Michael Jackson

:For other people with the same name, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation)

Solo career

The Wiz and Off The Wall

In 1978, Michael co-starred in The Wiz as the Scarecrow, with former labelmate Diana Ross as Dorothy. The musical film's songs were arranged and produced by famed producer Quincy Jones, who found a rapport with Jackson. After Jackson signed a solo contract with Epic in 1978, he began work on his first of several albums with Jones.

Related Topics:
1978 - The Wiz - Quincy Jones

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Michael Jackson's 1979 album Off the Wall was a worldwide hit, and spawned the number-one hit singles and music videos "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock With You". The ballad "She's Out Of My Life" also reached the top ten in 1980. With that accomplishment, Jackson became the first solo artist to have four Top 10 hit singles in the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart from a single album. The album went on to sell over seven million copies in America, establishing Jackson as a musical force without his brothers.

Related Topics:
1979 - Off the Wall - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough - Rock With You - She's Out Of My Life - 1980 - Billboard Hot 100

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Thriller

In the 1980s, Jackson released a progression of solo albums of slickly-produced synthesizer-heavy pop. In what was perhaps the "Golden Age" of the video clip, some of Jackson's videos were virtually short films with detailed plots, special effects, and featuring Jackson's distinctive dance style.

Related Topics:
1980s - Synthesizer - Video clip - Short films

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Michael Jackson's 1982 album,Thriller, produced seven top-ten hit singles, broke sales records, and became the best selling album in music history. The "Billie Jean" music video, released to promote Thriller, became the first video by a black artist to be aired on MTV. The seven-minute "Thriller" music video / short film became the world's best selling home video at the time (packaged with the featurette The Making of Michael Jackson's "Thriller"), and is considered by many music industry critics to be one of the greatest music videos of all time and a large step forward in artistic quality for music videos. The album's third major single, "Beat It", was another #1 pop hit in the U.S., accompanied by a popular "West Side Story" inspired music video. The videos for "Billie Jean", "Thriller" and "Beat It" frequently place highly on MTV and VH1 countdowns of notable classic videos, and receive airplay on MTV2 to this day.

Related Topics:
1982 - Thriller - Billie Jean - MTV - Thriller - Home video - Featurette - Beat It - West Side Story - VH1 - MTV2

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While performing "Billie Jean" during the ' special on television on May 16, 1983, Jackson publicly performed his moonwalk dance for the first time. In January 1984, at the American Music Awards, Jackson was nominated for nine awards, and won a record eight. At the Grammy Awards in February, Jackson was nominated for twelve awards, and won a record-breaking eight: seven for Thriller and one for his narrative on The E.T. Storybook. In May, Thriller was certified by the Guinness Book of Records as the best selling popular music album of all time. The same year, he was also awarded the H. Claude Hodson Medal of Freedom at the NAACP Image Awards, honored at the White House by President Ronald Reagan with the Presidential Special Achievement Award, and was awarded a star in November on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. By 2005, Thriller had been certified twenty-seven times platinum in the U.S.

Related Topics:
Television - May 16 - 1983 - Moonwalk - 1984 - American Music Awards - Grammy Awards - E.T. - Guinness Book of Records - NAACP Image Award - Ronald Reagan - Hollywood Walk of Fame - 2005 - Platinum

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Jackson became a spokesman for Pepsi at the height of Thrillers popularity. On January 27, 1984, while singing "Billie Jean" during a Pepsi commercial shoot in Los Angeles, Jackson's hair caught on fire when a fireworks display erupted behind him, showering him in sparks. He recieved hospital treatment for second-dgree burns to his scalp.

Related Topics:
Pepsi - January 27 - Los Angeles - Fireworks - Scalp

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From "Say Say Say" to Captain Eo

After Paul McCartney appeared on Michael Jackson's song "The Girl is Mine" from his Thriller album in 1982, Jackson appeared on McCartney's solo album called Pipes of Peace. The lead single, called "Say Say Say", was a song written and sung by the two with background vocals from La Toya Jackson. It went to number 1 in the US popcharts and number 2 in the UK, performing better than "The Girl is Mine". A later release called "The Man" did not perform as well, but "Say Say Say" became the last song the two performed together before the bitter feud to buy the rights to The Beatles' publishing catalogue (See "Finances section).

