Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson

Jackson performing at the Praterstadion in Vienna, Austria on

June 2, 1988

Born Michael Joseph Jackson

August 29, 1958

Gary, Indiana, U.S.

Died June 25, 2009 (aged 50)

Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Cause of Cardiac arrest induced by

death acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication

Burial place Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale,

California, U.S.
Other names Michael Joe Jackson

Occupation  Singer
 songwriter
 dancer

Spouse(s) Lisa Marie Presley

(m. 1994; div. 1996)

Debbie Rowe
(m. 1996; div. 1999)

Children  Michael Jr.

 Paris
 Blanket

Parent(s) Joe Jackson

Katherine Jackson

Family Jackson family

Awards List of awards and nominations

Musical career

Genres  Pop
 soul
 funk
 rhythm and blues
 rock
 disco
 post-disco
 dance-pop
 new jack swing
 Instruments Vocals

Years active 1964–2009

Labels  Steeltown
 Motown
 Epic
 Legacy
 Sony
 MJJ Productions

Associated  The Jackson 5

acts

Website www.michaeljackson.com

Signature

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer,
songwriter, and dancer. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most
significant cultural figures of the 20th century and one of the greatest entertainers.
Jackson's contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal
life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades.
The eighth child of the Jackson family, Michael made his professional debut in 1964 with
his elder brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon as a member of the Jackson 5. He
began his solo career in 1971 while at Motown Records, and in the early 1980s, became
a dominant figure in popular music. His music videos, including those for "Beat It", "Billie
Jean", and "Thriller" from his 1982 album Thriller, are credited with breaking racial
barriers and transforming the medium into an art form and promotional tool. Their
popularity helped bring the television channel MTV to fame. Bad (1987) was the first
album to produce five US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles.[nb 1] He continued to
innovate throughout the 1990s with videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream", and
forged a reputation as a touring artist. Through stage and video performances, Jackson
popularized complicated dance techniques such as the moonwalk, to which he gave the
name. His sound and style have influenced artists of various genres.
Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated sales of over
350 million records worldwide;[nb 2] Thriller is the best-selling album of all time, with
estimated sales of 66 million copies worldwide. His other albums, including Off the
Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), and HIStory (1995), also rank among the
world's best-selling. He won hundreds of awards (more than any other artist in the history
of popular music), has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, and is
the only pop or rock artist to have been inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame. His other
achievements include Guinness world records (including the Most Successful Entertainer
of All Time), 15 Grammy Awards (including the Legend and Lifetime
Achievement awards), 26 American Music Awards (more than any other artist), and
13 number-one US singles (more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era). Jackson
was the first artist to have a top ten single in the Billboard Hot 100 in five different
decades. In 2016, his estate earned $825 million, the highest yearly amount for a celebrity
ever recorded by Forbes.
In the late 1980s, Jackson became a figure of controversy for his changing
appearance, relationships, behavior and lifestyle. In 1993, he was accused of sexually
abusing the child of a family friend. The lawsuit was settled out of court, and Jackson was
not indicted. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further child sexual abuse allegations
and several other charges. In 2009, while preparing for a series of comeback
concerts, This Is It, Jackson died from an overdose of sedatives administered by his
personal physician, Conrad Murray. Jackson's fans around the world expressed their
grief, and his public memorial service was broadcast live. The 2019 documentary Leaving
Neverland details child sexual abuse allegations from two former child friends of Jackson,
which led to an international backlash against him and drew criticism from his fans and
associates.

Contents
 1Life and career
o 1.11958–1975: Early life and the Jackson 5
o 1.21975–1981: Move to Epic and Off the Wall
o 1.31982–1983: Thriller and Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever
o 1.41984–1985: Pepsi, "We Are the World", and business career
 o 1.51986–1987: Changing appearance, tabloids, and films
o 1.61987–1990: Bad, autobiography, and Neverland
o 1.71991–1993: Dangerous, Heal the World Foundation, and Super Bowl
XXVII halftime show
o 1.81993–1995: First child sexual abuse accusations and first marriage
o 1.91995–1997: HIStory, second marriage, and fatherhood
o 1.101997–2002: Label dispute and Invincible
o 1.112002–2005: Second child sexual abuse allegations, trial, and acquittal
o 1.122006–2009: Closure of Neverland, final years, and This Is It
 2Death
o 2.1Memorial service
o 2.2Criminal investigation and prosecution
o 2.3Posthumous sales
o 2.4Posthumous releases and productions
o 2.5Leaving Neverland and posthumous child sexual abuse allegations
 3Legacy and influence
 4Artistry
o 4.1Influences
o 4.2Musicianship
o 4.3Themes and genres
o 4.4Vocal style
o 4.5Music videos and choreography
 5Honors and awards
 6Earnings
 7Discography
 8Filmography
 9Tours
 10Notes
 11References
 o 11.1Citations
o 11.2Print sources
 12External links
Life and career
1958–1975: Early life and the Jackson 5

Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Indiana, pictured in March 2010 with floral tributes
after his death
Michael Joseph Jackson[7][8] was born in Gary, Indiana, near Chicago, on August 29,
1958.[9][10] He was the eighth of ten children in the Jackson family, a working-
class African-American family living in a two-bedroom house on Jackson Street.[11][12] His
mother, Katherine Esther Jackson (née Scruse), played clarinet and piano, had aspired
to be a country-and-western performer, and worked part-time at Sears.[13] She was
a Jehovah's Witness.[14] His father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, a former boxer, was a
crane operator at U.S. Steel and played guitar with a local rhythm and blues band, the
Falcons, to supplement the family's income.[15][16] His father's great-grandfather, July
"Jack" Gale, was a Native American medicine man and US Army scout.[17] Michael grew
up with three sisters (Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet) and five brothers
(Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy).[15] A sixth brother, Marlon's twin Brandon,
died shortly after birth.[18]
Joe acknowledged that he regularly whipped Michael;[19] Michael said his father told him
he had a "fat nose,"[20] and regularly physically and emotionally abused him during
rehearsals. He recalled that Joe often sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his
siblings rehearsed, ready to physically punish any mistakes.[14][21] Katherine Jackson
stated that although whipping is considered abuse in more modern times, it was a
common way to discipline children when Michael was growing up. [22][23] Jackie, Tito,
Jermaine and Marlon have said that their father was not abusive and that the whippings,
which were harder on Michael because he was younger, kept them disciplined and out of
trouble.[24] In an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 1993, Jackson said that his youth had
been lonely and isolated.[25]
In 1964, Michael and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by their father
which included Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine—as backup musicians
[26]
playing congas and tambourine. In 1965, Michael began sharing lead vocals with
Jermaine, and the group's name was changed to the Jackson 5.[27] The following year,
the group won a talent show; Michael performed the dance to Robert Parker's 1965 song
"Barefootin'" and singing lead to The Temptations' "My Girl."[28] From 1966 to 1968 they
toured the Midwest; they frequently played at a string of black clubs known as the "Chitlin'
Circuit" as the opening act for artists such as Sam & Dave, the O'Jays, Gladys Knight,
and Etta James. The Jackson 5 also performed at clubs and cocktail lounges,
where striptease shows were featured, and at local auditoriums and high school
dances.[29][30] In August 1967, while touring the East Coast, they won a weekly amateur
night concert at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.[31]

Jackson (center) as a member of the Jackson 5 in 1972

The Jackson 5 recorded several songs for a Gary record label, Steeltown Records; their
first single, "Big Boy", was released in 1968.[32] Bobby Taylor of Bobby Taylor & the
Vancouvers brought the Jackson 5 to Motown after the group opened for Taylor at
Chicago's Regal Theater in 1968. Taylor also produced some of their early recordings for
the label, including a version of "Who's Lovin' You."[33] After signing with Motown, the
Jackson family relocated from Gary to Los Angeles. [34] In 1969, executives at Motown
decided Diana Ross should introduce the Jackson 5 to the public—partly to bolster her
career in television—sending off what was considered Motown's last product of its
"production line".[35] The Jackson 5 made their first television appearance in 1969 in the
Miss Black America Pageant where they performed a cover of "It's Your Thing."[36] Rolling
Stone later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts"
who "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer".[37]
In January 1970, "I Want You Back" became the first Jackson 5 song to reach number
one the US Billboard Hot 100; it stayed there for four weeks. Three more singles with
Motown—"ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There"—also topped the chart.[38] In
May 1971, the Jackson family moved into a large house on a two-acre estate in Encino,
California.[39] During this period, Michael developed from a child performer into a teen
idol.[40] As he emerged as a solo performer in the early 1970s, he maintained ties to the
Jackson 5. Between 1972 and 1975, Michael released four solo studio albums with
Motown: Got to Be There (1972), Ben (1972), Music & Me (1973), and Forever,
Michael (1975).[41] "Got to Be There" and "Ben," the title tracks from his first two solo
albums, sold well as singles, as did a cover of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin."[42]
The Jackson 5 were later described as "a cutting-edge example of black crossover
artists."[43] They were frustrated by Motown's refusal to allow them creative
input.[44] Jackson's performance of their top five single "Dancing Machine" on Soul
Train popularized the robot dance.[45]
1975–1981: Move to Epic and Off the Wall

