190 Facts About Michael Jackson

Michael Joseph Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist.

The eighth child of the Jackson family, Michael made his public debut in 1964 at age six, as a member of the Jackson 5.

Michael Jackson achieved solo stardom with the release of his fifth album Off the Wall.

Michael Jackson followed it up with Thriller, the best-selling album of all time, which propelled him to the forefront of pop culture and revolutionized the music video medium with the videos for its title track along with "Beat It" and "Billie Jean".

Dangerous marked a new era for Michael Jackson, lauded as his most artistic and socially conscious album.

Michael Jackson's death triggered reactions around the world, creating unprecedented surges of internet traffic and a spike in sales of his music.

Michael Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated sales of over 500 million records worldwide.

Michael Jackson had 13 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles and is the first artist to have a top-ten single on the chart in five different decades.

In 1992, Michael Jackson founded Heal the World Foundation, donating an estimated $500 million to charity throughout his lifetime.

Michael Joseph Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana, on August 29,1958.

Michael Jackson 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.

Michael Jackson's father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, a former boxer, was a crane operator at US Steel and played guitar with a local rhythm and blues band, the Falcons, to supplement the family's income.

Michael Jackson grew up with three sisters and five brothers.

Michael Jackson said his father told him he had a "fat nose", and physically and emotionally abused him during rehearsals.

Michael Jackson 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.

Katherine said that although whipping came to be considered abuse, it was a common way to discipline children when Michael Jackson was growing up.

Michael Jackson said that during his youth he was lonely and isolated.

Later in 1965, Michael began sharing lead vocals with Jermaine, and the group's name was changed to the Jackson 5.

In 1965, the group won a talent show; Michael Jackson performed the dance to Robert Parker's 1965 song "Barefootin'" and sang the Temptations' "My Girl".

The Michael Jackson 5 performed at clubs and cocktail lounges, where striptease shows were featured, and at local auditoriums and high school dances.

The Michael Jackson 5 recorded several songs for a Gary record label, Steeltown Records; their first single, "Big Boy", was released in 1968.

The Michael Jackson 5 made their first television appearance in 1969 in the Miss Black America pageant, performing a cover of "It's Your Thing".

In May 1971, the Michael Jackson family moved into a large house at Hayvenhurst, a 2-acre estate in Encino, California.

The Michael Jackson 5 were later described as "a cutting-edge example of black crossover artists".

In 1977, Michael 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.

In 1978, Michael Jackson felt unsatisfied with his nose, and decided to have a rhinoplasty.

Michael Jackson was referred to Steven Hoefflin, who performed his operations.

Michael Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.

The recordings were intended for an album of duets but, according to Queen's manager Jim Beach, the relationship soured when Michael Jackson brought a llama into the recording studio, and Michael Jackson was upset by Mercury's drug use.

On March 25,1983, Michael Jackson reunited with his brothers for Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, an NBC television special.

Michael Jackson had originally turned down the invitation to the show, believing he had been doing too much television.

Michael Jackson's performance drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and the Beatles' appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.

At the 11th Annual American Music Awards, Michael Jackson won another eight awards and became the youngest artist to win the Award of Merit.

Michael Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point, with about $2 for every album sold, and was making record-breaking profits.

Dolls modeled after Michael Jackson appeared in stores in May 1984 for $12 each.

Michael Jackson helped to create the advertisement, and suggested using his song "Billie Jean", with revised lyrics, as its jingle.

Michael Jackson underwent treatment to hide the scars and had his third rhinoplasty shortly thereafter.

Pepsi settled out of court, and Jackson donated the $1.5million settlement to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California; its now-closed Michael Jackson Burn Center was named in his honor.

Michael Jackson signed a second agreement with Pepsi in the late 1980s for $10million.

Michael 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.

Michael Jackson collaborated with Paul McCartney in the early 1980s, and learned that McCartney was making $40million a year from owning the rights to other artists' songs.

Michael Jackson submitted a bid of $46million on November 20,1984.

