Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is widely regarded as one of the most culturally significant figures of the 20th century. His musical achievements broke American racial barriers and made him a dominant figure worldwide. Through his songs, concerts, and fashion, he proliferated visual performance for artists in popular music, popularizing street dance moves such as the moonwalk, the robot, and the anti-gravity lean. Jackson is often deemed the greatest entertainer of all time.
The eighth child of the Jackson family, he made his public debut at age six as the lead singer of the Jackson 5. Jackson rose to solo stardom with the album Off the Wall (1979) and achieved unprecedented global success with Thriller (1982), the best-selling album in history. The music videos for the singles "Thriller", "Beat It", and "Billie Jean" redefined the medium. Bad (1987) was the first album to produce five US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles: "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana". Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995) produced the US number-one singles "Black or White" and "You Are Not Alone". Jackson's final album, Invincible (2001), is the most expensive ever made.
From the mid-1980s, Jackson came under public scrutiny due to changes in his appearance, relationships, behavior, and lifestyle. He was accused of sexually abusing a child in 1993. In 2005, Jackson was acquitted of further such allegations and other charges. While preparing for This Is It, a series of comeback concerts, he died in 2009 from an overdose of propofol administered by his personal physician Conrad Murray. Jackson's death created unprecedented surges of internet traffic and a spike in his music sales.
Jackson is among the best-selling musicians of all time, with estimated sales of more than 500 million records as a solo artist. He is one of three musicians to have sold more than 100 million records both as solo artists and as a principal member of a band. Jackson holds the joint record for a male solo artist, with 13 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles, and is the only artist to have a US top-ten single in six decades. His accolades include 13 Grammy Awards, the Grammy Legend Award, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, 26 American Music Awards, 12 World Music Awards, 8 MTV Video Music Awards, 6 Brit Awards, and 3 US presidential honors. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Dance Hall of Fame. Having donated an estimated $500 million, Jackson is credited with setting a standard for celebrity charity.
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