From left, back row: Jackie Jackson, Michael Jackson, Tito Jackson, Marlon Jackson.
Middle row: Randy Jackson, La Toya Jackson, Rebbie Jackson. Front row: Janet
Jackson (1977)
In 1975, the Jackson 5 left Motown. They signed with Epic Records, a subsidiary of CBS
Records,[46] and renamed themselves the Jacksons. Their younger brother Randy joined
the band around this time; Jermaine stayed with Motown and pursued a solo
career.[47] The Jacksons continued to tour internationally, and released six more albums
between 1976 and 1984. Michael, the group's main songwriter during this time, wrote
songs such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" (1979), "This Place Hotel"
(1980), and "Can You Feel It" (1980).[26]
In 1978, Jackson moved to New York City to star as the Scarecrow in The Wiz, a musical
directed by Sidney Lumet. It costarred Diana Ross, Nipsey Russell, and Ted
Ross.[48] The film was a box-office failure.[49] Its score was arranged by Quincy
Jones,[50] who later produced three of Jackson's solo albums.[51] During his time in New
York, Jackson frequented the Studio 54 nightclub, where he heard early hip hop; this
influenced his beatboxing on future tracks such as "Working Day and Night".[52] In 1979,
Jackson broke his nose during a dance routine. A rhinoplasty led to breathing difficulties
that later affected his career. He was referred to Steven Hoefflin, who performed
Jackson's subsequent operations.[53]
Jackson's fifth solo album, Off the Wall (1979), established him as a solo performer and
helped him move from the bubblegum pop of his youth to more complex sounds.[40] It
produced four top 10 entries in the US: "Off the Wall", "She's Out of My Life", and the
chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You".[54] The album
reached number three on the US Billboard 200 and sold over 20 million copies
worldwide.[55] In 1980, Jackson won three American Music Awards for his solo work:
Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single
for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[56][57] He also won a Grammy Award for Best Male
R&B Vocal Performance for 1979 with "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". [58] In 1981
Jackson was the American Music Awards winner for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and
Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist.[59] Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a bigger
impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release. [60] In 1980, he
secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album
profit.[61]
1982–1983: Thriller and Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever
Jackson recorded with Queen singer Freddie Mercury from 1981 to 1983, recording
demos of "State of Shock", "Victory" and "There Must Be More to Life Than This". The
recordings were intended for an album of duets but, according to Queen's manager Jim
Beach, the relationship soured when Jackson brought a llama into the recording
studio,[62] and Jackson was upset by Mercury's drug use.[63] The songs were released in
2014.[64] Jackson went on to record "State of Shock" with Mick Jagger for the Jacksons'
album Victory (1984).[65] In 1982, Jackson contributed "Someone in the Dark" to
the storybook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Jackson's sixth album, Thriller, was
released in late 1982. It was the best-selling album worldwide in 1983,[66][67] and became
the best-selling album of all time in the US[68] and the best-selling album of all time
worldwide, selling an estimated 66 million copies.[69] It topped the Billboard 200 chart for
37 weeks and was in the top 10 of the 200 for 80 consecutive weeks. It was the first album
to have seven Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It", and
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' ".[70]
On March 25, 1983, Jackson reunited with his brothers for Motown 25: Yesterday, Today,
Forever, an NBC television special. The show aired on May 16, 1983, to an estimated
audience of 47 million, and featured the Jacksons and other Motown stars.[71] Jackson's
solo performance of "Billie Jean" earned him his first Emmy
[72]
Award nomination. Wearing a glove decorated with rhinestones, he debuted [73]

his moonwalk dance, which Jeffrey Daniel had taught him three years earlier, and it
became his signature dance in his repertoire.[74] Jackson had originally turned down the
invitation to the show, believing he had been doing too much television. But at the request
of Motown founder Berry Gordy, he performed in exchange for an opportunity to do a solo
performance.[75] Rolling Stone reporter Mikal Gilmore called the performance
"extraordinary."[40] Jackson's performance drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and the
Beatles' appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.[76] Anna Kisselgoff of The New York
Times praised the perfect timing and technique involved in the dance.[77] Gordy described
being "mesmerized" by the performance.[78]

The sequined jacket and white glove worn by Jackson at Motown 25: Yesterday, Today,
Forever
At the 26th Annual Grammy Awards, Thriller won eight awards, while Jackson also won
an award for the E.T. the Extra-Terrestial storybook. Winning eight Grammys in one
ceremony is a record he holds with the band Santana.[58] Jackson and Quincy Jones won
the award for Producer of the Year (Non-Classical). Thriller won Album of the Year (with
Jackson as the album's artist and Jones as its co-producer), and the single won Best Pop
Vocal Performance (Male) award for Jackson. "Beat It" won Record of the Year and Best
Rock Vocal Performance (Male). "Billie Jean" won two Grammy awards: Best R&B Song
and Best R&B Vocal Performance (Male), with Jackson as songwriter and singer
respectively.[58] Thriller also won the Grammy for Best Engineered Recording (Non
Classical), acknowledging Bruce Swedien for his work on the album.[79] At the 11th
Annual American Music Awards, Jackson won another eight awards and became the
youngest artist to win the Award of Merit.[80] He also won Favorite Male Artist, Favorite
Soul/R&B Artist, and Favorite Pop/Rock Artist. "Beat It" won Favorite Soul/R&B Video,
Favorite Pop/Rock Video and Favorite Pop/Rock Single. The album collectively won
Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Pop/Rock Album.[80][81]
Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point, with about $2 for
every album sold, and was making record-breaking profits. Dolls modeled after Jackson
appeared in stores in May 1984 for $12 each.[82] In the same year, The Making of Michael
Jackson's Thriller, a music documentary, won a Grammy for Best Music Video
(Longform).[58] Time 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." [82] The New York Times wrote "in the
world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else." [83]
1984–1985: Pepsi, "We Are the World", and business career
In November 1983, Jackson and his brothers partnered with PepsiCo in a $5 million
promotional deal that broke records for a celebrity endorsement. The first Pepsi
campaign, which ran in the US from 1983 to 1984 and launched its "New Generation"
theme, included tour sponsorship, public relations events, and in-store displays. Jackson
helped to create the advertisement, and suggested using his song "Billie Jean", with
revised lyrics, as its jingle.[84]
On January 27, 1984, Michael and other members of the Jacksons filmed a Pepsi
commercial overseen by Phil Dusenberry,[85] a BBDO ad agency executive, and Alan
Pottasch, Pepsi's Worldwide Creative Director, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
During a simulated concert before a full house of fans, pyrotechnics accidentally set
Jackson's hair on fire, causing second-degree burns to his scalp. Jackson underwent
treatment to hide the scars and had his third rhinoplasty shortly thereafter.[53] Pepsi settled
out of court, and Jackson donated the $1.5 million settlement to the Brotman Medical
Center in Culver City, California; its Michael Jackson Burn Center is named in his
honor.[86] Jackson signed a second agreement with Pepsi in the late 1980s for $10 million.
The second campaign covered 20 countries and provided financial support for
Jackson's Bad album and 1987–88 world tour. Jackson had endorsements and
advertising deals with other companies, such as LA Gear, Suzuki, and Sony, but none
were as significant as his deals with Pepsi.[84]
On May 14, 1984, President Ronald Reagan gave Jackson an award for his support of
alcohol and drug abuse charities,[87] and in recognition of his support for the Ad Council's
and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Drunk Driving Prevention
campaign. Jackson allowed the campaign to use "Beat It" for its public service
announcements.[88]

