Miki Howard (64) Michael Joseph 'Brandon' Jackson Jr. (43) Janet Zeitoun (66) Prince Michael Jackson (27) Paris Katherine Jackson (26) Grace Rwaramba (57) Bigi Joseph Jackson (22)
Michael Joseph Jackson Sr. (born August 29, 1958), often known by his initials, MJ, is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, record producer, record executive, businessman, entrepreneur, humanitarian, philanthropist and actor. Dubbed as the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century. His contributions to music, dance, fashion, humanitarian and philanthropy made him one of the world's most significant cultural icons and global figures in popular culture for over six decades. Jackson has been responsible for cultural movements and progressions within popular music at large. Jackson is labeled by international authors and observers as the greatest entertainer in music, as well as the most influential and iconic recording artist of all time. By acclamation and his longevity, Jackson is called as "The Greatest Entertainer of all Time in the History of Show Business". Jackson has been ranked the greatest black philanthropist in American history. Jackson has also been sometimes ranked as the most influential man in the world.
Jackson is one of three recording artists (along with Paul McCartney and Phil Collins) and the first American artist who have sold over 100 million records worldwide both as solo artists and (separately) as principal members of a band.
Michael Joseph Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana, a part of the Chicago metropolitan area, on August 29, 1958. He is the seven of ten children in the Jackson family, a working-class African-American family living in a two-bedroom house on Jackson Street in Gary. His mother, Katherine Esther Jackson (née Scruse), left the Baptist tradition in 1963 to become a devout Jehovah's Witness. She played clarinet and piano and once aspired to be a country-and-western performer, but worked part-time at Sears to support the family. His father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, a former boxer, was a steelworker at U.S. Steel. Joe performed on guitar with a local rhythm and blues band, the Falcons, to supplement the family's income. Despite being a convinced Lutheran, Joe also participated in his wife's faith as did all their children. His father's great-grandfather, July "Jack" Gale, was "a Native Americanmedicine man and an US Armyscout." Michael grew up with three sisters (Rebbie, La Toya and Janet) and five brothers (Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy). A sixth brother, Marlon's twin Brandon, died shortly after birth.
In 1963, Michael and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by their father which included brothers Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine—as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine. In 1965, Michael began sharing lead vocals with his older brother Jermaine, and the group's name was changed to the Jackson 5. The following year, the group won a major local talent show with Jackson performing the dance to Robert Parker's 1965 hit "Barefootin'". From 1964 to 1966 they toured the Midwest, frequently performing 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 and other adult acts were featured, and at local auditoriums and high school dances. In August 1965, while touring the East coast, the group won a weekly amateur night concert at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.
The Jackson 5 recorded several songs, including their first single "Big Boy" (1965), for Steeltown Records, a Gary record label, before signing with Motown in 1966. They left Gary in 1966 right after the birth of Janet and relocated to Detroit, where they continued to record music for Motown. Rolling Stone later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts" who "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer. The group set a chart record when its first five singles—"I Want You Back" (1967), "Who's Lovin' You" (1967), "My Cherie Amour" (1967), "ABC" (1968), and "The Love You Save" (1968)—peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. In May 1971, the Jackson family moved into a large home on two-acre estate in Encino, California. During this period, Michael evolved from child performer into a teen idol. As Jackson began to emerge as a solo performer in the early 1970s, he maintained ties to the Jackson 5 and Motown. Between 1971 and 1975, Michael released four solo studio albums with Motown: Got to Be There (1971), Ben (1972), Music & Me (1973), and Forever, Michael (1975). "Got to Be There" and "Ben", the title tracks from his first two solo albums, became successful singles, as did a cover of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin".
The Jackson 5 were later described as "a cutting-edge example of black crossover artists. Although the group's sales began to decline in 1973, and the members chafed under Motown's refusal to allow them creative input, they achieved several top 40 hits, including the top five single "Dancing Machine" (1974), before leaving Motown in 1978.
In February 1978, the Jackson 5 signed with Epic Records, a subsidiary of CBS Records, and renamed themselves the Jacksons. Younger brother Randy formally joined the band around this time, while Jermaine chose to stay with Motown and pursue a solo career. The Jacksons continued to tour internationally, and released six more albums between 1976 and 1984. Michael, the group's lead songwriter during this time, wrote hits such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" (1979), "This Place Hotel" (1980), and "Can You Feel It" (1980).
His work in film began in 1978, when he starred as the Scarecrow in The Wiz, a musical directed by Sidney Lumet that also starred Diana Ross, Nipsey Russell, and Ted Ross. The film was a box-office failure. While working on the film Jackson met producer Quincy Jones, though this was not the first time they had met (they originally met when Michael was 12, at Sammy Davis Jr.'s house). Jones was arranging the film's musical score and agreed to produce Jackson's next solo album, Off the Wall. In 1979, Jackson broke his nose during a complex dance routine. His subsequent rhinoplasty was not a complete success; he complained of breathing difficulties that would affect his career. He was referred to Dr. Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson's second rhinoplasty and subsequent operations.
Off the Wall (1979), which Jones and Jackson co-produced, established Jackson as a solo performer. The album helped Jackson transition from the bubblegum pop of his youth to the more complex sounds he would create as an adult. Songwriters for the album included Jackson, Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder, and Paul McCartney. Off the Wall was the first solo album to generate four top 10 hits in the United States: "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". The album reached number three on the Billboard 200 and eventually sold over 20 million copies worldwide. In 1980, Jackson won three awards at the American Music Awards for his solo efforts: 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". He also won Billboard Year-End awards for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album, and a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for 1979 with "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". In 1981 Jackson was the American Music Awards winner for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist. Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.
Jackson recorded with Queen singer Freddie Mercury from 1981 to 1983, including a demo 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 then-manager Jim Beach, the relationship between the singers soured when Jackson insisted on bringing a llama into the recording studio. The collaborations were not officially released until 2014. Jackson went on to record the single "State of Shock" with Mick Jagger for the Jacksons' album Victory (1984). Mercury included the solo version of "There Must Be More To Life Than This" on his Mr. Bad Guy album (1985).
1982–1983: Thriller and Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever
In 1982, Jackson combined his interests in songwriting and film when he contributed the song "Someone in the Dark" to the storybook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. The song, with Quincy Jones as its producer, won a Grammy for Best Recording for Children for 1983.
More success came with the release of his sixth album, Thriller, in late 1982. The album earned Jackson seven more Grammys and eight American Music Awards, including the Award of Merit, the youngest artist to win it. It was the best-selling album worldwide in 1983, and became the best-selling album of all time in the United States and the best-selling album of all time worldwide, selling an estimated 110 million copies. 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'". In December 2015, Thriller was certified for 30 million shipments by the RIAA, making it the only album to achieve that feat in the United States. Thriller won Jackson and Quincy Jones the Grammy award for Producer of the Year (Non-Classical) for 1983. It also won Album of the Year, with Jackson as the album's artist and Jones as its co-producer, and a Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, award for Jackson. "Beat It" won Record of the Year, with Jackson as artist and Jones as co-producer, and a Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male, award for Jackson. "Billie Jean" won Jackson two Grammy awards, Best R&B Song, with Jackson as its songwriter, and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, as its artist. Thriller also won another Grammy for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical in 1984, awarding Bruce Swedien for his work on the album. The AMA Awards for 1984 provided Jackson with an Award of Merit and AMAs for Favorite Male Artist, Soul/R&B, and Favorite Male Artist, Pop/Rock. "Beat It" won Jackson AMAs for Favorite Video, Soul/R&B, Favorite Video, Pop/Rock, and Favorite Single, Pop/Rock. Thriller won him AMAs for Favorite Album, Soul/R&B, and Favorite Album, Pop/Rock.
In addition to the album, Jackson released "Thriller", a 14-minute music video directed by John Landis, in 1983. It "defined music videos and broke racial barriers" on the Music Television Channel (MTV), a fledgling entertainment television channel at the time. In December 2009, the Library of Congress selected the "Thriller" music video for inclusion in the National Film Registry. It was one of 25 films named that year as "works of enduring importance to American culture" that would be "preserved for all time". As of 2009, the zombie-themed "Thriller" is the only music video to have been inducted into the registry.
Jackson's attorney John Branca noted that Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point: approximately $2 for every album sold. He was also making record-breaking profits from sales of his recordings. The videocassette of the documentary The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller sold over 350,000 copies in a few months. The era saw the arrival of novelties such as dolls modeled after Michael Jackson, which appeared in stores in May 1984 at a price of $12. Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli writes that "Thriller stopped selling like a leisure item—like a magazine, a toy, tickets to a hit movie—and started selling like a household staple. In 1985, The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Longform. 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". The New York Times wrote that "in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else".
On January 28, 1983, Jackson reunited with his brothers for a live performance taped at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium for Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, an NBC television special. The show aired on February 26, 1983, to an estimated audience of 47 million viewers, and featured the Jacksons and other Motown stars. The show is best remembered for Jackson's solo performance of "Billie Jean", which earned Jackson his first Emmy nomination. Wearing a distinctive black-sequined jacket and a golf glove decorated with rhinestones, he debuted his signature dance move, the moonwalk, which former Soul Train dancer and Shalamar member Jeffrey Daniel had taught him three years earlier. Jackson originally turned down the invitation to perform at the show, believing he had been doing too much television at the time; however, at the request of Berry Gordy, Jackson agreed to perform in exchange for time to do a solo performance. According to Rolling Stone reporter Mikal Gilmore, "There are times when you know you are hearing or seeing something extraordinary...that came that night. Jackson's performance drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and the Beatles' appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. Anna Kisselgoff of The New York Times later wrote: "The moonwalk that he made famous is an apt metaphor for his dance style. How does he do it? As a technician, he is a great illusionist, a genuine mime. His ability to keep one leg straight as he glides while the other bends and seems to walk requires perfect timing. Berry Gordy said of the performance, "from the first beat of Billie Jean, I was mesmerized, and when he did his iconic moonwalk, I was shocked, it was magic, Michael Jackson went into orbit, and never came down.
