Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, dancer and entertainer. Referred to as the King of Pop, he is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time, and one of the most influential. His contributions to music, dance and fashion, and a much publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades.
Alongside his brothers, he made his debut as lead singer and youngest member of The Jackson 5 in 1964. He began his solo career in 1971. His 1982 album Thriller remains the best-selling album ever, with Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995) among the world's best-selling albums ever. He is sometimes credited with having elevated the music video from mere promotional tool into an art form: his videos for Billie Jean, Beat It and Thriller made him the first African American artist to amass a strong crossover following on MTV. Jackson popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical, vocal style and choreography are credited with having transcended generational, racial and cultural barriers.
Jackson is one of the few artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. Other achievements include several Guinness World Records (including Most Successful Entertainer of All Time), Grammy Awards (including the Living Legend Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award) and 26 American Music Awards, more than any other artist, 24 in a solo capacity and including one as Artist of the Century. He had 17 number one singles in the US, including four as a member of the Jackson 5, and estimated world sales of 750 million records, making him the highest-selling recording artist ever.
Jackson's personal life generated controversy for years. His changing appearance was noticed from the late 1970s onwards, with changes to his nose, and skin color, causing much media speculation. Though no charges were brought at the time, he was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993. In 2005 he was tried and acquitted of similar charges. He married twice, first in 1994 and again in 1996. He brought up three children, one born to a surrogate mother. While preparing for the This Is It concert tour in 2009, Jackson died at the age of 50 after suffering from cardiac arrest. He reportedly had been administered drugs such as propofol and lorazepam, and his death was ruled a homicide by the Los Angeles County coroner. His death triggered an outpouring of grief from around the world, and his globally live-broadcast memorial service attracted an audience of up to one billion people. His death also precipitated a huge surge in his album sales, resulting in his becoming the best-selling artist of 2009 in both the United States and globally, with sales in excess of 8.2 million units in the U.S. Also in the United States, he became the first artist ever to have four of the top 20 best-selling albums in a single year. Globally, he posthumously sold 29 million albums, and had an unprecedented eight of the top 25 best-selling albums worldwide.
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