Michael Jackson

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Michael Jackson was one of the most popular music stars of the 20th century. He was one of the biggest selling solo artists of all-time (along with Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley), and was the most famous entertainer in the world through the 80s and into the 90s. Known worldwide as the "King of Pop," he remains popular with millions of fans across the globe, even after his death on June 25, 2009.

Jackson grew up in the limelight. He had been the lead singer (since the age of 8) in the family band The Jackson 5, and with them enjoyed five No.1 hits in the US, among other Top 10 singles. His solo career started in 1971 (at age 13), and by 1972 he had his first solo No.1 ("Ben"). In his teens, he recorded four very successful albums for Motown, before leaving for Epic Records where he would enjoy his greatest success.

Between 1979 and 1993, Jackson was an international phenomenon. His 1982 album Thriller is the biggest-selling album of all time, with over 104 million copies sold worldwide. He won eight Grammys for the album, and with seven of the nine tracks released as singles, almost the whole album is widely known, even to those resistant few who do not own it. It spent an unprecedented 37 weeks at No.1 in the US, and stayed in the Top 200 for nearly two-and-a-half years. His previous album, Off The Wall, (1979) has sold over 20 million copies, and the next two,Bad (1987)and Dangerous(1991), each sold over 30 million. During this period, he enjoyed 11 No.1 singles in the US, with each release doing similarly well across the world. The title track to Thriller is also notable for the 14-minute short film that accompanies it. Directed by film director John Landis, it is a spoof on horror movies and features a troupe of tightly choreographed dancing zombies. The film has had a huge effect on popular culture, leading to many attempted re-creations, including a Lego version and a recent video of 1500 inmates re-creating the dance at a correctional facility in the Philippines. Some credit the Thriller film with popularizing the music video format, making it an essential promotional tool for every pop-single release, and with boosting the fortunes of MTV, originally a small cable TV channel.

Controversy had followed Jackson since the end of the 80s. He was known and recognized around the world for his humanitarian contributions and his albums continued to sell in the millions. But other aspects of his life often overshadowed his more recent music.

Notably, Jackson's physical appearance changed dramatically over time, with an alarming loss of pigmentation. In 1993, during an interview with Oprah, he explained that the change was caused by the hereditary skin condition, Vitiligo. He was also diagnosed with Lupus, a disease that is often present with Vitiligo.

Not long after appearing on national television with Oprah, Jackson was accused of molesting Jordan Chandler, a 13-year-old boy he had befriended. Jackson denied the allegations and his insurance company and business advisers urged him to reach a monetary settlement with the family rather than contest the charges in civil court, as Jackson was prepared to do. No criminal charges were ever filed after two grand juries failed to indict Jackson due to lack of evidence.

In 2003 he was criticized for momentarily holding his baby over the side of a balcony, and rumors persisted about his marriages and family life. In 2005, he was accused of molesting Gavin Arvizo, also a 13-year-old boy. Jackson was arrested and charged with 14 felonies. After a lengthy trial, jurors found him not guilty on all counts. Although it was never proven that Jackson molested either of the boys, the allegations stuck in the public consciousness and the stigma remained.

Despite repeated claims that he was ready to re-launch his career, some believed that his reputation had been sufficiently harmed by these events to preclude Jackson from attaining his former stardom. However, with an army of millions of dedicated fans and the utmost respect among musicians for his achievements during his long career as an entertainer, his successful return to the public eye was always a distinct possibility.

According to reports, his next album was to have been made in collaboration with stars such as Kanye West, John Legend, Ne-Yo, Akon and will.i.am. Just prior to his death, Jackson was scheduled to play 50 sold out concert dates at the O2 arena in London. Almost one million tickets for the concerts had sold out within hours of their release.