Michael Jackson's agents were unable to come to a deal, and in May 1985 left talks after having spent more than $1million and four months of due diligence work on the negotiations.

Michael Jackson's increased bid of $47.5million was accepted because he could close the deal more quickly, having already completed due diligence.

Michael Jackson agreed to visit Holmes a Court in Australia, where he would appear on the Channel Seven Perth Telethon.

Michael Jackson's skin had been medium-brown during his youth, but from the mid-1980s gradually grew paler.

Michael Jackson diagnosed Jackson with lupus that year, and with vitiligo in 1986.

Michael Jackson used fair-colored makeup, and possibly skin-bleaching prescription creams, to cover up the uneven blotches of color caused by the illness.

Michael Jackson said he lost weight in the early 1980s because of a change in diet to achieve a dancer's body.

Michael Jackson said he had received more than the two cosmetic surgeries he claimed and speculated that he had become addicted to them.

In 1986, it was reported that Michael Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow aging.

Michael Jackson denied the story, although it was alleged that Jackson leaked an image of him sleeping in a glass chamber to The National Enquirer.

When Michael Jackson took his pet chimpanzee Bubbles to tour in Japan, the media portrayed Michael Jackson as an aspiring Disney cartoon character who befriended animals.

In June 1987, the Chicago Tribune reported Michael Jackson's publicist bidding $1million for the skeleton to the London Hospital Medical College on his behalf.

DiLeo said Michael Jackson had an "absorbing interest" in Merrick, "purely based on his awareness of the ethical, medical and historical significance".

Michael Jackson worked with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola on the 17-minute $30million 3D film Captain EO, which ran from 1986 at Disneyland and Epcot, and later at Tokyo Disneyland and Euro Disneyland.

In 1987, Ebony reported that Michael Jackson had disassociated himself from the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Katherine Jackson said this might have been because some Witnesses strongly opposed the Thriller video, which Michael denounced in a Witness publication in 1984.

In 2001, Michael Jackson told an interviewer he was still a Jehovah's Witness.

Michael 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.

In 1988, Michael Jackson released his autobiography, Moonwalk, with input from Stephen Davis and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Michael Jackson discussed his childhood, the Michael Jackson 5, and the abuse from his father.

Michael Jackson attributed his changing facial appearance to three plastic surgeries, puberty, weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hairstyle, and stage lighting.

In March 1988, Michael Jackson purchased 2,700 acres of land near Santa Ynez, California, to build a new home, Neverland Ranch, at a cost of $17million.

Michael Jackson installed a Ferris wheel, a carousel, a movie theater and a zoo.

Michael Jackson became known as the "King of Pop", a nickname that Michael Jackson's publicists embraced.

At the 38th BMI Awards in 1990, Michael Jackson was the first person to be honored with an award named after its recipient.

From 1985 to 1990, Michael Jackson donated $455,000 to the United Negro College Fund, and all profits from his single "Man in the Mirror" went to charity.

In March 1991, Michael Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65million, a record-breaking deal, beating Neil Diamond's renewal contract with Columbia Records.

The Dangerous World Tour ran between June 1992 and November 1993 and grossed ; Michael Jackson performed for over 3.5 million people in 70 concerts, all of which were outside the US.

Michael Jackson sold the broadcast rights of the tour to HBO for $20million, a record-breaking deal that still stands.

Michael Jackson was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief in the Ivorian village of Krindjabo, where he thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed documents formalizing his kingship, and sat on a golden throne while presiding over ceremonial dances.

In January 1993, Michael Jackson performed at the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show in Pasadena, California.

Michael Jackson gave a 90-minute interview with Oprah Winfrey on February 10,1993.

Michael Jackson 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.

Michael Jackson 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.

Evan was recorded discussing his intention to pursue charges, which Michael Jackson used to argue that he was the victim of a jealous father trying to extort money.

Michael Jackson denied knowing of the books' content and claimed if they were there, someone had to have sent them to him and he did not open them.

In January 1994, Michael Jackson settled with the Chandlers out of court for a reported total sum of $23million.

