Michael Joseph Jackson 

(August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer,

songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Known as the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of
the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. During his four-decade career, his
contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a
global figure in popular culture. Jackson influenced artists across many music genres; through
stage and video performances, he popularized complicated dance moves such as
the moonwalk, to which he gave the name, as well as the robot.
The eighth child of the Jackson family, Jackson made his public debut in 1964 with his older
brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon as a member of the Jackson 5 (later known as the
Jacksons). Jackson began his solo career in 1971 while at Motown Records. He became a
solo star with his 1979 album Off the Wall. His music videos, including those for "Beat It", "Billie
Jean", and "Thriller" from his 1982 album Thriller, are credited with breaking racial barriers and
transforming the medium into an artform and promotional tool. He helped propel the success
of MTV and continued to innovate with videos for the
albums Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995),
and Invincible (2001). Thriller became the best-selling album of all time, while Bad was the first
album to produce five US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles.[nb 1]
From the late 1980s, Jackson became a figure of controversy and speculation due to
his changing appearance, relationships, behavior, and lifestyle. In 1993, he was accused of
sexually abusing the child of a family friend. The lawsuit was settled out of civil court; Jackson
was not indicted due to lack of evidence. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further child
sexual abuse allegations and several other charges. The FBI found no evidence of criminal
conduct by Jackson in either case. In 2009, while he was preparing for a series of comeback
concerts, This Is It, Jackson died from an overdose of propofol administered by his personal
physician, Conrad Murray, who was convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter. His death
triggered reactions around the world, creating unprecedented surges of Internet traffic and a
spike in sales of his music. A televised memorial service for Jackson, held at the Staples
Center in Los Angeles, was viewed by more than an estimated 2.5 billion people globally.
Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated sales of over
400 million records worldwide.[nb 2] He had 13 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles (third
highest of any artist in the Hot 100 era) and was the first artist to have a top-ten single in
the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades. His honors include 15 Grammy Awards, six Brit
Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and 39 Guinness World Records, including the "Most
Successful Entertainer of All Time". Jackson's inductions include the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame (twice), the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Dance Hall of
Fame (the only recording artist to be inducted), and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.

Life and career

Early life and the Jackson 5 (1958–1975)
Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Indiana, pictured in March 2010

Michael Joseph Jackson[9][10] was born in Gary, Indiana, on August 29, 1958.[11][12] He was the
eighth of ten children in the Jackson family, a working-class African-American family living in a
two-bedroom house on Jackson Street.[13][14] His mother, Katherine Esther
Jackson (née Scruse), played clarinet and piano, had aspired to be a country-and-
western performer, and worked part-time at Sears.[15] She was a Jehovah's Witness.[16] His
father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, a former boxer, was a crane operator at U.S. Steel and
played guitar with a local rhythm and blues band, the Falcons, to supplement the family's
income.[17][18] Joe's great-grandfather, July "Jack" Gale, was a US Army scout; family lore held
that he was also a Native American medicine man.[19] Michael grew up with three sisters
(Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet) and five brothers (Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy).
[17]
 A sixth brother, Marlon's twin Brandon, died shortly after birth.[20]
In 1964, Michael and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by their father which
included Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine—as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine.[21]
[22]
 Michael said his father told him he had a "fat nose",[23] and physically and emotionally abused
him during rehearsals. He recalled that Joe often sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he
and his siblings rehearsed, ready to punish any mistakes.[16][24] Joe acknowledged that he
regularly whipped Michael.[25] Katherine said that although whipping came to be considered
abuse, it was a common way to discipline children when Michael was growing up.[26][27] Jackie,
Tito, Jermaine and Marlon denied that their father was abusive and said that the whippings,
which had a deeper impact on Michael because he was younger, kept them disciplined and out
of trouble.[28] Michael said that during his youth he was lonely and isolated.[29]
Later in 1965, Michael began sharing lead vocals with Jermaine, and the group's name was
changed to the Jackson 5.[30] In 1965, the group won a talent show; Michael performed the
dance to Robert Parker's 1965 song "Barefootin'" and sang the Temptations' "My Girl".[31] From
1966 to 1968, the Jacksons 5 toured the Midwest; they frequently played at a string of black
clubs known as the Chitlin' Circuit as the opening act for artists such as Sam & Dave, the
O'Jays, Gladys Knight, and Etta James. The Jackson 5 also performed at clubs and cocktail
lounges, where striptease shows were featured, and at local auditoriums and high school
dances.[32][33] In August 1967, while touring the East Coast, they won a weekly amateur night
concert at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.[34]

Michael Jackson (center) as a member of the Jackson 5 in 1972. The group were among the first African
American performers to attain a crossover following.[35]