Related Topics:
Paul McCartney - The Girl is Mine - Thriller - 1982 - Pipes of Peace - La Toya Jackson - The Beatles - Finances

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Inspired by Band Aid, Michael Jackson was instrumental in organizing the recording of the single "We Are the World", which he co-wrote with former Motown labelmate, Lionel Richie. The single was released in 1985 to raise money for USA for Africa, a charity working to raise awareness about and give aid to impoverished families in Africa. "We Are the World" featured forty-four different vocalists, including Jackson, Ritchie, Harry Belafonte, Cyndi Lauper, Diana Ross, Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder, and sold 7 million copies in the United States, becoming one of the best-selling singles of all time.

Related Topics:
Band Aid - We Are the World - Lionel Richie - 1985 - USA for Africa - Africa - Harry Belafonte - Cyndi Lauper - Ray Charles - Stevie Wonder - United States

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In 1986, Jackson starred in the George Lucas/Francis Ford Coppola 3-D film Captain Eo, which was shown in Disney theme parks until 1998. Minute for minute, it was the most expensive film ever produced at the time, with an estimated total production cost of USD 17 million. The film contained the songs "We Are Here to Change the World" and "Another Part of Me".

Related Topics:
1986 - George Lucas - Francis Ford Coppola - 3-D film - Captain Eo - Disney - Theme park - 1998

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Bad

In 1987, Jackson released the album Bad, and began his first solo world tour, performing to sold-out audiences across the world. The Bad world tour broke all existing attendance records. Jackson would later break the Bad world tour attendance records with the Dangerous world tour, and top those records with those for the HIStory world tour. The following year, Jackson released a film entitled Moonwalker, and an autobiography, entitled Moon Walk.

Related Topics:
1987 - Bad - Moonwalker - Moon Walk

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Bad was another multi-platinum success for Jackson, although it was not as successful as "Thriller" had been. Its first five singles and music videos, "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana" provided Jackson with another string of hits, and made him the first artist to generate five number one singles off of one album. The other three singles, "Another Part of Me", "Smooth Criminal", and "Leave Me Alone" kept Jackson on the charts throughout the year as he toured.

Related Topics:
Bad - Smooth Criminal

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Dangerous

Jackson was awarded a new record breaking $890 million contract by Sony in March, 1991, and released his first album under the new contract, Dangerous, that November. Beginning with this album, Jackson ended his association with Quincy Jones, and enlisted new producers such as new jack swing inventor Teddy Riley for his records. While in the U.S., sales for the album only reached seven million, internationally Dangerous eclipsed Bad as the second best-selling album of Jackson's career, reaching over twenty-nine million albums sold. Its major hit singles included "Black or White", "Remember the Time", "In the Closet" and "Jam".

Related Topics:
Sony - March - 1991 - Dangerous - November - New jack swing - Teddy Riley - Black or White

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As was becoming the standard for Jackson, the album's music videos were among the most costly and innovative of their time. "Give in to Me" featured Slash from Guns n' Roses in its video. The video was shot a few days before the Dangerous Tour started, in Munich in 1992. The directors were the Austrian duo Rossacher and Dolezal who shot many – if not all – of the videos and specials for Freddie Mercury and the band Queen. The video for "Heal the World" featured children and adults from throughout the world, in order to correspond to Jackson's charity of the same name. "Will You Be There"'s video showed Jackson singing in front of scenes from Free Willy, for which "Will You Be There" served as the theme song. Several of the other videos had complex storylines and dance sequences, and featured cameo appearances by celebrities. The video for "Jam", directed by David Kellogg, showed Jackson and Michael Jordan playing basketball and dancing together, while "Remember the Time" was set in an ancient Egyptian palace, and starred Eddie Murphy and Iman as the pharaoh and his queen. Also, it featured a cameo by basketball player, Magic Johnson. "In The Closet" featured Jackson and model Naomi Campbell as lovers.