1983–1986: 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 advertising industry records for a celebrity endorsement. The first Pepsi Cola campaign, which ran in the United States from 1983 to 1984 and launched its "New Generation" theme, included tour sponsorship, public relations events, and in-store displays. Jackson, who was actively involved in creating the iconic advertisement, suggested using his song, "Billie Jean", as its jingle with a revised chorus. According to a Billboard report in 2009, Brian J. Murphy, executive VP of branded management at TBA Global, said: "You couldn't separate the tour from the endorsement from the licensing of the music, and then the integration of the music into the Pepsi fabric.
On January 27, 1984, Michael and other members of the Jacksons filmed a Pepsi commercial overseen by executive Phil Dusenberry, 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. Pepsi settled out of court, and Jackson donated his $1.5 million settlement to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California. Its Michael Jackson Burn Center is named in his honor. Dusenberry later recounted the episode in his memoir, Then We Set His Hair on Fire: Insights and Accidents from a Hall of Fame Career in Advertising. Jackson signed a second agreement with Pepsi in the late 1980s for a reported $10 million. The second campaign had a global reach of more than 20 countries and would provide financial support for Jackson's Bad album and 1987–88 world tour. Although Jackson had endorsements and advertising deals with other companies, such as LA Gear, Suzuki, and Sony, none were as significant as his deals with Pepsi, which later signed other music stars such as Britney Spears and Beyoncé to promote its products.
Jackson's humanitarian work was recognized on May 14, 1984, when he was invited to the White House to receive an award from President Ronald Reagan for his support of charities that helped people overcome alcohol and drug abuse, and in recognition of his support for the Ad Council's and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Drunk Driving Prevention campaign. Jackson donated the use of "Beat It" for the campaign's public service announcements.
Unlike later albums, Thriller did not have an official tour, but the Victory Tour of 1984 headlined the Jacksons and showcased much of Jackson's new solo material to more than two million Americans. It was the last tour he would do with his brothers. Following controversy over the concert's ticket sales, Jackson held a press conference and announced that he would donate his share of the proceeds, an estimated $3 to 5 million, to charity. His charitable work and humanitarian awards continued with the release of "We Are the World" (1985), which he co-wrote with Lionel Richie. The song was recorded on January 28, 1985 and was released worldwide in March 1985 to aid the poor in the United States and Africa. The song earned $63 million for famine relief, and became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with 20 million copies sold. "We Are the World" won four Grammys for 1985, including Song of the Year going to Jackson and Richie as its co-songwriters. Although the American Music Award directors removed the charity song from the competition because they felt it would be inappropriate, the AMA show in 1986 concluded with a tribute to the song in honor of its first anniversary. The project's creators received two special AMA honors: one for the creation of the song and another for the USA for Africa idea. Jackson, Quincy Jones, and entertainment promoter Ken Kragan received special awards for their roles in the song's creation.
Jackson's financial interests in the music publishing business grew after Jackson collaborated with Paul McCartney in the early 1980s. He subsequently learned that McCartney was making approximately $40 million a year from other people's songs. By 1983, Jackson had begun investing in publishing rights to songs that others had written, 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); however, Jackson's most significant purchase came in 1985, when he acquired the publishing rights to ATV Music Publishing after months of negotiation. ATV had acquired the publishing rights to nearly 4000 songs, including the Northern Songs catalog that contained the majority of the Lennon–McCartney compositions recorded by the Beatles.
In 1984 Robert Holmes à Court, the wealthy Australian investor who owned ATV Music Publishing, announced he was putting the ATV catalog up for sale. In 1981, McCartney was offered the ATV music catalog for £20 million ($40 million). According to McCartney, he contacted Yoko Ono about making a joint purchase by splitting the cost at £10 million each, but Ono thought they could buy it for £5 million each. When they were unable to make a joint purchase, McCartney, who did not want to be the sole owner of the Beatles' songs, did not pursue an offer on his own. According to a negotiator for Holmes à Court in the 1984 sale, McCartney was given first right of refusal and declined to purchase.
Jackson was informed of the sale by his attorney, John Branca, in September 1984. An attorney for McCartney also assured Branca that McCartney was not interested in bidding. McCartney reportedly felt it was too expensive, but several other companies and investors were interested in bidding. Jackson submitted a bid of $46 million on November 20, 1984. His agents thought they had a deal several times, but encountered new bidders or new areas of debate. In May 1985, Jackson's team left talks after having spent more than $1 million and four months of due diligence work on the negotiations. In June 1985, Jackson and Branca learned that Charles Koppelman's and Marty Bandier's The Entertainment Company had made a tentative agreement with Holmes à Court to buy ATV Music for $50 million; however, in early August, Holmes à Court's team contacted Jackson and talks resumed. Jackson raised his bid to $47.5 million, which was accepted because he could close the deal more quickly, having already completed due diligence of ATV Music. Jackson also agreed to visit Holmes à Court in Australia, where he would appear on the Channel Seven Perth Telethon. Jackson's purchase of ATV Music was finalized on August 10, 1985.
1987–1990: Bad, films, autobiography and Thriller Ranch
Jackson collaborated with filmmakers George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola on the 17-minute 3D filmCaptain EO, which debuted in September 1986 at both the original Disneyland and at Epcot in Florida, and in March 1987 at Tokyo Disneyland. The $30 million movie was a popular attraction at all three parks. A Captain EO attraction was later featured at Euro Disneyland after that park opened in 1992. All four parks' Captain EO installations stayed open well into the 1990s: the Paris installation was the last to close, in 1998. The attraction would later return to Disneyland in 2010 after Jackson's death. In 1987, Jackson disassociated himself from the Jehovah's Witnesses, in response to their disapproval of the Thriller video.
With the industry expecting another major hit, Jackson's first album in five years, Bad (1987), was highly anticipated. The album produced ten successful singles in the U.S., six of which ("Bad", "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" with Siedah Garrett, "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror" and "Dirty Diana") reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. This was a record for most number one Hot 100 singles from any one album, including Thriller. As of 2012, the album had sold between 30 and 45 million copies worldwide. Bruce Swedien and Humberto Gatica won one Grammy in 1988 for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical and Michael Jackson won one Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form for "Leave Me Alone" in 1989. In the same year, Jackson won an Award of Achievement at the American Music Awards because Bad is the first album ever to generate seven number one singles in the U.S., the first album to top in 25 countries, and the best-selling album worldwide in 1987 and 1988. In 1988, "Bad" won an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Single.
The Bad World Tour began on September 12 that year, finishing on December 26, 1988. In Japan alone, the tour had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record of 200,000 in a single tour. Jackson broke a Guinness World Record when 504,000 people attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium. He performed a total of 123 concerts to an audience of 4.4 million people.
In 1988, Jackson released his only autobiography, Moonwalk, which took four years to complete and sold 200,000 copies. He wrote about his childhood, the Jackson 5, and the abuse he had suffered. He also wrote about his changing facial appearance, attributing it to puberty, weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hair style, and stage lighting. Moonwalk reached the top position on The New York Times best sellers' list. Jackson released a film, Moonwalker, which featured live footage and short films starring Jackson and Joe Pesci. Due to financial issues, the film was only released theatrically in Germany; in other markets it was released direct-to-video. It debuted at the top of the Billboard Top Music Video Cassette chart, staying there for 22 weeks. It was eventually knocked off the top spot by Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues.
In 1989, Jackson's annual earnings from album sales, endorsements, and concerts were estimated at $125 million for that year alone. Shortly afterwards, he became the first Westerner to appear in a television ad in the Soviet Union. Jackson purchased land near Santa Ynez, California, to build Neverland Ranch at a cost of $17 million. He installed several carnival rides on the property, including a home studio and a movie theater.
Jackson's success resulted in him being dubbed the "King of Pop". The nickname was popularized by Elizabeth Taylor when she presented him with the Soul Train Heritage Award in 1989, proclaiming him "the true king of pop, rock and soul. President George H. W. Bush designated him the White House's "Artist of the Decade". From 1985 to 1990, he donated $455,000 to the United Negro College Fund, and all profits from his single "Man in the Mirror" went to charity. Jackson's live rendition of "You Were There" at Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th birthday celebration won Jackson a second Emmy nomination.
1991–1994: MJJ Records, Dangerous, Heal the World Foundation and Super Bowl XXVII
In January 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65 million, a record-breaking deal at the time, displacing Neil Diamond's renewal contract with Columbia Records. In 1991, he released his eighth album, Dangerous, co-produced with Teddy Riley. Dangerous was certified seven times platinum in the U.S., and by 2008 had sold approximately 30 million copies worldwide. In the United States, the album's first single "Black or White" was its biggest hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and remaining there for seven weeks, with similar chart performances worldwide. The album's second single, "Remember the Time", spent eight weeks in the top five in the United States, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. At the end of 1992, Dangerous was awarded the best-selling album of the year worldwide and "Black or White" was awarded best-selling single of the year worldwide at the Billboard Music Awards. Jackson also won an award as best-selling artist of the 1980s. In 1993, he performed the song at the Soul Train Music Awards in a chair, saying he had suffered an injury in rehearsals. In the UK and other parts of Europe, "Heal the World" was the album's most successful song; it sold 450,000 copies in the UK and spent five weeks at number two in 1992.
