the jackson 5 on 'the ed sullivan show,' 1969
Michael Jackson was 12 years old (and looked even younger) when The Jackson 5 -- Michael and brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon -- performed on The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time in 1969. The adorable kid with the big voice was already a showbiz veteran, having toured with the group since he was just 6. Michael's extraordinary talent was obvious: During the group's performance of their first major single "I Want You Back," Michael's older brothers (no slouches themselves) practically fade into the background. He steals the spotlight -- a harbinger of things to come.
'off the wall' is released, 1979
While he was still a member of The Jackson 5, teenage Michael Jackson released four solo albums with Motown Records. But it wasn't until 1979’s Off the Wall, produced by Quincy Jones, that Michael took full creative control of his solo career. "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" was the album's first single. The song and its accompanying video gave a glimpse at Michael Jackson as we know him: his unique vocal tics and dance style, his distinct falsetto voice, and even some unexpected sex appeal.
Widely considered the greatest music video of all time, Michael Jackson's "Thriller" single-handedly transformed the music video from a promotional tool into an art form. The 14-minute, $500,000 opus features werewolves, zombies, cutting-edge special effects and one of the most memorable dance routines in history. The video was a sensation, with MTV airing it twice an hour in response to fan requests. And to say it helped record sales would be an understatement: Thriller was, and still is, the best-selling album of all time.
It may still be the greatest live music performance in TV history. At a concert celebrating Motown Records' 25th anniversary, 24-year-old Jackson blew the roof off the theater with his new single "Billie Jean." Not only did Jackson debut his signature white glove for the first time, he introduced his trademark dance move: the moonwalk. When the crowd lept to their feet for a standing ovation, the singer’s own feet seemed to touch the ground for first time in five minutes.
By 1984, Michael Jackson had the best-selling album of all time (Thriller) and seemed to lead a charmed life -- until a disturbing incident foreshadowed trouble down the road. While filming a staged concert for a Pepsi commercial, Jackson got too close to the pyrotechnics and his heavily gelled hair erupted into flames. The singer was rushed to the hospital with second-degree burns on his scalp. Jackson had plastic surgery and was prescribed painkillers to cope with the traumatizing event -- two addictions that would haunt him for the rest of his life.
The 1985 charity anthem "We Are the World" was not Michael Jackson's idea (legendary singer-social activist Harry Belafonte takes the credit for that), but Jackson cowrote the song with pal Lionel Richie. He was also the hottest young star among dozens of music's biggest names, including Bruce Springsteen, Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and Ray Charles. The song made audiences swoon, swept the Grammys, and raised over $63 million dollars for USA for Africa and other humanitarian causes. It also instilled a lifelong passion for charity in Jackson, and predicted his hit singles "Man in the Mirror" and "Heal the World."
'thriller' video premieres, 1983
Widely considered the greatest music video of all time, Michael Jackson's "Thriller" single-handedly transformed the music video from a promotional tool into an art form. The 14-minute, $500,000 opus features werewolves, zombies, cutting-edge special effects and one of the most memorable dance routines in history. The video was a sensation, with MTV airing it twice an hour in response to fan requests. And to say it helped record sales would be an understatement: Thriller was, and still is, the best-selling album of all time.
performing 'billie jean' at 'motown 25,' 1983
It may still be the greatest live music performance in TV history. At a concert celebrating Motown Records' 25th anniversary, 24-year-old Jackson blew the roof off the theater with his new single "Billie Jean." Not only did Jackson debut his signature white glove for the first time, he introduced his trademark dance move: the moonwalk. When the crowd lept to their feet for a standing ovation, the singer’s own feet seemed to touch the ground for first time in five minutes.
michael's hair catches on fire, 1984
recording 'we are the world,' 1985
The 1985 charity anthem "We Are the World" was not Michael Jackson's idea (legendary singer-social activist Harry Belafonte takes the credit for that), but Jackson cowrote the song with pal Lionel Richie. He was also the hottest young star among dozens of music's biggest names, including Bruce Springsteen, Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and Ray Charles. The song made audiences swoon, swept the Grammys, and raised over $63 million dollars for USA for Africa and other humanitarian causes. It also instilled a lifelong passion for charity in Jackson, and predicted his hit singles "Man in the Mirror" and "Heal the World."