President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan present Jackson with an award
at the White House on May 14, 1984
Jackson inside the White House with the Reagans
The Victory Tour of 1984 headlined the Jacksons and showcased Jackson's new solo
material to more than two million Americans. It was the last tour he did with his
brothers.[89] Following controversy over the concert's ticket sales, Jackson donated his
share of the proceeds, an estimated $3 to 5 million, to charity.[90] During the last concert
of the Victory Tour at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Jackson announced his split
from The Jacksons during "Shake Your Body". [91] His charitable work continued with the
release of "We Are the World" (1985), co-written with Lionel Richie,[92] which raised
money for the poor in the US and Africa.[93] It earned $63 million,[93] and became one of
the best-selling singles of all time, with 20 million copies sold.[94] It won four Grammys for
1985, including Song of the Year for Jackson and Richie as its writers. [92] The project's
creators received two special American Music Awards honors: one for the creation of the
song and another for the USA for Africa idea. Jackson, Jones, and promoter Ken Kragan
received special awards for their roles in the song's creation.[92][95][96][97]
Jackson collaborated with Paul McCartney in the early 1980s, and learned that
McCartney was making $40 million a year from owning the rights to other artists'
songs.[93] By 1983, Jackson had begun buying publishing rights to others' songs, but he
was careful with his acquisitions, only bidding on a few of the dozens that were offered to
him. Jackson's early acquisitions of music catalogs and song copyrights such as the Sly
Stone collection included "Everyday People" (1968), Len Barry's "1-2-3" (1965), and Dion
DiMucci's "The Wanderer" (1961) and "Runaround Sue" (1961).
In 1984 Robert Holmes à Court announced he was selling the ATV Music
Publishing catalog comprising the publishing rights to nearly 4000 songs, including most
of the Beatles' material.[98] In 1981, McCartney had been offered the catalog for £20
million ($40 million).[93][99] Jackson submitted a bid of $46 million on November 20,
1984.[98] When Jackson and McCartney were unable to make a joint purchase,
McCartney did not want to be the sole owner of the Beatles' songs, and did not pursue
an offer on his own.[100][99] Jackson's agents were unable to come to a deal, and in May
1985 left talks after having spent more than $1 million and four months of due
diligence work on the negotiations.[98] In June 1985, Jackson and Branca learned
that Charles Koppelman's and Marty Bandier's The Entertainment Company had made a
tentative offer to buy ATV Music for $50 million; in early August, Holmes à Court contacted
Jackson and talks resumed. Jackson's increased bid of $47.5 million was accepted
because he could close the deal more quickly, having already completed due
diligence.[98] Jackson also agreed to visit Holmes à Court in Australia, where he would
appear on the Channel Seven Perth Telethon.[101] Jackson's purchase of ATV Music was
finalized on August 10, 1985.[93][98]
1986–1987: Changing appearance, tabloids, and films
See also: Health and appearance of Michael Jackson
Jackson's skin had been medium-brown during his youth, but from the mid-1980s
gradually grew paler. The change drew widespread media coverage, including
speculation that he had been bleaching his skin.[102][103][104] Jackson's
dermatologist, Arnold Klein, said he observed in 1983 that Jackson had vitiligo,[105] a
condition characterized by patches of the skin losing their pigment, and sensitivity to
sunlight. He also identified discoid lupus erythematosus in Jackson. He diagnosed
Jackson with lupus that year,[105] and with vitiligo in 1986.[106] Vitiligo's drastic effects on
the body can cause psychological distress. Jackson used fair-colored makeup,[107] and
possibly skin-bleaching prescription creams,[108] to cover up the uneven blotches of color
caused by the illness. The creams would have further lightened his skin, and, with the
application of makeup, he could appear very pale.[109] Jackson said he had not purposely
bleached his skin and could not control his vitiligo, adding, "When people make up stories
that I don't want to be who I am, it hurts me."[110] He became friends with Klein and Klein's
nurse Debbie Rowe. Rowe later became Jackson's second wife and the mother of his
first two children.[111]
In his autobiography and the 1993 interview with Winfrey, Jackson said he had had
two rhinoplasty surgeries and a cleft chin surgery but no more than that. He said he lost
weight in the early 1980s because of a change in diet to achieve a dancer's
body.[112] Witnesses reported that he was often dizzy, and speculated he was suffering
from anorexia nervosa. Periods of weight loss became a recurring problem later in his
life.[113] After his death, his mother Katherine told Winfrey that he first turned to cosmetic
procedures to remedy his vitiligo, because he did not want to look like a "spotted cow."
She said her son had received more than the two cosmetic surgeries he claimed and
speculated that he was addicted to them.[114]
In 1986, tabloids reported that Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow
aging, and pictured him lying in a glass box. The claim was untrue, and tabloids reported
that he spread the story himself.[115] It was also reported, by the tabloids, that Jackson
took female hormone shots to keep his voice high and facial hair wispy, proposed
to Elizabeth Taylor and possibly had a shrine of her, and had cosmetic surgery on his
eyes. Jackson's manager Frank DiLeo denied all of them, except for Jackson having a
chamber. DiLeo added "I don't know if he sleeps in it. I'm not for it. But Michael thinks it's
something that's probably healthy for him. He's a bit of a health fanatic." [116]
When Jackson took his pet chimpanzee Bubbles to tour in Japan, their public
appearances caused a stir in the media. They portrayed Jackson as an aspiring Disney
cartoon character who befriended various animals. [117] Meanwhile, it was also reported
that Jackson had offered to buy the bones of Joseph Merrick (the "Elephant Man").[118] In
June 1987, the Chicago Tribune reported Jackson's publicist bidding $1 million for the
skeleton to the London Hospital Medical College on his behalf. The college maintained
the skeleton was not for sale. DiLeo said Jackson had an "absorbing interest" in Merrick,
"purely based on his awareness of the ethical, medical and historical significance." [119]
These tabloid stories inspired the name "Wacko Jacko," which Jackson came to
despise.[8][120] According to music journalist Joseph Vogel, the demeaning name first
appeared in British tabloid The Sun in 1985. The name's origins come from Jacko
Macacco, the name of a famous monkey used in monkey-baiting matches at the
Westminster Pit in the early 1820s. "Jacko" was subsequently used in Cockney slang to
refer to monkeys in general, hence a racist connotation behind the name.[121]
In 1987, Rolling Stone described Jackson as "the flighty-genius star-child, a celebrity
virtually all his life, who dwells in a fairy-tale kingdom of fellow celebrities, animals,
mannequins and cartoons, who provides endless fodder for the tabloids.... But it’s the
same child in Michael who inspires the artistry that fuels all the subsidiary industries, who
turns his primal fears and fantasies into wondrous, hyperkinetic and emotional music."[117]
Jackson worked with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola on the 17-minute $30
million 3D film Captain EO, which ran from 1986 at Disneyland and Epcot, and later
at Tokyo Disneyland and Euro Disneyland.[122] After having been removed in the late
1990s, it returned to the theme park for several years after Jackson's death. [123] In 1987,
Jackson disassociated himself from the Jehovah's Witnesses.[124] Katherine Jackson said
this might have been because some Witnesses strongly opposed
the Thriller video. [125] Jackson had denounced it in a Witness publication in 1984.[126]
1987–1990: Bad, autobiography, and Neverland

Jackson (center) performing in 1988

Jackson's first album in five years, Bad (1987), was highly anticipated, with the industry
expecting another major success.[127] It became the first album to produce five US
number-one singles: "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel",
"Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana". Another song, "Smooth Criminal", peaked at
number seven.[54] Bad won the 1988 Grammy for Best Engineered Recording – Non
Classical and the 1990 Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form for "Leave Me
Alone".[58][79] Jackson won an Award of Achievement at the American Music Awards in
1989 after Bad generated five number-one singles, became the first album to top the
charts in 25 countries and the best-selling album worldwide in 1987 and 1988.[128][129] By
2012, it had sold between 30 and 45 million copies worldwide. [130][131]
The Bad world tour ran from September 12, 1987 to January 14, 1989. [132] In Japan, the
tour had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record for a
single tour.[133] The 504,000 people who attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley
Stadium set a new Guinness world record.[134]

Jackson wore a gold-plated military style jacket with belt during the Bad era
In 1988, Jackson released his autobiography, Moonwalk, with input from Stephen Davis
and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.[135] It sold 200,000 copies,[136] and reached the top
of the New York Times bestsellers list.[137] Jackson discussed his childhood, the Jackson
5, and the abuse from his father.[138] He attributed his changing facial appearance to three
plastic surgeries, puberty, weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hairstyle, and
stage lighting.[139][112] In October, Jackson released a film, Moonwalker, which featured
live footage and short films starring Jackson and Joe Pesci. In the US it was
released direct-to-video and became the best-selling video cassette.[140][141] The RIAA
certified it as Platinum.[142]
In March 1988, Jackson purchased 2,700 acres (11 km2) of land near Santa Ynez,
California, to build a new home, Neverland Ranch, at a cost of $17 million.[143] He installed
a Ferris wheel, a carousel, a movie theater and a zoo.[143][144][145] A security staff of 40
patrolled the grounds.[144] Shortly afterwards, he appeared in the first Western television
advertisement in the Soviet Union.[146]
Jackson became known as the "King of Pop", a nickname that Jackson's publicists
embraced.[21][147][148] When Elizabeth Taylor presented him with the Soul Train Heritage
Award in 1989, she called him "the true king of pop, rock and soul."[149] President George
H. W. Bush designated him the White House's "Artist of the Decade". [150] From 1985 to
1990, Jackson donated $455,000 to the United Negro College Fund,[151] and all profits
from his single "Man in the Mirror" went to charity.[152] His rendition of "You Were There"
at Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th birthday celebration won Jackson a second Emmy
nomination.[72]
1991–1993: Dangerous, Heal the World Foundation, and Super Bowl XXVII halftime
show
In March 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65 million, a record-breaking
deal,[153] beating Neil Diamond's renewal contract with Columbia Records.[154] In 1991, he
released his eighth album, Dangerous, co-produced with Teddy Riley.[155] It was certified
seven times platinum in the US, and by 2008 had sold 30 million copies
worldwide.[156][157] In the US, the first single, "Black or White", was the album's highest
charting song; it was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks and achieved
similar chart performances worldwide.[158] The second single, "Remember the Time"
peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[159] At the end of
1992, Dangerous was the best-selling album of the year worldwide and "Black or White"
the best-selling single of the year worldwide at the Billboard Music Awards. Jackson was
also the best-selling artist of the 1980s.[160] In 1993, he performed "Remember the Time"
at the Soul Train Music Awards in a chair, saying he twisted his ankle during dance
rehearsals.[161] In the UK, "Heal the World" made No. 2 on the charts in 1992.[162]