Related Topics:
Slash - Guns n' Roses - Munich - Freddie Mercury - Queen - Free Willy - David Kellogg - Michael Jordan - Ancient Egypt - Eddie Murphy - Iman - Magic Johnson - Naomi Campbell

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"Black or White" probably remains Dangerous most aired and most remembered video today. Originally over ten minutes long, it premiered simultaneously on November 14 1991 and presented in Dolby Surround, on MTV, VH1, BET, and FOX, becoming one of the most-watched music video premieres in history. The video is technically noteworthy for featuring one of the earliest examples of computer-generated morphing. The last four minutes of the video also induced much controversy, as it depicted a crotch-grabbing Jackson smashing store windows and destroying a car with a crowbar. MTV and the other music video networks decided to excise the last four minutes of the "Black or White" video for all subsequent airings, and Jackson issued a statement apologizing to anyone who had been offended, and explaining that he tried to impersonate panthers' wild instincts.

Related Topics:
Black or White - November 14 - 1991 - Dolby Surround - Morphing

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HIStory

In 1995, Epic released Jackson's ', a double-disc album. The first disc, HIStory Begins, was a fifteen-track greatest hits album, while the second, HIStory Continues, contained fifteen new songs. This was the first album in which Jackson displayed his instrumental abilities, playing guitar, keyboards and percussion on various tracks.

Related Topics:
1995 - Double-disc album - Greatest hits

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The album produced two major hit singles and videos in America. "Scream", a duet with Jackson's pop star sister Janet, was supported by a futuristic music video which remains, at a cost of USD 7 million, the most expensive music video ever filmed. Thanks to a change in Billboards chart policy, "You Are Not Alone" became the first song to ever debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. "You Are Not Alone", written and produced by R. Kelly, was supported with a music video which featured a cameo from Jackson's then-wife, Lisa Marie Presley.

Related Topics:
Scream - Janet - You Are Not Alone - R. Kelly - Lisa Marie Presley

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The album's other singles and videos, "Childhood" (the theme song to Free Willy 2), "Earth Song", "Stranger in Moscow", and "They Don't Care About Us" had limited success in America, and were more successful in Europe. "They Don't Care About Us" caused a stir when it was released, due to controversial lyrics which were considered anti-Semitic: "Jew me, sue me/Kick me, kike me/Don't you black or white me". Jackson denied the allegations of anti-Semitism, stating that many of his employees, partners and friends are Jews. The lyrics were modified on a later pressing of History, and one of the two versions of the "They Don't Really Care About Us" video was banned for including images of violence and war.

Related Topics:
Free Willy 2 - Earth Song - Anti-Semitic

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The sales performance of HIStory in the United States, where it has to date sold three and half million copies (seven million discs) in the US, was considered a disappointment by both Epic and Jackson. In the UK, however, HIStorys "Earth Song", released only as a single outside of the U.S., stayed at the top of the pop chart in the for six weeks in the United Kingdom, where it sold over a million copies, and sold another two million copies internationally. The HIStory world tour was launched in September 1996 and ended in October 1997. Breaking his previous solo tour attendance records, The HIStory world tour remains the highest attended tour ever. Two home video collections, Greatest Video Hits, HIStory (released in 1995) and HIStory On Film, Volume II (released in 1997), were released during the HIStory era, anthologizing Jackson's music videos.

Related Topics:
United Kingdom - 1996 - 1997

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Blood on the Dance Floor and the late 1990's

In 1997, the members of The Jackson 5 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Michael Jackson would be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a solo performer in 2001.

Related Topics:
1997 - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - 2001

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The same year, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor, a remix album of several of the track from HIStory. On April 2 1997 Jackson released the single of "Blood on the Dancefloor" in Europe. Simultaneously played at the exact same time as a premiere across the continent it was kept in safes up until the premiere moment. The single shot to number 1 across Europe spawning a video to be made. The music video for Blood On The Dance Floor, which proved to be popular, had Jackson dance in among women in a club filled with curtains and drapes. The unofficial remix of "HIStory"'s haunting track "Little Susie" was a great success.