The Jackson 5 recorded several songs for a Gary record label, Steeltown Records; their first
single, "Big Boy", was released in 1968.[36] Bobby Taylor of Bobby Taylor & the
Vancouvers brought the Jackson 5 to Motown after they opened for Taylor at Chicago's Regal
Theater in 1968. Taylor produced some of their early Motown recordings, including a version of
"Who's Lovin' You".[37] After signing with Motown, the Jackson family relocated to Los Angeles.
[38]
 In 1969, Motown executives decided Diana Ross should introduce the Jackson 5 to the
public—partly to bolster her career in television—sending off what was considered Motown's
last product of its "production line".[39] The Jackson 5 made their first television appearance in
1969 in the Miss Black America pageant, performing a cover of "It's Your Thing".[40] Rolling
Stone later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts" who
"quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer".[41]
In January 1970, "I Want You Back" became the first Jackson 5 song to reach number one on
the US Billboard Hot 100; it stayed there for four weeks. Three more singles with Motown
topped the chart: "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There".[42] In May 1971, the Jackson
family moved into a large house at Hayvenhurst, a two-acre estate in Encino, California.
[43]
 During this period, Michael developed from a child performer into a teen idol.[44] Between
1972 and 1975, he released four solo studio albums with Motown: Got to Be
There (1972), Ben (1972), Music & Me (1973), and Forever, Michael (1975).[45] "Got to Be
There" and "Ben", the title tracks from his first two solo albums, sold well as singles, as did a
cover of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin".[46]
Michael maintained ties to the Jackson 5.[45] The Jackson 5 were later described as "a cutting-
edge example of black crossover artists".[47] They were frustrated by Motown's refusal to allow
them creative input.[48] Jackson's performance of their top five single "Dancing Machine"
on Soul Train popularized the robot dance.[49]

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

The Jackson siblings in 1977, without Jermaine. From left, back row: Jackie, Michael, Tito, Marlon.
Middle row: Randy, La Toya, Rebbie. Front row: Janet

The Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975, signing with Epic Records and renaming themselves the
Jacksons.[50] Their younger brother Randy joined the band around this time; Jermaine stayed
with Motown and pursued a solo career.[51] The Jacksons continued to tour internationally, and
released six more albums between 1976 and 1984. Michael, the group's main songwriter
during this time, wrote songs such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" (1978), "This
Place Hotel" (1980), and "Can You Feel It" (1980).[52]
In 1977, Jackson moved to New York City to star as the Scarecrow in The Wiz, a musical film
directed by Sidney Lumet, alongside Diana Ross, Nipsey Russell, and Ted Ross.[53] The film
was a box-office failure.[54] Its score was arranged by Quincy Jones,[55] who later produced three
of Jackson's solo albums.[56] During his time in New York, Jackson frequented the Studio
54 nightclub, where he heard early hip hop; this influenced his beatboxing on future tracks
such as "Working Day and Night".[57] In 1978, Jackson broke his nose during a dance routine.
A rhinoplasty led to breathing difficulties that later affected his career. He was referred
to Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson's operations.[58]
Jackson's fifth solo album, Off the Wall (1979), established him as a solo performer and helped
him move from the bubblegum pop of his youth to more complex sounds.[44] It produced four top
10 entries in the US: "Off the Wall", "She's Out of My Life", and the chart-topping singles "Don't
Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You".[59] The album reached number three on the
US Billboard 200 and sold over 20 million copies worldwide.[60] In 1980, Jackson won
three American Music Awards for his solo work: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Soul/R&B
Male Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[61][62] He also
won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for 1979 with "Don't Stop 'Til You
Get Enough".[63] In 1981, Jackson was the American Music Awards winner for Favorite
Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist.[64] Jackson felt Off the Wall should have
made a bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.[65] In
1980, he secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album
profit.[66]

Thriller and Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever (1982–1983)

The sequined jacket and white glove worn by Jackson at Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever. British
Vogue called Jackson "a fashion pioneer [...] who gave new meaning to moonwalking, immortalised
solitary, [and] sparkly gloves".[67]

Jackson recorded with Queen's lead singer Freddie Mercury from 1981 to 1983, recording