Jackson during the Dangerous World Tour in 1993

Jackson founded the Heal the World Foundation in 1992. The charity brought
underprivileged children to Jackson's ranch to use the theme park rides, and sent millions
of dollars around the globe to help children threatened by war, poverty, and disease. That
July, Jackson published his second book, Dancing the Dream, a collection of poetry.
The Dangerous World Tour ran between June 1992 and November 1993 and
grossed $100 million; Jackson performed for 3.5 million people in 70 concerts, all of which
were outside the US.[163] Part of the proceeds went to Heal the World
Foundation.[164] Jackson sold the broadcast rights of the tour to HBO for $20 million, a
record-breaking deal that still stands.[165]
Following the death of HIV/AIDS spokesperson and friend Ryan White, Jackson pleaded
with the Clinton administration at Bill Clinton's inaugural gala to give more money to
HIV/AIDS charities and research[166][167] and performed "Gone Too Soon", a song
dedicated to White, and "Heal the World" at the gala.[168] Jackson visited Africa in early
1992; on his first stop in Gabon he was greeted by more than 100,000 people, some of
them carrying signs that read "Welcome Home Michael".[169] During his trip to Ivory Coast,
Jackson was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief. He thanked the dignitaries in French
and English, signed documents formalizing his kingship, and sat on a golden throne while
presiding over ceremonial dances.[169]
In January 1993, Jackson performed at the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show in Pasadena,
California. The NFL sought a big-name artist to keep ratings high during halftime following
dwindling audience figures.[170][171] It was the first Super Bowl whose half-time
performance drew greater audience figures than the game. Jackson played "Jam", "Billie
Jean", "Black or White", and "Heal the World". Dangerous rose 90 places in the album
chart after the performance.[102]
Jackson gave a 90-minute interview to Winfrey on February 10, 1993. He spoke of his
childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he believed he had missed out on much of his
childhood, and said that he often cried from loneliness. He denied tabloid rumors that he
had bought the bones of the Elephant Man, slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, or
bleached his skin, and stated for the first time that he had vitiligo. Dangerous re-entered
the album chart in the top 10, more than a year after its release.[21][102]
In January 1993, Jackson won three American Music Awards: Favorite Pop/Rock Album
(Dangerous), Favorite Soul/R&B Single ("Remember the Time"), and was the first to win
the International Artist Award of Excellence.[172][173] In February, he won the "Living
Legend Award" at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.[58] He attended the
award ceremony with Brooke Shields.[174] Dangerous was nominated for Best Vocal
Performance (for "Black or White"), Best R&B Vocal Performance ("Jam") and Best R&B
Song ("Jam"), and Swedien and Riley won the award for Best Engineered – Non
Classical.[79]
1993–1995: First child sexual abuse accusations and first marriage
Main article: 1993 child sexual abuse accusations against Michael Jackson
In August 1993, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy, Jordan
Chandler, and his father, Evan Chandler.[175] Jordan said he and Jackson had engaged
in acts of kissing, masturbation and oral sex.[176] Jordan's mother initially told police that
she did not believe Jackson had molested her son; however, her position wavered a few
days later.[177][178] Evan was recorded discussing his intention to pursue charges, which
Jackson used to argue that he was the victim of a jealous father trying to extort
money.[178] Jackson's older sister La Toya accused him of being a pedophile, which she
later retracted.[179] Police raided Jackson's home in December and found books and
photographs featuring young boys with little or no clothing. The books were legal to own,
and Jackson was not indicted.[180] Jordan Chandler gave police a description of Jackson's
genitals. A strip search was made, and the jurors felt the description was not a
match.[181][182][183] In January 1994, Jackson settled with the Chandlers out of court for $25
million.[184] The police never pressed criminal charges.[185] Citing a lack of evidence
without Jordan's testimony, the state closed its investigation on September 22, 1994. [186]
Jackson had been taking painkillers for his reconstructive scalp surgeries, administered
due to the Pepsi commercial accident in 1984, and became dependent on them to cope
with the stress of the sexual abuse allegations.[187] On November 12, 1993, Jackson
canceled the remainder of the Dangerous Tour due to health problems, stress from the
allegations and painkiller addiction. He thanked close friend Elizabeth Taylor for support,
encouragement and counsel. The end of the tour concluded his relationship with Pepsi-
Cola which sponsored the tour.[188]
In late 1993 Jackson proposed to Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley, over the
phone.[189] They married in La Vega, Dominican Republic in May 1994 by civil judge Hugo
Francisco Alvarez Perez.[190] The tabloid media speculated that the wedding was a
publicity stunt to deflect Jackson's sexual abuse allegations and jump-start Presley's
career as a singer.[191][190] Their marriage ended little more than a year later, and they
separated in December 1995.[192] Presley cited "irreconcilable differences" when filing for
divorce the next month and only sought to reclaim her maiden name as her
settlement.[191][193] After the divorce, Judge Perez said, "They lasted longer than I thought
they would. I gave them a year. They lasted a year and a half." [190]
1995–1997: HIStory, second marriage, and fatherhood
In June 1995, Jackson released the double album HIStory: Past, Present and Future,
Book I. The first disc, HIStory Begins, is a greatest hits album (reissued in 2001
as Greatest Hits: HIStory, Volume I). The second disc, HIStory Continues, contains 13
original songs and two cover versions. The album debuted at number one on the charts
and has been certified for seven million shipments in the US.[194] It is the best-selling multi-
disc album of all time, with 20 million copies (40 million units) sold
worldwide.[158][195] HIStory received a Grammy nomination for Album of the
Year.[58] The New York Times reviewed it as "the testimony of a musician whose self-pity
now equals his talent".[196]
The first single from HIStory was "Scream/Childhood". "Scream", a duet with Jackson's
youngest sister Janet, protests the media's treatment of Jackson during the 1993 child
abuse allegations against him. The single made number five on the Billboard Hot
100,[159] and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration with
Vocals".[58] The second single, "You Are Not Alone", holds the Guinness world record for
the first song to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[197] It received a
Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Performance" in 1995.[58]
In 1995 the Anti-Defamation League and other groups complained that "Jew me, sue me,
everybody do me/ Kick me, kike me, don't you black or white me", the original lyrics of
"They Don't Care About Us", were antisemitic. Jackson released a version with revised
words.[198][199]
In late 1995, Jackson was admitted to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a
televised performance, caused by a stress-related panic attack.[200] In November,
Jackson merged his ATV Music catalog with Sony's music publishing division,
creating Sony/ATV Music Publishing. He retained ownership of half the company, earning
$95 million up front as well as the rights to more songs.[201][202]
"Earth Song" was the third single released from HIStory, and topped the UK Singles
Chart for six weeks over Christmas 1995.[162] It became the 87th-best selling single in the
nation.[203] At the 1996 Brit Awards, Jackson's performance of "Earth Song" was disrupted
by a drunken Jarvis Cocker and his Pulp band-mate Peter Mansell, who were protesting
what Cocker saw as Jackson's "Christ-like" persona. Jackson said the stage invasion was
"disgusting and cowardly".[204][205]
In 1996, Jackson won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form for "Scream" and an
American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist.[58][206]
Jackson promoted HIStory with the HIStory World Tour, from September 7, 1996 to
October 15, 1997. He performed 82 concerts in five continents, 35 countries and 58 cities
to over 4.5 million fans, his most attended tour. It grossed $165 million.[132] During the
tour, in Sydney, Australia, Jackson married Debbie Rowe, a dermatology nurse, who was
six months pregnant with his first child.[207] Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. (commonly known
as Prince) was born on February 13, 1997; his sister Paris-Michael Katherine
Jackson was born a year later on April 3, 1998.[208] Jackson and Rowe divorced in 1999,
and Rowe conceded custody of the children, with an $8 million settlement. In 2004, after
the second child abuse allegations against Jackson, she returned to court to reclaim
custody. The suit was settled in 2006.[209]
In 1997, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, which contained
remixes of singles from HIStory and five new songs. Worldwide sales stand at 6
million copies, making it the best-selling remix album of all time. It reached number one
in the UK, as did the title track.[210] In the US, the album reached number 24 and was
certified platinum.[156]
1997–2002: Label dispute and Invincible
Jackson at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival for the Michael Jackson's Ghosts music video
premiere
From October 1997 to September 2001, Jackson worked on his tenth solo
album, Invincible, which cost $30 million to record.[211] In June 1999, Jackson
joined Luciano Pavarotti for a War Child benefit concert in Modena, Italy. The show raised
a million dollars for refugees of the Kosovo War, and additional funds for the children of
Guatemala.[212] Later that month, Jackson organized a series of "Michael Jackson &
Friends" benefit concerts in Germany and Korea. Other artists involved
included Slash, The Scorpions, Boyz II Men, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, A. R.
Rahman, Prabhu Deva Sundaram, Shobana, Andrea Bocelli, and Luciano Pavarotti. The
proceeds went to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, the Red
Cross and UNESCO. [213] From August 1999 to 2000, he lived in New York City at 4 East
74th Street. [214] At the turn of the century, Jackson won an American Music Award as
Artist of the 1980s.[215] In 2000, Guinness World Records recognized him for supporting
39 charities, more than any other entertainer.[216]
In September 2001, two 30th Anniversary concerts were held at Madison Square Garden
to mark Jackson's 30th year as a solo artist. Jackson performed with his brothers for the
first time since 1984. The show also featured Mýa, Usher, Whitney Houston, Destiny's
Child, Monica, Liza Minnelli, and Slash. The first show was marred by technical lapses,
and the crowd booed a speech by Marlon Brando.[217] Almost 30 million people watched
the television broadcast of the shows in November.[218] After 9/11, Jackson helped
organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at RFK Stadium in
Washington, D.C. on October 21, 2001. Jackson performed "What More Can I Give" as
the finale.[219]
The release of Invincible was preceded by a dispute between Jackson and his record
label, Sony Music Entertainment. Jackson had expected the licenses to the masters of
his albums to revert to him in the early 2000s, after which he would be able to promote
the material however he pleased and keep the profits, but clauses in the contract set the
revert date years into the future. Jackson sought an early exit from his
contract.[220] Invincible was released on October 30, 2001. It was Jackson's first full-length
album in six years, and the last album of original material he released in his lifetime.[220] It
debuted at number one in 13 countries and went on to sell 6 million copies worldwide,
receiving double-platinum certification in the US.[156][158]
On January 9, 2002, Jackson won his 22nd American Music Award for Artist of the
Century.[221][222] Later that year, an anonymous surrogate mother gave birth to his third
child, Prince Michael Jackson II (nicknamed "Blanket"), who had been conceived
by artificial insemination.[223] On November 20, Jackson briefly held Blanket over the
railing of his Berlin hotel room, four stories above ground level, prompting widespread
criticism in the media. Jackson apologized for the incident, calling it "a terrible
mistake."[224] On January 22, promoter Marcel Avram filed a breach of contract complaint
against Jackson for failing to perform two planned 1999 concerts.[225] In March, a Santa
Maria jury ordered Jackson to pay Avram $5.3 million. [226][227] On December 18, 2003,
Jackson's attorneys dropped all appeals on the verdict and settled the lawsuit for an
undisclosed amount.[228]
In July 2002, Jackson called Sony Music chairman Tommy Mottola "a racist, and very,
very, very devilish," and someone who exploits black artists for his own gain, at Al
Sharpton's National Action Network in Harlem. The accusation prompted Sharpton to
form a coalition investigating whether Mottola exploited black artists. [229] Jackson also
charged that Mottola had called his colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger".[230] Responding to
those attacks, Sony issued a statement calling them "ludicrous, spiteful, and hurtful" and
defended Mottola as someone who had championed Jackson's career for many
years.[229] Sony ultimately refused to renew Jackson's contract and claimed that a $25
million promotional campaign had failed because Jackson refused to tour in the US
for Invincible.[211]
2002–2005: Second child sexual abuse allegations, trial, and acquittal
Further information: Living with Michael Jackson and Trial of Michael Jackson

