Michael Jackson 2010 Michael Jackson Images

Infobox musical artist

Img = Michael Jackson 1984.jpg
Img_capt = Jackson at the White House in 1984
Img_size = 215
Img_alt = A mid-twenties African American man wearing a sequined military jacket and dark sunglasses. He is walking while waving his right hand, which is adorned with a white glove. His left hand is bare.
Landscape = no
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Michael Joseph Jackson
Born =
Gary, Indiana, U.S.
Died =
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Instrument = Vocals, piano, guitar, drums, beatbox
Genre = Pop, disco, dance, rock, R&B, soul, funk, new jack swing
Occupation = Singer, songwriter, record producer, composer, dancer, choreographer, actor, author, businessman, philanthropist
Years_active = 1964–2009
Label = Motown, Epic, Legacy
Associated_acts = The Jackson 5
URL = http://www.michaeljackson.com
Michael Joseph Jackson''' (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, entertainer, and philanthropist. Referred to as the '''King of Pop , Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records. His contribution to music, dance and fashion, along with a much-publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. The eighth child of the Jackson family, Jackson debuted on the professional music scene along with his brothers as a member of The Jackson 5 in the mid-1960s, and began his solo career in 1971. In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music. The music videos for his songs including "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and "Thriller", were credited with transforming the medium into an art form and a promotional tool, and the popularity of these videos helped to bring the relatively new television channel MTV to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made him a staple on MTV in the 1990s. Through stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style have influenced numerous hip hop, pop, contemporary R&B and rock artists. Jackson's 1982 album ''Thriller'' is the best-selling album of all time. His other records, including ''Off the Wall'' (1979), ''Bad'' (1987), ''Dangerous'' (1991) and '''' (1995), also rank among the world's best-selling. Jackson is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. Some of his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records; 13 Grammy Awards (as well as the Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award); 26 American Music Awards (more than any other artist, including the "Artist of the Century"); 13 number-one singles in the United States in his solo career (more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era); and the estimated sale of over 800�million records worldwide. Jackson won hundreds of awards, which have made him the most-awarded recording artist in the history of music. He was also a notable humanitarian and philanthropist, donating and raising hundreds of millions of dollars for beneficial causes and supporting more than 39 charities. Aspects of Jackson's personal life, including his changing appearance, personal relationships and behavior, have generated controversy. In 1993, he was accused of child sexual abuse, but the case was settled and no formal charges were brought. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further sexual abuse allegations and several other charges after the jury ruled him not guilty on all counts. While preparing for his concert series ''This Is It'', Jackson died on June 25, 2009, after suffering from cardiac arrest. Before his death, Jackson had reportedly been administered drugs such as propofol and lorazepam. The Los Angeles County Coroner declared his death a homicide, and his personal physician pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter. Jackson's death triggered a global outpouring of grief, and as many as a billion people around the world may have watched his public memorial service on live television. In March 2010, Sony Music Entertainment signed a US$250 million deal with Jackson's estate to retain distribution rights to his recordings until 2017, and to release seven posthumous albums over the decade following his death.

Life and career

Early life and The Jackson 5 (1958–1975)

, showing floral tributes after his death. Michael Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, the eighth of ten children to an African American working-class family, in Gary, Indiana, an industrial suburb of Chicago. His mother, Katherine Esther Scruse, was a devout Jehovah's Witness, and his father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, a steel mill worker who performed with an R&B band called The Falcons. Jackson had three sisters: Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet, and five brothers: Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy. Jackson had a troubled relationship with his father, Joe. In an interview with Martin Bashir, later included in the 2003 broadcast of ''Living with Michael Jackson'', Jackson acknowledged that his father hurt him when he was a child, but was nonetheless a "genius", as he admitted his father's strict discipline played a huge role in his success. When Bashir dismissed the positive remark and continued asking about beatings, Jackson put his hand over his face and objected to the questions. He recalled that Joseph sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his siblings rehearsed, and that "if you didn't do it the right way, he would tear you up, really get you". In 1964, Michael and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by brothers Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine—as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine. Jackson later began performing backup vocals and dancing. When he was eight, Jackson began sharing the lead vocals with his older brother Jermaine, and the group's name was changed to The Jackson 5. The Jackson 5 recorded several songs, including "Big Boy", for the local record label Steeltown in 1967, before signing with Motown Records in 1968.