Related Topics:
Blood on the Dance Floor - Remix - 1997 - Europe - Music video

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The second single released was Ghosts. Sold along with the single titled "History" from the 1995 album it was overshadowed by the Ghosts movie made by Jackson. On May 8 1997 the Stephen King directed 45 minute special premiered at the 50th Cannes Film Festival. Michael attended the screening which took place at midnight in the main auditorium. Michael received excellent critics for his acting, the ground-breaking special effects and for the story of the film itself. The single reached number 5 in the UK for a short time. On May 14 1997 the album "Blood on the Dancefloor/HIStory in the Mix" was released. In Germany planes flew overhead bearing banners and the huge advertising campaign paid off. It became the largest selling remix album of all time. It had seven remixes of "HIStory" songs plus five new ones: "Blood on the Dancefloor", "Morphine", "Superfly Sister", "Ghosts" and "Is this Scary?"

Related Topics:
1995 - 1997 - Stephen King - Germany

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The thrid single released in between Jackson's record breaking "HIStory World Tour" was called "Is This Scary". It used shorts from the Ghosts film but failed to catch on as it did not enter any charts after its release in October. The album was promoted in between the continuation of the "HIStory World Tour"s second leg around the world.

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Michael Jackson officially became the 'Most Famous Person in the World' in 1997 after a world wide survey calculated that 99% of the planet knew who he was and/or something about him. He was followed by Pope John Paul II and then Elvis Priesley.

Related Topics:
Pope John Paul II - Elvis Priesley

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After his 1998 nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize, Jackson wrote and appeared on the Simpson's album. After creator Matt Groening announced he was indeed featured in the episode "Stark Raving Dad", Jackson appeared on the album "The Simpsons Sing The Blues". He wrote and sung in the hit single "Do the Bartman". Michael Jackson was reported to be a huge fan of the show - he had used the Simpson's already for a short in his Black or White video in 1991. It was reported Jackson would release a new studio album the following year in ]. Jackson decided not to release it in November of that year and continued to work on it - it came out as "Invincible" in 2001.

Related Topics:
1998 - Nobel Peace Prize - The Simpson's - Matt Groening - Black or White - 1991 - 2001

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Invincible

On October 29 2001 Michael Jackson released his next studio album Invincible. The album was his first since the 1997 "Blood on the Dancefloor". The sixteen track album, issued under Sony Records was, according to Jackson, his best album ever. It's highly anticipated first single titled Your Rock My World was released the month before onto the Billboard Charts where it went to number 10 (though only for a week) - an unacceptable result for the number 1 Jackson. However, it was widely played on radios and also on television where its video clip became very popular. The video, starring Jackson with Chris Tucker, Marlon Brando, Kishaya Dudley, Michael Madsen and Billy Drago was an expensive short film invovling actions scenes and new dance moves by Jackson. Despite lavish advertising campaigns and a reported fifty million dollars spent on the album it did not succeed to Jackson's standards. The album, which was available in four different cover colours, got mixed reviews and sold 366,000 in its first week. To date it has sold 2.1 million in the US and 12 million worldwide. The album was still, however, musically genius: Tracks such as "Whatever Happens (featuring Carlos Santana), the haunting "Speechless" and "Unbreakable" were critically acclaimed. It sold very well in general standards but poorly in comparison to Jackson's other projects and in comparison with the money spent on it. The second release titled "Cry" was only done so in Europe where it went to number 25 on the UK POP charts. Its video, not featuring Jackson, had people holding hands all the across the world. It is described as an anthem of Jackson's comparible to We Are the World, "Heal the World" and Earth Song. The song performed so poorly it was never released in the United States. Instead the single "Butterflies" was released in 2002 in the United States and across the world. This popular R&B track went to number 2 on the R&B Billboard Charts but didn't remain there for long. It was often played nationwide on the radio along with its remix featuring Eve. By this point Jackson was widely accusing Sony Records and manager Tommy Mottola of not campaigning it adequatley. He accused Mottola of being "Devilish" and racist as he paraded around protesting with lawyer Johnny Cochran in 2002. Response from Sony was confusion as Mottola was married to half African American Mariah Carey and also spent unheard of amounts on the 'destined to flop' album. A fourth release "Heaven Can Wait" was not even charted on the POP charts in the US or UK but it reached number 72 for a short time on the R&B charts in late 2002. The album had quite an effect on Jackson's career which seemed to steadily decline after this project which was his most recent studio album. It proved he was far from musically 'Invincible'. Other notable tracks on the album are: 'Unbreakable' - a pop, rap single about Jackson being unbreakable and unstoppable but with a good beat (featured on 'Ultimate Box Set'), 'Break of Dawn' featured on his "Number Ones" album (though never a number 1) is an R&B single, 'Invincible' is not about Jackson being invincible but less-excitingly about a woman he pursues (similar to unbreakable) and 'Privacy' - a repeadative anthem about publicity and the media quite obviosuly talking about Princess Diana. This was Jackson's most recent studio album. He has since only released greatist hits and charity singles.