Jackson's mug shot in 2003

Beginning in May 2002, a documentary film crew led by Martin Bashir followed Jackson
for several months.[224] The documentary, broadcast in February 2003 as Living with
Michael Jackson, showed Jackson holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements
with a 12-year-old boy.[20][231] He also said that he saw nothing wrong with having
sleepovers with minors and sharing his bed and bedroom with various people, which
aroused controversy. He insisted that the sleepovers were not sexual and that his words
had been misunderstood.[232][233]
On December 18, 2003, Santa Barbara authorities charged Jackson with seven counts
of child molestation and two counts of intoxicating a minor with alcoholic
drinks.[234] Jackson denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty. [235] The People v.
Jackson trial began on January 31, 2005, in Santa Maria, California, and lasted until the
end of May. Jackson found the experience stressful and it affected his health. If convicted,
he would have faced up to 20 years in prison. [236] On June 13, 2005, Jackson was
acquitted on all counts.[237] After the trial, he became reclusive[238] and moved to Bahrain
as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah.[239] Jermaine Jackson later said the family had planned to
send Jackson there had he been convicted, unbeknownst to Jackson. [240]
On November 18, 2003, Sony released Number Ones, a greatest hits compilation. It was
certified triple platinum by the RIAA, and six times platinum in the UK, for shipments of at
least 1.2 million units.[156][241]
2006–2009: Closure of Neverland, final years, and This Is It

Jackson and his son Blanket in Disneyland Paris, 2006

In April 2006, Jackson agreed to use a piece of his ATV catalog stake as collateral against
his $270 million worth of loans to Bank of America. The catalog was worth about $1 billion
at the time. Bank of America had sold the loans to Fortress Investments, an investment
company that buys distressed loans, the year before. As part of the agreement, Fortress
Investments provided Jackson a new loan of $300 million with reduced interest payments.
Sony Music would have the option to buy half of his stake, or about 25% of the catalog,
at a set price. Jackson's financial managers had urged him to shed part of his stake to
avoid bankruptcy.[202][242] The main house at Neverland Ranch was closed as a cost-
cutting measure, while Jackson lived in Bahrain at the hospitality of Sheik Abdullah, the
ruler's son. At least 30 workers had not been paid on time and were owed $306,000 in
back wages; Jackson also had to pay $100,000 in penalties.[243][202]
In early 2006, it was announced that Jackson had signed a contract with a Bahrain-based
startup, Two Seas Records; nothing came of the deal, and Two Seas CEO Guy
Holmes later stated that it had never been finalized. [244][245] That October, Fox
News entertainment reporter Roger Friedman said Jackson had been recording at a
studio in County Westmeath, Ireland. It was not known at the time what Jackson was
working on, or who had paid for the sessions; his publicist had stated that he had left Two
Seas by then.[245][246]
In November 2006, Jackson invited an Access Hollywood camera crew into the studio in
Westmeath, and MSNBC reported that he was working on a new album, produced
by will.i.am.[158] During his period in Ireland he sought out Patrick Treacy for cosmetic
treatment after reading about his experience with hyaluronic acid (HLA) fillers and his
charitable work in Africa.[247] Treacy became Jackson's personal dermatologist soon
afterward.[248] On November 15, 2006, Jackson performed at the World Music Awards in
London and accepted the Diamond Award honoring the sale of over 100 million of his
records.[158][249] He returned to the US in December 2006 to attend James Brown's funeral
in Augusta, Georgia, where he gave a eulogy calling Brown his "greatest inspiration." [250]
In 2007, Jackson and Sony bought another music publishing company, Famous Music
LLC, formerly owned by Viacom. This deal gave him the rights to songs
by Eminem and Beck, among others.[251][252] In March 2007, Jackson gave a brief
interview to the Associated Press in Tokyo, in which he said he had no regrets about his
lifelong career despite difficulties and "deliberate attempts to hurt [him]." [253] That month,
Jackson visited a US Army post in Japan, Camp Zama, to greet over 3,000 troops and
their families.[254][255]
In September 2007, Jackson was still working on his next album, which he never
completed.[256] In 2008, Jackson and Sony released Thriller 25 to mark the 25th
anniversary of the original Thriller. Two remixes were released as singles: "The Girl Is
Mine 2008" (with will.i.am), based on an early demo version of the song without Paul
McCartney, and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" with Akon.[257] For Jackson's 50th
birthday, Sony BMG released a series of greatest hits albums titled King of Pop. Different
versions were released in various countries, based on polls of local fans.[258]
An aerial view of part of Jackson's 2,800-acre (11 km2) Neverland Valley Ranch near Los
Olivos, California, showing the rides
In 2008, Fortress Investments threatened to foreclose on Neverland Ranch, which
Jackson had used as collateral for his loans. Fortress sold Jackson's debts to Colony
Capital LLC.[259][260] In November, Jackson transferred Neverland Ranch's title to
Sycamore Valley Ranch Company LLC, a joint venture between Jackson and Colony
Capital LLC. The deal earned him $35 million.[261] Jackson arranged to sell a large
collection of his memorabilia (more than 1,000 items) through Julien's Auction House.
The auction was scheduled to take place between April 22 and 25, 2009. On the eve of
the first public exhibit in March, Jackson filed a legal action to block the auction. Darren
Julien, CEO of Julien's Auctions, was baffled by Jackson's sudden change of heart.
Jackson changed his mind after pocketing between $200 million to $300 million of initial
sales from a series of concerts to be held in London.[262][238]
In March 2009, at a press conference at The O2 Arena, Jackson announced a series of
comeback concerts titled This Is It amid speculation about his finances and
health.[263] The shows were to be his first major tour since the HIStory World Tour that
ended in 1997. Jackson suggested he would retire after the shows. The initial plan was
for 10 concerts in London, followed by shows in Paris, New York City and Mumbai. Randy
Phillips, president and chief executive of AEG Live, predicted the first 10 dates would earn
Jackson £50 million.[264] The London residency show increased to 50 dates after record-
breaking ticket sales; over one million sold in less than two hours.[265] The concerts were
to run from July 13, 2009 to March 6, 2010. Jackson rehearsed in Los Angeles in the
weeks leading up to the tour under the direction of choreographer Kenny Ortega, whom
he worked with during his previous tours. Most rehearsals took place at the Staples
Center owned by AEG.[266]
Death
Main articles: Death of Michael Jackson and Michael Jackson memorial service