Jackson founded the Heal the World Foundation in 1992. The charity organization brought underprivileged children to Jackson's ranch to enjoy theme park rides that Jackson had built on the property. The foundation also sent millions of dollars around the globe to help children threatened by war, poverty, and disease. In the same year, Jackson published his second book, Dancing the Dream, a collection of poetry, revealing a more intimate side of his nature. While it was a commercial success, it received mostly negative reviews. In 2009, the book was republished by Doubleday and was more positively received by some critics in the wake of Jackson's death. The Dangerous World Tour grossed $100 million. The tour began on June 27, 1992, and finished on November 11, 1993. Jackson performed to 3.5 million people in 70 concerts. He sold the broadcast rights to his Dangerous world tour to HBO for $20 million, a record-breaking deal that still stands.
Following the illness and death of AIDS spokesperson Ryan White, Jackson helped draw public attention to HIV/AIDS, something that was controversial at the time. He publicly pleaded with the Clinton Administration at Bill Clinton's Inaugural Gala to give more money to HIV/AIDS charities and research. In a high-profile visit to Africa, Jackson visited several countries, among them Gabon and Egypt. His first stop to Gabon was greeted with an enthusiastic reception of more than 100,000 people, some of them carrying signs that read, Welcome Home Michael. In his trip to Ivory Coast, Jackson was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief. He thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed official documents formalizing his kingship, and sat on a golden throne while presiding over ceremonial dances.
In January 1993, Jackson performed at the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show in Pasadena, California. Because of a dwindling interest during halftime in the preceding years, the NFL decided to seek big-name talent that would keep ratings high, with Jackson selected for his universal appeal. It was the first Super Bowl whose half-time performance drew greater audience figures than the game itself. The performance began with Jackson catapulting onto the stage as fireworks went off behind him. As he landed on the canvas, he maintained a "clenched fist, standing statue stance," dressed in a gold and black military outfit and sunglasses; he remained completely motionless for a minute and a half while the crowd cheered. He then slowly removed his sunglasses, threw them away, and performed four songs: "Jam", "Billie Jean", "Black or White", and "Heal the World". Jackson's Dangerous album rose 90 places up the album chart soon after.
Jackson gave a 90-minute interview to Oprah Winfrey on February 10, 1993, his second television interview since 1979. He grimaced when speaking of his childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he believed he had missed out on much of his childhood years, admitting 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, stating for the first time that he had vitiligo. Dangerous re-entered the album chart in the top 10, more than a year after its original release.
In February 1993, Jackson was given the "Living Legend Award" at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. "Black or White" was Grammy-nominated for best vocal performance. "Jam" gained two nominations: Best R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song. The Dangerous album won a Grammy for Best Engineered – Non Classical, awarding the work of Bruce Swedien and Teddy Riley. In the same year, Michael Jackson won three American Music Awards for 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, for his global performances and humanitarian concerns.
Jackson agreed to produce the soundtrack for Sega's 1994 video game Sonic the Hedgehog 3 with collaborators Brad Buxer, Bobby Brooks, Darryl Ross, Geoff Grace, Doug Grigsby, and Cirocco Jones. Jackson left the project before completion and was never officially credited, allegedly due to his dissatisfaction with the Sega Genesis console's audio chip.
1995–1997: HIStory, Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix and Ghosts
In 1995, 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. In June, he released the double album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. The first disc, HIStory Begins, is a 15-track greatest hits album (later reissued as Greatest Hits: HIStory, Volume I in 2001); the second disc, HIStory Continues, contains 13 original songs and 2 cover versions. The album debuted at number one on the charts and has been certified for seven million shipments in the US. It is the best-selling multiple-disc album of all-time, with 20 million copies (40 million units) sold worldwide. HIStory received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.
The first single released from the album was "Scream", a duet with Jackson's youngest sister Janet, protests the media, particularly for its treatment of him during the 1993 child abuse allegations. The single had the highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100 at number five, and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals". "You Are Not Alone" was the second single released from HIStory; it holds the Guinness World Record for the first song ever to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was seen as a major artistic and commercial success, receiving a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Performance".
In late 1995, Jackson was rushed to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance, caused by a stress-related panic attack. "Earth Song" was the third single released from HIStory, and topped the UK Singles Chart for six weeks over Christmas 1995; it sold a million copies, making it Jackson's most successful single in the UK. The track "They Don't Care About Us" became controversial when the Anti-Defamation League and other groups criticized its allegedly antisemitic lyrics. Jackson quickly released a revised version of the song without the offending lyrics. 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.
HIStory was promoted with the successful HIStory World Tour, beginning on September 7, 1996, and ending on October 15, 1997. Jackson performed 82 concerts in five continents, 35 countries and 58 cities to over 4.5 million fans, and grossed a total of $165 million, becoming Jackson's most successful tour in terms of audience figures. During the tour, Jackson married his longtime friendDeborah Jeanne Rowe, a dermatology nurse, in an impromptu ceremony in Sydney, Australia. Rowe was approximately six months pregnant with the couple's first child at the time. Originally, Rowe and Jackson had no plans to marry, but Jackson's mother Katherine persuaded them to do so. 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. The couple divorced in 1999, and Jackson received full custody of the children. The divorce was relatively amicable, but a subsequent custody suit was not settled until 2006.
In 1997, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, which contained remixes of hit 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. In the US, the album was certified platinum, but only reached number 24. Forbes placed Jackson's annual income at $35 million in 1996 and $20 million in 1997.
At the turn of the century, Jackson won an American Music Award as Artist of the 1980s. Throughout 2000 and 2001, he worked with collaborators including Teddy Riley and Rodney Jerkins to produce his tenth solo album, Invincible, released in October 2001. The album cost $30 million to record, not including promotional expenditures. Invincible was Jackson's first full-length album in six years, and was the last album of original material he released in his lifetime. The release 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 sometime in the early 2000s. Once he had the licenses, he would be able to promote the material however he pleased and keep all the profits; however, clauses in the contract set the revert date years into the future. Jackson discovered that the attorney who had represented him in the deal had also been representing Sony. Jackson was also concerned about the fact that for years, Sony had been pressuring him to sell his share in its music catalog venture. Jackson feared that Sony might have a conflict of interest, since if Jackson's career failed, he would have to sell his share of the catalog at a low price. Jackson sought an early exit from his contract.
In September 2001, two 30th Anniversary concerts were held at Madison Square Garden to mark Jackson's 30th year as a solo artist. Jackson appeared onstage alongside his brothers for the first time since 1984. The show also featured performances by Mýa, Usher, Whitney Houston, NSYNC, Destiny's Child, Monica, Luther Vandross, and Slash, among other artists. The second of the two shows took place the night before the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. After 9/11, Jackson helped organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The concert took place on October 21, 2001, and included performances from dozens of major artists, including Jackson, who performed his song "What More Can I Give" as the finale. Due to contractual issues related to the earlier 30th Anniversary concerts, later edited into a two-hour TV special titled Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration broadcast in November 2001, Jackson's solo performances were omitted from the televised benefit concert, although he could still be seen singing background vocals.
Invincible was released in October 2001 to much anticipation. It debuted at number one in 13 countries and went on to sell approximately 13 million copies worldwide. It received double-platinum certification in the U.S. However, sales for Invincible were lower than Jackson's previous releases, due in part to the record label dispute and the lack of promotion or tour, and its release at a bad time for the music industry in general. Invincible spawned three singles, "You Rock My World", "Cry", and "Butterflies", the latter without a music video. Jackson alleged in July 2002 that the-then Sony Music chairman Tommy Mottola was a "devil" and a "racist" who did not support his African-American artists, using them merely for his own personal gain. He charged that Mottola had called his colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger". Sony refused to renew Jackson's contract, and claimed that a $25 million promotional campaign had failed because Jackson refused to tour in the United States.
2001–2005: Justified, Number Ones and The Ultimate Collection
Jackson released his second studio album, Justified, on October 30, 2001. The album, which Jackson created from 2004 to 2005, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart, selling 684,000 copies its first week. It became the biggest album for pre-orders on iTunes, and beat Coldplay's record for the biggest one-week sales of a digital album. The album was produced by Timbaland and Danja (who produced a bulk of the album), will.i.am, Rick Rubin and Jackson himself, and features guest vocals by Snoop Dogg, Three 6 Mafia, T.I. and will.i.am. A studio representative described it as being "all about sexiness" and aiming for "an adult feel".
In 2002, Michael Jackson won his 22nd American Music Award for Artist of the Century. In the same year, his third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (nicknamed "Blanket") was born. The mother's identity was not announced, but Jackson said the child was the result of artificial insemination from a surrogate mother and his own sperm. On November 20 of that year, Jackson brought his infant son onto the balcony of his room at the Hotel Adlon in Berlin as fans stood below, holding him in his right arm, with a cloth loosely draped over the baby's face. The baby was briefly extended over a railing, four stories above ground level, prompting widespread criticism in the media. Jackson later apologized for the incident, calling it "a terrible mistake". In November 2003, Sony released Number Ones, a compilation of Jackson's hits on CD and DVD. In the U.S., the album was certified triple platinum by the RIAA; in the UK it was certified six times platinum for shipments of at least 1.2 million units.
Jackson put his recording career on hold to act in several films, having starred in a few feature films earlier in his career. The first role he took during this time was as a journalist in Edison Force, filmed in 2004 and received a direct-to-video release on July 18, 2006. He also appeared in the films Alpha Dog, Black Snake Moan, Richard Kelly's Southland Tales, and voiced Prince Artie Pendragon in the animated film Shrek the Third, released on May 18, 2007. He also appeared as a young Elton John, in the video for John's song "This Train Don't Stop There Anymore". Timberlake was considered to play the role of Roger Davis in the film version of the rock musical Rent, but director Chris Columbus had insisted that only the original Broadway members could convey the true meaning of Rent, so role was reprised by Adam Pascal.