demos of "State of Shock", "Victory" and "There Must Be More to Life Than This". The
recordings were intended for an album of duets but, according to Queen's manager Jim Beach,
the relationship soured when Jackson brought a llama into the recording studio,[68] and Jackson
was upset by Mercury's drug use.[69] "There Must Be More to Life Than This" was released in
2014.[70] Jackson went on to record "State of Shock" with Mick Jagger for the Jacksons'
album Victory (1984).[71]
In 1982, Jackson contributed "Someone in the Dark" to the audiobook for the film E.T. the
Extra-Terrestrial. Jackson's sixth album, Thriller, was released in late 1982. It was the best-
selling album worldwide in 1983,[72][73] and became the best-selling album of all time in the
US[74] and the best-selling album of all time worldwide, selling an estimated 70 million copies.[75]
[76]
 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 produce seven Billboard Hot 100 top-10 singles,
including "Billie Jean", "Beat It", and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".[77]
On March 25, 1983, Jackson reunited with his brothers for Motown 25: Yesterday, Today,
Forever, an NBC television special. The show aired on May 16 to an estimated audience of 47
million, and featured the Jacksons and other Motown stars.[78] Jackson's solo performance of
"Billie Jean" earned him his first Emmy Award nomination.[79] Wearing a glove decorated
with rhinestones,[80] he debuted his moonwalk dance, which Jeffrey Daniel had taught him three
years earlier, and it became his signature dance in his repertoire.[81] Jackson had originally
turned down the invitation to the show, believing he had been doing too much television. But at
the request of Motown founder Berry Gordy, he performed in exchange for an opportunity to do
a solo performance.[82] Rolling Stone reporter Mikal Gilmore called the performance
"extraordinary".[44] Jackson's performance drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and the Beatles'
appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.[83] Anna Kisselgoff of The New York Times praised the
perfect timing and technique involved in the dance.[84] Gordy described being "mesmerized" by
the performance.[85]
At the 26th Annual Grammy Awards, Thriller won eight awards, and Jackson won an award for
the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial storybook. Winning eight Grammys in one ceremony is a record
he holds with the band Santana.[63] Jackson and Quincy Jones won the award for Producer of
the Year (Non-Classical). Thriller won Album of the Year (with Jackson as the album's artist
and Jones as its co-producer), and the single won Best Pop Vocal Performance (Male) award
for Jackson. "Beat It" won Record of the Year and Best Rock Vocal Performance (Male). "Billie
Jean" won two Grammy awards: Best R&B Song and Best R&B Vocal Performance (Male),
with Jackson as songwriter and singer respectively.[63]
Thriller won the Grammy for Best Engineered Recording (Non Classical), acknowledging Bruce
Swedien for his work on the album.[86] At the 11th Annual American Music Awards, Jackson
won another eight awards and became the youngest artist to win the Award of Merit.[87] He also
won Favorite Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Artist, and Favorite Pop/Rock Artist. "Beat It" won
Favorite Soul/R&B Video, Favorite Pop/Rock Video and Favorite Pop/Rock Single. The album
won Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Pop/Rock Album.[87][88] Thriller's sales doubled after
the release of an extended music video, Michael Jackson's Thriller, which sees Jackson
dancing with a horde of zombies.[89][90]
The success transformed Jackson into a dominant force in global pop culture.[90] Jackson had
the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point, with about $2 for every album sold
(equivalent to $6 in 2022), and was making record-breaking profits. Dolls modeled after
Jackson appeared in stores in May 1984 for $12 each.[91] In the same year, The Making of
Michael Jackson's Thriller, a documentary about the music video, won a Grammy for Best
Music Video (Longform).[63] 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."[91] The New York Times wrote "in the world of pop
music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else".[92]
On May 14, 1984, President Ronald Reagan gave Jackson an award recognizing his support
of alcohol and drug abuse charities,[93] and in recognition of his support for the Ad Council's and
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Drunk Driving Prevention campaign.
Jackson allowed the campaign to use "Beat It" for its public service announcements.[94]

Pepsi incident and other commercial activities (1984–1985)

President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan shortly before presenting Jackson with the
award at the White House on May 14, 1984
Jackson inside the White House with the Reagans

In November 1983, Jackson and his brothers partnered with PepsiCo in a $5 million

promotional deal that broke records for a celebrity endorsement (equivalent to $14.7 million in
2022). The first Pepsi campaign, which ran in the US from 1983 to 1984 and launched its "New
Generation" theme, included tour sponsorship, public relations events, and in-store displays.
Jackson helped to create the advertisement, and suggested using his song "Billie Jean", with
revised lyrics, as its jingle.[95]
On January 27, 1984, Michael and other members of the Jacksons filmed a Pepsi commercial
overseen by Phil Dusenberry,[96] 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.[97]
Pepsi settled out of court, and Jackson donated the $1.5 million settlement to the Brotman
Medical Center in Culver City, California; its now-closed Michael Jackson Burn Center was
named in his honor.[98][99] Jackson signed a second agreement with Pepsi in the late 1980s for
$10 million. The second campaign covered 20 countries and provided financial support for
Jackson's Bad album and 1987–88 world tour. Jackson had endorsements and advertising
deals with other companies, such as LA Gear, Suzuki, and Sony, but none were as significant
as his deals with Pepsi.[95]
The Victory Tour of 1984 headlined the Jacksons and showcased Jackson's new solo material
to more than two million Americans. It was the last tour he did with his brothers.
[100]
 Following controversy over the concert's ticket sales, Jackson donated his share of the
proceeds, an estimated $3 to 5 million, to charity.[101] During the last concert of the Victory Tour
at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Jackson announced his split from the Jacksons during
"Shake Your Body".[102]
His charitable work continued with the release of "We Are the World" (1985), co-written
with Lionel Richie,[103] which raised money for the poor in the US and Africa.[104] It earned
$63 million (equivalent to $171 million in 2022),[104] and became one of the best-selling singles
of all time, with 20 million copies sold.[105] It won four Grammy Awards in 1985, including Song
of the Year for Jackson and Richie as its writers.[103] The project's creators received two special
American Music Awards honors: one for the creation of the song and another for the USA for
Africa idea. Jackson, Jones, and promoter Ken Kragen received special awards for their roles
in the song's creation.[103][106][107][108]
Jackson signing a "We Are the World" poster in 1985

