Misplaced Pages

Latest revision as of 17:53, 6 January 2025

Michael Jackson
Jackson in 1988
Born	Michael Joseph Jackson (1958-08-29)August 29, 1958 Gary, Indiana, US
Died	June 25, 2009(2009-06-25) (aged 50) Los Angeles, California, US
Cause of death	Cardiac arrest caused by acute propofol intoxication
Burial place	Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California, US
Other names	Michael Joe Jackson
Occupations	Singer songwriter dancer record producer
Spouses	Lisa Marie Presley ​ ​(m. 1994; div. 1996)​ Debbie Rowe ​ ​(m. 1996; div. 2000)​
Children	3, including Paris
Parents	Joe Jackson Katherine Jackson
Family	Jackson family
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Pop soul R&B funk rock disco post-disco dance-pop new jack swing
Instrument	Vocals
Discography	Albums singles songs
Years active	1964–2009
Labels	Steeltown Motown Epic Legacy Sony MJJ Productions
Formerly of	The Jackson 5
Musical artist
Website	michaeljackson.com
Signature

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a four-decade career, his world record music achievements and publicized personal life made him a global figure. His innovations in the 1980s creatively elevated the music video medium and broke racial barriers. Through songs, stages, and fashion, he proliferated visual performance for singers in pop music, and popularized street dance moves including the moonwalk (to which he named), the robot, and the anti-gravity lean.

As part of the Jackson family, Michael at age six made his public debut in 1964 with his older brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon as a member of the Jackson 5 (later known as the Jacksons). The Jackson 5 signed with Motown in 1968 and achieved worldwide success with Michael as lead singer. Jackson began his solo career in 1971 while at Motown and recorded multiple successful singles. He became a global solo star with his 1979 album Off the Wall. His music videos, including those for "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller" from his 1982 album Thriller, are credited with breaking racial barriers and transforming the medium into an art form and promotional tool. He helped popularize MTV and continued to innovate with videos for his albums Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995), and Invincible (2001). Thriller is the best-selling album of all time, and Bad was the first album to produce five US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles.

From the late 1980s, Jackson became a figure of controversy and speculation due to his changing appearance, relationships, behavior, and lifestyle. In 1993, he was accused of sexually abusing the child of a family friend. The lawsuit was settled out of civil court; Jackson was not indicted due to lack of evidence. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further child sexual abuse allegations and several other charges. The Federal Bureau of Investigation found no evidence of criminal conduct by Jackson. In 2009, while he was preparing for a series of comeback concerts, This Is It, Jackson died from an overdose of propofol administered by his personal physician, Conrad Murray, who was convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter for his involvement in Jackson's death. His death triggered reactions around the world, creating unprecedented surges of internet traffic and a spike in sales of his music. Jackson's televised memorial service, held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, was estimated to have been viewed by more than 2.5 billion people.

Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated sales of over 500 million records worldwide. He had 13 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles (the chart's fourth-highest of any artist) and was the first artist to have a top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades. Jackson's inductions include the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (twice), the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Dance Hall of Fame (making him the only recording artist to be inducted). His honors include 15 Grammy Awards including the Grammy Legend Award, six Brit Awards, 24 American Music Awards, a Golden Globe Award and 39 Guinness World Records, including "Youngest artist to top the Hot 100", "Longest span of number ones for a male act", and the "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time", among other awards.

Life and career

Early life and the Jackson 5 (1958–1975)

Michael Joseph Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana, on August 29, 1958. He 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. His mother, Katherine Esther Jackson (née Scruse), played clarinet and piano, had aspired to be a country-and-western performer, and worked part-time at Sears. She was a Jehovah's Witness. His 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. Joe's great-grandfather, July "Jack" Gale, was a US Army scout; family lore held that he was also a Native American medicine man. Michael grew up with three sisters (Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet) and five brothers (Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy). A sixth brother, Marlon's twin Brandon, died shortly after birth.

In 1964, Michael and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by their father which included Jackie, Tito and Jermaine—as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine. Michael said his father told him he had a "fat nose", and physically and emotionally abused him during rehearsals. He 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. Joe acknowledged that he regularly whipped Michael. Katherine said that although whipping came to be considered abuse, it was a common way to discipline children when Michael was growing up. Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon denied that their father was abusive and said that the whippings, which had a deeper impact on Michael because he was younger, kept them disciplined and out of trouble. Michael 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 performed the dance to Robert Parker's 1965 song "Barefootin'" and sang the Temptations' "My Girl". From 1966 to 1968, the Jacksons 5 toured the Midwest; they frequently played at a string of black clubs known as the Chitlin' Circuit as the opening act for artists such as Sam & Dave, the O'Jays, Gladys Knight and Etta James. The Jackson 5 also performed at clubs and cocktail lounges, where striptease shows were featured, and at local auditoriums and high school dances. In August 1967, while touring the East Coast, they won a weekly amateur night concert at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.

The Jackson 5 recorded several songs for a Gary record label, Steeltown Records; their first single, "Big Boy", was released in 1968. Bobby Taylor of Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers brought the Jackson 5 to Motown after they opened for Taylor at Chicago's Regal Theater in 1968. Taylor produced some of their early Motown recordings, including a version of "Who's Lovin' You". After signing with Motown, the Jackson family relocated to Los Angeles. In 1969, Motown executives decided Diana Ross should introduce the Jackson 5 to the public — partly to bolster her career in television — sending off what was considered Motown's last product of its "production line". The Jackson 5 made their first television appearance in 1969 in the Miss Black America pageant, performing a cover of "It's Your Thing". Rolling Stone later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts" who "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer".

In January 1970, "I Want You Back" became the first Jackson 5 song to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100; it stayed there for four weeks. Three more singles with Motown topped the chart: "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There". In May 1971, the Jackson family moved into a large house at Hayvenhurst, a 2-acre (0.81 ha) estate in Encino, California. During this period, Michael developed from a child performer into a teen idol. Between 1972 and 1975, he released four solo studio albums with Motown: Got to Be There (1972), Ben (1972), Music & Me (1973) and Forever, Michael (1975). "Got to Be There" and "Ben", the title tracks from his first two solo albums, sold well as singles, as did a cover of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin".

Michael maintained ties to the Jackson 5. The Jackson 5 were later described as "a cutting-edge example of black crossover artists". They were frustrated by Motown's refusal to allow them creative input. Jackson's performance of their top five single "Dancing Machine" on Soul Train popularized the robot dance.

Move to Epic and Off the Wall (1975–1981)

The Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975, signing with Epic Records and renaming themselves the Jacksons. Their younger brother Randy joined the band around this time; Jermaine stayed with Motown and pursued a solo career. The Jacksons continued to tour internationally, and released six more albums between 1976 and 1984. Michael, the group's main songwriter during this time, wrote songs such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" (1978), "This Place Hotel" (1980), and "Can You Feel It" (1980).

In 1977, 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. The film was a box-office failure. Its score was arranged by Quincy Jones, who later produced three of Jackson's solo albums. During his time in New York, Jackson frequented the Studio 54 nightclub, where he heard early hip hop; this influenced his beatboxing on future tracks such as "Working Day and Night". In 1978, Jackson unsatisfied with his nose, decided to have a rhinoplasty. He was referred to Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson's operations.

Jackson's fifth solo album, Off the Wall (1979), established him as a solo performer and helped him move from the bubblegum pop of his youth to more complex sounds. It produced four top 10 entries in the US: "Off the Wall", "She's Out of My Life", and the chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You". The album reached number three on the US Billboard 200 and sold over 20 million copies worldwide. In 1980, Jackson won three American Music Awards for his solo work: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". He also won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for 1979 with "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". In 1981, Jackson was the American Music Awards winner for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist. Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release. In 1980, he secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album profit.

Thriller and Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever (1982–1983)

Jackson recorded with Queen's lead singer Freddie Mercury from 1981 to 1983, recording demos of "State of Shock", "Victory" and "There Must Be More to Life Than This". The recordings were intended for an album of duets but, according to Queen's manager Jim Beach, the relationship soured when Jackson brought a llama into the recording studio, and Jackson was upset by Mercury's drug use. "There Must Be More to Life Than This" was released in 2014. Jackson went on to record "State of Shock" with Mick Jagger for the Jacksons' album Victory (1984).

In 1982, Jackson contributed "Someone in the Dark" to the audiobook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Jackson's sixth album, Thriller, was released in late 1982. It was the bestselling album worldwide in 1983, and became the bestselling album of all time in the US and the best-selling album of all time worldwide, selling an estimated 70 million copies. It topped the Billboard 200 chart for 37 weeks and was in the top 10 of the 200 for 80 consecutive weeks. It was the first album to produce seven Billboard Hot 100 top-10 singles, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It", and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".

On March 25, 1983, Jackson reunited with his brothers for Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, an NBC television special. The show aired on May 16 to an estimated audience of 47 million, and featured the Jacksons and other Motown stars. Jackson's solo performance of "Billie Jean" earned him his first Emmy Award nomination. Wearing a glove decorated with rhinestones, he debuted his moonwalk dance, which Jeffrey Daniel had taught him three years earlier, and it became his signature dance in his repertoire. Jackson had originally turned down the invitation to the show, believing he had been doing too much television. But at the request of Motown founder Berry Gordy, he performed in exchange for an opportunity to do a solo performance. Rolling Stone reporter Mikal Gilmore called the performance "extraordinary". Jackson's performance drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and the Beatles' appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. Anna Kisselgoff of The New York Times praised the perfect timing and technique involved in the dance. Gordy described being "mesmerized" by the performance.

At the 26th Annual Grammy Awards, Thriller won eight awards, and Jackson won an award for the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial storybook. Winning eight Grammys in one ceremony is a record he holds with the band Santana. Jackson and Quincy Jones won the award for Producer of the Year (Non-Classical). Thriller won Album of the Year (with Jackson as the album's artist and Jones as its co-producer), and the single won Best Pop Vocal Performance (Male) award for Jackson. "Beat It" won Record of the Year and Best Rock Vocal Performance (Male). "Billie Jean" won two Grammy awards: Best R&B Song and Best R&B Vocal Performance (Male), with Jackson as songwriter and singer respectively.

Thriller won the Grammy for Best Engineered Recording (Non Classical), acknowledging Bruce Swedien for his work on the album. At the 11th Annual American Music Awards, Jackson won another eight awards and became the youngest artist to win the Award of Merit. He also won Favorite Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Artist, and Favorite Pop/Rock Artist. "Beat It" won Favorite Soul/R&B Video, Favorite Pop/Rock Video and Favorite Pop/Rock Single. The album won Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Pop/Rock Album. Thriller's sales doubled after the release of an extended music video, Michael Jackson's Thriller, which sees Jackson dancing with a horde of zombies.