Move to Epic and ''Off the Wall'' (1975–1981)

In June 1975, the Jackson 5 signed with Epic Records, a subsidiary of CBS Records Jones and Jackson produced the ''Off the Wall'' album together. Beginning in May 2002, Jackson allowed a documentary film crew, led by British TV personality Martin Bashir, to follow him around just about everywhere he went. Bashir's film crew was with Jackson during the "baby-dangling incident" in Berlin. The program was broadcast in March 2003 as ''Living with Michael Jackson'', and painted an extraordinarily unflattering portrait of the singer. In a particularly controversial scene, Jackson was seen holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with a young boy.

Final years (2006–09)

, 2006 In March 2006, the main house at the Neverland Ranch was closed as a cost-cutting measure. Jackson did not have a recording contract in place with Sony or any other major record label at the time. In the spring of 2006, there was an announcement that Jackson had signed a contract with a Bahrain-based startup called Two Seas Records. However, nothing ever came of that deal, and the CEO of Two Seas, Guy Holmes, later stated that the deal had never been finalized. In November 2006, Jackson invited an ''Access Hollywood'' camera crew into the studio in Westmeath, and MSNBC broke the story that he was working on a new album, produced by will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas. In September 2007 Jackson was reportedly still working with will.i.am, but the album was apparently never completed. Two of the remixes were released as singles with only modest success: "The Girl Is Mine 2008" (with will.i.am) and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" (with Akon). The first single was based on an early demo version, without Paul McCartney. The album itself was a hit, however.

cite web |url=http://digitalproducer.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=312105&afterinter=true

|title=Thriller the best selling album of all time |publisher=digitalproducer |date=(February 20, 2008) |accessdate=April 6, 2008

cite web |url=http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Michael+Jackson&titel=Thriller+25&cat=a

|title=Michael Jackson Thriller 25 |publisher=ultratop.be |accessdate=April 6, 2008

cite web |first=Roger |last=Friedman |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,356282,00.html#3

|title=Jacko: Neverland East in Upstate New York |publisher=Fox News Channel |date=May 16, 2008|accessdate=May 22, 2008
In anticipation of Jackson's 50th�birthday, Sony BMG released a series of greatest-hits albums called ''King of Pop''. Slightly different versions were released in various countries, based on polls of local fans. In the fall of 2008, Fortress Investments threatened to foreclose on Neverland Ranch, which Jackson used as collateral for loans running into many tens of millions of dollars. However, Fortress opted to sell Jackson's debts to Colony Capital LLC. In November, Jackson transferred Neverland Ranch's title to Sycamore Valley Ranch Company LLC, which was a joint venture between Jackson and Colony Capital LLC. This deal cleared Jackson's debt, and he reportedly even gained an extra from the venture. At the time of his death, Jackson still owned a stake in Neverland/Sycamore Valley, but it is unknown how large that stake was. In March 2009, Jackson held a press conference at London's The O2 arena (London)|O₂ arena and announced a series of comeback concerts titled "This Is It." The shows would be Jackson's first major series of concerts since the HIStory World Tour finished in 1997. Jackson suggested possible retirement after the shows; he said it would be his "final curtain call". The initial plan was for a 10 concerts in London, followed by shows in Paris, New York City and Mumbai. Randy Phillips, president and chief executive of AEG Live, stated that the first 10 dates alone would earn the singer approximately . Jackson's first posthumous single was a song entitled "This Is It" which Jackson cowrote in the 1980s with Paul Anka. It was not on the set lists for the concerts, and the recording was based on an old demo tape. The surviving brothers reunited in the studio for the first time since 1989 to record backing vocals. On October 28, 2009, a documentary film about the rehearsals entitled ''Michael Jackson's This Is It'' was released. At the 2009 American Music Awards Jackson won four posthumous awards, two for him and two for his album ''Number Ones'', bringing his total American Music Awards total to 26.