Jackson collaborated with Paul McCartney in the early 1980s, and learned that McCartney was
making $40 million a year from owning the rights to other artists' songs.[104] By 1983, Jackson
had begun buying publishing rights to others' songs, but he was careful with his acquisitions,
only bidding on a few of the dozens that were offered to him. Jackson's early acquisitions
of music catalogs and song copyrights such as the Sly Stone collection included "Everyday
People" (1968), Len Barry's "1–2–3" (1965), and Dion DiMucci's "The Wanderer" (1961) and
"Runaround Sue" (1961).
In 1984, Robert Holmes à Court announced he was selling the ATV Music Publishing catalog
comprising the publishing rights to nearly 4,000 songs, including most of the Beatles' material.
[109]
 In 1981, McCartney had been offered the catalog for £20 million ($40 million).[104][110] Jackson
submitted a bid of $46 million on November 20, 1984.[109] When Jackson and McCartney were
unable to make a joint purchase, McCartney did not want to be the sole owner of the Beatles'
songs, and did not pursue an offer on his own.[111][110] Jackson's agents were unable to come to a
deal, and in May 1985 left talks after having spent more than $1 million and four months of due
diligence work on the negotiations.[109]
In June 1985, Jackson and Branca learned that Charles Koppelman's and Marty Bandier's The
Entertainment Company had made a tentative offer to buy ATV Music for $50 million; in early
August, Holmes à Court contacted Jackson and talks resumed. Jackson's increased bid of
$47.5 million (equivalent to $129 million in 2022) was accepted because he could close the
deal more quickly, having already completed due diligence.[109] Jackson agreed to visit Holmes
à Court in Australia, where he would appear on the Channel Seven Perth Telethon.[112] His
purchase of ATV Music was finalized on August 10, 1985.[104][109]

Increased tabloid speculation (1986–1987)

See also: Health and appearance of Michael Jackson
Jackson's skin had been medium-brown during his youth, but from the mid-1980s gradually
grew paler. The change drew widespread media coverage, including speculation that he had
been bleaching his skin.[113][114][115] His dermatologist, Arnold Klein, said he observed in 1983 that
Jackson had vitiligo,[116] a condition characterized by patches of the skin losing their pigment
and sensitivity to sunlight. He also identified discoid lupus erythematosus in Jackson. He
diagnosed Jackson with lupus that year,[116] and with vitiligo in 1986.[117] Vitiligo's drastic effects
on the body can cause psychological distress. Jackson used fair-colored makeup,[118] and
possibly skin-bleaching prescription creams,[119] to cover up the uneven blotches of color
caused by the illness. The creams would depigment the blotches, and, with the application of
makeup, he could appear very pale.[120] Jackson said he had not purposely bleached his skin
and could not control his vitiligo, adding, "When people make up stories that I don't want to be
who I am, it hurts me."[121] He became friends with Klein and Klein's assistant, Debbie Rowe.
Rowe later became Jackson's second wife and the mother of his first two children.[122]
In his 1988 autobiography and a 1993 interview, Jackson said he had had
two rhinoplasty surgeries and a cleft chin surgery but no more than that. He said he lost weight
in the early 1980s because of a change in diet to achieve a dancer's body.[123] Witnesses
reported that he was often dizzy, and speculated he was suffering from anorexia nervosa.
Periods of weight loss became a recurring problem later in his life.[124] After his death, Jackson's
mother said that he first turned to cosmetic procedures to remedy his vitiligo, because he did
not want to look like a "spotted cow". She said he had received more than the two cosmetic
surgeries he claimed and speculated that he had become addicted to them.[125]
In 1986, tabloids reported that Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow aging,
and pictured him lying in a glass box. The claim was untrue, and tabloids reported that he
spread the story himself.[126] They also reported that Jackson took female hormone shots to
keep his voice high and facial hair wispy, proposed to Elizabeth Taylor and possibly had a
shrine of her, and had cosmetic surgery on his eyes. Jackson's manager Frank DiLeo denied
all of them, except for Jackson having a chamber. DiLeo added "I don't know if he sleeps in it.
I'm not for it. But Michael thinks it's something that's probably healthy for him. He's a bit of a
health fanatic."[127]
When Jackson took his pet chimpanzee Bubbles to tour in Japan, the media portrayed Jackson
as an aspiring Disney cartoon character who befriended animals.[128] It was also reported that
Jackson had offered to buy the bones of Joseph Merrick (the "Elephant Man").[129] In June 1987,
the Chicago Tribune reported Jackson's publicist bidding $1 million for the skeleton to
the London Hospital Medical College on his behalf. The college maintained the skeleton was
not for sale. DiLeo said Jackson had an "absorbing interest" in Merrick, "purely based on his
awareness of the ethical, medical and historical significance."[130]
In September 1986, using the false hyperbaric chamber story, the British tabloid The
Sun branded Jackson "Wacko Jacko", a name Jackson came to despise.[10][131] The
Atlantic noted that the name "Jacko" has racist connotations, as it originates from Jacko
Macacco, a monkey used in monkey-baiting matches at the Westminster Pit in the early 1820s,
and "Jacko" was used in Cockney slang to refer to monkeys in general.[132]
Jackson worked with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola on the 17-minute $30 million 3D
film Captain EO, which ran from 1986 at Disneyland and Epcot, and later at Tokyo
Disneyland and Euro Disneyland.[133] After having been removed in the late 1990s, it returned to
the theme park for several years after Jackson's death.[134] In 1987, Jackson disassociated
himself from the Jehovah's Witnesses.[135] Katherine Jackson said this might have been
because some Witnesses strongly opposed the Thriller video.[136] Michael had denounced it in a
Witness publication in 1984.[137]