The success transformed Jackson into a dominant force in global pop culture. Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point, with about $2 for every album sold (equivalent to $6 in 2023), and was making record-breaking profits. Dolls modeled after Jackson appeared in stores in May 1984 for $12 each. In the same year, The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller, a documentary about the music video, won a Grammy for Best Music Video (Longform). Time described Jackson's influence at that point as "star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style and color too." The New York Times wrote "in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else".

Pepsi incident, "We Are the World" and other commercial activities (1984–1985)

In November 1983, Jackson and his brothers partnered with PepsiCo in a $5 million promotional deal that broke records for a celebrity endorsement (equivalent to $15.3 million in 2023). The first Pepsi campaign, which ran in the US from 1983 to 1984 and launched its "New Generation" theme, included tour sponsorship, public relations events, and in-store displays. Jackson helped to create the advertisement, and suggested using his song "Billie Jean", with revised lyrics, as its jingle.

On January 27, 1984, Michael and other members of the Jacksons filmed a Pepsi commercial overseen by Phil Dusenberry, a BBDO ad agency executive, and Alan Pottasch, Pepsi's Worldwide Creative Director, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. During a simulated concert before a full house of fans, pyrotechnics accidentally set Jackson's hair on fire, causing second-degree burns to his scalp. Jackson underwent treatment to hide the scars and had his third rhinoplasty shortly thereafter.

Pepsi settled out of court, and Jackson donated the $1.5 million (equivalent to $4.4 million in 2023) settlement to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California; its now-closed Michael Jackson Burn Center was named in his honor. Jackson signed a second agreement with Pepsi in the late 1980s for $10 million (equivalent to $26.8 million in 2023). The second campaign covered 20 countries and provided financial support for Jackson's Bad album and 1987–88 world tour. 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.

The Victory Tour of 1984 headlined the Jacksons and showcased Jackson's new solo material to more than two million Americans. It was the last tour he did with his brothers. Following controversy over the concert's ticket sales, Jackson donated his share of the proceeds, an estimated $3 to 5 million, to charity. During the last concert of the Victory Tour at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Jackson announced his split from the Jacksons during "Shake Your Body".

With Lionel Richie, Jackson co-wrote the charity single "We Are the World" (1985), which raised money for the poor in the US and Africa. It earned $63 million (equivalent to $178 million in 2023), and became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with 20 million copies sold. It won four Grammy Awards in 1985, including Song of the Year for Jackson and Richie. Jackson, Jones, and the promoter Ken Kragen received special awards for their roles in the song's creation.

Jackson collaborated with Paul McCartney in the early 1980s, and learned that McCartney was making $40 million a year from owning the rights to other artists' songs. By 1983, Jackson had begun buying publishing rights to others' songs, but he was careful with his acquisitions, only bidding on a few of the dozens that were offered to him. Jackson's early acquisitions of music catalogs and song copyrights such as the Sly Stone collection included "Everyday People" (1968), Len Barry's "1-2-3" (1965), and Dion DiMucci's "The Wanderer" (1961) and "Runaround Sue" (1961).

In 1984, Robert Holmes à Court announced he was selling the ATV Music Publishing catalog comprising the publishing rights to nearly 4,000 songs, including most of the Beatles' material. In 1981, McCartney had been offered the catalog for £20 million ($40 million) (equivalent to $134 million in 2023). Jackson submitted a bid of $46 million (equivalent to $135 million in 2023) on November 20, 1984. When Jackson and McCartney were unable to make a joint purchase, McCartney did not want to be the sole owner of the Beatles' songs, and did not pursue an offer on his own. Jackson's agents were unable to come to a deal, and in May 1985 left talks after having spent more than $1 million and four months of due diligence work on the negotiations.

In June 1985, Jackson and Branca learned that Charles Koppelman's and Marty Bandier's The Entertainment Company had made a tentative offer to buy ATV Music for $50 million; in early August, Holmes à Court contacted Jackson and talks resumed. Jackson's increased bid of $47.5 million (equivalent to $135 million in 2023) was accepted because he could close the deal more quickly, having already completed due diligence. Jackson agreed to visit Holmes à Court in Australia, where he would appear on the Channel Seven Perth Telethon. His purchase of ATV Music was finalized on August 10, 1985.

Increased tabloid speculation (1986–1987)

Jackson's skin had been medium-brown during his youth, but from the mid-1980s gradually grew paler. The change drew widespread media coverage, including speculation that he had been bleaching his skin. His dermatologist, Arnold Klein, said he observed in 1983 that Jackson had vitiligo, a condition characterized by patches of the skin losing their pigment. He also identified discoid lupus erythematosus in Jackson. He diagnosed Jackson with lupus that year, and with vitiligo in 1986. Vitiligo's drastic effects on the body can cause psychological distress. Jackson used fair-colored makeup, and possibly skin-bleaching prescription creams, to cover up the uneven blotches of color caused by the illness. The creams would depigment the blotches, and, with the application of makeup, he could appear very pale. Jackson said he had not purposely bleached his skin and could not control his vitiligo, adding, "When people make up stories that I don't want to be who I am, it hurts me." He became friends with Klein and Klein's assistant, Debbie Rowe. Rowe later became Jackson's second wife and the mother of his first two children.

In his 1988 autobiography and a 1993 interview, Jackson said he had had two rhinoplasty surgeries and a cleft chin surgery but no more than that. He said he lost weight in the early 1980s because of a change in diet to achieve a dancer's body. Witnesses reported that he was often dizzy, and speculated he was suffering from anorexia nervosa. Periods of weight loss became a recurring problem later in his life. After his death, Jackson's mother said that he first turned to cosmetic procedures to remedy his vitiligo, because he did not want to look like a "spotted cow". She 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 Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow aging. He denied the story, although it was alleged that Jackson leaked an image of him sleeping in a glass chamber (according to Jackson, this was a promotional shot from an upcoming space opera featuring himself) to The National Enquirer. It was also reported that Jackson took female hormone shots to keep his voice high and facial hair wispy, proposed to Elizabeth Taylor and possibly had a shrine of her, and had cosmetic surgery on his eyes. Jackson's manager Frank DiLeo denied all of them, except for Jackson having a chamber. DiLeo added "I don't know if he sleeps in it. I'm not for it. But Michael thinks it's something that's probably healthy for him. He's a bit of a health fanatic."

When Jackson took his pet chimpanzee Bubbles to tour in Japan, the media portrayed Jackson as an aspiring Disney cartoon character who befriended animals. It was also reported that Jackson had offered to buy the bones of Joseph Merrick (the "Elephant Man"). In June 1987, the Chicago Tribune reported Jackson's publicist bidding $1 million for the skeleton to the London Hospital Medical College on his behalf. The college maintained the skeleton was not for sale. DiLeo said Jackson had an "absorbing interest" in Merrick, "purely based on his awareness of the ethical, medical and historical significance."

In September 1986, using the oxygen chamber story, the British tabloid The Sun branded Jackson "Wacko Jacko", a name Jackson came to despise. The Atlantic noted that the name "Jacko" has racist connotations, as it originates from Jacko Macacco, a monkey used in monkey-baiting matches at the Westminster Pit in the early 1820s, and "Jacko" was used in Cockney slang to refer to monkeys in general.

Jackson worked with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola on the 17-minute $30 million 3D film Captain EO, which ran from 1986 at Disneyland and Epcot, and later at Tokyo Disneyland and Euro Disneyland. After having been removed in the late 1990s, it returned to the theme park for several years after Jackson's death. In 1987, Ebony reported that 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, Jackson told an interviewer he was still a Jehovah's Witness.

Bad, autobiography, and Neverland (1987–1990)

Jackson's first album in five years, Bad (1987), was highly anticipated, with the industry expecting another major success. It became the first album to produce five US number-one singles: "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana". Another song, "Smooth Criminal", peaked at number seven. Bad won the 1988 Grammy for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical and the 1990 Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form for "Leave Me Alone". 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 bestselling album worldwide in 1987 and 1988. By 2012, it had sold between 30 and 45 million copies worldwide.

The Bad World Tour ran from September 12, 1987, to January 27, 1989. In Japan, the tour had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record for a single tour. The 504,000 people who attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium set a new Guinness World Record.

In 1988, Jackson released his autobiography, Moonwalk, with input from Stephen Davis and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. It sold 200,000 copies, and reached the top of the New York Times bestsellers list. Jackson discussed his childhood, the Jackson 5, and the abuse from his father. He attributed his changing facial appearance to three plastic surgeries, puberty, weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hairstyle, and stage lighting. In June, Jackson was honored with the Grand Vermeil Medal of the City of Paris by the then Mayor of Paris Jacques Chirac during his stay in the city as part of the Bad World Tour. On July 20, he became the first commoner in history to enter London's Guildhall through the building's Royal Entrance. In October, Jackson released a film, Moonwalker, which featured live footage and short films starring Jackson and Joe Pesci. In the US it was released direct-to-video and became the bestselling video cassette in the country. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it as eight times Platinum in the US.

In March 1988, Jackson purchased 2,700 acres (11 km) of land near Santa Ynez, California, to build a new home, Neverland Ranch, at a cost of $17 million (equivalent to $44 million in 2023). He installed a Ferris wheel, a carousel, a movie theater and a zoo. A security staff of 40 patrolled the grounds. Shortly afterwards, he appeared in the first Western television advertisement in the Soviet Union.

Jackson became known as the "King of Pop", a nickname that Jackson's publicists embraced. When Elizabeth Taylor presented him with the Soul Train Heritage Award in 1989, she called him "the true king of pop, rock and soul." President George H. W. Bush designated him the White House's "Artist of the Decade". At the 38th BMI Awards in 1990, Jackson was the first person to be honored with an award named after its recipient. From 1985 to 1990, Jackson donated $455,000 to the United Negro College Fund, and all profits from his single "Man in the Mirror" went to charity. His rendition of "You Were There" at Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th birthday celebration won Jackson a second Emmy nomination. Jackson was the bestselling artist of the 1980s.