Fans placed flowers and notes on Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on the
day of his death
On June 25, 2009, less than three weeks before the first show was due to begin in
London, with all concerts sold out, Jackson died from a cardiac arrest.[267] Conrad Murray,
his personal physician, had given Jackson various medications to help him sleep at his
rented mansion in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles. Paramedics received a 911 call at 12:22
pm Pacific time (19:22 UTC), and arrived three minutes later.[268][269] Jackson was not
breathing and CPR was performed.[270] Resuscitation efforts continued en route
to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and for more than an hour after arriving there,
but were unsuccessful,[271][272] and he was pronounced dead at 2:26 pm Pacific time
(21:26 UTC).[273][274]
Jackson had taken propofol, lorazepam, and midazolam;[275] his death was caused by a
propofol overdose.[276][272] News of his death spread quickly online, causing websites to
slow down and crash from user overload,[277] and putting unprecedented strain[278] on
services and websites including Google,[279] AOL Instant Messenger,[278] Twitter, and
Wikipedia.[279] Overall, web traffic rose by between 11% and 20%.[280][281] MTV
and BET aired marathons of Jackson's music videos.[282] Jackson specials aired on
television stations around the world.[283] MTV briefly returned to its original music video
format,[9] and aired hours of Jackson's music videos, with live news specials featuring
reactions from MTV personalities and other celebrities.[284]
Memorial service

Jackson's tomb in the Holly Terrace of the Great Mausoleum, Forest Lawn Glendale
Jackson's memorial was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles,
preceded by a private family service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park's Hall of Liberty. Over
1.6 million fans applied for tickets to the memorial; the 8,750 recipients were drawn at
random, and each received two tickets.[285] The memorial service was one of the most
watched events in streaming history,[286] with an estimated US audience of 31.1
million.[287]
Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Hudson, and Shaheen
Jafargholi performed at the event. Smokey Robinson and Queen Latifah gave
eulogies.[288] Al Sharpton received a standing ovation with cheers when he told Jackson's
children, "Wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had
to deal with. But he dealt with it anyway." [289] Jackson's 11-year-old daughter Paris
Katherine, speaking publicly for the first time, wept as she addressed the
crowd.[290][291] The Rev. Lucious Smith provided a closing prayer.[292] Jackson's body was
entombed on September 3, 2009, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale,
California.[293]
Criminal investigation and prosecution

Fan tributes at Jackson's tomb on the first anniversary of his death

In August 2009, the Los Angeles County Coroner ruled that Jackson's death was
a homicide.[294][295] Law enforcement officials charged Murray with involuntary
manslaughter on February 8, 2010.[296]
On June 25, 2010, the first anniversary of Jackson's death, fans, family and friends visited
Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, his family home, and Forest Lawn
Memorial Park. Many left tributes at the sites.[297][298]
Murray's trial took place from September 27 to November 7, 2011, and he was found
guilty of involuntary manslaughter[299] and held without bail to await sentencing.[300] 22
days after the trial ended, Murray received the maximum sentence of four years in
prison.[301] He was released on October 28, 2013[302] due to California prison
overcrowding and good behavior.[303]
Posthumous sales
At the 2009 American Music Awards, Jackson won four posthumous awards, including
two for his compilation album Number Ones, bringing his total American Music Awards to
26.[304][305] In the year after his death, more than 8.2 million of Jackson's albums sold in
the US, and 35 million albums worldwide, more than any other artist in 2009.[306][307] He
became the first artist to sell one million music downloads in a week, with 2.6 million song
downloads. Thriller, Number Ones and The Essential Michael Jackson became the first
catalog albums to outsell any new album.[308] Jackson also became the first artist to have
four of the top 20 best-selling albums in a single year in the US.[306]
On March 16, 2010, following the surge in sales, Sony Music signed a $250 million deal
with the Jackson estate to extend their distribution rights to Jackson's back catalog until
at least 2017; it had been due to expire in 2015. It was the most expensive music contract
for a single artist in history.[309][310] They also agreed to release ten albums of previously
unreleased material and new collections of released work. [309][311] In 2017, Sony Music
Entertainment extended its deal with the estate;[312] that July, a Los Angeles court
awarded Jones $9.4 million of disputed royalty payments for Off the
Wall, Thriller and Bad.[51] In July 2018, Sony/ATV bought the estate's stake in EMI for
$287.5 million.[313]
In 2014, Jackson became the first artist to have a top ten single in the Billboard Hot 100
in five different decades.[314] In December 2015, Thriller was certified for 30 million
shipments by the RIAA, one of only two albums to do so in the US.[4] A year later, it was
certified at 33× platinum, after Soundscan added streams and audio downloads to album
certifications.[315][nb 3]
Posthumous releases and productions
The first posthumous Jackson song, "This Is It", co-written in the 1980s with Paul Anka,
was released in October 2009. The surviving Jackson brothers reunited to record backing
vocals.[317] On October 28, 2009, Sony released a documentary film about the
rehearsals, Michael Jackson's This Is It.[318] Despite a limited two-week engagement, it
became the highest-grossing documentary or concert film ever, with earnings of more
than $260 million worldwide.[319] Jackson's estate received 90% of the profits.[320] The film
was accompanied by a compilation album of the same name.[321] In late 2010, Sony
released the first posthumous album, Michael and the promotional single "Breaking
News". Some doubt was cast upon whether the voice on some tracks was genuinely
Jackson's.[322]
Video game developer Ubisoft released a music video game featuring Jackson for the
2010 holiday season, Michael Jackson: The Experience; it was among the first games to
use Kinect and PlayStation Move, the motion-detecting camera systems for Xbox
360 and PlayStation 3 respectively.[323] Xscape, an album of unreleased material, was
released on May 13, 2014.[324] Later that year, Queen released three duets recorded with
Jackson and Freddie Mercury in the 1980s.[64] A compilation album, Scream, was
released on September 29, 2017.[325]
In October 2011, the theater company Cirque du Soleil launched Michael Jackson: The
Immortal World Tour, a $57-million production,[326] in Montreal, with a permanent
show resident in Las Vegas.[327] A larger and more theatrical Cirque show, Michael
Jackson: One, designed for residency at the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas, opened
on May 23, 2013 in a renovated theater.[328][329] A jukebox musical, Don't Stop 'Til You
Get Enough, is due to debut on Broadway in mid-2020.[330] The musical is directed and
choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon and features a book by Lynn Nottage.[331] It
was delayed and a pre-Broadway run in Chicago was canceled in the wake of the
renewed claims of child sexual abuse.[332][333]
In April 2011, Mohamed Al-Fayed, chairman of Fulham Football Club, unveiled a statue
of Jackson outside the club stadium, Craven Cottage.[334] It was moved to the National
Football Museum in Manchester in May 2014,[335] then removed from display in March
2019 following renewed sexual assault allegations.[336]
In 2012, in an attempt to end a family dispute, Jackson's brother Jermaine retracted his
signature on a public letter criticizing executors of Jackson's estate and his mother's
advisers over the legitimacy of his brother's will.[337] T.J. Jackson, son of Tito Jackson,
was given co-guardianship of Michael Jackson's children after false reports of Katherine
Jackson going missing.[338]
Leaving Neverland and posthumous child sexual abuse allegations
Main article: Leaving Neverland

Jackson and Safechuck (right) in Honolulu, Hawaii (1988)