He continued to record with other artists. After "Where Is the Love?", he again collaborated with the Black Eyed Peas on the 2005 track "My Style" from their album Monkey Business. When recording the 2005 single "Signs" with Snoop Dogg,
The album's lead single, "SexyBack", was performed by Jackson at the opening of the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for seven consecutive weeks. "My Love", the album's second single, also produced by Timbaland and featuring rapper T.I., reached number one on the Hot 100, as did third single "What Goes Around... Comes Around". The song is reported to have been inspired by the break-up of his childhood friend and business partner, Trace Ayala, with actress Elisha Cuthbert. In October 2006, Timberlake said that he would focus on his music career rather than his film roles, specifying that leaving the music industry would be a "dumb thing to do at this point". He was the special guest performer at the 2006 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show where he sang "SexyBack", "My Love" and "LoveStoned".
Jackson hosted many music events, including the European MTV Music Awards in 2006. On December 16, 2006, Jackson hosted Saturday Night Live, doing double duty as both host and musical guest for the second time. During this appearance, he and Andy Samberg performed an R&B song for a skit titled "Dick in a Box", which some radio stations aired as an unofficial single from Timberlake. Called "one of the most iconic musical moments in the show’s history" by Billboard, it became a viral hit and one of the most viewed videos on YouTube at the time. Rolling Stone listed the skit at number three on their "50 Greatest 'Saturday Night Live' Sketches of All Time". The song earned him an Emmy Award and was later featured on The Lonely Island's debut album Incredibad.
The song "4 Minutes", was first played by Timbaland at Philadelphia's Jingle Ball on December 17, 2007. When released on March 17, 2008, "4 Minutes" was revealed to be a duet between Timberlake and Madonna, with backing vocals by Timbaland. It was lead single from Madonna's eleventh studio album Hard Candy, which featured four other song-writing collaborations with Timberlake, being also one of the executive producers. The single was an international hit, topping the charts in over 21 countries worldwide. Timberlake also appears in the music video, which was directed by Jonas & François. On March 30, 2008, Timberlake performed the song at Madonna's Hard Candy Promo Show at Roseland Ballroom in New York City. On November 6, 2008, Timberlake performed the song with Madonna on the Los Angeles stop of her Sticky & Sweet Tour.
In June 2007, Timberlake co-wrote, produced and provided vocals for the songs "Nite Runner" and "Falling Down" for Duran Duran's album Red Carpet Massacre, released on November 13, 2007. "Falling Down" had been released as a single in the UK on the previous day. Also in 2007, Timberlake made an appearance on 50 Cent's third album, Curtis. Timberlake, along with Timbaland, is featured on a track called "Ayo Technology", which was the album's fourth single. Also, another possible collaboration was to occur with Lil Wayne for his album Tha Carter III with Nelly Furtado and Timbaland. With the wrapping up of the FutureSex/LoveSounds tour of Australasia and the Middle East in November 2007, Timberlake resumed his film career. Projects underway early in 2008 were starring roles in Mike Myers' comedy The Love Guru (released June 20, 2008) and Mike Meredith's drama The Open Road (released August 28, 2009). In March 2008 it was announced that he was to be an executive producer in an American adaptation of the hit Peruvian comedy My Problem with Women for NBC. On November 20, 2008, TV Guide reported that Timberlake's next single, "Follow My Lead", which also featured vocals by Timberlake's protégée, former YouTube star Esmée Denters, would be available for exclusive download through Myspace. All proceeds would go to Shriners Hospitals for Children, a charity dedicated to improving pediatric care for sick children.
In 2008, a collaboration between Timberlake and T.I., "Dead and Gone" featured on T.I.'s sixth studio album, Paper Trail, and was released as its fourth single late in 2009. In November 2008, it was confirmed that Timberlake would make a guest appearance and produce some tracks on R&B/pop singer Ciara's upcoming album Fantasy Ride due out May 5, 2009. Timberlake featured on Ciara's second single "Love Sex Magic", the video being shot on February 20, 2009. The single became a worldwide hit, reaching the top ten in numerous countries and peaking at number one in several countries including Taiwan, India, and Turkey. The song was nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the 52nd Grammy Awards. Timberlake hosted the 16th ESPY Awards, which musical number "I Love Sports" was later nominated for an Emmy award. Timberlake and his production team The Y's, along with Mike Elizondo, produced and co-wrote the song "Don't Let Me Down" for Leona Lewis's second studio album, Echo, released on November 17, 2009. Timberlake also co-wrote and performed on "Carry Out", the third single from Timbaland's album Shock Value II, released on December 1, 2009. Timberlake appeared on Jimmy Fallon's debut as host of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on March 2, 2009. Timberlake was the executive producer on the MTV reality series The Phone, which premiered on April 21, 2009. In late 2009, Barbadian singer Rihanna released the album Rated R, with Timberlake being one of the writers and producers. They both worked together previously for her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad.
Jackson began work on his thirteenth studio album Immortal in January 2012, with "no rules and/or end goal in mind". He publicly announced his return to the music industry in January 2013, releasing the album's lead single "Suit & Tie" featuring Jay Z later that month, which would eventually peak at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. After four years not performing in concert, Jackson appeared the night before the 2013 Super Bowl and performed during the "DirecTV Super Saturday Night", on February 2, 2013 in New Orleans. On February 10, 2013, he performed "Suit & Tie" with sepia-toned lighting at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, with Jay Z joining him from the audience. On February 11, 2013, "Mirrors" was released as the second single from The 20/20 Experience. The song would eventually peak at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the UK Singles Chart. The 20/20 Experience was released on March 19, 2013 through RCA Records due to the disbandment of Jive Records. The album set a digital sales record for being the fastest-selling album on the iTunes Store and debuted at number one on the charts by moving just over 968,000 copies in the U.S., the biggest sales week of 2013. It eventually became the best-selling album of the year in the country.
In early 2016, Jackson shared photos with Timbaland and Pharrell Williams in the recording studio through social media. Speaking of his fifth studio album, he stated: "It's so in its infancy right now that I couldn't say. And plus I won't talk about that shit right now. Just because, there may be a longer length of time that this stuff that we're working on right now [needs], and then when it comes out it may turn into something completely different. In a later interview, he spoke of the sound of the new music: "I think where I grew up in America has a lot of influence. Growing up in Tennessee—very central of the country—Memphis is known as the birthplace of rock & roll, but also the home of the blues, but Nashville's right down the street so there's a lot of country music.
In September 2016, Sony acquired the Jackson estate's stake in Sony/ATV in a deal valued at around $750 million. The Jackson estate retained a 10% stake in EMI Music Publishing, and its ownership of Mijac Music, which holds the rights to Michael Jackson's songs and master recordings. The revenue will primarily be used to pay off the estate's $250 million in debt, with the remainder to be placed in trust for Jackson's children.
Jackson will voice the lead character in DreamWorks Animation's musical comedy Trolls opposite Anna Kendrick. The film is set to be released in November 2016. He will also serve as the executive music producer, performing original music for the film. The lead single, "Can't Stop the Feeling!", was released on May 6, 2016. Timberlake was invited by Swedish broadcaster Sveriges Television (SVT), to perform "Can't Stop the Feeling" live during the interval act at the grand finale of the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 on May 14, 2016. The single debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and reached the top spot in other 16 countries. It became his eighth U.S. Mainstream Top 40 number-one song, the most among male artists.
2018-2019: Xscape, Super Bowl LII halftime show, Final World Tour and Journey from Motown to Off the Wall
Speaking of his fourteenth studio album in 2016, Jackson stated, "I think where I grew up in America has a lot of influence. Growing up in Indiana—very central of the country—Gary is known as the birthplace of rock & roll, but also the home of the blues, but Nashville's right down the street so there's a lot of country music." In following interviews, Timberlake confirmed working with producers Timbaland, Pharrell Williams, and Max Martin, while stating, "It sounds more like where I've come from than any other music I've ever made... It's Southern American music. But I want to make it sound modern – at least that's the idea right now."
He will headline the Super Bowl LII halftime show in Minneapolis, Minnesota on February 4, 2018. His fourteenth studio album Xscape will be released on February 2, two days before his halftime show performance. The album's first single "Filthy" was released on January 5.
Following the announcement of Trolls World Tour, Timberlake teased potential collaborations with a number of artists, through a series of Instagram posts, which included frequent collaborators Pharrell Williams, Nathaniel Hills and Rob Knox, as well as new collaborators such as Anderson. Paak, Brandy Norwood, Lizzo, and Meek Mill. Singer SZA has also confirmed that she had been in the studio with Timberlake. On February 26, 2020, SZA and Timberlake released the single "The Other Side", a song part of the Trolls World Tour soundtrack, alongside its music video. On March 9, 2020, Timberlake released a teaser for his upcoming song "Don't Slack", which features Anderson. Paak, and is also part of the Trolls World Tour soundtrack. The song was released on March 10, 2020.
In September 2020, Timberlake and producer Timbaland teased a potential upcoming collaboration with Canadian musician Justin Bieber, as well as collaborations with Justine Skye, Hit-Boy and Ty Dolla $ign. In December 2020, Timberlake and Ant Clemons released the single "Better Days", which received its premier on the Rock The Runoff virtual concert, held by Stacey Abrams' organization Fair Fight.
Jackson was influenced by musicians including Little Richard, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Diana Ross, Fred Astaire, David Ruffin, the Isley Brothers, and the Bee Gees. According to choreographer David Winters, who met and befriended Jackson while choreographing the 1971 Diana Ross TV special Diana!, 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. While Little Richard had a substantial influence on Jackson, James Brown was Jackson's greatest inspiration. In reference to Brown, Jackson declared: "Ever since I was a small child, no more than like six years old, my mother would wake me no matter what time it was, if I was sleeping, no matter what I was doing, to watch the television to see the master at work. And when I saw him move, I was mesmerized. I had never seen a performer perform like James Brown, and right then and there I knew that was exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life because of James Brown."
