Michael Joseph Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is widely regarded as one of the most culturally significant figures of the 20th century. Over a four-decade career, his music achievements broke racial barriers in America and made him a dominant figure worldwide. Through his songs, stages, and fashion, he proliferated visual performance for artists in popular music, popularizing street dance moves such as the moonwalk, the robot and the anti-gravity lean. Jackson is often deemed the greatest entertainer of all time based on his acclaim and records.
The eighth child of the Jackson family, Michael made his public debut at age six as the lead singer of the Jackson 5 (later known as the Jacksons), one of Motown's most successful acts. His breakthrough as a solo artist came with the disco-inspired album Off the Wall (1979). Jackson achieved unprecedented global success with Thriller (1982), the best-selling album in history. Its short film-style music videos for the title track, "Beat It", and "Billie Jean" popularized MTV and redefined music videos as an art form. He followed it with Bad (1987), the first album to produce five US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles: "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana". Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995) explored social themes, and Invincible (2001) delved into personal themes.
From the late 1980s, Jackson became a figure of controversy and speculation due to his changing appearance, relationships, behavior, and lifestyle. He was accused of sexually abusing the child of a family friend in 1993. In 2005, Jackson was tried and acquitted of further child sexual abuse allegations and all other charges. While preparing for a series of comeback concerts, he died in 2009 from an overdose of propofol administered by his personal physician Conrad Murray, who was convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter. Jackson's death triggered reactions around the world, creating unprecedented surges of internet traffic and a spike in sales of his music. His televised memorial service, held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, was estimated to have been viewed by more than 2.5 billion people.
Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated sales of over 500 million records worldwide. He has 13 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles, a joint-record for a male solo artist and is the first artist to have a top-ten single on the chart in five different decades. Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Dance Hall of Fame. One of the most-awarded artists in popular music, his accolades include 13 Grammy Awards, the Grammy Legend Award, and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award; 26 American Music Awards; 12 World Music Awards; six Brit Awards; and three presidential honors. As a philanthropist, Jackson donated an estimated $500 million to charity throughout his lifetime. In 2024, half of his music catalogue sold to Sony for $600 million, the largest music acquisition for a single artist in history.