In 2013, choreographer Wade Robson filed a lawsuit alleging that Jackson had sexually
abused him for seven years, beginning when he was seven years old. [339] In 2014, a case
was filed by James Safechuck, alleging sexual abuse over a four-year period from the
age of ten.[340][341][342] Both had testified in Jackson's defense during the 1993 allegations;
Robson did so again in 2005.[343][344] In 2015, Robson's case against Jackson's estate
was dismissed on the grounds of being filed too late. Safechuck's claim was also time
barred.[345] In 2017, it was ruled that Jackson's corporations could not be held accountable
for his alleged past actions.[346][347] Their individual lawsuits are currently on appeal.[348]
Robson and Safechuck and their stories became the subject of the documentary Leaving
Neverland. The documentary covered their allegations of Jackson sexually abusing them
in graphic detail, saying Jackson abused them "hundreds of times."[349] Radio stations in
New Zealand, Canada, the UK and the Netherlands removed Jackson's music from their
playlists indefinitely.[332][350][351] Jackson's family condemned the film as a "public
lynching."[352] The Jackson estate released a statement calling the film a "tabloid
character assassination [Jackson] endured in life, and now in death".[353] The film drew
criticism from Jackson fans. Close associates of Jackson, such as Corey Feldman, Aaron
Carter, Brett Barnes, and Macaulay Culkin, said that Jackson had not molested
them.[354][355][356]
At the same time, Jackson's albums rose in the charts following the
documentary. Number Ones jumped to No. 23 in the UK iTunes charts. The Essential
Michael Jackson climbed to No. 76; Thriller climbed to No. 133 and Bad to No.
142.[357] Billboard senior editor Gail Mitchell said she and a colleague interviewed about
thirty music executives who believed Jackson's legacy could withstand the
controversy.[358]
On February 21, the Jackson estate sued HBO for breaching a non-disparagement clause
from a 1992 contract. The suit sought to compel HBO to participate in a non-confidential
arbitration that could result in $100 million or more in damages rewarded to the
estate.[359] HBO said they did not breach a contract and filed an anti-SLAPP motion
against the estate. On September 20, Judge George H. Wu denied HBO's motion to
dismiss the case, allowing the Jackson estate to arbitrate.[360]
Legacy and influence
See also: Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, List of Michael Jackson records and
achievements, and List of artists influenced by Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson graffiti in Santa Cruz, California

Jackson has been referred to as the "King of Pop" because he transformed the art of
music videos and paved the way for modern pop music. For much of Jackson's career,
he had an unparalleled worldwide influence over the younger generation. [199] His music
and videos, such as Thriller, fostered racial diversity in MTV's roster and steered its focus
from rock to pop music and R&B, shaping the channel into a form that proved
enduring.[40] He is recognized as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time by Guinness
World Records.[361][362] He is considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the
20th century,[363] and his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his
publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four
decades.[364][365][366]
Danyel Smith, the chief content officer of Vibe Media Group and the editor-in-chief
of Vibe describes Jackson as "The Greatest Star".[367] Huey calls Jackson "an
unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the skills to dominate the charts seemingly at
will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility
and loads of sheer star power".[8] BET said Jackson was "quite simply the greatest
entertainer of all time" and someone who "revolutionized the music video and brought
dances like the moonwalk to the world. Jackson's sound, style, movement and legacy
continues to inspire artists of all genres."[368]
In 1984, Time magazine's pop critic Jay Cocks wrote that "Jackson is the biggest thing
since the Beatles. He is the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley. He just may
be the most popular black singer ever."[82] In 2003, The Daily Telegraph writer Tom
Utley described Jackson as "extremely important" and a "genius". [369] In 2007, Jackson
said: "Music has been my outlet, my gift to all of the lovers in this world. Through it, my
music, I know I will live forever."[370]
At Jackson's memorial service on July 7, 2009, Motown founder Berry Gordy called
Jackson "the greatest entertainer that ever lived". [371][372] In a June 28, 2009 Baltimore
Sun article, Jill Rosen wrote that Jackson's legacy influenced fields including sound,
dance, fashion, music videos and celebrity.[373]
In July 2009, the Lunar Republic Society named a crater on the Moon after Jackson.[374] In
August, for what would have been Jackson's 51st birthday, Google dedicated
their Google Doodle to him.[375] In 2010, two university librarians found that there were
references to Jackson in academic writing on music, popular culture, chemistry and other
topics.[376][377] On December 19, 2014, the British Council of Cultural Relations deemed
Jackson's life one of the 80 most important cultural moments of the 20th century. [378]
Robert Christgau wrote that Jackson's work from the 1970s to the early 1990s showed
"immense originality, adaptability, and ambition" that "generate[d] genius beats, hooks,
arrangements, and vocals (though not lyrics)"; music that "will stand forever as a reproach
to the puritanical notion that pop music is slick or shallow and that's the end of it." During
the 1990s as Jackson lost control of his "troubling life", his music suffered and began to
shape "an arc not merely of promise fulfilled and outlived, but of something approaching
tragedy: a phenomenally ebullient child star tops himself like none before, only to
transmute audibly into a lost weirdo."[379] Jackson's image by the 2000s—his "obsession
with fame, his grotesque life magnified by his grotesque wealth"—had become what
Christgau called "such an offense to rock aesthetes that the fact that he's a great musician
is now often forgotten."[380]
Artistry
Influences
Jackson was influenced by musicians including James Brown, Little Richard, Jackie
Wilson, Diana Ross, Fred Astaire, Sammy Davis Jr., Gene Kelly,[381] and David
Ruffin.[382] Little Richard had a substantial influence on Jackson,[383] but Brown was his
greatest inspiration; he later said that as a small child, his mother would waken him
whenever Brown appeared on television. Jackson described being "mesmerized".[384]
Jackson's vocal technique was influenced by Diana Ross; his use of the oooh interjection
from a young age was something Ross had used on many of her songs with the
Supremes.[385] She was a mother figure to him, and he often watched her rehearse.[386] He
said he had learned a lot from watching how she moved and sang, and that she had
encouraged him to have confidence in himself.[387]
Choreographer David Winters, who met Jackson while choreographing the 1971 Diana
Ross TV special Diana!, said that Jackson watched the musical West Side Story almost
every week, and it was his favorite film; he paid tribute to it in "Beat It" and the "Bad"
video.[388][389][390]
Musicianship
Jackson had no formal music training and could not read or write music notation; he is
credited for playing guitar, keyboard and drums, but was not proficient in them.[391] When
composing, he recorded ideas by beatboxing and imitating instruments
vocally.[391] Describing the process, he said: "I'll just sing the bass part into the tape
recorder. I'll take that bass lick and put the chords of the melody over the bass lick and
that's what inspires the melody." Engineer Robert Hoffman recalled Jackson dictating a
guitar chord note by note and singing string arrangements part by part into a cassette
recorder.[391]
Themes and genres

Jackson in June 1988, in Vienna, during his Bad world tour

Jackson explored genres including pop,[8][392] soul,[8][144] rhythm and
blues, [392] funk,[393] rock, [392][393] disco, [394] post-disco, [393] dance-pop[395] and new jack
swing.[8] Steve Huey of AllMusic wrote that Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall;
the dance and rock tracks were more aggressive, while the pop tunes and ballads were
softer and more soulful.[8] Its tracks included the ballads "The Lady in My Life", "Human
Nature", and "The Girl Is Mine",[396][397][398] the funk pieces "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be
Startin' Somethin'",[396][397] and the disco set "Baby Be Mine" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young
Thing)".[398]
With Off the Wall, Jackson's "vocabulary of grunts, squeals, hiccups, moans, and asides"
vividly showed his maturation into an adult, Robert Christgau wrote in Christgau's Record
Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981). The album's title track suggested to the
critic a parallel between Jackson and Stevie Wonder's "oddball" music personas: "Since
childhood his main contact with the real world has been on stage and in
bed."[399] With Thriller, Christopher Connelly of Rolling Stone commented that Jackson
developed his long association with the subliminal theme of paranoia and darker
imagery.[397] AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted this on the songs "Billie Jean"
and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".[396] In "Billie Jean", Jackson depicts an obsessive fan
who alleges he has fathered her child,[8] and in "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" he argues
against gossip and the media.[397] "Beat It" decried gang violence in a homage to West
Side Story, and was Jackson's first successful rock cross-over piece, according to
Huey.[8][37] He also observed that the title track "Thriller" began Jackson's interest with the
theme of the supernatural, a topic he revisited in subsequent years. In 1985, Jackson co-
wrote the charity anthem "We Are the World"; humanitarian themes later became a
recurring theme in his lyrics and public persona.[8]

"Thriller"

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Jackson's song
"Thriller", released
as a single in 1984;
Nelson George
wrote that it uses
cinematic sound
effects, horror film
motifs, and vocal
trickery to convey a
sense of
danger. [400]

"Smooth Criminal"

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A single from the
album Bad,
released 1988,
"Smooth Criminal"
features digital
drum sounds,
keyboard bass, and
other percussion
elements; George
said it gave the
 impression of a
pulsing heart.[401]

"Black or White"

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The lead single
from Dangerous,
"Black or White" is
a danceable rock
song with hard rock
elements.[402][403]

Problems playing these files?

See media help.