Related Topics:
Invincible - Your Rock My World - Chris Tucker - Marlon Brando - Michael Madsen - Billy Drago - Carlos Santana - We Are the World - Earth Song - Tommy Mottola - Mariah Carey - Princess Diana

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"What More Can I Give"

On October 21, 2001, Michael Jackson performed the song "What More Can I Give" at the United We Stand: What More Can I Give charity concert for the September 11 terrorist attacks, in Washington, D.C. Twenty-seven other artists joined Jackson onstage during the song, including Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé Knowles, Usher, Anastacia, Mya, Ricky Martin and Tom Petty. After the event raised USD 3 million, Jackson planned to release it as a single.

Related Topics:
October 21 - 2001 - September 11 terrorist attacks - Washington, D.C. - Mariah Carey - Celine Dion - Justin Timberlake - Beyoncé Knowles - Usher - Anastacia - Mya - Ricky Martin - Tom Petty

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"What More Can I Give" was available for paid download on the Internet, and had a video shot for it, but the single was never commercially released as intended. Although Jackson blamed Tommy Mottola for the single's cancellation, the release was allegedly cancelled because of the involvement of Mark Schaffel, a producer of gay pornographic films. Later a catalog featuring the song, called "What More Can I Give: Michael Jackson and Friends", was released instead.

Related Topics:
Internet - Mark Schaffel - Pornographic

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"One More Chance" to The Essential Michael Jackson

On November 20 2003, Jackson released a new song, "One More Chance", written by R. Kelly. It was the only new track included on his Number Ones greatest hits album, released the same year. As of 2005, the album has sold six million copies worldwide. "One More Chance" went on to become the number-one track on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart for three straight weeks. An original video for "One More Chance" was filmed but never released.

Related Topics:
November 20 - 2003 - One More Chance - Number Ones

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In November 2004, Jackson released his first box set, ', a four disc collection which included many of his hits, unreleased material from the past 25 years, demo recordings of some of his biggest hits, four new songs, and a bonus DVD that featured a concert from the Dangerous world tour, originally aired on HBO in 1992. Six months later, Epic released a two-disc compilation, The Essential Michael Jackson, which focused only on the hit records. The Ultimate Collection peaked at #154 on Billboard 200, while The Essential Michael Jackson sold 8,000 copies in the first week in the U.S. (compared to the number-one album, "Now 19", which sold 436,000 copies in the same period), though the CD reached #2 in the U.K., selling 45,000 copies.

Related Topics:
2004 - Box set - HBO - 1992 - The Essential Michael Jackson - U.K.

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"From the Bottom of My Heart"

On September 6 2005, Jackson announced, through his website that he was making a single dedicated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Jackson has already written and composed the charity single which is called "From the Bottom of My Heart".

Related Topics:
September 6 - 2005 - Hurricane Katrina - From the Bottom of My Heart

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Hoping to rekindle the success of "We Are the World", which raised millions for aid to Africa, Jackson has enlisted the involvement of other recording superstars to help him record the single. It was announced on September 12 2005 that the artists offering their vocals on the single are Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Missy Elliott, R. Kelly, Wyclef Jean, Lenny Kravitz, Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige, Yolanda Adams, Babyface, James Brown, Snoop Dogg, The O'Jays, and Ciara.

Related Topics:
September 12 - 2005 - Jay-Z - Missy Elliott - Wyclef Jean - Lenny Kravitz - Lauryn Hill - Mary J. Blige - Yolanda Adams - Babyface - James Brown - Snoop Dogg - The O'Jays - Ciara

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Michael Jackson is in London at the moment, recording the single.

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The single, to be released in October, will be released through 2 Seas Records, owned by Prince Abdulla Hamad Alkhalifa of Bahrain. All proceeds from the sale of the single will be donated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Related Topics:
October - Bahrain - Hurricane Katrina

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