The young Jackson owed his vocal technique in large part to Diana Ross. Not only a mother figure to him, she was often observed in rehearsal as an accomplished performer. He later said: "I got to know her well. She taught me so much. I used to just sit in the corner and watch the way she moved. She was art in motion. I studied the way she moved, the way she sang – just the way she was." He told her: "I want to be just like you, Diana." She said: "You just be yourself." Jackson owed part of his enduring style—especially his use of the oooh interjection—to Ross. From a young age, Jackson often punctuated his verses with a sudden exclamation of oooh. Diana Ross had used this effect on many of the songs recorded with the Supremes.
Jackson explored a variety of music genres, including pop, soul, rhythm and blues, funk, rock, disco, post-disco, dance-pop and new jack swing. Unlike many artists, Jackson did not write his songs on paper and instead dictated into a sound recorder. When composing music, he preferred to beatbox and imitate instruments vocally rather than use instruments.
According to Steve Huey of AllMusic, 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. Its tracks included the ballads "The Lady in My Life", "Human Nature", and "The Girl Is Mine", the funk pieces "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", and the disco set "Baby Be Mine" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)". With Thriller, Christopher Connelly of Rolling Stone commented that Jackson developed his long association with the subliminal theme of paranoia and darker imagery. AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted this is evident on the songs "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'". In "Billie Jean", Jackson sings about an obsessive fan who alleges he has fathered a child of hers. In "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" he argues against gossip and the media. "Beat It" decried gang violence in an homage to West Side Story, and was Jackson's first successful rock cross-over piece, according to Huey. 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 1984, Jackson co-wrote the charity anthem "We Are the World"; humanitarian themes later became a recurring theme in his lyrics and public persona.
In Bad, Jackson's concept of the predatory lover can be seen on the rock song "Dirty Diana". The lead single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a traditional love ballad, while "Man in the Mirror" is an anthemic ballad of confession and resolution. "Smooth Criminal" was an evocation of bloody assault, rape and likely murder. AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that Dangerous presents Jackson as a very paradoxical individual. He comments the album is more diverse than his previous Bad, as it appeals to an urban audience while also attracting the middle class with anthems like "Heal the World". The first half of the record is dedicated to new jack swing, including songs like "Jam" and "Remember the Time". The album is Jackson's first where social ills become a primary theme; "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", for example, protests against world hunger, AIDS, homelessness and drugs. Dangerous contains sexually charged efforts such as the multifaceted love song, "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"; these songs show Jackson opening up about various personal struggles and worries. In the ballad "Gone Too Soon", Jackson gives tribute to his friend Ryan White and the plight of those with AIDS.
HIStory creates an atmosphere of paranoia. Its content focuses on the hardships and public struggles Jackson went through just prior to its production. In the new jack swing-funk-rock efforts "Scream" and "Tabloid Junkie", along with the R&B ballad "You Are Not Alone", Jackson retaliates against the injustice and isolation he feels, and directs much of his anger at the media. In the introspective ballad "Stranger in Moscow", Jackson laments over his "fall from grace", while songs like "Earth Song", "Childhood", "Little Susie" and "Smile" are all operatic pop pieces. In the track "D.S.", Jackson launched a verbal attack against Tom Sneddon. He describes Sneddon as an antisocial, white supremacist who wanted to "get my ass, dead or alive". Of the song, Sneddon said, "I have not—shall we say—done him the honor of listening to it, but I've been told that it ends with the sound of a gunshot". Invincible found Jackson working heavily with producer Rodney Jerkins. It is a record made up of urban soul like "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".
Jackson sang from childhood, and over time his voice and vocal style changed noticeably. Between 1971 and 1975, Jackson's voice descended from boy soprano to high tenor. His vocal range as an adult was F2-EPang-bô͘:Music6. Jackson first used a technique called the "vocal hiccup" in 1973, starting with the song "It's Too Late to Change the Time" from the Jackson 5's G.I.T.: Get It Together album. Jackson did not use the hiccup technique—somewhat like a gulping for air or gasping—fully until the recording of Off the Wall: it can be seen in full force in the "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" promotional video. With the arrival of Off the Wall in the late 1970s, Jackson's abilities as a vocalist were well regarded. At the time, Rolling Stone compared his vocals to the "breathless, dreamy stutter" of Stevie Wonder. Their analysis was also that "Jackson's feathery-timbred tenor is extraordinarily beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that's used very daringly". 1982 saw the release of Thriller, and Rolling Stone was of the opinion that Jackson was then singing in a "fully adult voice" that was "tinged by sadness".
A distinctive deliberate mispronunciation of "come on", used frequently by Jackson, occasionally spelled "c'mon", "cha'mone", or "shamone", is also a staple in impressions and caricatures of him. 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. When commenting on Invincible, Rolling Stone were of the opinion that—at the age of 43—Jackson still performed "exquisitely voiced rhythm tracks and vibrating vocal harmonies". Nelson George wrote: "The grace, the aggression, the growling, the natural boyishness, the falsetto, the smoothness—that combination of elements mark him as a major vocalist". Cultural critic Joseph Vogel notes that Jackson had a "distinctive styles is his ability to convey emotion without the use of language: there are his trademark gulps, grunts, gasps, cries, exclamations; he also frequently scats or twists and contorts words until they are barely discernible. Neil McCormick notes that Jackson's unorthodox singing style "was original and utterly distinctive, from his almost ethereal falsetto to his soft, sweet mid-tones; his fluid, seamless control of often very fast moving series of notes; his percussive yet still melodic outbursts, ululations and interjections (from those spooky "tee-hee-hees" to grunts and wails). Unusually for someone coming from a black American soul tradition, he did not often sing straight, unadorned ballads, though when he did (from 'Ben' to 'She's Out of My Life') the effect was of a powerful simplicity and truth.
Jackson has been called the King of Music Videos. Steve Huey of AllMusic observed how Jackson transformed the music video into an art form and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameo appearances, simultaneously breaking down racial barriers. Before Thriller, Jackson struggled to receive coverage on MTV, allegedly because he was African American. Pressure from CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", leading to a lengthy partnership with Jackson, also helping other black music artists gain recognition. MTV employees deny any racism in their coverage, or pressure to change their stance. MTV maintains that they played rock music, regardless of race. The popularity of his videos on MTV helped to put the relatively young channel "on the map"; MTV's focus shifted in favor of pop and R&B. His performance on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever changed the scope of live stage show; "That Jackson lip-synced 'Billie Jean' is, in itself, not extraordinary, but the fact that it did not change the impact of the performance is extraordinary; whether the performance was live or lip-synced made no difference to the audience" thus creating an era in which artists re-create the spectacle of music video imagery on stage. Short films like Thriller largely remained unique to Jackson, while the group dance sequence in "Beat It" has frequently been imitated. The choreography in Thriller has become a part of global pop culture, replicated everywhere from Indian films to prisons in the Philippines. The Thriller short film marked an increase in scale for music videos, and has been named the most successful music video ever by the Guinness World Records.
In the 19-minute music video for "Bad"—directed by Martin Scorsese—Jackson began using sexual imagery and choreography not previously seen in his work. He occasionally grabbed or touched his chest, torso and crotch. When asked by Oprah in the 1993 interview about why he grabbed his crotch, he replied, "I think it happens subliminally" and he described it as something that was not planned, but rather, as something that was compelled by the music. "Bad" garnered a mixed reception from both fans and critics; Time magazine described it as "infamous". The video also featured Wesley Snipes; in the future Jackson's videos would often feature famous cameo roles. For the "Smooth Criminal" video, Jackson experimented with an anti-gravity lean where the performer leans forward at a 45 degree angle, beyond the performer's center of gravity. To accomplish this move live, Jackson and designers developed a special shoe that locks the performer's feet to the stage, allowing them to lean forward. They were granted for the device. Although the music video for "Leave Me Alone" was not officially released in the US, in 1989 it was nominated for three Billboard Music Video Awards the same year it won a Golden Lion Award for the quality of the special effects used in its production. In 1990, "Leave Me Alone" won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.
He received the MTV Video Vanguard Award in 1988 and the MTV Video Vanguard Artist of the Decade Award in 1990 to celebrate his accomplishments in the art form in the 1980s; in 1991 the first award was renamed in his honor. "Black or White" was accompanied by a controversial music video, which, on November 14, 1991, simultaneously premiered in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million people, the largest viewing ever for a music video at that time. It featured scenes construed as having a sexual nature as well as depictions of violence. The offending scenes in the final half of the 14-minute version were edited out to prevent the video from being banned, and Jackson apologized. Along with Jackson, it featured Macaulay Culkin, Peggy Lipton, and George Wendt. It helped usher in morphing as an important technology in music videos.
"Remember the Time" was an elaborate production, and became one of his longest videos at over nine minutes. Set in ancient Egypt, it featured groundbreaking visual effects and appearances by Eddie Murphy, Iman, and Magic Johnson, along with a distinct complex dance routine. The video for "In the Closet" was Jackson's most sexually provocative piece. It featured supermodel Naomi Campbell in a courtship dance with Jackson. The video was banned in South Africa because of its imagery.
The music video for "Scream", directed by Mark Romanek and production designer Tom Foden, is one of Jackson's most critically acclaimed. In 1995, it gained eleven MTV Video Music Award Nominations more than any other music video—and won "Best Dance Video", "Best Choreography", and "Best Art Direction". The song and its accompanying video are a response to the backlash Jackson received from the media after being accused of child molestation in 1993. A year later, it won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form; shortly afterwards Guinness World Records listed it as the most expensive music video ever made, at a cost of $7 million.