Dangerous and public social work (1991–1993)

In March 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65 million (equivalent to $145 million in 2023), a record-breaking deal, beating Neil Diamond's renewal contract with Columbia Records. In 1991, he released his eighth album, Dangerous, co-produced with Teddy Riley. It was certified eight times platinum in the US, and by 2018 had sold 32 million copies worldwide. In the US, the first single, "Black or White", was the album's highest-charting song; it was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks and achieved similar chart performances worldwide. The second single, "Remember the Time" peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. At the end of 1992, Dangerous was the bestselling album of the year worldwide and "Black or White" the bestselling single of the year worldwide at the Billboard Music Awards. In 1993, he performed "Remember the Time" at the Soul Train Music Awards in a chair, saying he twisted his ankle during dance rehearsals. In the UK, "Heal the World" made No. 2 on the charts in 1992.

Jackson founded the Heal the World Foundation in 1992. The charity brought underprivileged children to Jackson's ranch to use the theme park rides, and sent millions of dollars around the globe to help children threatened by war, poverty, and disease. That July, Jackson published his second book, Dancing the Dream, a collection of poetry. The Dangerous World Tour ran between June 1992 and November 1993 and grossed $100 million (equivalent to $210 million in 2023); Jackson performed for over 3.5 million people in 70 concerts, all of which were outside the US. Part of the proceeds went to Heal the World Foundation. Jackson sold the broadcast rights of the tour to HBO for $20 million, a record-breaking deal that still stands.

Following the death of HIV/AIDS spokesperson and friend Ryan White, Jackson pleaded with the Clinton administration at Bill Clinton's inaugural gala to give more money to HIV/AIDS charities and research and performed "Gone Too Soon", a song dedicated to White, and "Heal the World" at the gala. Jackson visited Africa in early 1992; on his first stop in Gabon he was greeted by more than 100,000 people, some of them carrying signs that read "Welcome Home Michael", and was awarded an Officer of the National Order of Merit from President Omar Bongo. During his trip to Ivory Coast, Jackson drew larger crowds than Pope John Paul II on his previous visits. He 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, Jackson performed at the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show in Pasadena, California. The NFL sought a big-name artist to keep ratings high during halftime following dwindling audience figures. With 133.4 million viewers, it was the first Super Bowl whose halftime show drew greater audience figures than the game. Jackson played "Jam", "Billie Jean", "Black or White", and "Heal the World". Dangerous rose 90 places in the US albums chart after the performance.

Jackson gave a 90-minute interview with Oprah Winfrey on February 10, 1993. He 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. He 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. After the interview, Dangerous re-entered the US albums chart in the top 10, more than a year after its release. The interview itself became the most-watched television interview in United States history to date, with more than 90 million viewers.

In January 1993, Jackson won three American Music Awards: Favorite Pop/Rock Album (Dangerous), Favorite Soul/R&B Single ("Remember the Time"), and was the first to win the International Artist Award of Excellence. In February, he won the "Living Legend Award" at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. He attended the award ceremony with Brooke Shields. Dangerous was nominated for Best Vocal Performance (for "Black or White"), Best R&B Vocal Performance ("Jam") and Best R&B Song ("Jam"), and Bruce Swedien and Teddy Riley won the Grammy for Best Engineered – Non Classical.

First child sexual abuse accusations and first marriage (1993–1995)

In August 1993, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy, Jordan Chandler, and his father, Evan Chandler. Jordan said he and Jackson had engaged in acts of kissing, masturbation and oral sex. While Jordan's mother initially told police that she did not believe Jackson had molested him, her position wavered a few days later. Evan was recorded discussing his intention to pursue charges, which Jackson used to argue that he was the victim of a jealous father trying to extort money. Jackson's older sister La Toya accused him of being a pedophile; she later retracted this, saying she had been forced into it by her abusive husband.

Police raided Jackson's home in August and found two legal large-format art books featuring young boys playing, running and swimming in various states of undress. 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. Jordan Chandler gave police a description of Jackson's genitals. A strip search was made, and the jurors felt the description was not a match. In January 1994, Jackson settled with the Chandlers out of court for a reported total sum of $23 million. The police never pressed criminal charges. Citing a lack of evidence without Jordan's testimony, the state closed its investigation on September 22, 1994.

Jackson had been taking painkillers for his reconstructive scalp surgeries, administered due to the Pepsi commercial accident in 1984, and became dependent on them to cope with the stress of the sexual abuse allegations. On November 12, 1993, Jackson canceled the remainder of the Dangerous World Tour due to health problems, stress from the allegations and painkiller addiction. He thanked his close friend Elizabeth Taylor for support, encouragement and counsel. The end of the tour concluded his sponsorship deal with Pepsi.

In late 1993, Jackson proposed to Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley, over the phone. They were married in La Vega, Dominican Republic, in May 1994 by civil judge Hugo Francisco Álvarez Pérez. The tabloid media speculated that the wedding was a publicity stunt to deflect away from Jackson's sexual abuse allegations and jump-start Presley's career as a singer. Their marriage ended little more than a year later, and they separated in December 1995. Presley cited "irreconcilable differences" when filing for divorce the next month and only sought to reclaim her maiden name as her settlement. After the divorce, Judge Pérez said, "They lasted longer than I thought they would. I gave them a year. They lasted a year and a half." Presley later said she and Jackson had attempted to reconcile intermittently for four years following their divorce, and that she had traveled the world to be with him.

Jackson composed music for the Sega Genesis video game Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994), but left the project around the time the sexual abuse allegations surfaced and went uncredited. The Sega Technical Institute director Roger Hector and the Sonic co-creator Naoto Ohshima said that Jackson's involvement was terminated and his music reworked following the allegations. However, Jackson's musical director Brad Buxer and other members of Jackson's team said Jackson went uncredited because he was unhappy with how the Genesis replicated his music.

HIStory, second marriage, fatherhood and Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix (1995–1997)

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 (reissued in 2001 as Greatest Hits: HIStory, Volume I). The second disc, HIStory Continues, contains 13 original songs and two cover versions. The album debuted at number one on the charts and has been certified for eight million shipments in the US. It is the bestselling multi-disc album of all time, with 20 million copies (40 million units) sold worldwide. HIStory received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. The New York Times reviewed it as "the testimony of a musician whose self-pity now equals his talent".

The first single from HIStory was "Scream/Childhood". "Scream", a duet with Jackson's youngest sister Janet, protests the media's treatment of Jackson during the 1993 child abuse allegations against him. The single reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100, and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals". The second single, "You Are Not Alone", holds the Guinness world record for the first song to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Performance" in 1995.

In 1995 the Anti-Defamation League and other groups complained that "Jew me, sue me, everybody do me/ Kick me, kike me, don't you black or white me", the original lyrics of "They Don't Care About Us", were antisemitic. Jackson released a revised version of the song.

In late 1995, Jackson was admitted to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance, caused by a stress-related panic attack. In November, Jackson merged his ATV Music catalog with Sony's music publishing division, creating Sony/ATV Music Publishing. He retained ownership of half the company, earning $95 million up front (equivalent to $190 million in 2023) as well as the rights to more songs.

"Earth Song" was the third single released from HIStory, and topped the UK Singles Chart for six weeks over Christmas 1995. It became the 87th-bestselling single in the UK. At the 1996 Brit Awards, Jackson's performance of "Earth Song" was disrupted by Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker, who was protesting what Cocker saw as Jackson's "Christ-like" persona. Jackson said the stage invasion was "disgusting and cowardly".

In 1996, Jackson won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form, for "Scream" and an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist. In July 1996, Jackson performed for Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah's fiftieth birthday at Jerudong Park Amphitheater, which was specifically built for that birthday concert. Jackson was reportedly paid $17 million (equivalent to $33 million in 2023). Jackson promoted HIStory with the HIStory World Tour, from September 7, 1996, to October 15, 1997. He performed 82 concerts in five continents, 35 countries and 58 cities to over 4.5 million fans, his most attended tour. It grossed $165 million. During the tour, in Sydney, Australia, Jackson married Debbie Rowe, a dermatology assistant, who was six months pregnant with his first child.

Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. (commonly known as Prince) was born on February 13, 1997. His sister Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson was born on April 3, 1998. Jackson and Rowe divorced in 2000, Rowe conceded custody of the children, with an $8 million settlement (equivalent to $14.6 million in 2023). In 2004, after the second child abuse allegations against Jackson, she returned to court to reclaim custody. The suit was settled in 2006.

In 1997, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, which contained remixes of singles from HIStory and five new songs. Worldwide sales stand at 6 million copies, making it the best-selling remix album. It reached number one in the UK, as did the single "Blood on the Dance Floor". In the US, the album reached number 24 and was certified platinum.

Label dispute and Invincible (1997–2002)

From October 1997 to September 2001, Jackson worked on his tenth solo album, Invincible, which cost $30 million (equivalent to $51.6 million in 2023) to record, making it the most expensive album of all time. In June 1999, Jackson joined Luciano Pavarotti for a War Child benefit concert in Modena, Italy. The show raised a million dollars for refugees of the Kosovo War, and additional funds for the children of Guatemala. Later that month, Jackson organized a series of "Michael Jackson & Friends" benefit concerts in Germany and Korea. Other artists involved included Slash, The Scorpions, Boyz II Men, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, A. R. Rahman, Prabhu Deva Sundaram, Shobana, Andrea Bocelli and Luciano Pavarotti. The proceeds went to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, the Red Cross and UNESCO. In 1999, 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. From August 1999 to 2000, he lived in New York City at 4 East 74th Street. At the turn of the century, 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. In 2000, Guinness World Records recognized him for supporting 39 charities, more than any other entertainer.

In September 2001, two concerts were held at Madison Square Garden to mark Jackson's 30th year as a solo artist. Jackson performed with his brothers for the first time since 1984. The show also featured Mýa, Usher, Whitney Houston, Destiny's Child, Monica, Liza Minnelli and Slash. The first show was marred by technical lapses, and the crowd booed a speech by Marlon Brando. 45 million people watched the television broadcast of the shows in November according to Nielsen Media Research. After the September 11 attacks (in which Jackson narrowly avoided death by oversleeping and missing a scheduled meeting at the World Trade Center), Jackson helped organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C., on October 21, 2001. Jackson performed "What More Can I Give" as the finale.

The release of Invincible was preceded by a dispute between Jackson and his record label, Sony Music Entertainment. 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. Jackson sought an early exit from his contract. Invincible was released on October 30, 2001. It was Jackson's first full-length album in six years, and the last album of original material he released in his lifetime. It debuted at number one in 13 countries, and went on to sell eight million copies worldwide, receiving double-platinum certification in the US.

