Jackson, Michael (redirected from Michael Jackson)

Jackson, Michael (Joseph)

(born Aug. 29, 1958, Gary, Ind., U.S.) U.S. singer and songwriter. The nine-year-old Jackson became the lead singer of the Jackson 5, a family group formed by his father. Their hits on the Motown label included “I Want You Back” and “ABC.” Though Michael remained a member of the group until 1984, he began recording under his own name in 1971. His album Off the Wall (1979) sold millions; his next solo album, Thriller (1982), sold more than 40 million copies, becoming the best-selling album in history. The emerging format of the music video was an important aspect of Jackson's work; his videos for “Beat It” and “Billie Jean” (both 1983) featured his highly influential dancing style (notably his trademark “moonwalk”). He later released the albums Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), and HIStory (1995). Despite his many efforts to speak out on social issues, Jackson's eccentric, secluded lifestyle stirred controversy in the early 1990s. His reputation was seriously damaged in 1993 when he was accused of child molestation by a 13-year-old boy; a civil suit was settled out of court. In 2003 Jackson was arrested on charges of child molestation; he was acquitted in 2005. His numerous honours include induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Jackson 5 (1997) and as a solo performer (2001). Several of his siblings, notably his sister Janet (b. 1966), have also enjoyed solo success.

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Jackson, Michael (1958–  ) popular singer, songwriter; born in Gary, Ind. He was a child star with his brothers in a popular Motown soul group, the Jackson Five, and had his first solo hits in the early 1970s. He began producing and songwriting when the group left Motown in 1976, becoming the Jacksons, and he collaborated with Quincy Jones on his first best-selling solo album, Off The Wall (1979). His second solo album, Thriller (1982), sold over 30 million copies and made him a superstar. As his recordings and videos continued to attract an ever larger public and gain him ever more millions of dollars in sales, commercial endorsements, and contracts, he moved beyond being another popular singer to become more an entertainment phenomenon, known for his unusual choreography (including the "moon walk"), elaborate special effects, mannered performances, and occasional tours before frenzied crowds. Meanwhile, his offstage life also became increasingly bizarre: he transformed his face with plastic surgery, became chummy with celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor, and lived in a secluded estate rumored to be like an amusement park/zoo. In 1993 his private and public careers collided when he was accused of sexual abuse of minor boys; although he was never legally charged, his somewhat ambiguous sexual persona and relations with young children, on and off stage, lost some of their appeal.