"Earth Song" was accompanied by an expensive and well-received music video, which gained a Grammy nomination for Best Music Video, Short Form in 1997. The video had an environmental theme, showing images of animal cruelty, deforestation, pollution and war. Using special effects, time is reversed so that life returns, wars end, and the forests re-grow. Released in 1997 and premiering at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival, Michael Jackson's Ghosts was a short film written by Jackson and Stephen King and directed by Stan Winston. The video for Ghosts is over 38 minutes long and holds the Guinness World Record as the world's longest music video.
The music video for "You Rock My World", which is thirteen and a half minutes long, was directed by Paul Hunter, and was released in 2001. The video features appearances from Chris Tucker and Marlon Brando. The video won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Music Video at the award shows 2002 ceremony.
The media has commonly referred to Jackson as the "King of Pop" because, throughout his career, 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 through his musical and humanitarian contributions. 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. Jackson's work continues to influence numerous artists of various music genres.
Danyel Smith, the chief content officer of Vibe Media Group and the editor-in-chief of Vibe describes Jackson as "The Greatest Star". AllMusic's Steve Huey describes Jackson as "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". BET described Jackson "as 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.
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." In 1990, Vanity Fair cited Jackson as the most popular artist in the history of show business. In 2003, Daily Telegraph writer Tom Utley described Jackson as "extremely important" and a "genius". 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."
Jackson has been referred to as the "King of Pop" by contemporary critics. In a 2016 article of The Hollywood Reporter, editor Scott Feinberg stated Jackson is "widely regarded as the greatest all-around entertainer in the history of show business."
In 2006, Rolling Stone named him the biggest pop star of the year and featured him on the magazine's cover, commenting that he "attained the one thing most pop stars don't, and the one thing he wanted more than anything else: credibility." For Entertainment Weekly his twelfth studio album, FutureSex/LoveSounds, "redefined pop's cutting edge"; for Vibe it "pushed boundaries more forcefully" than works by his male contemporaries. Fuse TV's editor Jason Lipshutz stated it "changed the game. [The album] was steely and sweaty, a universal dance opus that made room for intimacy. It had the best first half of any pop album in 25 years. You have to go back to 1979 for Off the Wall, to find a pop album with a first half that matches up." He was ranked 40th on the VH1 100 Greatest Artists of All-Time. Jackson appeared for the first time on the Time100 list of most influential people in 2007. In 2013, Jackson made his second appearance on the 100 list, with Stevie Wonder writing "Michael has accomplished a lot at a young age, taking advantage of all the possibilities, and yet he's found time to give of himself too—he gets and gives back. He has a spirit. He does God's work through using the most of his talent."
Justified's single "Cry Me a River", which is also considered by Rolling Stone to be one of the 500 greatest songs of all time, ranked at number 20 on the magazine's 100 Best Songs of the 2000s. Billboard editor Jason Lipshutz named the song's music video "one of the more brilliant musical moments in pop music since the dawn of the century." His eleventh album LoveSounds was placed at 46 on Rolling Stones 100 Best Albums of the 2000s, the ninth best-album of the decade for Entertainment Weekly, and the greatest of the decade for Vibe. The lead single, "SexyBack", helped introduce EDM sounds to top 40 radio, as it brought together variations of electronic dance music with Jackson’s R&B sounds. Aside from earning critical acclaim for its parent album, according to Sia Michel of The New York Times, Jackson was responsible for popularizing in 2006 the catchphrase "I'm bringing sexy back"; it spawned a "phenomenon" in which video-makers spoofed the song.
Maroon 5, Britney Spears, Lorde, Marilyn Manson, Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran, Jason Derulo, Bridgit Mendler, Tori Kelly, Hunter Hayes, Liam Payne, Lloyd Banks, Shawn Mendes and Maluma and Nick Jonas have cited him as one of their role models, with the latter stating is for "not only transitioning from where he started, but also balancing acting and singing." Christian hip hop artist tobyMac has stated Jackson's work inspires him, commenting "he's setting himself up to be a classic, making decisions and moving on them. That's a great place to be." In the context of male artists that achieved commercial success after leaving their boy bands, Brittany Spanos from Rolling Stone wrote Michael Jackson set a high bar for what could be attained by solo success in that they not only scored numerous number one hits but they also crafted the mold for what it meant to be a male pop star." Michael is the wealthiest music artist in the music business.
American Music Awards(The Michael Jackson International Artist Award of Excellence) (1993 - 1995, 1997, 2001, 2007, 2009).
MTV Video Music Awards(The Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award) (1991 - 1992, 1994 - 1995, 1997 - 1998, 2000 - 2001, 2003, 2006, 2011, 2013 - 2019, 2022-).
Soul Train Music Awards(The Michael Jackson Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video) (1997 - 2007).
The Academy Awards, or "Oscars", is an annual American awards ceremony hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements in the United States film industry as assessed by the Academy's voting membership.
The American Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony created by Dick Clark in 1973. Picking up three awards in 1980, Jackson has collected 38 American Music Awards, including one for "Artist of the Century".
American multinational corporation Apple Inc. releases its own annual editorial year-end best-of list from their media library and management application iTunes, unveiled on the global virtual store along with lists of its most-downloaded content.
The APRA Awards are several award ceremonies run in Australia by Australian Performing Right Association, wich includes the APRA Music Awards, to recognise composing and songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually.
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) is a not-for-profit performance rights organization that protects its members' musical copyrights by monitoring public performances of their music, whether via a broadcast or live performance, and compensating them accordingly.
The Barbados Music Awards is Barbados most prestigious musical award, the Barbados Music Award, is presented annually at a major event organized by Timeless Barbados Inc. In the Caribbean island of Barbados.
On January 10, 2010, Jackson was Honored with the International Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Bambi is an annual television and media prize awarded by the German media company Hubert Burda Media. The Bambi was created in 1948. In 2000, Jackson was honored with a Pop Artist of the Millennium.
BBC Radio 1Xtra Hot Summer Awards have been handed out since 2013 by BBC Radio 1Xtra, a British digital radio station by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) specialising in urban music.
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is adult contemporary or AOR, although the station also broadcasts other specialist musical genres. Radio 2 broadcasts throughout the UK on FM between 88.1 and 90.2 MHz from studios in Wogan House, adjacent to Broadcasting House in central London. In, 2013 Paul (and his partner Chris) have their nomination of Michael Jackson inducted into the Singers Hall of Fame on Sunday Night with Michael Ball on Radio 2.
The Billboard.com Mid-Year Music Awards are held by Billboard to recognize the most favorite artists, songs, albums and performances of the first half of year. Winners are selected through a poll in Billboard official website. Michael Jackson has been nominated 6 times.
The Billboard Touring Awards is an annual meeting sponsored by Billboard which also honors the top international live entertainment industry artists and professionals.
Bravo is the largest teen magazine within the German-language sphere. The first issue was published in 1956, subtitled as "the magazine for film and television" ("Die Zeitschrift für Film und Fernsehen").
They have honoured Jackson with 21 awards throughout his career.
The BRIT Awards, often simply called "The BRITs", are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of British or Britannia, but has subsequently become a "backronym" for British Record Industry Trust.
They have awarded Jackson with 11 awards, including the Artist of a Generation award in 1996 and the Outstanding Contribution to Music in 2013.
The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British record industry's trade association. Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four 'major' record companies (Warner Music Group, EMI, Sony BMG, and Universal Music Group), associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies representing thousands of labels.
The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage is a festival taking place in Poland and dedicated to the celebration of cinematography and recognition of its creators, cinematographers. The Camerimage festival spans over a course of one week, with multiple events at one time. Jackson has three nominations.
Cash Box (or Cashbox) magazine was a weekly publication devoted to the music and coin-operated machine industries which was published from July 1942 to November 16, 1996. It was one of several magazines that published charts of song popularity in the United States of America. in 1987, Bad was the first album in the history of Cash Box charts to simultaneously debut at number 1 on 2 different charts. Bad entered the charts at number 1 on the top 200 albums and number 1 on the top 75 B/C Album chart. In 1989, Michael as awarded for the Video Pioneer Award for Triumph, Thriller and Moonwalker.
They have awarded Jackson 34 awards throughout his career.
And on March 7, 2010, Michael Jackson was honored with 2010 Angel Award by the Children Uniting Nations charity for his work to help disadvantaged youngsters around the world.
The Creative Excellence in Business Advertising, commonly called the "CEBA ritics' Choice Awards", are bestowed annually by the Broadcast Film Critics Association to honor the finest in cinematic achievement.
CEBA Awards awarded Jackson as co-executive producer for "Motown On Showtime Michael Jackson The Legend Continues".
Year
Nominated Work
Category
Result
1989
Motown On Showtime Michael Jackson The Legend Continues
The Critics' Choice Awards (formerly known as the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards) is an awards show presented annually by the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) to honor the finest in cinematic achievement. The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) is an association of approximately 250 television, radio and online critics. Founded in 1995, it is the largest film critics organization in the United States and Canada.
Michael Jackson receives the Diamond of Africa award from Ghana?s President, Jerry Rawlings during a dinner at the Hotel Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.
An ECHO is a German music award granted every year by the Deutsche Phono-Akademie (an association of recording companies). Each year's winner is determined by the previous year's sales. The ECHO is the successor to the Deutscher Schallplattenpreis (German Record Award).
Jackson was awarded with an ECHO award for "Best International Artist of the Year" in 1993 and inducted into ECHO Hall of Fame in 2010.