Bad, autobiography, and Neverland (1987–1990)

Jackson and President George H. W. Bush at the White House on April 5, 1990. It was the second time
that Jackson had been honored by a President of the United States.

Jackson's first album in five years, Bad (1987), was highly anticipated, with the industry
expecting another major success.[138] It became the first album to produce five US number-one
singles: "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the
Mirror", and "Dirty Diana". Another song, "Smooth Criminal", peaked at number seven.
[59]
 Bad won the 1988 Grammy for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical and the
1990 Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form for "Leave Me Alone".[63][86] Jackson won
an Award of Achievement at the American Music Awards in 1989 after Bad generated five
number-one singles, became the first album to top the charts in 25 countries and the best-
selling album worldwide in 1987 and 1988.[139][140] By 2012, it had sold between 30 and 45 million
copies worldwide.[141][142]
The Bad World Tour ran from September 12, 1987, to January 14, 1989.[143] In Japan, the tour
had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record for a single tour.
[144]
 The 504,000 people who attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium set a
new Guinness World Record.[145]
In 1988, Jackson released his autobiography, Moonwalk, with input from Stephen Davis
and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.[146] It sold 200,000 copies,[147] and reached the top of the New
York Times bestsellers list.[148] Jackson discussed his childhood, the Jackson 5, and the abuse
from his father.[149] He attributed his changing facial appearance to three plastic surgeries,
puberty, weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hairstyle, and stage lighting.[150][123] In
June, Jackson was honoured with the Grand Vermeil Medal of the City of Paris by the then
Mayor of Paris Jacques Chirac during his stay in the city as part of the Bad World Tour.[151][152] In
October, Jackson released a film, Moonwalker, which featured live footage and short films
starring Jackson and Joe Pesci. In the US it was released direct-to-video and became the best-
selling video cassette in the country.[153][154] The Recording Industry Association of
America (RIAA) certified it as eight times Platinum in the US.[155]
In March 1988, Jackson purchased 2,700 acres (11 km2) of land near Santa Ynez, California,
to build a new home, Neverland Ranch, at a cost of $17 million (equivalent to $42 million in
2022).[156] He installed a Ferris wheel, a carousel, a movie theater and a zoo.[156][157][158] A security
staff of 40 patrolled the grounds.[157] Shortly afterwards, he appeared in the first Western
television advertisement in the Soviet Union.[159]
Jackson became known as the "King of Pop", a nickname that Jackson's publicists embraced.
[24][160][161]
 When Elizabeth Taylor presented him with the Soul Train Heritage Award in 1989, she
called him "the true king of pop, rock and soul."[162] President George H. W. Bush designated
him the White House's "Artist of the Decade".[163] From 1985 to 1990, Jackson donated
$455,000 to the United Negro College Fund,[164] and all profits from his single "Man in the
Mirror" went to charity.[165] His rendition of "You Were There" at Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th birthday
celebration won Jackson a second Emmy nomination.[79] Jackson was the bestselling artist of
the 1980s.[166]

Dangerous and public social work (1991–1993)

In March 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65 million (equivalent to
$140 million in 2022), a record-breaking deal,[167] beating Neil Diamond's renewal contract
with Columbia Records.[168] In 1991, he released his eighth album, Dangerous, co-produced
with Teddy Riley.[169] It was certified eight times platinum in the US, and by 2018 had sold
32 million copies worldwide.[170][171] In the US, the first single, "Black or White", was the album's
highest-charting song; it was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks and
achieved similar chart performances worldwide.[172] The second single, "Remember the Time"
peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[173] At the end of
1992, Dangerous was the best-selling album of the year worldwide and "Black or White" the
best-selling single of the year worldwide at the Billboard Music Awards.[166] In 1993, he
performed "Remember the Time" at the Soul Train Music Awards in a chair, saying he twisted
his ankle during dance rehearsals.[174] In the UK, "Heal the World" made No. 2 on the charts in
1992.[175]

Jackson during the Dangerous World Tour in 1993. Dangerous has been recognized by writers as an

influence on contemporary pop and R&B artists.[176]