On January 9, 2002, Jackson won his 22nd American Music Award for Artist of the Century. Later that year, an anonymous surrogate mother gave birth to his third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (nicknamed "Blanket"), who had been conceived by artificial insemination. On November 20, Jackson briefly held Blanket over the railing of his Berlin hotel room, four stories above ground level, prompting widespread criticism in the media. Jackson apologized for the incident, calling it "a terrible mistake". On January 22, promoter Marcel Avram filed a breach of contract complaint against Jackson for failing to perform two planned 1999 concerts. In March, a Santa Maria jury ordered Jackson to pay Avram $5.3 million. On December 18, 2003, Jackson's attorneys dropped all appeals on the verdict and settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount.

On April 24, 2002, Jackson performed at Apollo Theater. The concert was a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee and former President Bill Clinton. The money collected would be used to encourage citizens to vote. It raised $2.5 million. The concert was called Michael Jackson: Live at the Apollo and was one of Jackson's final on-stage performances.

In July 2002, at Al Sharpton's National Action Network in Harlem, 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. The accusation prompted Sharpton to form a coalition investigating whether Mottola exploited black artists. Jackson charged that Mottola had called his colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger". Sony issued a statement calling the accusations "ludicrous, spiteful, and hurtful" and said Mottola had championed Jackson's career for years. Sony refused to renew Jackson's contract and said that a $25 million promotional campaign had failed because Jackson refused to tour in the US for Invincible.

Documentary, Number Ones, second child abuse allegations and acquittal (2002–2005)

Beginning in May 2002, a documentary film crew led by Martin Bashir followed Jackson for several months. 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. He said that he saw nothing wrong with having sleepovers with minors and sharing his bed and bedroom with various people, which aroused controversy. He insisted that the sleepovers were not sexual and that his words had been misunderstood.

In October 2003, Jackson received the Key to the City of Las Vegas from Mayor Oscar Goodman. On November 18, 2003, Sony released Number Ones, a greatest hits compilation. It was certified five times platinum by the RIAA, and ten times platinum in the UK, for shipments of at least 3 million units.

On December 18, 2003, Santa Barbara authorities charged Jackson with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of intoxicating a minor with alcoholic drinks. Jackson denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty. 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. If convicted, he would have faced up to twenty years in prison. On June 13, 2005, Jackson was acquitted on all counts. FBI files on 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 Jackson's behalf.

Final years, financial problems, Thriller 25 and This Is It (2005–2009)

After the trial, Jackson became reclusive. In June 2005, he moved to Bahrain as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah. In early 2006, it was announced that Jackson had signed a contract with a Bahrain startup, Two Seas Records. Nothing came of the deal, and the Two Seas CEO, Guy Holmes, later said it was never finalized. Holmes also found that Jackson was on the verge of bankruptcy and was involved in 47 ongoing lawsuits. By September 2006, Jackson was no longer affiliated with Two Seas.

In April 2006, Jackson agreed to use a piece of his ATV catalog stake, then worth about $1 billion, as collateral against his $270 million worth of loans from Bank of America. Bank of America had sold the loans to Fortress Investments, an investment company that buys distressed loans, the year before. As part of the agreement, Fortress Investments provided Jackson a new loan of $300 million with reduced interest payments (equivalent to $450 million in 2023). Sony Music would have the option to buy half of his stake, or about 25% of the catalog, at a set price. Jackson's financial managers had urged him to shed part of his stake to avoid bankruptcy. The main house at Neverland Ranch was closed as a cost-cutting measure, while Jackson lived in Bahrain at the hospitality of Abdullah. At least thirty of Jackson's employees had not been paid on time and were owed $306,000 in back wages. Jackson was ordered to pay $100,000 in penalties. Jackson never returned to Neverland after his acquittal.

In mid-2006, Jackson moved to Grouse Lodge, a residential recording studio near Rosemount, County Westmeath, Ireland. There, he began work on a new album with the American producers will.i.am and Rodney Jenkins. That November, Jackson invited an Access Hollywood camera crew into the studio in Westmeath. On November 15, Jackson briefly joined in on a performance of "We Are the World" at the World Music Awards in London, his last public performance, and accepted the Diamond Award for sales of 100 million records. He returned to the US in December, settling in Las Vegas. That month, he attended James Brown's funeral in Augusta, Georgia, where he gave a eulogy calling Brown his greatest inspiration.

In 2007, Jackson and Sony bought another music publishing company, Famous Music LLC, formerly owned by Viacom. The deal gave Jackson the rights to songs by Eminem and Beck, among others. In a brief interview, Jackson said he had no regrets about his career despite his problems and "deliberate attempts to hurt ". That March, Jackson visited a US Army post in Japan, Camp Zama, to greet more than 3,000 troops and their families. As of September, Jackson was still working on his next album, which he never completed.

In 2008, for the 25th anniversary of Thriller, Jackson and Sony released Thriller 25, with two remixes released as singles: "The Girl Is Mine 2008" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008". For Jackson's 50th birthday, Sony BMG released a series of greatest hits albums, King of Pop, with different tracklists for different regions. That July, Fortress Investments threatened to foreclose on Neverland Ranch, which Jackson had used as collateral for his loans. Fortress sold Jackson's debts to Colony Capital LLC. In November, Jackson transferred Neverland Ranch's title to Sycamore Valley Ranch Company LLC, a joint venture between Jackson and Colony Capital LLC. The deal earned him $35 million. In 2009, 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, Jackson announced a series of comeback concerts, This Is It, at a press conference at the O2 Arena. The shows were to be his first major concerts since the HIStory World Tour in 1997. Jackson suggested he would retire after the shows. The initial plan was for ten concerts in London, followed by shows in Paris, New York City and Mumbai. Randy Phillips, the president and chief executive of AEG Live, predicted the first ten dates would earn Jackson £50 million.

The London residency was increased to fifty dates after record-breaking ticket sales; more than one million were sold in less than two hours. The concerts were to run from July 13, 2009, to March 6, 2010. 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. Rehearsals took place at the Forum and the Staples Center owned by AEG. By this point, Jackson's debt had grown to almost $500 million. By the time of his death, he was three or four months behind payments on his home in San Fernando Valley. The Independent reported that 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.

Death

On June 25, 2009, less than three weeks before his concert residency was due to begin in London, with all concerts sold out, Jackson died from cardiac arrest, caused by a propofol and benzodiazepine overdose. Conrad Murray, his personal physician, had given Jackson various medications to help him sleep at his rented mansion in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles. Paramedics received a 911 call at 12:21 pm Pacific time (19:21 UTC) and arrived at the property four minutes later. Jackson was not breathing and CPR was performed. Resuscitation efforts continued en route to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and for more than an hour after Jackson's arrival there, but were unsuccessful, and Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 pm Pacific time (21:26 UTC). Murray had administered propofol, lorazepam, and midazolam; Jackson's death was caused by a propofol overdose.

News of his death spread quickly online, causing websites to slow down and crash from user overload, and it put unprecedented strain on many services and websites including Google, AOL Instant Messenger, Twitter and Misplaced Pages. Overall, web traffic rose by between 11% and 20%. MTV and BET aired marathons of Jackson's music videos, and Jackson specials aired on television stations around the world. MTV briefly returned to its original music video format, and they aired hours of Jackson's music videos, with live news specials featuring reactions from MTV personalities and other celebrities.

Memorial service

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. Over 1.6 million fans applied for tickets to the memorial; the 8,750 recipients were drawn at random, and each received two tickets. The memorial service was one of the most watched events in streaming history, with an estimated US audience of 31.1 million and a worldwide audience of an estimated 2.5 to 3 billion.

Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Hudson, and Shaheen Jafargholi performed at the memorial, and Smokey Robinson and Queen Latifah gave eulogies. Al Sharpton received a standing ovation with cheers when he told Jackson's children: "Wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with. But he dealt with it anyway." Jackson's 11-year-old daughter Paris Katherine, speaking publicly for the first time, wept as she addressed the crowd. Lucious Smith provided a closing prayer. On September 3, 2009, the body of Jackson was entombed at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.

Criminal investigation and prosecution of Conrad Murray

In August 2009, the Los Angeles County Coroner ruled that Jackson's death was a homicide. Law enforcement officials charged Murray with involuntary manslaughter on February 8, 2010. In late 2011, he was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and held without bail to await sentencing. Murray was sentenced to four years in prison, but was released after one year and eleven months.

Posthumous sales

At the 2009 American Music Awards, Jackson won four posthumous awards, including two for his compilation album Number Ones, bringing his total American Music Awards to 26. In the year after his death, more than 16.1 million copies of Jackson's albums were sold in the US alone, and 35 million copies were sold worldwide, more than any other artist in 2009. He became the first artist to sell one million music downloads in a week, with 2.6 million song downloads. Thriller, Number Ones and The Essential Michael Jackson became the first catalog albums to outsell any new album. Jackson also became the first artist to have four of the top-20 bestselling albums in a single year in the US. Within the year following his death, Jackson sold over 75 million records worldwide. By the end of 2013, Jackson had sold over 50 million albums worldwide since his death.

Following the surge in sales, in March 2010, Sony Music signed a $250 million deal (equivalent to $350 million in 2023) with the Jackson estate to extend their distribution rights to Jackson's back catalog until at least 2017; it had been due to expire in 2015. It was the most expensive music contract for a single artist in history. They agreed to release ten albums of previously unreleased material and new collections of released work. The deal was extended in 2017. That July, a Los Angeles court awarded Quincy Jones $9.4 million of disputed royalty payments for Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad. In July 2018, Sony/ATV bought the estate's stake in EMI for $287.5 million.

In 2014, Jackson became the first artist to have a top-ten single in the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades. The following year, Thriller became the first album to be certified for 30 million shipments by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). A year later, it was certified 33× platinum after Soundscan added streams and audio downloads to album certifications.

In February 2024, Sony Music acquired half of Jackson's publishing rights and recording masters for an estimated $600 million. The deal includes assets from Jackson's Mijac publishing catalog, but excludes royalties from several Jackson-related productions, including the MJ Broadway musical and the Michael biopic. The deal is possibly the largest transaction ever for a single musician's work.

Posthumous releases and productions

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. The first posthumous Jackson song, "This Is It", co-written in the 1980s with Paul Anka, was released in October 2009. The surviving Jackson brothers reunited to record backing vocals. It was followed by a documentary film about the rehearsals for the canceled This Is It tour, Michael Jackson's This Is It, and a compilation album. Despite a limited two-week engagement, the film became the highest-grossing documentary or concert film ever, with earnings of more than $260 million worldwide. Jackson's estate received 90% of the profits. In late 2010, Sony released the first posthumous album, Michael, and the lead single "Hold My Hand", a duet with Akon. The Jackson collaborator will.i.am expressed disgust, saying that Jackson would not have approved the release.