Death and memorial

On June 25, 2009, Jackson was passed out in his bed at his rented mansion at 100 North Carolwood Drive in the Holmby Hills district of Los Angeles. Attempts at resuscitating him by Conrad Murray, his personal physician, were unsuccessful. Jackson's death triggered a global outpouring of grief. The news spread quickly online, causing websites to slow down and crash from user overload. Both TMZ and the ''Los Angeles Times'' suffered outages. Around 15% of Twitter posts—or 5,000 per minute—reportedly mentioned Jackson after the news broke, Jackson's memorial was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, preceded by a private family service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park's Hall of Liberty. Jackson's casket was present during the memorial but no information was released about the final disposition of the body. While some unofficial reports claimed a worldwide audience as high as one billion people Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, John Mayer, Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Jermaine Jackson, and Shaheen Jafargholi performed at the event. Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson gave eulogies, while Queen Latifah read, "We had him," a poem written for the occasion by Maya Angelou. On August 24, several news outlets quoted anonymous sources as stating that the Los Angeles coroner had decided to treat Jackson's death as a homicide; this was later confirmed by the coroner on August 28. Law enforcement officials conducted a manslaughter investigation of his personal physician, Conrad Murray.

First anniversary of death

On June 25, 2010, the first anniversary of Jackson's death, fans came to Los Angeles to to pay their tribute to Michael Jackson. They visited Jackson’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and his family’s home, as well as Forest Lawn Memorial Park. Many of the fans were carrying sunflowers and other tribute items to drop off at the sites. Members of the Jackson family and close friends arrived to pay their respects.

Posthumous works

After his death, Jackson became the best-selling artist of 2009 in the United States selling over 8.2 million albums and had sold albums worldwide in the 12 months that followed his death.

Artistry

Influences

Jackson's music took root in R&B, pop and soul. He had been influenced by the work of contemporary musicians such as Little Richard, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Diana Ross, David Ruffin, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Sammy Davis, Jr., The Isley Brothers, and the Bee Gees. The young Michael Jackson owed his vocal technique in large part to Diana Ross. In October 1969, it was decided that Jackson would live with Ross. Not only a mother figure to him, she was often observed in rehearsal as an accomplished performer. He later expressed: "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."

Musical themes and genres

Unlike many artists, Jackson did not write his songs on paper. Instead he would dictate into a sound recorder, and when recording he would sing the lyrics from memory. In most of his songs, such as "Who Is It", "Billie Jean" and "Tabloid Junkie", he would beatbox and imitate the instruments using his voice instead of playing the actual instruments, along with other sounds. Jackson noted that it is easier to sing a drum line, or sing a bass, instead of playing a drum line or a bass with an instrument. Several critics have said that Jackson's distinct voice is able to replace any instrument convincingly. Steve Huey of Allmusic said that, throughout his solo career, Jackson's versatility allowed him to experiment with various themes and genres. As a musician, he ranged from Motown's dance fare and ballads to techno and house-edged new jack swing to work that incorporates both funk rhythms and hard rock guitar. According to Huey, ''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. Notable 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)".

cite web |first=Eric |last=Henderson |url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=358

|title=Michael Jackson:Thriller |publisher=Slant Magazine |year=2003 |accessdate=June 15, 2008
"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 1985, Jackson co-wrote the charity anthem "We Are the World"; humanitarian themes later became a recurring theme in his lyrics and public persona.