Jackson founded the Heal the World Foundation in 1992. The charity brought underprivileged
children to Jackson's ranch to use the theme park rides, and sent millions of dollars around the
globe to help children threatened by war, poverty, and disease. That July, Jackson published
his second book, Dancing the Dream, a collection of poetry. The Dangerous World Tour ran
between June 1992 and November 1993 and grossed $100 million (equivalent to $200 million
in 2022); Jackson performed for 3.5 million people in 70 concerts, all of which were outside the
US.[177] Part of the proceeds went to Heal the World Foundation.[178] Jackson sold the broadcast
rights of the tour to HBO for $20 million, a record-breaking deal that still stands.[179]
Following the death of HIV/AIDS spokesperson and friend Ryan White, Jackson pleaded with
the Clinton administration at Bill Clinton's inaugural gala to give more money to HIV/AIDS
charities and research[180][181] and performed "Gone Too Soon", a song dedicated to White, and
"Heal the World" at the gala.[182] Jackson visited Africa in early 1992; on his first stop in Gabon
he was greeted by more than 100,000 people, some of them carrying signs that read
"Welcome Home Michael",[183] and was awarded an Officer of the National Order of Merit from
President Omar Bongo.[184][185] During his trip to Ivory Coast, Jackson was crowned "King Sani"
by a tribal chief. He thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed documents
formalizing his kingship, and sat on a golden throne while presiding over ceremonial dances.[183]
In January 1993, Jackson performed at the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show in Pasadena,
California. The NFL sought a big-name artist to keep ratings high during halftime following
dwindling audience figures.[186][187] It was the first Super Bowl whose half-time performance drew
greater audience figures than the game. Jackson played "Jam", "Billie Jean", "Black or White",
and "Heal the World". Dangerous rose 90 places in the US albums chart after the performance.
[113]

Jackson gave a 90-minute interview with Oprah Winfrey on February 10, 1993. He spoke of his
childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he believed he had missed out on much of his
childhood, and said that he often cried from loneliness. He denied tabloid rumors that he had
bought the bones of the Elephant Man, slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, or bleached his
skin, and stated for the first time that he had vitiligo. After the interview, Dangerous re-entered
the US albums chart in the top 10, more than a year after its release.[24][113]
In January 1993, Jackson won three American Music Awards: Favorite Pop/Rock Album
(Dangerous), Favorite Soul/R&B Single ("Remember the Time"), and was the first to win the
International Artist Award of Excellence.[188][189] In February, he won the "Living Legend Award" at
the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.[63] He attended the award ceremony
with Brooke Shields.[190] Dangerous was nominated for Best Vocal Performance (for "Black or
White"), Best R&B Vocal Performance ("Jam") and Best R&B Song ("Jam"), and Bruce
Swedien and Teddy Riley won the Grammy for Best Engineered – Non Classical.[86]

First child sexual abuse accusations and first marriage (1993–

1995)
Main article: 1993 child sexual abuse accusations against Michael Jackson
In August 1993, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy, Jordan
Chandler, and his father, Evan Chandler.[191] Jordan said he and Jackson had engaged in acts
of kissing, masturbation and oral sex.[192] While Jordan's mother initially told police that she did
not believe Jackson had molested him, her position wavered a few days later.[193][194] Evan was
recorded discussing his intention to pursue charges, which Jackson used to argue that he was
the victim of a jealous father trying to extort money.[194] Jackson's older sister La Toya accused
him of being a pedophile;[195] she later retracted this, saying she had been forced into it by her
abusive husband.[196]
Police raided Jackson's home in August and found two legal large-format art books featuring
young boys playing, running and swimming in various states of undress.[197] Jackson denied
knowing of the books' content and claimed if they were there someone had to send them to
him and he did not open them.[198] Jordan Chandler gave police a description of Jackson's
genitals. A strip search was made, and the jurors felt the description was not a match.[199][200]
[201]
 In January 1994, Jackson settled with the Chandlers out of court for a reported total sum of
$23 million.[202] The police never pressed criminal charges.[203] Citing a lack of evidence without
Jordan's testimony, the state closed its investigation on September 22, 1994.[204]
Jackson had been taking painkillers for his reconstructive scalp surgeries, administered due to
the Pepsi commercial accident in 1984, and became dependent on them to cope with the
stress of the sexual abuse allegations.[205] On November 12, 1993, Jackson canceled the
remainder of the Dangerous World Tour due to health problems, stress from the allegations
and painkiller addiction. He thanked close friend Elizabeth Taylor for support, encouragement
and counsel. The end of the tour concluded his relationship with Pepsi Cola, which sponsored
the tour.[206]
In late 1993, Jackson proposed to Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley, over the
phone.[207] They married in La Vega, Dominican Republic, in May 1994 by civil judge Hugo
Francisco Álvarez Pérez.[208] The tabloid media speculated that the wedding was a publicity
stunt to deflect away from Jackson's sexual abuse allegations and jump-start Presley's career
as a singer.[209][208] Their marriage ended little more than a year later, and they separated in
December 1995.[210] Presley cited "irreconcilable differences" when filing for divorce the next
month and only sought to reclaim her maiden name as her settlement.[209][211] After the divorce,
Judge Pérez said, "They lasted longer than I thought they would. I gave them a year. They
lasted a year and a half."[208] Presley later said she and Jackson had attempted to reconcile
intermittently for four years following their divorce, and that she had travelled the world to be
with him.[212]
Jackson composed music for the Sega Genesis video game Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994), but
left the project around the time the sexual abuse allegations surfaced and went uncredited.[213]
[214]
 The Sega Technical Institute director Roger Hector and the Sonic co-creator Naoto
Ohshima said that Jackson's involvement was terminated and his music reworked following the
allegations.[215][216] However, Jackson's musical director Brad Buxer and other members of
Jackson's team said Jackson went uncredited because he was unhappy with how the Genesis
replicated his music.[217]