The video game developer Ubisoft released a music game featuring Jackson for the 2010 holiday season, Michael Jackson: The Experience. It was among the first games to use Kinect and PlayStation Move, the motion-detecting camera systems for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. In April 2011, Mohamed Al-Fayed, the chairman of Fulham Football Club, unveiled a statue of Jackson outside the club stadium, Craven Cottage. It was moved to the National Football Museum in Manchester in May 2014, and removed from display in March 2019 following renewed sexual assault allegations.

In October 2011, the theater company Cirque du Soleil launched Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour, a $57-million production, in Montreal, with a permanent show resident in Las Vegas. A larger and more theatrical Cirque show, Michael Jackson: One, designed for residency at the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas, opened on May 23, 2013, in a renovated theater.

In 2012, in an attempt to end a family dispute, Jackson's brother Jermaine retracted his signature on a public letter criticizing executors of Jackson's estate and his mother's advisors over the legitimacy of his brother's will. T.J. Jackson, the son of Tito Jackson, was given co-guardianship of Michael Jackson's children after false reports of Katherine Jackson going missing. Xscape, an album of unreleased material, was released on May 13, 2014. The lead single, a duet between Jackson and Justin Timberlake, "Love Never Felt So Good", reached number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making Jackson the first artist to have a top-10 single on the chart in five different decades.

Later in 2014, Queen released a duet recorded with Jackson in the 1980s. A compilation album, Scream, was released on September 29, 2017. A jukebox musical, MJ the Musical, premiered on Broadway in 2022. Myles Frost won the 2022 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Jackson. On November 18, 2022, Epic released a 40th-anniversary edition reissue of Thriller. A biographical film based on Jackson's life, Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua, is scheduled for April 2025. Jackson is played by his nephew Jaafar Jackson. Deadline Hollywood reported that the film "will not shy away from the controversies of Jackson's life". 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.

Posthumous child sexual abuse allegations

In 2013, choreographer Wade Robson filed a lawsuit alleging that Jackson had sexually abused him for seven years, beginning when he was seven years old (1989–1996). In 2014, a case was filed by James Safechuck, alleging similar sexual abuse over a four-year period starting when Safechuck was ten (1988–1992). Both had previously testified in Jackson's defense during the 1993 allegations; Robson did so again in 2005. In 2015, Robson's case against Jackson's estate was dismissed as it had been filed too late. Safechuck's claim was also time-barred.

In 2017, it was ruled that Jackson's corporations could not be held accountable for his alleged past actions. The rulings were appealed. On October 20, 2020, Safechuck's lawsuit against Jackson's corporations was again dismissed. The judge ruled that there was no evidence that Safechuck had had a relationship with Jackson's corporation, nor was it proven that there was a special relationship between the two. On April 26, 2021, Robson's case was dismissed because of a lack of supporting evidence that the defendants exercised control over Jackson.

Robson and Safechuck's allegations were the subject of the documentary film Leaving Neverland, released in March 2019. Radio stations in New Zealand, Canada, the UK and the Netherlands removed Jackson's music from their playlists. Jackson's family condemned the film as a "public lynching", and the Jackson estate released a statement calling the film a "tabloid character assassination endured in life, and now in death". Close associates of Jackson, such as Corey Feldman, Aaron Carter, Brett Barnes, and Macaulay Culkin, defended Jackson in the wake of the documentary's release, saying that Jackson had never molested them.

Documentaries such as Square One: Michael Jackson, Neverland Firsthand: Investigating the Michael Jackson Documentary and Michael Jackson: Chase the Truth, presented information countering the claims suggested by Leaving Neverland. Jackson's album sales increased following the documentary screenings. Billboard senior editor Gail Mitchell said she and a colleague interviewed about thirty music executives who believed Jackson's legacy could withstand the controversy. In late 2019, some New Zealand and Canadian radio stations re-added Jackson's music to their playlists, citing "positive listener survey results".

On February 21, 2019, the Jackson estate sued HBO for breaching a non-disparagement clause from a 1992 contract. The suit sought to compel HBO to participate in a non-confidential arbitration that could result in $100 million or more in damages awarded to the estate. HBO said they did not breach a contract and filed an anti-SLAPP motion against the estate. In September 2019, Judge George H. Wu denied HBO's motion to dismiss the case, allowing the Jackson estate to arbitrate. HBO appealed, but in December 2020 the appeals court affirmed Wu's ruling.

In 2020, a state law passed in California which granted plaintiffs in child sex abuse cases an additional period to file lawsuits. In October 2020 and again in April 2021, the Los Angeles County Superior Court ruled that MJJ Productions Inc. and MJJ Ventures Inc. employees were not legally obligated to protect the two men from Jackson. In August 2023, California's Second District Court of Appeal overturned the ruling, and the case was approved to move forward to trial court.

Legacy

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. For much of Jackson's career, he had an unparalleled worldwide influence over the younger generation. His influence extended beyond the music industry; he impacted dance, led fashion trends, and raised awareness for global affairs. Jackson's music and videos fostered racial diversity in MTV's roster and steered its focus from rock to pop music and R&B, leading to the discontinuation of the album-oriented rock format previously dominant on the channel.

Michael Jackson's meteoric rise in the 1980s catapulted him to global stardom, and his influence transcended borders. In Africa, his influence was compared to Nelson Mandela for his ability to inspire and unite diverse audiences through his music. Similarly, in India, 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, 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. His presence in the Middle East was considered as widespread as Coca-Cola, symbolizing a shared global culture through his music. Additionally, Jackson is considered the backbone of the K-Pop industry in South Korea, influencing countless artists and shaping the genre's development.

In songs such as "Black or White", "Heal the World", "Earth Song" and "They Don't Care About Us", Jackson's music emphasized racial integration and environmentalism and protested injustice. He is recognized as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time by Guinness World Records. Jackson has also appeared on Rolling Stone's lists of the Greatest Singers of All Time. He is considered one of the most significant cultural 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.

Trying to trace Michael Jackson's influence on the pop stars that followed him is like trying to trace the influence of oxygen and gravity. So vast, far-reaching and was his impact—particularly in the wake of Thriller's colossal and heretofore unmatched commercial success—that there weren't a whole lot of artists who weren't trying to mimic some of the Jackson formula.

— J. Edward Keyes of Rolling Stone

Danyel Smith, chief content officer of Vibe Media Group and the editor-in-chief of Vibe, described Jackson as "the greatest star". Steve Huey of AllMusic called him "an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the skills to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility and loads of sheer star power". BET said Jackson was "quite simply the greatest entertainer of all time" whose "sound, style, movement and legacy continues to inspire artists of all genres".

In 1984, Time pop critic Jay Cocks wrote that "Jackson is the biggest thing since the Beatles. He is the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley. He just may be the most popular black singer ever." He described Jackson as a "star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style, and color too." In 2003, The Daily Telegraph writer Tom Utley described Jackson as "extremely important" and a "genius". At Jackson's memorial service on July 7, 2009, Motown founder Berry Gordy called Jackson "the greatest entertainer that ever lived". In a June 28, 2009 Baltimore Sun article, Jill Rosen wrote that Jackson's legacy influenced fields including sound, dance, fashion, music videos and celebrity.

In 2018, the National Portrait Gallery named Michael Jackson the most depicted cultural figure of the century, later stating that Jackson's influence on art rivaled that of Jesus Christ. Nicholas Cullinan, director of the National Portrait Gallery and curator of the Michael Jackson: On the Wall exhibition, described Jackson's impact on art as unprecedented and claimed in 2018 that Jackson was the most depicted figure in the history of contemporary art.

Craig Glenday, the Editor-in-Chief of Guinness World Records, called Jackson the most famous person in the world in 2006. Following Jackson's passing, Glenday wrote in an obituary that Jackson had maintained this status up until his death, later remarking that his fame had exceeded that of Confucius.

In 2014, a comprehensive study conducted by researcher Young-Ho Eom at the University of Toulouse identified Michael Jackson as one of the most influential people of all time. The study utilized advanced ranking methods, including 2D Rank and PageRank algorithms, to analyze the impact of historical figures. Jackson was prominently placed on the list of top influencers, alongside Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, Adolf Hitler, and Jesus Christ. An additional study conducted in 2013 also identified Michael Jackson as one of the most influential people of all time. This study ranked Jackson at the top of the list, alongside Napoleon Bonaparte, highlighting the extraordinary influence and global recognition that Jackson achieved throughout his career.

Following Jackson's death, The Guardian wrote that he was in a league of his own in terms of fame, noting that Jackson had become so famous that the number of people who might not know who he was had become statistically insignificant. Due to his unprecedented influence, Michael Jackson is recognized today as one of the most globally renowned figures in history. Reports of his fame extend from the Middle East, Africa, India, and China to tribes in the Amazon. His influence even reaches remote corners of the world such as São Tomé and Príncipe,or Tristan da Cunha, where tribute artists keep his legacy alive by celebrating his music.

Philanthropy and humanitarian work

Jackson is widely regarded as having been a prolific philanthropist and humanitarian. Jackson's early charitable work has been described by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as having "paved the way for the current surge in celebrity philanthropy", and by the Los Angeles Times as having "set the standard for generosity for other entertainers".

By some estimates, he donated over $500 million, not accounting for inflation, to various charities over the course of his life. In 1992, Jackson established his Heal the World Foundation, to which he donated several million dollars in revenue from his Dangerous World Tour.

Jackson's philanthropic activities went beyond just monetary donations. He also performed at benefit concerts, some of which he arranged. He gifted tickets for his regular concert performances to groups that assist underprivileged children. He visited sick children in hospitals around the world. He opened his own home for visits by underprivileged or sick children and provided special facilities and nurses if the children needed that level of care.

Jackson donated valuable, personal and professional paraphernalia for numerous charity auctions. He received various awards and accolades for his philanthropic work, including two bestowed by presidents of the United States. The vast breadth of Jackson's philanthropic work has earned recognition in the Guinness World Records.

On May 14, 1984, President Ronald Reagan gave Jackson an award recognizing his support of alcohol and drug abuse charities, and in recognition of his support for the Ad Council's and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Drunk Driving Prevention campaign. Jackson allowed the campaign to use "Beat It" for its public service announcements.