Listen

|filename = Michael Jackson Thriller.ogg |title = "Thriller" |description = One of Jackson's signature pieces, "Thriller", released as a single in 1984, utilizes cinematic sound effects, horror film motifs and vocal trickery to convey a sense of danger. |filename2 = Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson.ogg |title2 = "Smooth Criminal" |description2 = A single from the album ''Bad'', released 1988, "Smooth Criminal" features digital drum sounds, keyboard-created bass lines and other percussion elements designed to give the impression of a pulsing heart.
In ''Bad'', Jackson's concept of the predatory lover can be seen on the rock song "Dirty Diana".

cite news|first=Jon |last=Pareles |authorlink=Jon Pareles|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE1DC1F38F930A3575AC0A961948260&scp=5&sq=Michael+Jackson+Bad+review&st=nyt

|title=How good is Jackson's Bad? |work=The New York Times |date=September 3, 1987 |accessdate=July 23, 2008
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. ''HIStory'' creates an atmosphere of paranoia. 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".

cite web |url=http://www.ndaa.org/ndaa/profile/tom_sneddon_jan_feb_2003.html |title=Thomas W. (Tom) Sneddon, Jr.

|publisher=ndaa.org |accessdate=July 12, 2008
''Invincible'' found Jackson working heavily with producer Rodney Jerkins.

Vocal style

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. 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".

Listen |help = no |filename = Michael Jackson - Black Or White.ogg |title = "Black or White" |description = The lead single from ''Dangerous'', the danceable hard rock song "Black or White" was one of Jackson's most successful recordings.

It contains many features of Jackson's vocal style, including the vocal hiccup he is known for.
A distinctive deliberate mispronunciation of "come on", used frequently by Jackson, occasionally spelt "cha'mone" or "shamone", is also a staple in impressions and caricatures of him.

Music videos and choreography

Referred to as the King of Music Videos, 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. The MTV Video Vanguard Artist of the Decade Award was given to Jackson to celebrate his accomplishments in the art form in the 1980s; the following year the award was renamed in his honor. " was shot primarily in black and white, and at a cost of . "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 11 MTV Video Music Award Nominations—more than any other music video—and won "Best Dance Video", "Best Choreography", and "Best Art Direction". 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 that 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.

Legacy and influence

, set in 1984 Jackson throughout his career transformed the art of the music video and paved the way for modern pop music. ''Daily Telegraph'' writer Tom Utley described Jackson in 2003 as "extremely important" and a "genius." 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". Shortly after Jackson's death, on June 25, 2009, MTV briefly returned to its original music video format to celebrate and pay tribute to his work. In 2010, two university librarians found that Jackson's influence extended into academia, and was detectable in scholarly literature pertaining to a range of subject matter.

Honors and awards

in June 1988 Michael Jackson was inducted onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1984. Throughout his career he received numerous honors and awards, including the World Music Awards' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium, the American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award and the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award.

Lifetime earnings

His total lifetime earnings from royalties on his solo recordings and music videos, revenue from concerts and endorsements have been estimated at $500�million; some analysts have speculated that his music catalog holdings could be worth billions of dollars.

Discography

''Got to Be There'' (1972)
''Ben'' (1972)
''Music & Me'' (1973)
''Forever, Michael'' (1975)
''Off the Wall'' (1979)
''Thriller'' (1982)
''Bad'' (1987)
''Dangerous'' (1991)
'''' (1995)
''Invincible'' (2001)

Filmography

_

Tours

Bad World Tour (1987–89)
Dangerous World Tour (1992–93)
HIStory World Tour (1996–97)

See also

List of awards received by Michael Jackson
List of best-selling music artists
List of best-selling music artists in the United States
List of unreleased Michael Jackson material
List of honorific titles in popular music
Records and achievements of Michael Jackson

Notes

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Bibliography

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George, Nelson (2004). '''' booklet. Sony BMG.

Further reading

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External links

Michael Jackson sample map, depicting the influence Jackson's work has had on other users.

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Persondata

NAME=Jackson, Michael Joseph
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Jackson, Michael Joe; Jackson, Michael J.
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Singer
DATE OF BIRTH= August 29, 1958
PLACE OF BIRTH= Gary, Indiana, United States
DATE OF DEATH= June 25, 2009
PLACE OF DEATH= Los Angeles, California, United States