HIStory, second marriage, fatherhood and Blood on the Dance

Floor: HIStory in the Mix (1995–1997)

Jackson at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of Michael Jackson's Ghosts

In June 1995, Jackson released the double album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I.
The first disc, HIStory Begins, is a greatest hits album (reissued in 2001 as Greatest Hits:
HIStory, Volume I). The second disc, HIStory Continues, contains 13 original songs and two
cover versions. The album debuted at number one on the charts and has been certified for
eight million shipments in the US.[218] It is the best-selling multi-disc album of all time, with
20 million copies (40 million units) sold worldwide.[172][219] HIStory received a Grammy nomination
for Album of the Year.[63] The New York Times reviewed it as "the testimony of a musician
whose self-pity now equals his talent".[220]
The first single from HIStory was "Scream/Childhood". "Scream", a duet with Jackson's
youngest sister Janet, protests the media's treatment of Jackson during the 1993 child abuse
allegations against him. The single reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100,[173] and
received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals".[63] The second single,
"You Are Not Alone", holds the Guinness world record for the first song to debut at number one
on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[221] It received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Vocal
Performance" in 1995.[63]
In 1995 the Anti-Defamation League and other groups complained that "Jew me, sue me,
everybody do me/ Kick me, kike me, don't you black or white me", the original lyrics of "They
Don't Care About Us", were antisemitic. Jackson released a version with revised words.[222]
In late 1995, Jackson was admitted to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a
televised performance, caused by a stress-related panic attack.[223] In November, Jackson
merged his ATV Music catalog with Sony's music publishing division, creating Sony/ATV Music
Publishing. He retained ownership of half the company, earning $95 million up front (equivalent
to $182 million in 2022) as well as the rights to more songs.[224][225]
"Earth Song" was the third single released from HIStory, and topped the UK Singles Chart for
six weeks over Christmas 1995.[175] It became the 87th-bestselling single in the UK.[226] At
the 1996 Brit Awards, Jackson's performance of "Earth Song" was disrupted
by Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker, who was protesting what Cocker saw as Jackson's "Christ-like"
persona. Jackson said the stage invasion was "disgusting and cowardly".[227][228]
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.[63][229] On July 1996, Jackson
performed for Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah's fiftieth birthday at Jerudong Park Amphitheater, which
was specifically built for that birthday concert.[230] Jackson was reportedly paid $17M ($32
million in 2023 dollars).[231] Jackson promoted HIStory with the HIStory World Tour, from
September 7, 1996, to October 15, 1997. He performed 82 concerts in five continents, 35
countries and 58 cities to over 4.5 million fans, his most attended tour. It grossed $165 million.
[143]
 During the tour, in Sydney, Australia, Jackson married Debbie Rowe, a dermatology
assistant, who was six months pregnant with his first child.[232]
Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. (commonly known as Prince) was born on February 13, 1997. His
sister Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson was born on April 3, 1998.[233] Jackson and Rowe
divorced in 2000, Rowe conceded custody of the children, with an $8 million settlement
(equivalent to $14.1 million in 2022).[234] In 2004, after the second child abuse allegations
against Jackson, she returned to court to reclaim custody. The suit was settled in 2006.[235]
In 1997, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, which contained
remixes of singles from HIStory and five new songs. Worldwide sales stand at 6 million copies,
making it the best-selling remix album. It reached number one in the UK, as did the single
"Blood on the Dance Floor".[236] In the US, the album reached number 24 and was certified
platinum.[170]

Label dispute and Invincible (1997–2002)