Buying the neverland ranch, 1987
Michael Jackson spent his life trying to recapture the childhood he never had. In 1987, he launched his most expensive effort yet: Neverland Ranch, a $17 million estate that the singer transformed into his dream home and personal playground. Like a private Disneyland, Neverland contained an amusement park, a petting zoo full of exotic animals, a movie theater, an arcade and two miniature railroads. Along with the property, Jackson purchased a roommate: a chimpanzee named Bubbles who wore human clothes and shared Jackson's private quarters. For years, every young Michael Jackson fan dreamed of being a guest at Neverland; only later would the fantasy home be tarnished by scandal, then sold to pay off Jackson's massive debts
elizabeth taylor declares him the king of pop, 1989
Actress Elizabeth Taylor, one of Jackson's most loyal friends, presented him with the Soul Train Heritage Award in 1989. Her speech referred to Jackson, 30, as "the true king of pop, rock and soul." The name stuck. And Jackson loved it: Rumor has it that upon the release of his Dangerous album, he wouldn't let MTV air his videos unless the network referred to him as the King of Pop.
super bowl halftime show, 1993
Michael Jackson's fourth solo album, 1991's Dangerous, debuted at No. 1, only to be bumped from its reigning slot by Nirvana's Nevermind. But if anyone thought the King of Pop was being replaced by grunge, his Super Bowl XXVII halftime show put those worries to rest. Performing solo on a giant stage, Jackson captivated the crowd with a medley of "Jam," "Billie Jean," "Black or White" and "Heal the World." For the first time in history, more people tuned into the halftime show than the first half of the game itself. Dangerous instantly rose 90 places up the charts -- and the Super Bowl halftime show was forever transformed from a break in the game to an event in itself.
the oprah winfrey interview, 1993
Fresh off his triumph at the Super Bowl, the notoriously private Jackson sat down with Oprah Winfrey in an attempt to shed his "freak" image once and for all. He dispelled some of the more ridiculous tabloid rumors (that he'd bought the Elephant Man's bones and slept in an oxygen tank), opened up about his abusive childhood, and admitted for the first time that he had the skin-lightening condition vitiligo. The rare televised interview -- the singer's first since 1979 -- was watched by 90 million people and propelled Dangerous back into the Top 10. Mere months later, Jackson's publicity efforts would be destroyed by accusations that he molested a child in his home.
When Jackson came onstage at the 1994 MTV Music Video Awards, he brought along a surprise guest: wife Lisa Marie Presley, with whom he'd secretly eloped four months earlier. As audience members cheered, the couple kissed passionately -- or at least, that's what they were supposed to be doing. The embrace seemed so awkward and staged that it set off alarm bells. Was Jackson's marriage to Elvis' daughter a sham, designed to make him seem sexually "normal" after he'd been accused of molesting a young boy? Presley remained married to Jackson for only a year-and-a-half, but to this day, she swears that their "unusual" marriage was very loving, and very real.
What was he thinking? That was the question on everyone's mind when Jackson debuted his infant son, Prince Michael II, by dangling him over a Berlin hotel balcony above a crowd of 200 fans. The infant had a blanket over his head -- ironically, the world didn't yet know his nickname was "Blanket" -- so it was hard to tell whether the child was happy or terrified. The singer later said the incident was a "terrible mistake," that he got caught up in the crowd's excitement and "would never intentionally endanger the lives of my children." Still, those few seconds of baby-dangling raised permanent concerns about Jackson's fitness as a parent.
"The most loving thing to do is to share your bed," Michael Jackson told British journalist Martin Bashir in the TV documentary Living with Michael Jackson. Jackson was defending his well-known practice of having sleepovers with young children, which he swore was 100 percent innocent and "not sexual." Bashir was critical of the singer's relationships with children. His documentary destroyed whatever was left of Jackson's reputation after earlier allegations of childhood sexual abuse in 1993. Little did Jackson realize: The moment he confessed to sharing his bed with children was the moment of his undoing.