On November 12,1993, Michael Jackson canceled the remainder of the Dangerous World Tour due to health problems, stress from the allegations and painkiller addiction.

Michael Jackson thanked his close friend Elizabeth Taylor for support, encouragement and counsel.

In late 1993, Michael Jackson proposed to Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley, over the phone.

The Sega Technical Institute director Roger Hector and the Sonic co-creator Naoto Ohshima said that Michael Jackson's involvement was terminated and his music reworked following the allegations.

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.

In late 1995, Michael Jackson was admitted to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance, caused by a stress-related panic attack.

Michael Jackson retained ownership of half the company, earning $95million up front as well as the rights to more songs.

In July 1996, Michael Jackson performed for Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah's fiftieth birthday at Jerudong Park Amphitheater, which was specifically built for that birthday concert.

Michael Jackson promoted HIStory with the HIStory World Tour, from September 7,1996, to October 15,1997.

Michael Jackson performed 82 concerts in five continents, 35 countries and 58 cities to over 4.5million fans, his most attended tour.

Michael Jackson's sister Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson was born on April 3,1998.

In 2004, after the second child abuse allegations against Michael Jackson, she returned to court to reclaim custody.

In 1997, Michael Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, which contained remixes of singles from HIStory and five new songs.

From October 1997 to September 2001, Michael Jackson worked on his tenth solo album, Invincible, which cost to record, making it the most expensive album of all time.

In June 1999, Michael Jackson joined Luciano Pavarotti for a War Child benefit concert in Modena, Italy.

In 1999, Michael 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.

At the turn of the century, Michael Jackson was awarded with the Artist of the 1980s Decade Award at the 27th American Music Awards, and the Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium Award at the 12nd World Music Awards.

Michael Jackson performed with his brothers for the first time since 1984.

Michael Jackson performed "What More Can I Give" as the finale.

Michael 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.

On January 9,2002, Michael Jackson won his 22nd American Music Award for Artist of the Century.

Michael Jackson apologized for the incident, calling it "a terrible mistake".

On January 22, promoter Marcel Avram filed a breach of contract complaint against Michael Jackson for failing to perform two planned 1999 concerts.

On December 18,2003, Michael Jackson's attorneys dropped all appeals on the verdict and settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount.

In July 2002, at Al Sharpton's National Action Network in Harlem, Michael Jackson called the Sony Music chairman Tommy Mottola "a racist, and very, very, very devilish", and accused him of exploiting black artists for his own gain.

Michael Jackson charged that Mottola had called his colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger".

The documentary, broadcast in February 2003 as Living with Michael Jackson, showed Jackson holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with a twelve-year-old boy.

Michael Jackson said that he saw nothing wrong with having sleepovers with minors and sharing his bed and bedroom with various people, which aroused controversy.

In October 2003, Michael Jackson received the Key to the City of Las Vegas from Mayor Oscar Goodman.

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.

On June 13,2005, Michael Jackson was acquitted on all counts.

FBI files on Michael 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 Michael Jackson's behalf.

In early 2006, it was announced that Michael Jackson had signed a contract with a Bahrain startup, Two Seas Records.

Holmes found that Michael Jackson was on the verge of bankruptcy and was involved in 47 ongoing lawsuits.

The main house at Neverland Ranch was closed as a cost-cutting measure, while Michael Jackson lived in Bahrain at the hospitality of Abdullah.

At least thirty of Michael Jackson's employees had not been paid on time and were owed $306,000 in back wages.

In mid-2006, Michael Jackson moved to Grouse Lodge, a residential recording studio near Rosemount, County Westmeath, Ireland.

Thriller 25 was the last recorded work released during his life which he was extensively involved with, with Michael Jackson co-producing the album's remix tracks.

In 2009, Michael Jackson arranged to sell a collection of his memorabilia of more than 1,000 items through Julien's Auction House, but canceled the auction in April.

In March 2009, amid speculation about his finances and health, Michael Jackson announced a series of comeback concerts, This Is It, at a press conference at the O2 Arena.