From October 1997 to September 2001, Jackson worked on his tenth solo album, Invincible,
which cost $30 million to record.[237] In June 1999, Jackson joined Luciano Pavarotti for a War
Child benefit concert in Modena, Italy. The show raised a million dollars for refugees of
the Kosovo War, and additional funds for the children of Guatemala.[238] Later that month,
Jackson organized a series of "Michael Jackson & Friends" benefit concerts
in Germany and Korea. Other artists involved included Slash, The Scorpions, Boyz II
Men, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, A. R. Rahman, Prabhu
Deva Sundaram, Shobana, Andrea Bocelli, and Luciano Pavarotti. The proceeds went to
the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, the Red Cross and UNESCO.[239] In 1999, Jackson was
presented with the "Outstanding Humanitarian Award" at Bollywood Movie Awards in New York
City where he noted Mahatma Gandhi to have been an inspiration for him.[240][241] From August
1999 to 2000, he lived in New York City at 4 East 74th Street.[242] At the turn of the century,
Jackson won an American Music Award as Artist of the 1980s.[243] In 2000, Guinness World
Records recognized him for supporting 39 charities, more than any other entertainer.[244]
In September 2001, two 30th Anniversary concerts were held at Madison Square Garden to
mark Jackson's 30th year as a solo artist. Jackson performed with his brothers for the first time
since 1984. The show also featured Mýa, Usher, Whitney Houston, Destiny's
Child, Monica, Liza Minnelli, and Slash. The first show was marred by technical lapses, and the
crowd booed a speech by Marlon Brando.[245] Almost 30 million people watched the television
broadcast of the shows in November.[246] After the September 11 attacks, Jackson helped
organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at RFK Stadium in
Washington, D.C., on October 21, 2001. Jackson performed "What More Can I Give" as the
finale.[247]
The release of Invincible was preceded by a dispute between Jackson and his record label,
Sony Music Entertainment. Jackson had expected the licenses to the masters of his albums to
revert to him in the early 2000s, after which he would be able to promote the material however
he pleased and keep the profits, but clauses in the contract set the revert date years into the
future. Jackson sought an early exit from his contract.[248] Invincible was released on October
30, 2001. It was Jackson's first full-length album in six years, and the last album of original
material he released in his lifetime.[248] It debuted at number one in 13 countries and went on to
sell eight million copies worldwide, receiving double-platinum certification in the US.[170][249][250]
On January 9, 2002, Jackson won his 22nd American Music Award for Artist of the Century.[251]
[252]
 Later that year, an anonymous surrogate mother gave birth to his third child, Prince Michael
Jackson II (nicknamed "Blanket"), who had been conceived by artificial insemination.[253] On
November 20, Jackson briefly held Blanket over the railing of his Berlin hotel room, four stories
above ground level, prompting widespread criticism in the media. Jackson apologized for the
incident, calling it "a terrible mistake".[254] On January 22, promoter Marcel Avram filed a breach
of contract complaint against Jackson for failing to perform two planned 1999 concerts.[255] In
March, a Santa Maria jury ordered Jackson to pay Avram $5.3 million.[256][257] On December 18,
2003, Jackson's attorneys dropped all appeals on the verdict and settled the lawsuit for an
undisclosed amount.[258]
On April 24, 2002, Jackson performed at Apollo Theater. The concert was a fundraiser for the
Democratic National Committee and former President Bill Clinton.[259] The money collected
would be used to encourage citizens to vote. It raised $2.5 million.[260] The concert was
called Michael Jackson: Live at the Apollo and was one of Jackson's final on-stage
performances.[261]
In July 2002, Jackson called Sony Music chairman Tommy Mottola "a racist, and very, very,
very devilish," and someone who exploits black artists for his own gain, at Al
Sharpton's National Action Network in Harlem. The accusation prompted Sharpton to form a
coalition investigating whether Mottola exploited black artists.[262] Jackson charged that Mottola
had called his colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger".[263] Responding to those attacks, Sony issued a
statement calling them "ludicrous, spiteful, and hurtful" and defended Mottola as someone who
had championed Jackson's career for many years.[262] Sony ultimately refused to renew
Jackson's contract and claimed that a $25 million promotional campaign had failed because
Jackson refused to tour in the US for Invincible.[237]

Documentary, Number Ones, second child abuse allegations

and acquittal (2002–2005)
Further information: Trial of Michael Jackson
Jackson in Las Vegas, 2003

Beginning in May 2002, a documentary film crew led by Martin Bashir followed Jackson for
several months.[254] The documentary, broadcast in February 2003 as Living with Michael
Jackson, showed Jackson holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with a 12-
year-old boy.[23][264] He said that he saw nothing wrong with having sleepovers with minors and
sharing his bed and bedroom with various people, which aroused controversy. He insisted that
the sleepovers were not sexual and that his words had been misunderstood.[265][266]
In October 2003, Jackson received the Key to the City of Las Vegas from Mayor Oscar
Goodman.[267] On November 18, 2003, Sony released Number Ones, a greatest hits
compilation. It was certified five times platinum by the RIAA, and ten times platinum in the UK,
for shipments of at least 3 million units.[170][268]
On December 18, 2003, Santa Barbara authorities charged Jackson with seven counts of child
molestation and two counts of intoxicating a minor with alcoholic drinks.[269] Jackson denied the
allegations and pleaded not guilty.[270] The People v. Jackson trial began on January 31, 2005,
in Santa Maria, California, and lasted until the end of May. Jackson found the experience
stressful and it affected his health. If convicted, he would have faced up to 20 years in prison.
[271]
 On June 13, 2005, Jackson was acquitted on all counts.[272] FBI files on Jackson, released in
2009, revealed the FBI's role in the 2005 trial and the 1993 allegations, and showed that the
FBI found no evidence of criminal conduct on Jackson's behalf.[273][274]