the New York Times bestseller list that same year he also converted some property into a home and amusement park in California and renamed it Neverland Ranch during the first part of his career Michael Jackson went from being a child star to being one of
the world's biggest entertainers of course there would be much more to come after renewing his contract with Sony in 1991 Jackson released his eighth record dangerous a year later he took the dangerous album on tour and founded the charity organization heal the world Foundation to help disadvantaged children in 1993 the first of the infamous child sexual abuse allegations against Jackson came to light this first suit was settled out of court with a payment of twenty two million dollars to the Chandler family though the singer admitted no wrongdoing it's crazy that guy was after money is
what he wanted the next year Jackson weds Lisa Marie Presley but the marriage ended in divorce in 1996 the double album his story past present and future book 1 was released in 1995 and featured a disc of his greatest hits and another disc of all new songs [Music] this became the best-selling multiple disc album of all time and featured the tracks scream a duet with his sister Janet Jackson and you are not alone which holds the Guinness world record as the first ever single to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 [Music] meanwhile
Jackson had remarried his friend and nurse Debra Jean Rowe during this time the couple had two children Michael Joseph Jackson jr. or Prince was born in 1997 and Paris Michael Katherine Jackson in 1998 the couple divorced the next year though Jackson did not release a full album of new material during this time he did come out with 1997's blood on the dance floor his story in the mix which became the best-selling remix album ever released his tenth and last studio album invincible was released in 2001 on Epic Records following Jackson's dispute with former label Sony
[Music] his third child Prince Michael Jackson the second better known as blanket was born in 2002 though the mother's identity was unknown a few months after his birth Jackson briefly dangled the boy over the balcony of a Berlin hotel in a move that was subsequently widely criticized by the media the media criticism didn't stop there a 2003 Martin Bashir documentary called living with Michael Jackson showcased a controversial scene of Jackson holding hands with a young boy is that right Michael it's very right it's very loving that's what the world needs now more love more the
world the world needs a heart the world needs a man who's 44 sleeping no no no you making out following this the singer was once again accused of child molestation however when the trial ended in 2005 Jackson was acquitted on all counts and he later relocated to Bahrain 2009 started off as an exciting time for MJ fans when the star announced a 50 date London residency that would begin in July of that same year that this is it concert series would mark Michael Jackson's comeback and the 50 year old artist began a rigorous training schedule
however fans were ultimately shocked and saddened when On June 25th 2009 Jackson died of cardiac arrest while in Los Angeles in the midst of rehearsals his personal physician Conrad Murray would later be charged with involuntary manslaughter after it was discovered that he had administered a lethal amount of prescription drugs to the singer shortly before his death a worldwide outpouring of grief followed the news of his passing several websites crashed and sales of his music drastically increased in October 2009 a documentary based on the rehearsals of his sold-out concerts became the highest-grossing documentary or concert movie
of all time at the end of 2010 a compilation brought together all of Jackson's short films on the DVD boxset Michael Jackson's Vision Ubisoft released a video game called Michael Jackson the experience during the same time shortly thereafter the first new album of previously unheard completed Jackson recordings entitled Michael appeared as well renowned for his musical versatility dance choreography and humanitarian efforts his influence on pop culture is immeasurable though he may no longer be with us Michael Jackson will live on forever through his music for more musical BIOS and top 10s published every day be
sure to subscribe to watchmojo.com [Music]