Michael Jackson moved to Los Angeles, where he rehearsed in the weeks leading up to the tour under the direction of the choreographer Kenny Ortega, whom he had worked with during his previous tours.

The Independent reported that Michael Jackson planned a string of further ventures designed to recoup his debts, including a world tour, a new album, films, a museum and a casino.

On June 25,2009, less than three weeks before his concert residency was due to begin in London, with all concerts sold out, Michael Jackson died from cardiac arrest, caused by a propofol and benzodiazepine overdose.

Murray had administered propofol, lorazepam, and midazolam; Michael Jackson's death was caused by a propofol overdose.

Michael Jackson's memorial was held on July 7,2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, preceded by a private family service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park's Hall of Liberty.

On September 3,2009, the body of Michael Jackson was entombed at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.

At the 2009 American Music Awards, Michael Jackson won four posthumous awards, including two for his compilation album Number Ones, bringing his total American Music Awards to 26.

Michael Jackson became the first artist to sell one million music downloads in a week, with 2.6million song downloads.

Thriller, Number Ones and The Essential Michael Jackson became the first catalog albums to outsell any new album.

Michael Jackson became the first artist to have four of the top-20 bestselling albums in a single year in the US.

In 2014, Michael Jackson became the first artist to have a top-ten single in the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades.

In February 2024, Sony Music acquired half of Michael Jackson's publishing rights and recording masters for an estimated $600million.

Jackson's posthumous releases and productions are administered by the estate of Michael Jackson, which owns Jackson's trademarks and rights to his name, image and likeness.

Since Jackson's death, his estate has grossed $2 billion in ticket revenue from MJ the Musical, Michael Jackson's This Is It and two Cirque du Soleil productions.

In 2015, Robson's case against Michael Jackson's estate was dismissed as it had been filed too late.

On October 20,2020, Safechuck's lawsuit against Michael Jackson's corporations was again dismissed.

The judge ruled that there was no evidence that Safechuck had had a relationship with Michael Jackson's corporation, nor was it proven that there was a special relationship between the two.

On February 21,2019, the Michael Jackson estate sued HBO for breaching a non-disparagement clause from a 1992 contract.

Michael Jackson has been referred to as the "King of Pop" for having transformed the art of music videos and paving the way for modern pop music.

Michael Jackson's influence extended beyond the music industry; he impacted dance, led fashion trends, and raised awareness for global affairs.

Michael Jackson is considered one of the most significant figures of the 20th century, and his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades.

Michael Jackson's meteoric rise in the 1980s catapulted him to global stardom, and his influence transcended borders.

Similarly, in India, Michael Jackson was likened to Mahatma Gandhi, with his art championing themes of social justice and humanitarianism, and his influence extending to Bollywood where it was said that anyone who danced well was compared to Michael Jackson.

In Europe, Michael Jackson's impact was compared to that of the Pope, drawing huge crowds of people who gathered to see the singer in public and even more to his concerts, which spread messages of love and healing during rough economic and political times.

Additionally, Michael Jackson is considered the backbone of the K-Pop industry in South Korea, influencing countless artists and shaping the genre's development.

BET said Michael Jackson was "quite simply the greatest entertainer of all time" whose "sound, style, movement and legacy continues to inspire artists of all genres".

Michael Jackson is the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley.

Michael Jackson is recognized as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time by Guinness World Records.

Michael Jackson has appeared on Rolling Stones lists of the Greatest Singers of All Time.

The Guardian wrote that he was in a league of his own in terms of fame, noting that Michael Jackson had become so famous that the number of people who might not know who he was had become statistically insignificant.

Michael Jackson was prominently placed on the list of top influencers, alongside Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, Adolf Hitler, and Jesus Christ.

Michael Jackson is widely regarded as having been a prolific philanthropist and humanitarian.

In 1992, Michael Jackson established his Heal the World Foundation, to which he donated several million dollars in revenue from his Dangerous World Tour.

Michael Jackson performed at benefit concerts, some of which he arranged.