Artistry

Vocal style

Jackson was known as an expressive vocalist with absolute pitch. Critics describe his vocal theatricality having a range from clear and soft to harsh and aggressive, depending on the genre sung. Principally in history, Michael Jackson is the sole recipient to receive Grammy Awards for three different genres of vocal performance (as a soloist), winning Pop Vocal for "Thriller", Rock Vocal for "Beat It", and Rhythm and Blues Vocal with both "Billie Jean" and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". Bruce Swedien, his long-time sound engineer, emphasized that a critical element of their vocal recordings are of him and Jackson trying numerous approaches to rhythmic, emotional and technical distinctions to consummate a "sonic character". His stylings, such as common use of staccato, legato, falsetto as well as vocal hiccups, adlibs, wailings and growls are all signature to his sound.

Jackson sang from childhood, and over time his voice and vocal style changed. Between 1971 and 1975, his voice descended from boy soprano to lyric tenor. He was known for his intonation and vocal range. Through each music release, his vocal development and changes were positively narrated by music journalists. With the arrival of Off the Wall in the late 1970s, Jackson's abilities in his coming-of-age period had Rolling Stone comparing his vocals to the "breathless, dreamy stutter" of Stevie Wonder, and wrote that "Jackson's feathery-timbred tenor is extraordinarily beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that's used very daringly." By the time of 1982's Thriller, Rolling Stone wrote that Jackson was singing in a "fully adult voice" that was "tinged by sadness". The turn of the 1990s saw the release of the introspective album Dangerous. The New York Times noted that on some tracks, "he gulps for breath, his voice quivers with anxiety or drops to a desperate whisper, hissing through clenched teeth" and he had a "wretched tone". When singing of brotherhood or self-esteem the musician would return to "smooth" vocals. Of Invincible, Rolling Stone wrote that, at 43, Jackson still performed "exquisitely voiced rhythm tracks and vibrating vocal harmonies". Joseph Vogel notes Jackson's ability to use non-verbal sounds to express emotion. Neil McCormick wrote that Jackson's unorthodox singing style "was original and utterly distinctive".

Influences

Jackson was influenced by musicians including James Brown, Little Richard, Jackie Wilson, Diana Ross, Fred Astaire, Sammy Davis Jr., Gene Kelly, and David Ruffin. Little Richard had a substantial influence on Jackson, but Brown was his greatest inspiration. When Jackson was a small child, his mother would wake him whenever Brown appeared on television. Jackson described being "mesmerized".

Jackson's vocal technique was influenced by Diana Ross; his use of the oooh interjection from a young age was something Ross had used on many of her songs with the Supremes. She was a mother figure to him, and he often watched her rehearse. He said he had learned a lot from watching how she moved and sang, and that she had encouraged him to have confidence in himself.

Choreographer David Winters, who met Jackson while choreographing the 1971 Diana Ross TV special Diana!, said that Jackson watched the musical West Side Story almost every week, and it was his favorite film; he paid tribute to it in "Beat It" and the "Bad" video.

Musicianship

Jackson had no formal music training and could not read or write music notation. He is credited for playing guitar, keyboard, and drums, but was not proficient in them. When composing, he recorded ideas by beatboxing and imitating instruments vocally. Describing the process, he said: "I'll just sing the bass part into the tape recorder. I'll take that bass lick and put the chords of the melody over the bass lick and that's what inspires the melody." These were shown in his demos for Beat It and Billie Jean where he vocalized the melody, bass instrumentals as well as lead and backing vocals by overlaying each component. The engineer Robert Hoffman recalled that after Jackson came in with a song he had written overnight, Jackson sang every note of every chord to a guitar player. Hoffman also remembered Jackson singing string arrangements part by part into a cassette recorder.

Dance

Jackson danced from a young age as part of the Jackson 5, and incorporated dance extensively in his performances and music videos. According to Sanjoy Roy of The Guardian, Jackson would "flick and retract his limbs like switchblades, or snap out of a tornado spin into a perfectly poised toe-stand". The moonwalk, taught to him by Jeffrey Daniel, was Jackson's signature dance move and one of the most famous of the 20th century. Jackson is credited for coining the name "moonwalk" for this street dance move, previously known as the "backslide". His other moves included the robot, crotch grab, and the "anti-gravity" lean of the "Smooth Criminal" video.

Themes and genres

Jackson explored genres including pop, soul, rhythm and blues, funk, rock, disco, post-disco, dance-pop and new jack swing. Steve Huey of AllMusic wrote that Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall; the dance and rock tracks were more aggressive, while the pop tunes and ballads were softer and more soulful. Its tracks included the ballads "The Lady in My Life", "Human Nature", and "The Girl Is Mine", the funk pieces "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", and the disco set "Baby Be Mine" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)".

With Off the Wall, Jackson's "vocabulary of grunts, squeals, hiccups, moans, and asides" vividly showed his maturation into an adult, Robert Christgau wrote in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981). The album's title track suggested to the critic a parallel between Jackson and Stevie Wonder's "oddball" music personas: "Since childhood his main contact with the real world has been on stage and in bed." With Thriller, Christopher Connelly of Rolling Stone commented that Jackson developed his long association with the subliminal theme of paranoia and darker imagery. AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted this on the songs "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'". In "Billie Jean", 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. "Beat It" decried gang violence in a homage to West Side Story, and was Jackson's first successful rock cross-over piece, according to Huey. He observed that "Thriller" began Jackson's interest with the theme of the supernatural, a topic he revisited in subsequent years. In 1985, Jackson co-wrote the charity anthem "We Are the World"; humanitarian themes later became a recurring theme in his lyrics and public persona.

In Bad, Jackson's concept of the predatory lover is seen on the rock song "Dirty Diana". The lead single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a traditional love ballad, and "Man in the Mirror" is a ballad of confession and resolution. "Smooth Criminal" is an evocation of bloody assault, rape and likely murder. AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that Dangerous presents Jackson as a paradoxical person. The first half of the record is dedicated to new jack swing, including songs like "Jam" and "Remember the Time". It was the first Jackson album in which social ills became a primary theme; "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", for example, protests world hunger, AIDS, homelessness and drugs. Dangerous contains sexually charged songs such as "In the Closet". The title track continues the theme of the predatory lover and compulsive desire. The second half includes introspective, pop-gospel anthems such as "Will You Be There", "Heal the World" and "Keep the Faith". In the ballad "Gone Too Soon", Jackson gives tribute to Ryan White and the plight of those with AIDS.

HIStory creates an atmosphere of paranoia. In the new jack swing-funk rock tracks "Scream" and "Tabloid Junkie", and the R&B ballad "You Are Not Alone", Jackson retaliates against the injustice and isolation he feels, and directs his anger at the media. In the introspective ballad "Stranger in Moscow", Jackson laments his "fall from grace"; "Earth Song", "Childhood", "Little Susie" and "Smile" are operatic pop songs. In "D.S.", Jackson attacks lawyer Thomas W. Sneddon Jr., who had prosecuted him in both child sexual abuse cases; he describes Sneddon as a white supremacist who wanted to "get my ass, dead or alive". Invincible includes urban soul tracks such as "Cry" and "The Lost Children", ballads such as "Speechless", "Break of Dawn", and "Butterflies", and mixes hip hop, pop, and R&B in "2000 Watts", "Heartbreaker" and "Invincible".

Music videos and choreography

Jackson released "Thriller", a 14-minute music video directed by John Landis, in 1983. The zombie-themed video "defined music videos and broke racial barriers" on MTV, which had launched two years earlier. Before Thriller, Jackson struggled to receive coverage on MTV, allegedly because he was African American. Pressure from CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", which led to a lengthy partnership with Jackson, and helped other black music artists gain recognition. The popularity of his videos on MTV helped the relatively new channel's viewing figures, and MTV's focus shifted toward pop and R&B. His performance on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever changed the scope of live stage shows, making it acceptable for artists to lip-sync to music video on stage. The choreography in Thriller has been copied in Indian films and prisons in the Philippines. Thriller marked an increase in scale for music videos, and was named the most successful music video ever by the Guinness World Records.

In "Bad"'s 19-minute video—directed by Martin Scorsese—Jackson used sexual imagery and choreography, and touched his chest, torso and crotch. When asked by Winfrey in the 1993 interview about why he grabbed his crotch, he said it was spontaneously compelled by the music. Time magazine described the "Bad" video as "infamous". It featured Wesley Snipes; Jackson's later videos often featured famous cameo roles. For the "Smooth Criminal" video, Jackson experimented with leaning forward at a 45-degree angle, beyond the performer's center of gravity. To accomplish this live, Jackson and designers developed a special shoe to lock the performer's feet to the stage, allowing them to lean forward. They were granted U.S. patent 5,255,452 for the device. The video for "Leave Me Alone" was not officially released in the US, but in 1989 was nominated for three Billboard Music Video Awards and won a Golden Lion Award for its special effects. It won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.

He received the MTV Video Vanguard Award in 1988; in 2001 the award was renamed in his honor. The "Black or White" video simultaneously premiered on November 14, 1991, in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million people, the largest audience ever for a music video at the time. Along with Jackson, it featured Macaulay Culkin, Peggy Lipton, and George Wendt. It helped introduce morphing to music videos. It was controversial for scenes in which Jackson rubs his crotch, vandalizes cars, and throws a garbage can through a storefront. He apologized and removed the final scene of the video.

"In the Closet" featured Naomi Campbell in a courtship dance with Jackson. "Remember the Time" was set in ancient Egypt, and featured Eddie Murphy, Iman, and Magic Johnson. The video for "Scream", directed by Mark Romanek and production designer Tom Foden, gained a record 11 MTV Video Music Award Nominations, and won "Best Dance Video", "Best Choreography", and "Best Art Direction". The song and its video are Jackson's response to being accused of child molestation in 1993. A year later, it won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form. It has been reported as the most expensive music video ever made, at $7 million; Romanek has contradicted this. The "Earth Song" video was nominated for the 1997 Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.

Michael Jackson's Ghosts, a short film written by Jackson and Stephen King and directed by Stan Winston, premiered at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival. At over 38 minutes long, it held the Guinness world record for the longest music video until 2013, when it was eclipsed by the video for the Pharrell Williams song "Happy". The 2001 video for "You Rock My World" lasts over 13 minutes, was directed by Paul Hunter, and features Chris Tucker and Marlon Brando. It won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Music Video in 2002.

In December 2009, the Library of Congress selected "Thriller" as the only music video to be preserved in the National Film Registry, as a work of "enduring importance to American culture". Huey wrote that 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.