The Environmental Media Awards is an award ceremony which celebrates the entertainment industry’s environmental efforts. Jackson has received the Futures Award for his green-conscious Indiana golf course.
Delivered since 2012. The GAFFA Awards (Norwegian: GAFFA Prisen) are a Norwegian award that rewards popular music awarded by the magazine of the same name.
Delivered since 2010. The GAFFA Awards (Swedish: GAFFA Priset) are a Swedish award that rewards popular music awarded by the magazine of the same name.
The GLAAD Excellence in Media Award is a special GLAAD Media Award presented annually by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation at the GLAAD Media Awards ceremony held in Los Angeles. It is presented to public figures in media and entertainment who, through their work, have increased the visibility and understanding of the LGBT community.
Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network organizes the annual GLSEN Respect Awards to honor personalities and organizations considered committed allies to the LGBT community.
The Golden Globe Awards is an American accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign. The annual formal ceremony and dinner at which the awards are presented is a major part of the film industry's awards season, which culminates each year with the Academy Awards.
The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards) — or Grammys — are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the music industry. The awards ceremony features performances by prominent artists, and some of the awards of more popular interest are presented in a widely viewed televised ceremony.
Since 1969, Jackson has won a total of 46 Grammy Awards from 93 nominations throughout his career. In 1984, he won a record 10 Grammy Awards out of 14 nominations. In 1993, he was awarded the Grammy Legend Award which was presented by his sister Janet Jackson and in 2010, he was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Two of his recordings have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Two of Jackson's albums were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2009.
The Hollywood Film Awards are an American motion picture award ceremony held annually since 1997. In 2016, Jackson will be honored with the Hollywood Song Award for "Can't Stop the Feeling!".
The iHeartRadio Music Awards is an American music awards show debuting in 2014. Michael Jackson received the Innovator Award at the second ceremony. Michael Jackson has won 2 times and nominated 9 times.
The iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the Canadian music video channel MuchMusic. Michael Jackson has won 4 times and nominated 12 times.
On September 4, 1999, Michael Jackson attended the KORA All Africa Music Awards in South Africa to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. During the ceremony, Michael presented Nelson Mandela with a check for 1 million rand for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.
Michael Jackson is often credited for putting MTV, initially a struggling cable channel, on the map "with pioneering videos such as "Thriller", "Billie Jean", and "Beat It". In response to Jackson's influence, MTV shifted its musical focus as time went on, going from rock videos to more pop and R&B showings. Throughout his career, Jackson has been awarded with 85 MTV related awards. In 1989, Michael Jackson was awarded the Artist of the Decade by a poll of MTV viewers in recognizing his achievement during the 1980s.
The MTV Movie & TV Awards is a film awards show presented annually on MTV. The nominees are decided by a special panel at Tenth Planet Productions and winners are decided by the general public.
Jackson's "Will You Be There" was awarded with a MTV Movie award in 1994.
The MTV Video Music Awards were established in the end of the summer of 1984 by MTV to celebrate the top music videos of the year. In its debut show, the MTV Video Music Awards awarded Michael Jackson's Thriller five awards and won six awards in totall. In 1988 and in 2013, Jackson received the Video Vanguard Award. In 1991, it was renamed to the "Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award" and is the only musician to win the "Artist of the Millennium Award" in 2000. Jackson won 36 MTV Video Music Awards.
"Music & Media" was published beginning in 1984 as "Eurotipsheet".On April 26, 1986 it changed name to "Music & Media" and positioned itself asthe "Pan-European Newsweekly for the Broadcasting & Home Entertainment Industries". It focused specifically on radio, TV, music and related areas of entertainment such as music festivals and events. Michael has 3Music & Media Year End Awards.
The MVPA Awards are held annually by the Music Video Production Association to honor the best music videos in a variety of genre, style, and production aspect categories.
Michael Jackson presented with an award by NASDAQChief executive Hardwick Simmons, Weild said in a statement, because of his "extraordinary vision and commitment to excellence in the entertainment industry.
The Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards is an annual awards show, that honors the year's biggest television, movie, and music acts, as voted by the people. Michael Jackson has won 3 times out of 24 nominations.
The NRJ Music Awards, created in 1999 by the radio station NRJ in partnership with the television network TF1 takes place every year in mid-January at Cannes (PACA, France) as the opening of MIDEM (Marché international de l'édition musicale). They give out awards to popular musicians by different categories.
Jackson has been awarded with 5 NRJ awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.
The People's Choice Awards is an awards show recognizing the people and the work of popular culture. The show has been held annually since 1975 and is claimed to be based on the opinions of the general public.
In 1984, Michael Jackson was named "Entertainer of the Year" and his music video, Thriller, collected the award for "Favorite Video of the Year".
The Greek Pop Corn Music Awards are a defunct awards ceremony that were the first official Greek music awards show from 1992-2001 and were organized by the Greek magazine Pop Corn. The Arion Music Awards became the new national music awards ceremony in 2001 after the Pop Corns were discontinued. Michael Jackson has won 2 awards from 12 nominations.
In 1984, Jackson was approached to donate "Beat It" as backing music for a commercial on drunk driving. Jackson agreed and it was arranged for the singer to be awarded with an honor from the President of the United States, Ronald Reagan. Prior to collecting the award, President Reagan sent Jackson a telegram, which read:
“
Your deep faith in God and adherence to traditional values are an inspiration to all of us. You've gained quite a number of fans along the road since "I Want You Back" and Nancy and I are among them. Keep up the good work, Michael. We're very happy for you.
”
The presentation took place on May 14, 1984, at the White House. Upon reaching the podium, Reagan remarked, "I hope you'll forgive me, but we have quite a few young folks in the White House who all wanted me to give you the same message. They said to tell Michael, "Please give some TLC to the PYTs. A reference to Jackson's Grammy Award-nominated song, "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)". Reagan also stated that Jackson "is proof of what a person can accomplish through a lifestyle free of alcohol or drug abuse. People young and old respect that. And if Americans follow his example, then we can face up to the problem of drinking and driving, and we can, in Michael's words, beat it.
On April 5, 1990, Jackson returned to the White House to be recognized as "Artist of the Decade" by President George H. W. Bush. Three years later, on May 1, 1992, President Bush presented Jackson with an award acknowledging him as "a point of light ambassador". Jackson received the award in recognition for his efforts in charity's for children. Jackson was the only entertainer to receive the award.
The Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards (for film), Grammy Awards (for music), and the Tony Awards (for theatre). Michael Jackson has received 4 awards from 11 nominations.
Rockbjörnen is a music prize in Sweden, divided into several categories, which is awarded annually by the newspaper Aftonbladet. The prize was first awarded in 1979, and is mostly centered on pop and rock.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a museum located on the shores of Lake Erie in downtownCleveland, Ohio, United States, dedicated to recording the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, and other people who have in some major way influenced the music industry.
Michael Jackson has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice; as a member of The Jacksons in 1997 and as a solo artist in 2001.
The RTHK International Pop Poll Awards is an annual award show presented at RTHK Studio 1 that honors the best in international and national music established in 1989.
Smash Hits was a pop music based magazine, aimed at children and young teenagers, and originally published in the United Kingdom by EMAP. It ran from 1978 to 2006 and was issued fortnightly for most of that time. The name survives as a brand for a related spin-offdigital television channel, digital radio station, and website which have survived the demise of the printed magazine.
Michael Jackson has won 12Smash Hits related awards.
The Soul Train Awards have honoured Jackson with 11 awards and inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 1995. Since 1997 to 2007, the video award was renamed to the "Michael Jackson Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video".
The Spike Guys' Choice Awards (formerly Guy's Choice Awards) is an awards show produced by the Viacom cable channel Spike and held since 2007. Jackson has won one award.
The Teen Choice Awards were established in 1999 to honor the year's biggest achievements in music, movies, sports and television, being voted by young people aged between 13 and 19. Jackson received the Ultimate Choice Award at the 2008 show, and received the first-ever Decade Award at the 2016 show; the latter to celebrate his achievements since the release of LoveSounds. Michael Jackson has won 13 awards from 49 nominations.
In 1987 Television Broadcasts Limited, commonly known as TVB, was the first wireless commercial television station in Hong Kong gave to Michael Jackson an award in recognition of his successful career.
The Recording Academy Honors Award was established to celebrate outstanding individuals whose work embodies excellence and integrity and who have improved the environment for the creative community.
The UK Music Hall of Fame is an awards ceremony to honor musicians, of any nationality, for their lifetime contributions to music in the United Kingdom.
In 2008, Jackson's Thriller album was inducted into the U.S. National Recording Registry.
Each year, organizers select twenty-five recorded works to preserve in the Library of Congress archives based on historical, cultural or aesthetic significance. A recording is only eligible beginning 10 years after its creation.
The Urban Music Awards Australia and New Zealand were established in 2006 as a means of celebrating hip hop, soul and R&B acts throughout the two countries. Two awards ceremonies were held, in 2006 and 2007.
The V Chart Awards is an awards show organised by YinYueTai. The V Chart is the Chinese counterpart to the American Billboard charts and Korean Gaon Charts. Jackson has been nominated and won ones.
Vevo certified award honors artists with over 100 million views on Vevo and its partners (including YouTube) through special features on the Vevo website. It was launched in June 2012.
In 1995, VH1 created a new award especially for the King of Pop and will be given to future artists who follow in the footsteps of Michael Jackson in helping the world.
Year
Nominated Work
Category
Result
1995
Michael Jackson
International Humanitarian Award
Won
1998
Michael Jackson
100 Greatest Rock n' Roll Artists of All Time
#40
Michael Jackson Performs The Moonwalk In 1983
100 Greatest Rock n' Roll Moments On TV
#5
Thriller Worldwide Preimer On MTV
#11
Michael Jackson Primetime Interview With Diane Sawyer
The Vibe Music Awards is a music and entertainment ceremony founded by producer Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip-hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. Michael Jackson has been nominated once.