Michael Jackson visited sick children in hospitals around the world.

Michael Jackson donated valuable, personal and professional paraphernalia for numerous charity auctions.

Michael Jackson received various awards and accolades for his philanthropic work, including two bestowed by presidents of the United States.

Michael Jackson allowed the campaign to use "Beat It" for its public service announcements.

Michael Jackson was known as an expressive vocalist with absolute pitch.

Bruce Swedien, his long-time sound engineer, emphasized that a critical element of their vocal recordings are of him and Michael Jackson trying numerous approaches to rhythmic, emotional and technical distinctions to consummate a "sonic character".

Michael Jackson sang from childhood, and over time his voice and vocal style changed.

Michael Jackson was known for his intonation and vocal range.

Neil McCormick wrote that Michael Jackson's unorthodox singing style "was original and utterly distinctive".

Michael Jackson was influenced by musicians including James Brown, Little Richard, Jackie Wilson, Diana Ross, Fred Astaire, Sammy Davis Jr.

When Michael Jackson was a small child, his mother would wake him whenever Brown appeared on television.

Michael Jackson was a mother figure to him, and he often watched her rehearse.

Michael Jackson said he had learned a lot from watching how she moved and sang, and that she had encouraged him to have confidence in himself.

Michael Jackson had no formal music training and could not read or write music notation.

Michael Jackson is credited for playing guitar, keyboard, and drums, but was not proficient in them.

The engineer Robert Hoffman recalled that after Michael Jackson came in with a song he had written overnight, Michael Jackson sang every note of every chord to a guitar player.

Hoffman remembered Michael Jackson singing string arrangements part by part into a cassette recorder.

Michael Jackson danced from a young age as part of the Michael Jackson 5, and incorporated dance extensively in his performances and music videos.

Michael Jackson is credited for coining the name "moonwalk" for this street dance move, previously known as the "backslide".

Michael Jackson explored genres including pop, soul, rhythm and blues, funk, rock, disco, post-disco, dance-pop, and new jack swing.

In "Billie Jean", Michael Jackson depicts an obsessive fan who alleges he has fathered her child, and in "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" he argues against gossip and the media.

Michael Jackson observed that "Thriller" began Jackson's interest with the theme of the supernatural, a topic he revisited in subsequent years.

In 1985, Michael Jackson co-wrote the charity anthem "We Are the World"; humanitarian themes later became a recurring theme in his lyrics and public persona.

Michael Jackson released "Thriller", a 14-minute music video directed by John Landis, in 1983.

Pressure from CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", which led to a lengthy partnership with Michael Jackson, and helped other black music artists gain recognition.

Michael Jackson received the MTV Video Vanguard Award in 1988; in 2001 the award was renamed in his honor.

Michael Jackson apologized and removed the final scene of the video.

Huey wrote that Michael Jackson transformed the music video into an artform and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameos, while breaking down racial barriers.

Michael Jackson is one of the best selling music artists in history, with sales estimated of over 500 million records worldwide.

Michael Jackson was invited and honored by a president of the United States at the White House three times.

Michael Jackson won hundreds of awards, making him one of the most-awarded artists in popular music.

Michael Jackson's awards include 39 Guinness World Records, including the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time, 13 Grammy Awards, as well as the Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and 26 American Music Awards, including the Artist of the Century and Artist of the 1980s.

Michael Jackson received the World Music Awards' Best-Selling Male Artist of the Millennium and the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award.

Michael Jackson was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Vocal Group Hall of Fame as a member of the Jackson 5 in 1997 and 1999, respectively, and again as a solo artist in 2001.

Michael Jackson has been one of the wealthiest celebrities and musical artists; estimates of Michael Jackson's net worth during his life range from negative $285million to positive $350million for 2002,2003 and 2007.

In 2013, the executors of Michael Jackson's estate filed a petition in the United States Tax Court as a result of a dispute with the Internal Revenue Service over estate taxes.

In February 2014, the IRS reported that Michael Jackson's estate owed $702million; $505million in taxes, and $197million in penalties.