Honors and awards

Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists in history, with sales estimated around 500 million records worldwide. He had 13 number-one singles in the US in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era until Drake tied with Jackson with First Person Shooter. He was invited and honored by a president of the United States at the White House three times. In 1984, he was honored with a "Presidential Public Safety Commendation" award by Ronald Reagan for his humanitarian endeavors. In 1990, he was honored as the "Artist of the Decade" by George H. W. Bush. In 1992, he was honored as a "Point of Light Ambassador" by Bush for inviting disadvantaged children to his Neverland Ranch.

Jackson won hundreds of awards, making him one of the most-awarded artists in popular music. His 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. He also received the World Music Awards' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium and the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award. Jackson was inducted onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1980 as a member of the Jacksons, and in 1984 as a solo artist. He 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. In 2002, he was added to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2010, he was the first recording artist to be inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame, and in 2014, he was posthumously inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame. In 2021, he was among the inaugural inductees into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.

In 1988, Fisk University honored him with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. In 1992, he was invested as a titular king of Sanwi, a traditional kingdom located in the south-east of Ivory Coast. In July 2009, the Lunar Republic Society named a crater on the Moon after Jackson. In August, for what would have been Jackson's 51st birthday, Google dedicated their Google Doodle to him. In 2012, the extinct hermit crab Mesoparapylocheles michaeljacksoni was named in his honor. In 2014, the British Council of Cultural Relations deemed Jackson's life one of the 80 most important cultural moments of the 20th century. World Vitiligo Day has been celebrated on June 25, the anniversary of Jackson's death, to raise awareness of the auto-immune disorder that Jackson suffered from.

Earnings

In 1989, Jackson's annual earnings from album sales, endorsements, and concerts were estimated at $125 million. Forbes placed Jackson's annual income at $35 million in 1996 and $20 million in 1997. Jackson has been one of the wealthiest celebrities and musical artists; estimates of Jackson's net worth during his life range from negative $285 million to positive $350 million for 2002, 2003 and 2007. Forbes reported in August 2018 that Jackson's total career pretax earnings in life and death were $4.2 billion. Sales of his recordings through Sony's music unit earned him an estimated $300 million in royalties. He may have earned another $400 million from concerts, music publishing (including his share of the Beatles catalog), endorsements, merchandising and music videos.

In 2013, the executors of Jackson's estate filed a petition in the United States Tax Court as a result of a dispute with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over US federal estate taxes. The executors claimed that it was worth about $7 million, while the IRS that it was worth over $1.1 billion. In February 2014, the IRS reported that Jackson's estate owed $702 million; $505 million in taxes, and $197 million in penalties. A trial was held from February 6 to 24, 2017. In 2021, the Tax Court issued a ruling in favor of the estate, ruling that the estate's total combined value of the estate was $111.5 million and that the value of Jackson's name and likeness was $4 million (not the $61 million estimated by the IRS's outside expert witness).

In 2016, Forbes estimated annual gross earnings by the Jackson Estate at $825 million, the largest ever recorded for a celebrity, mostly due to the sale of the Sony/ATV catalog. In 2018, the figure was $400 million. It was the eighth year since his death that Jackson's annual earnings were reported to be over $100 million, thus bringing Jackson's postmortem total to $2.4 billion. Forbes has consistently recognized Jackson as one of the top-earning dead celebrities since his death, and placed him at the top spot from 2013 to 2023.

Discography

• Got to Be There (1972)
• Ben (1972)
• Music & Me (1973)
• Forever, Michael (1975)
• Off the Wall (1979)
• Thriller (1982)
• Bad (1987)
• Dangerous (1991)
• HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995)
• Invincible (2001)

Filmography

• The Wiz (1978)
• Michael Jackson's Thriller (1983)
• Captain EO (1986)
• Moonwalker (1988)
• Michael Jackson's Ghosts (1997)
• Men in Black II (2002)
• Miss Cast Away and the Island Girls (2004)
• Michael Jackson's This Is It (2009)
• Bad 25 (2012)
• Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall (2016)
• Thriller 40 (2023)

Tours

• Bad World Tour (1987–1989)
• Dangerous World Tour (1992–1993)
• HIStory World Tour (1996–1997)
• MJ & Friends (1999)

See also

• List of dancers

Notes

1. "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana"
2. The estimates of Michael Jackson's record sales vary up to 1 billion records worldwide.
3. Blanket changed his name to "Bigi" in 2015.
4. In 2018, its US sales record was overtaken by the Eagles' album Greatest Hits 1971–75, with 38× platinum.