A Webby Award is an award for excellence on the Internet presented annually by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a judging body composed of over one thousand industry experts and technology innovators. Categories include websites; advertising and media; online film and video; mobile sites and apps; and social.
The Jackson family is an American family of singers who originated in Gary, Indiana. Performing as members of The Jackson 5 and as solo artists, the children of Joseph Walter Jackson and Katherine Esther Jackson were very successful in the field of popular music from the late 1960s onwards. As a group, the eldest sons Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, Michael and Randy made the family's reputation, facilitating the subsequent success of siblings Rebbie, La Toya and Janet. The Jackson 5 became known as the "First Family of Soul" (a title first held by the Five Stairsteps). The continued success of Michael and Janet's careers as solo artists led the Jacksons to become known as the "Royal Family of Pop". All nine of the Jackson siblings have gold records to their credits with La Toya holding the distinction of being the first Jackson sister to attain one (awarded by France's SNEP for "Reggae Night", a song she co-wrote for Jimmy Cliff).
Joseph Walter Jackson was born on (July 26, 1928 - June 27, 2018) in Arkansas, the child of Samuel Jackson (April 22, 1893 – October 31, 1993) and Crystal Lee (May 12, 1907 – November 4, 1992). Joseph grew up in Oakland, California with his father Samuel Jackson, a school teacher. At age 18 he moved to East Chicago, Indiana to be with his mother Crystal Lee King and to pursue his dreams of becoming a professional boxer. At age 21, Joseph married Katherine Screws, 19, immediately starting a family. Even though he wanted to be a success in boxing it wasn’t a job for a family man, so he obtained a job as an overhead crane operator with East Chicago's Inland Steel Company. His family continued to blossom and grow steadily and over the course of sixteen years he and Katherine had a house full of 10 children. Joe Jackson always wanted to make it big and although he couldn’t in boxing or in his own short musical stint in the 1950s with the band The Falcons, he saw the talent in his children, starting with Tito and Tito's ability to play the guitar.
Soon enough Joe Jackson formed a band of his sons Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine called The Jackson Brothers in 1962 and became their manager. After several years of doing local talent shows, Joseph enlarged the band to include Marlon and Michael, two of his younger sons, and then changed the name of the band to The Jacksons 5 by 1963, remaining the group's manager. As their father he was a very strict disciplinarian and had an abusive nature which, at the time, seemed like the normal actions of a father; as their manager he enforced long practice sessions of singing and dancing in hopes of preparing them to make it big one day. In August 1965, the group made a debut at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York where they won the Amateur Night contest. Berry Gordy the owner and producer at Motown Records, discovered the The Jacksons and signed them to their first contract in June 1966. The group enjoyed the fame Joseph Jackson had been longing for in his life. He continued to manage The Jacksons into stardom and after the band they had many No. 1 hits on the Billboard hot singles charts; Joseph moved them to a mansion in Encino, California with his own hefty salary he had obtained as their full-time manager. After many years as a band and with Michael as lead singer, the group continued to churn out even more hits and wealth, but tensions grew and in 1979, Michael severed ties with his father/manager and went on to pursue a solo musical entertainment career. Four years later, in 1982, Michael's siblings fired Joseph Jackson as their manager. In 1993, Michael Jackson accused his father of physical and mental abuse; a few of the other siblings confirmed this claim, but others denied it.
Katherine Jackson (née Kattie B. Screws) was born on (May 4, 1930) in Barbour County, Alabama, the child of Prince Albert Screws (October 16, 1907 – January 21, 1997) and Martha Mattie Upshaw (December 14, 1907 – April 29, 1990). Unfortunately, Katherine Jackson was left with a permanent limp after acquiring polio syndrome in her childhood. She later recovered from her illness after moving with her family to East Chicago, Indiana, where she would remain until meeting her husband Joseph Jackson. The couple moved and bought a small home in Gary, Indiana, where they birthed and raised ten children and she was a stay-at-home mother. Throughout her life, Katherine remained a devoted Jehovah's Witness and raised her children strictly under the same spiritual teachings she received. Also, as a talented pianist and vocalist who shared her talents with her children, she was later credited for being the foundation of her children's success. After her sons' rise to fame as The Jackson 5, she strongly supported her children and became the costume designer for their shows and performances.
There are 33 children that make up the third generation of the Jackson family. 28 among them have followed in the family's footsteps into the entertainment industry.
There are 44 children that make up the fourth generation of the Jackson family. 2 among them have followed in the family's footsteps into the entertainment industry.
American entertainer Janet Jackson began her career through a series of acting roles, prior to releasing her self-titled debut album at the age of fifteen. She has sold over 200 million records.
Jackson has received eleven American Music Awards, five Grammy Awards, ten MTV Video Music Awards, and 11 Billboard Music Awards. Her most notable accolades include the American Music Award's "Award of Merit," Billboard Award's "Artistic Achievement Award," MTV's "Video Vanguard Award," and Recording Academy's "Governor's Award," in addition to MTV's inaugural Icon tribute, and Radio Music Award's "Legend and World Music Awards' "Legend Award". Jackson holds several world records, and ranks as the most-searched person in internet history. She has received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for her musical contributions within film, while her humanitarian efforts have garnered APLA's "Commitment to Life Award," amfAR's "Award of Courage," and GLAAD's "Vanguard Award."
The AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by the HIV disease, reducing HIV infection, and advocating for fair and effective usage of HIV-related public policy. Janet received the Commitment to Life Award for her contributions to the organization.
The American Music Awards are an annual awards ceremony, created by Dick Clark. Janet holds the record for the most nominations from one album, with thirteen nominations for Control. Janet won 11 awards (including the Award of Merit).
The Billboard Magazine Year-End Number-One Awards were sponsored by Billboard magazine to honor artists based on Billboard Year-End Charts during the 1980s.
Year
Nominated Work
Category
Result
1983
Janet Jackson
Top Black Albums Artists - Female
Tek-chióng
Top Black Artists of the Year (Combined LPs & Singles)
The Blockbuster Entertainment Awards were an annual awards ceremony honoring the best in music, film, and video games. Janet received four awards from the event, including "Favorite Female Singer."
The Bravo Otto Awards were established by Bravo, the largest teen magazine within the German-language sphere. It honored the top performers in film, music, television, and sports. Janet has received multiple awards in the "Female Singer" category.
The Brit Awards, also known as The BRITs, are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. Janet has received multiple nominations, including "Best International Female Artist."
The ECHO Awards are an annual German music awards ceremony, granted by the Deutsche Phono-Akademie. It is the successor to the Deutscher Schallplattenpreis.
The GLAAD Media Awards were established by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) to honor various entertainers and media organizations for their outstanding contributions regarding issues within the LGBT community. Janet was presented the Vanguard Award by Ellen DeGeneres for her significant difference in promoting equal rights for gay, lesbian, and transgender people.
The Guinness Book of World Records is a reference book published annually. It compiles a list of world records, including human achievements and extremes of the natural world. She has nine inclusions in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Year
Nominated Work
Category
Result
2007
Janet Jackson
Most Searched Person in Internet History
Tek-chióng
Most Searched News Item in Internet History
Tek-chióng
Largest Fine Ever Imposed on Broadcaster: Super Bowl incident
The Grammy Awards, or Grammys, are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. The ceremony honors outstanding achievements in the music industry, with awards of the most popular interest presented during the live televised event.
Janet has Grammy Award nominations spanning five different genres (Pop, Rock, Dance, Rap and R&B). During the 32nd Annual Grammy Awards, she became the first female artist to be nominated for Producer of the Year, following her production contributions on her fourth album, Rhythm Nation 1814.
Jackson was honored by New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority as part of Harlem Week 2018's “Women Transforming Our World: Past, Present and Future.”
The MTV Europe Music Awards, also referred to as the EMAs, were established to honor the most popular music videos in Europe. Janet has received eight nominations, winning for "Best Female" and "Global Icon".
MTV Icon was an annual ceremony which recognized an artist who made significant contributions within music, music video, and popular culture, while impacting the MTV generation. Janet was selected to receive the network's inaugural Icon tribute, and was the only pop artist chosen to receive the honor.
The MTV Movie Awards are an annual MTV Awards ceremony honoring the best in film. Nominees are determined by a panel at Tenth Planet Productions, while the winners are decided by the general public. Janet won two awards for her film debut in Poetic Justice.
The Image Awards are presented annually by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to honor outstanding contributions within film, television, music, and literature. She has received multiple accolades from the ceremony, including the "Chairman's Award" and "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture" for her performance in Why Did I Get Married?.
The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, also known as the Recording Academy, is an organization of recording professionals, including musicians, producers, and sound engineers. During its 2002 Membership Awards, Janet was awarded a special award of merit; the Recording Academy's Governor's Award.
Year
Nominated Work
Category
Result
Ref.
2002
Janet Jackson
Governor's Award
Tek-chióng
Nancy Susan Reynolds Award (Center For Population Options)
The People's Choice Awards recognizes particular figures within popular culture. The annual ceremony is described to be determined by the opinion of the general public. Janet has received several nominations, including "Favorite All-Around Female Entertainer".
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a museum located on the shores of Lake Erie in downtownCleveland, Ohio, United States, dedicated to recording the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, and other people who have in some major way influenced the music industry.
Janet Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 29, 2019.
The Soul Train Music Awards are an annual ceremony which honor the best in Black music and entertainment. It is produced by the makers of Soul Train, the program from which it takes its name. Janet has the second most wins of any artist in the ceremony's history.
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