Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American
recording artist, entertainer and businessman. The seventh child of the Jackson
family, he made his debut on the professional music scene in 1968 as a member of
The Jackson 5. He then began a solo career in 1971 while still a member of the
group and was referred to as the "King of Pop" in subsequent years. Jackson's
1982 album Thriller remains the world's best-selling album of all time, and four
of his other solo studio albums are among the world's best-selling records: Off
the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995).
In the early 1980s, he became a dominant figure in popular music and the first
African American entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV. The
popularity of his music videos airing on MTV, such as "Beat It", "Billie Jean"
and "Thriller" — widely credited with transforming the music video from a
promotional tool into an art form — helped bring the relatively new channel to
fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made Jackson an enduring
staple on MTV in the 1990s. With stage performances and music videos, Jackson
popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the
robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced
many hip hop, pop and contemporary R&B artists across several generations.
One of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
twice, his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records —
including one for "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time" — 13 Grammy Awards,
thirteen number one singles in his solo career, and the sale of 750 million
records worldwide.
Jackson donated and raised millions of dollars for beneficial causes through his
foundations, charity singles, and support of 39 charities. Other aspects of his
personal life, including his often changing appearances and eccentric behavior,
generated significant controversy which damaged his public image. The singer had
experienced health concerns since the early 1990s along with conflicting reports
regarding the state of his finances since the late 1990s. Jackson married twice
and brought up three children, actions which caused further controversy. Jackson
was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993 but the investigation was closed due
to lack of evidence and Jackson was not charged. In 2005, he was tried and
acquitted of similar allegations.
Michael Jackson eBooks
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Be Careful Who You Love: Inside the Michael Jackson Case by Diane Dimond |
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Michael Jackson, fabrication d'un monstre by Jean-Paul BOURRE |
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On Michael Jackson by Margo Jefferson |