Less than one year after the scandalous Martin Bashir documentary aired, a family featured in the film charged Michael Jackson with seven counts ofchild molestation. Jackson arrived at his arraignment to plead not guilty, then two-and-a-half hours later emerged from the courtroom into a crowd of cheering supporters. The singer rewarded his diehard fans (some of whom had traveled from Norway and France to support him) by spontaneously climbing atop his SUV to wave and dance for the crowd. Jackson was clearly feeling optimistic -- but the ensuing trial and media frenzy, which lasted 574 days, broke Jackson's spirit and drove him out of the country. It hardly even mattered that the jury found him not guilty on all counts -- the rest of the world had already condemned him.
kissing new wife lisa marie presley on tv, 1994
When Jackson came onstage at the 1994 MTV Music Video Awards, he brought along a surprise guest: wife Lisa Marie Presley, with whom he'd secretly eloped four months earlier. As audience members cheered, the couple kissed passionately -- or at least, that's what they were supposed to be doing. The embrace seemed so awkward and staged that it set off alarm bells. Was Jackson's marriage to Elvis' daughter a sham, designed to make him seem sexually "normal" after he'd been accused of molesting a young boy? Presley remained married to Jackson for only a year-and-a-half, but to this day, she swears that their "unusual" marriage was very loving, and very real.
dangling blanket over a balcony, 2002
What was he thinking? That was the question on everyone's mind when Jackson debuted his infant son, Prince Michael II, by dangling him over a Berlin hotel balcony above a crowd of 200 fans. The infant had a blanket over his head -- ironically, the world didn't yet know his nickname was "Blanket" -- so it was hard to tell whether the child was happy or terrified. The singer later said the incident was a "terrible mistake," that he got caught up in the crowd's excitement and "would never intentionally endanger the lives of my children." Still, those few seconds of baby-dangling raised permanent concerns about Jackson's fitness as a parent.
the martin bashir documentary, 2003
"The most loving thing to do is to share your bed," Michael Jackson told British journalist Martin Bashir in the TV documentary Living with Michael Jackson. Jackson was defending his well-known practice of having sleepovers with young children, which he swore was 100 percent innocent and "not sexual." Bashir was critical of the singer's relationships with children. His documentary destroyed whatever was left of Jackson's reputation after earlier allegations of childhood sexual abuse in 1993. Little did Jackson realize: The moment he confessed to sharing his bed with children was the moment of his undoing.
dancing outside his trial, 2004
Less than one year after the scandalous Martin Bashir documentary aired, a family featured in the film charged Michael Jackson with seven counts ofchild molestation. Jackson arrived at his arraignment to plead not guilty, then two-and-a-half hours later emerged from the courtroom into a crowd of cheering supporters. The singer rewarded his diehard fans (some of whom had traveled from Norway and France to support him) by spontaneously climbing atop his SUV to wave and dance for the crowd. Jackson was clearly feeling optimistic -- but the ensuing trial and media frenzy, which lasted 574 days, broke Jackson's spirit and drove him out of the country. It hardly even mattered that the jury found him not guilty on all counts -- the rest of the world had already condemned him.
'this is it' is released, 2010
Although the pendulum of public opinion swung back and forth on Michael Jackson, his talent as a performer was undeniable. In 2009, the singer was planning a comeback tour -- a "final curtain call" as he called it -- to remind the world. Choreographer-director Kenny Ortega was shooting behind-the-scenes footage of rehearsals for the sold-out tour, which was scheduled to kick off in July 2009. On June 25, 2009, Jackson died from a painkiller overdose at age 50, leaving behind children Prince, now 13, Paris, 12, and Blanket, 8. It was a shocking event that so stunned the world, nearly every major search engine and social media site simultaneously crashed from overuse. Ortega's rehearsal footage was released as the film This Is It. It quickly became the most successful concert movie of all time. Despite reports to the contrary, in the documentary Jackson doesn't seem at all weak or frail; onstage, he's full of fire, his dancing as inspired as ever, his singing moving. Michael Jackson's life was equal parts tragedy and triumph -- and his final film was the epitome of both.
- all information gathered from ivillage.
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