In Bad, Jackson's concept of the predatory lover is seen on the rock song "Dirty
Diana".[404] The lead single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a traditional love ballad, and
"Man in the Mirror" is a ballad of confession and resolution. "Smooth Criminal" is an
evocation of bloody assault, rape and likely murder.[127] AllMusic's Stephen Thomas
Erlewine states that Dangerous presents Jackson as a paradoxical person.[405] The first
half of the record is dedicated to new jack swing, including songs like "Jam" and
"Remember the Time". It was the first Jackson album in which social ills became a primary
theme; "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", for example, protests world hunger, AIDS,
homelessness and drugs. Dangerous contains sexually charged songs such as "In the
Closet". The title track continues the theme of the predatory lover and compulsive desire.
The second half includes introspective, pop-gospel anthems such as "Will You Be There",
"Heal the World" and "Keep the Faith".[406] In the ballad "Gone Too Soon", Jackson gives
tribute to Ryan White and the plight of those with AIDS.[407]
HIStory creates an atmosphere of paranoia.[408] In the new jack swing-funk rock tracks
"Scream" and "Tabloid Junkie", and the R&B ballad "You Are Not Alone", Jackson
retaliates against the injustice and isolation he feels, and directs his anger at the
media.[409] In the introspective ballad "Stranger in Moscow", Jackson laments his "fall from
grace"; "Earth Song", "Childhood", "Little Susie" and "Smile" are operatic pop
songs.[408][409] In the "D.S.", Jackson launched a verbal attack against the lawyer Tom
Sneddon, who had prosecuted him in both child sexual abuse cases. He describes
Sneddon as an antisocial white supremacist who wanted to "get my ass, dead or alive".
Sneddon said he had not listened to the song.[410] Invincible was produced by Rodney
Jerkins.[8] It includes urban soul tracks such as "Cry" and "The Lost Children", ballads
such as "Speechless", "Break of Dawn", and "Butterflies" and mixes hip hop, pop, and
R&B in "2000 Watts", "Heartbreaker" and "Invincible".[411][412]
Vocal style
Jackson sang from childhood, and over time his voice and vocal style changed. Between
1971 and 1975, his voice descended from boy soprano to high tenor.[413] He was known
for his vocal range.[414] With the arrival of Off the Wall in the late 1970s, Jackson's abilities
as a vocalist were well regarded; Rolling Stone compared his vocals to the "breathless,
dreamy stutter" of Stevie Wonder, and wrote that "Jackson's feathery-timbred tenor is
extraordinarily beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that's used very
daringly."[415] By the time of 1982's Thriller, Rolling Stone wrote that Jackson was singing
in a "fully adult voice" that was "tinged by sadness".[397]
The turn of the 1990s saw the release of the introspective album Dangerous. The New
York Times noted that on some tracks, "he gulps for breath, his voice quivers with anxiety
or drops to a desperate whisper, hissing through clenched teeth" and he had a "wretched
tone". When singing of brotherhood or self-esteem the musician would return to "smooth"
vocals.[406] Of Invincible, Rolling Stone wrote that, at 43, Jackson still performed
"exquisitely voiced rhythm tracks and vibrating vocal harmonies".[416] Joseph Vogel notes
Jackson's ability to use non-verbal sounds to express emotion.[417] Neil McCormick wrote
that Jackson's unorthodox singing style "was original and utterly distinctive". [418]
Music videos and choreography
Jackson released "Thriller", a 14-minute music video directed by John Landis, in
1983.[419] The zombie-themed video "defined music videos and broke racial barriers"
on MTV, which had launched two years earlier.[40] Before Thriller, Jackson struggled to
receive coverage on MTV, allegedly because he was African American. [420] Pressure from
CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", which led
to a lengthy partnership with Jackson, and helped other black music artists gain
recognition.[421] The popularity of his videos on MTV helped the relatively new channel's
viewing figures, and MTV's focus shifted toward pop and R&B.[421][422] His performance
on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever changed the scope of live stage shows,
making it acceptable for artists to lip-sync to music video on stage.[423] The choreography
in Thriller has been copied in Indian films and prisons in the
Philippines. [424] Thriller marked an increase in scale for music videos, and was named the
most successful music video ever by the Guinness World Records.[197]
In "Bad"'s 19-minute video—directed by Martin Scorsese—Jackson used sexual imagery
and choreography, and touched his chest, torso and crotch. When asked by Winfrey in
the 1993 interview about why he grabbed his crotch, he said it was spontaneously
compelled by the music. Time magazine described the "Bad" video as "infamous". It
featured Wesley Snipes; Jackson's later videos often featured famous cameo
roles.[425][426] For the "Smooth Criminal" video, Jackson experimented with leaning
forward at a 45 degree angle, beyond the performer's center of gravity. To accomplish
this live, Jackson and designers developed a special shoe to lock the performer's feet to
the stage, allowing them to lean forward. They were granted U.S. Patent 5,255,452 for
the device.[427] The video for "Leave Me Alone" was not officially released in the US, but
in 1989 was nominated for three Billboard Music Video Awards[428] and won a Golden
Lion Award for its special effects. It won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.[58]
He received the MTV Video Vanguard Award in 1988; in 2001 the award was renamed in
his honor.[429] The "Black or White" video simultaneously premiered on November 14,
1991, in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million people, the largest
audience ever for a music video at the time.[158] Along with Jackson, it featured Macaulay
Culkin, Peggy Lipton, and George Wendt. It helped introduce morphing to music
videos.[430] It was controversial for scenes in which Jackson rubs his crotch, vandalizes
cars, and throws a garbage can through a storefront. He apologized and removed the
final scene of the video.[148]
"In the Closet" featured Naomi Campbell in a courtship dance with
Jackson. [431] "Remember the Time" was set in ancient Egypt, and featured Eddie
Murphy, Iman, and Magic Johnson.[432] The video for "Scream", directed by Mark
Romanek and production designer Tom Foden, gained a record 11 MTV Video Music
Award Nominations, and won "Best Dance Video", "Best Choreography", and "Best Art
Direction".[433] The song and its video are Jackson's response to being accused of child
molestation in 1993.[434] A year later, it won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.
It has been reported as the most expensive music video ever made, at $7
million;[435] Romanek has contradicted this.[436] The "Earth Song" video was nominated for
the 1997 Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.[437]
Michael Jackson's Ghosts, a short film written by Jackson and Stephen King and directed
by Stan Winston, premiered at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival. At over 38 minutes long,
it held the Guinness world record for the longest music video until 2013, when it was
eclipsed by Pharrell Williams' "Happy".[438] The 2001 video for "You Rock My World" lasts
over 13 minutes, was directed by Paul Hunter, and features Chris Tucker and Marlon
Brando.[439] It won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Music Video in 2002.[440]
In December 2009, the Library of Congress selected "Thriller" as the only music video to
be preserved in the National Film Registry, as a work of "enduring importance to
American culture".[441][442] Huey wrote that Jackson transformed the music video into an
art form and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special
effects and famous cameos, while breaking down racial barriers.[8]
Honors and awards
See also: List of awards and nominations received by Michael Jackson
Thriller platinum record on display at the Hard Rock Cafe, Hollywood in Universal City,
California

Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, set in 1984

Jackson was inducted onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1980 as a member of the
Jacksons, and in 1984 as a solo artist. He also won the World Music Awards' Best-Selling
Pop Male Artist of the Millennium, the American Music Award's Artist of the Century
Award and the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award.[443] He was inducted to the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1997, and again as a solo
artist in 2001.[444] In 2002 he was added to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.[445] In 2010,
Jackson was the first pop and rock 'n' roll performer inducted into the Dance Hall of
Fame,[446] and in 2014 he was posthumously inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music
Hall of Fame.[447]
Jackson won hundreds of awards, more than any other popular music recording
artist.[448] His awards include many Guinness world records (eight in 2006 alone),
including Most Successful Entertainer of All Time,[361][362] 13 Grammy
Awards[449] the Grammy Legend Award[450] and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement
Award,[451] and a record 26 American Music Awards (including the "Artist of the Century"
and "Artist of the 1980s").[215]—13 number-one singles in the US in his solo career—more
than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era[452]—and estimated sales of over 350 million
records worldwide[453][Note 1] making him one of the best-selling artists in music history.[454]
Jackson received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Fisk University in
1988.[455] On December 29, 2009, the American Film Institute recognized Jackson's death
as a "moment of significance".[456]
Earnings
In 1989, Jackson's annual earnings from album sales, endorsements, and concerts were
estimated at $125 million.[197] Forbes placed Jackson's annual income at $35 million in
1996 and $20 million in 1997.[457] Forbes reported in August 2018 that Jackson's total
career pretax earnings in life and death were $4.2 billion.[458][459] Sales of his recordings
through Sony's music unit earned him an estimated $300 million in royalties. He may have
earned another $400 million from concerts, music publishing (including his share of the
Beatles catalog), endorsements, merchandising and music videos.[460]
Estimates of Jackson's net worth during his life range from negative $285 million to
positive $350 million for 2002, 2003 and 2007.[461][462] In 2013, the executors of Jackson's
estate filed a petition in the United States Tax Court as a result of a dispute with
the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over US federal estate taxes.[463] The executors claim
that it was worth about $7 million, the IRS that it was worth over $1.1 billion. In February
2014, the IRS reported that Jackson's estate owed $702 million; $505 million in taxes,
and $197 million in penalties.[464] A trial was held from February 6 to 24, 2017, [465] and a
decision is expected in 2019.[466]
In 2016, Forbes estimated annual gross earnings by the Jackson estate at $825 million,
the largest ever recorded for a celebrity, mostly due to the sale of the Sony/ATV catalog.
It was the seventh consecutive year since his death in which Jackson's annual earnings
were over $100 million.[467] In 2018 the figure was $400 million.[468] According to Forbes in
2016, Jackson had been the top-earning dead celebrity each year since his death.[467]