References

Citations

1. "Billboard Music Awards 2014: Michael Jackson hologram steals the show". The Daily Telegraph. May 19, 2014. Archived from the original on June 6, 2017. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
2. "New Michael Jackson Song, 'Love Never Felt So Good,' Features Justin Timberlake". HuffPost. Reuters. May 1, 2014. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
3. County of Los Angeles Department of Health Services (2009). Michael Jackson death certificate.
4. ^ Huey, Steve. "Michael Jackson – Artist Biography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 7, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
5. ^ Barnes, Brokes (June 25, 2009). "A Star Idolized and Haunted, Michael Jackson Dies at 50". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2009.
6. "Michael Jackson: 10 Achievements That Made Him The King of Pop". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. June 24, 2014. Archived from the original on February 15, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
7. Jackson 2009, p. 26.
8. Young 2009, p. 18.
9. Young 2009, pp. 17, 19.
10. ^ Petridis, Alexis (June 27, 2018). "Joe Jackson was one of the most monstrous fathers in pop". The Guardian. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
11. ^ Sweeting, Adam (June 27, 2018). "Joe Jackson obituary". The Guardian. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
12. Young 2009, pp. 18–19.
13. Knopper 2016, p. 6. Note: No tribal affiliation named in source.
14. Morris, Chris (June 27, 2018). "Joe Jackson, Jackson Family Patriarch, Dies at 89". Variety. Archived from the original on November 8, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
15. "Michael Jackson: a life of highs and lows". The Daily Telegraph. June 26, 2009. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
16. Jackson, Jermaine (2011). You Are Not Alone: Michael: Through a Brother's Eyes. Simon & Schuster. p. 41. ISBN 978-1-4516-5156-0. Archived from the original on July 28, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
17. ^ "Jackson interview seen by 14 m". BBC News. February 4, 2003. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
18. ^ Lewis Jones 2005, pp. 165–168.
19. "Can Michael Jackson's demons be explained?". BBC News. June 27, 2009. Archived from the original on September 28, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
20. Katherine Jackson: Michael's strict upbringing not abuse (video). CNN. May 15, 2012. Archived from the original on November 14, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
21. Duke, Alan (July 21, 2009). "Joe Jackson denies abusing Michael". CNN. Archived from the original on June 12, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
22. "Jackson Brothers: Was Joe Jackson Abusive?". Yahoo! Celebrity. Archived from the original on May 22, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
23. Young 2009, p. 24.
24. Burton, Charlie (February 7, 2018). "Inside the Jackson machine". GQ. Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
25. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 13–14.
26. Young 2009, pp. 21–22.
27. "Triumph & Tragedy: The Life of Michael Jackson". Rolling Stone India. August 25, 2009. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
28. Young 2009, p. 22.
29. Aletti, Vince (November 26, 1970). "Jackson Five: The Biggest Thing Since the Stones". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
30. Young 2009, p. 21.
31. Knopper, Steve (July 23, 2017). "Bobby Taylor, Motown Singer Who Discovered Jackson 5, Dead at 83". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
32. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 59–69.
33. Harper, Phillip Brian (Winter 1989). "Synesthesia, "Crossover," and Blacks in Popular Music". Social Text (23): 110. doi:10.2307/466423. ISSN 0164-2472. JSTOR 466423.
34. Easlea, Daryl (2016). Michael Jackson: Rewind: The Life and Legacy of Pop Music's King. Race Point Publishing. p. 178. ISBN 978-1-63106-253-7.
35. ^ "Michael Jackson – Biography". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 2, 2008.
36. Bronson, Fred (November 15, 2017). "48 Years Ago Today, 'I Want You Back' Kicked It All Off for the Jackson 5". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 10, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
37. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 81–82.
38. ^ Young 2009, p. 25.
39. ^ McNulty, Bernadette (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson's music: the solo albums". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
40. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 98–99.
41. Alban, Debra (June 28, 2009). "Michael Jackson broke down racial barriers" (Press release). CNN. Archived from the original on December 21, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
42. Brown, Helen (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson and Motown: the boy behind the marketing". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
43. St John 2004, p. 51.
44. ^ Mansour 2005, p. 403: 'The Robot was a mimelike dance, popularized by The Jackson 5 and their Top Ten hit "Dancing Machine"'
45. Huey, Steve. "The Jackson 5 – Artist Biography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 14, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
46. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 138–144.
47. "The Jackson 5 Biography". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
48. Gibron, Bill (July 7, 2009). "You Can't Win Michael Jackson and 'The Wiz'". PopMatters. Archived from the original on July 30, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
49. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 178–179.
50. Bronson 2003, p. 207.
51. ^ "Who's bad? Michael Jackson's estate owes Quincy Jones $9.4m in royalties, jury decides". The Guardian. Associated Press. July 27, 2017. Archived from the original on April 14, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
52. Leight, Elias (February 5, 2015). "10 Things We Learned from Spike Lee's Michael Jackson Doc". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 5, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
53. "Michael Jackson 'was addicted to surgery', mother claims". Telegraph. November 8, 2010. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
54. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 205–210.
55. ^ Trust, Gary (January 21, 2018). "Ask Billboard: Remembering the Time When Michael Jackson Kept Hitting the Hot 100's Top 10, From 'Thriller' to 'Dangerous'". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 10, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
56. "Michael Jackson: Off The Wall". Virgin Media. Archived from the original on July 1, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
57. "Donna Summer and Michael Jackson sweep Annual American Music Awards". The Ledger. Associated Press. January 20, 1980. Archived from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
58. Peters, Ida (February 2, 1980). "Donna No. 1, Pop and Soul; Michael Jackson King of Soul". The Afro-American. Archived from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
59. ^ "Michael Jackson". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. February 15, 2019. Archived from the original on November 17, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
60. "Few Surprises in Music Awards". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Associated Press. February 1, 1981. Archived from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
61. Taraborrelli 2009, p. 188.
62. Taraborrelli 2009, p. 191.
63. Neel, Julia (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson – A Tribute". British Vogue. Archived from the original on September 30, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
64. Locker, Melissa (July 29, 2013). "Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury: Three Duets Coming Out This Fall". Time. Archived from the original on June 27, 2015. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
65. "The real Freddie Mercury: why the Queen biopic only tells part of the story". The Times. October 19, 2018. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
66. ^ Greene, Andy (September 19, 2014). "Hear Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury's Long-Lost Duet". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 16, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
67. Earls, John (August 2, 2014). "Producer of new Queen album featuring Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson vocals is revealed". NME. Archived from the original on January 15, 2018. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
68. "Michael: He's Not Just the Rock Star of the Year, He's the Rock Star of the '80s". The Philadelphia Inquirer. December 20, 1983. Archived from the original on September 4, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
69. "Cash register's ring sweet music to record industry". The Gadsden Times. Associated Press. March 26, 1984. Archived from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
70. "Diamond Awards". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
71. Crookes, Del (May 4, 2012). "Adele's 21 overtakes sales of Thriller in UK album list". Newsbeat. Archived from the original on June 11, 2021. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
72. Asian News International (ANI) (September 27, 2009). "MJ nearly scrapped 'Thriller' release". Zee News. Archived from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
73. Lewis Jones 2005, p. 47.
74. Williams, Janette (June 24, 2009). "Michael Jackson left indelible mark on Pasadena". Whittier Daily News. Archived from the original on July 1, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
75. ^ "Fatal Cardiac Arrest Strikes Michael Jackson". Emmys.com. Archived from the original on February 27, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
76. "Jackson glove sells for $350,000". BBC News. November 22, 2009. Archived from the original on March 5, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
77. ^ Daniel, Jeffrey (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson 1958–2009". Time. Archived from the original on April 19, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
78. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 234–237.
79. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 238–241.
80. Kisselgoff, Anna (March 6, 1988). "Stage: The Dancing Feet of Michael Jackson". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 25, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
81. "Berry Gordy Addresses Michael Jackson Memorial Service". Hark. Archived from the original on May 9, 2013. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
82. ^ "Past Winners Search: Bruce Swedien". The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved February 14, 2008.
83. ^ "Michael Jackson sweeps American Music Awards". Daily News. Associated Press. January 17, 1984. Archived from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
84. "Winners Database: Search Results for "Michael Jackson"". American Music Awards. American Music Award. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
85. Hebblethwaite, Phil (November 21, 2013). "How Michael Jackson's Thriller changed music videos for ever". The Guardian. Archived from the original on December 18, 2019. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
86. ^ Griffin, Nancy (June 24, 2010). "The "Thriller" Diaries". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on October 30, 2014. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
87. ^ Cocks, Jay (March 19, 1984). "Why He's a Thriller". Time. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
88. Pareles, Jon (January 14, 1984). "Michael Jackson at 25: A Musical Phenomenon". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 25, 2013. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
89. ^ Herrera, Monica (July 3, 2009). "Michael Jackson, Pepsi Made Marketing History". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 11, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
90. Story, Louise (December 31, 2007). "Philip B. Dusenberry, 71, Adman, Dies". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 5, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
91. Shivaprasad, Sindhu (August 30, 2016). "Reliving the icon who defined music history: The eternal moonwalker, King of Pop – Michael Jackson". Big News Network (Press release). Archived from the original on November 7, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
92. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 279–287.
93. "Michael Jackson Burn Center Closes". Associated Press News (Press release). August 28, 1987. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021.
94. "1984 Michael Jackson Tour". Newsweek. July 15, 1984. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
95. Vogel, Joseph (September 24, 2017). "Michael Jackson's Forgotten Humanitarian Legacy". HuffPost. Archived from the original on November 8, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
96. Lecocq, Richard; Allard, François (2018). Michael Jackson All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. London, England: Cassell. ISBN 978-1-78840-057-2. Archived from the original on March 5, 2024. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
97. ^ "Past Winners Search: "We Are the World"". The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on April 16, 2014. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
98. ^ Doyle, Jack (July 7, 2009). ""Michael & McCartney": 1980s–2009". The Pop History Dig. Archived from the original on June 13, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
99. Breznican, Anthony (June 30, 2009). "The many faces of Michael Jackson". USA Today. Archived from the original on December 5, 2011. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
100. "Bruce shows who's Boss". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. January 28, 1986. Archived from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
101. Campbell 1993, p. 114.
102. Young 2009, pp. 340–344.
103. ^ Hilburn, Robert (September 22, 1985). "The long and winding road". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 7, 2017. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
104. ^ "Paul McCartney refused an offer to buy the ATV Catalog for £20 million ($40 million)". Mjjinfo.blogspot.fr. November 13, 2010. Archived from the original on May 29, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
105. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 333–338.
106. "Michael Jackson 1958–2009". Today Tonight. June 25, 2009. Coverage of the sale of ATV Music at 2:36 minutes in. Archived from the original on May 31, 2012. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
107. ^ Campbell 1995, pp. 14–16.
108. Parameswaran 2011, pp. 75–77.
109. DeMello 2012, p. 152.
110. ^ Rosenberg, Alyssa (February 2, 2016). "To understand Michael Jackson and his skin, you have to go beyond race". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
111. Wilson, Jeff (February 12, 1993). "The Aftermath of Michael Jackson and Oprah: What About His Face?". Associated Press News (Press release). Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
112. Kolata, Gina (February 13, 1993). "Doctor Says Michael Jackson Has a Skin Disease". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 8, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
113. Kreps, Daniel (March 29, 2010). "Search of Michael Jackson's Home Revealed Skin-Whitening Creams". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 26, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
114. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 434–436.
115. "The Michael Jackson Interview: Oprah Reflects". Oprah.com. The Oprah Winfrey Show. September 16, 2009. p. 3. Archived from the original on April 27, 2017. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
116. "Arnold Klein, Dermatologist Who Smoothed Stars' Wrinkles, Dies at 70". The New York Times. Associated Press. October 10, 2015. Archived from the original on July 18, 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
117. ^ Jackson 2009, pp. 229–230.
118. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 312–313.
119. "Michael Jackson was addicted to plastic surgery, his mother says". The Sydney Morning Herald. November 10, 2010. Archived from the original on July 18, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
120. "Music's misunderstood superstar". BBC News. June 13, 2005. Archived from the original on July 16, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
121. Taylor, Trey (September 27, 2018). "Hollyweird: Michael Jackson and the Making of Disney's 'Captain EO'". Paper. Archived from the original on October 7, 2023. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
122. Durkee, Cutler (September 14, 1987). "Unlike Anyone, Even Himself". People. Vol. 28, no. 11. Archived from the original on June 29, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
123. Goldberg, Michael; Handelman, David (September 24, 1987). "Is Michael Jackson for Real?". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 9, 2016. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
124. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 355–361.
125. "Jackson Ups Bid for Skeleton of 'Elephant Man'". Chicago Tribune. United Press International. June 17, 1987. Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
126. Jackson, Michael (September 12, 1997). "Jackson interview with Barbara Walters". 20/20 (Interview). Interviewed by Barbara Walters. ABC.
127. Vogel, Joseph (September 9, 2012). "How Michael Jackson Made 'Bad'". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on December 18, 2016. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
128. Bevil, Dewayne (June 30, 2010). "What's old is new again as 'Captain EO' returns to Epcot". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
129. "Captain EO is Back to Change the World". IGN. February 23, 2010. Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
130. Johnson, Robert E. (September 1987). "Michael Jackson Comes Back!". Ebony. Vol. 42, no. 11. pp. 143, 148–9. ISSN 0012-9011.
131. Jackson, Katherine (October 1990). "Mother of Jackson Family Tells All". Ebony. Vol. 45, no. 12. p. 66. ISSN 0012-9011. In 1987, he left the Jehovah's Witnesses. There was strong opposition to his "Thriller" video on the part of some Witnesses. Perhaps the controversy figured into his decision to leave. But I don't know that for a fact because I didn't talk to him about what he'd done. I couldn't. Witnesses do not discuss spiritual matters with a person who has disassociated himself from the Witnesses, including family members. But I want to stress that, contrary to published reports, I was not required to "shun" my son. Our relationship is as loving today as it was when he was a Witness. I just can't ask him, "Why, Michael?"
132. "I Would Never Do It Again!". Awake. Jehovah's Witnesses. May 22, 1984. p. 20. Archived from the original on September 11, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
133. "The Man in the Mirror". TV Guide. November 10–16, 2001. p. 20. TVG: How did you avoid self-destruction? MJ : I think religion entered in? TVG: Are you still a Jehovah's Witness? MJ: Yeah.
134. ^ Cocks, Jay (September 14, 1987). "Music: The Badder They Come". Time. Archived from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
135. "Michael, Travis top Music Award winners". Lodi News-Sentinel. United Press International. January 30, 1989. Archived from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
136. "Jackson tour on its way to u.s." Mercury News. January 12, 1988. Archived from the original on August 12, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
137. "50 fastest selling albums ever". NME. April 27, 2011. Archived from the original on October 11, 2016. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
138. Sinha-Roy, Piya (May 21, 2012). "Michael Jackson is still "Bad," 25 years after album". Reuters. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
139. ^ Lewis Jones 2005, pp. 95–96.
140. Harrington, Richard (January 12, 1988). "Jackson to Make First Solo U.S. Tour". The Washington Post. ProQuest 306975947. Archived from the original on February 23, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
141. "16 of Michael Jackson's Greatest Non-Musical Achievements". Brainz.org. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
142. Vincent, Alice (March 11, 2019). "When Michael Jackson (almost) told all: the story of his bizarre autobiography Moonwalk". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
143. Shanahan, Mark; Golstein, Meredith (June 27, 2009). "Remembering Michael". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
144. "Best Seller List a Cakewalk for Moonwalk". Associated Press News (Press release). May 6, 1988. Archived from the original on August 18, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
145. Jackson 2009, pp. 29–31.
146. Ditzian, Eric (October 12, 2009). "Michael Jackson's Memoir, 'Moonwalk': Read Excerpts Here!". MTV. Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
147. "Michael's Last Tour". Ebony. Vol. 44, no. 6. April 1989. p. 148. ISSN 0012-9011. Archived from the original on March 5, 2024. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
148. "Michael Jackson et ses amis". Premiere (in French). June 26, 2009. Archived from the original on May 7, 2022. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
149. ^ Sullivan, Randall (2012). "South". Untouchable: The Strange Life and Tragic Death of Michael Jackson. Grove Press. ISBN 978-0-8021-4582-6. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
150. "Michael Jackson's Moonwalker at 25". Clash. November 7, 2013. Archived from the original on April 7, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
151. "Entertainment Notes: Moonwalker Tops Thriller". Deseret News. February 6, 1989. Archived from the original on April 7, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
152. "Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
153. ^ "Michael Jackson's Neverland on sale". The Times. Reuters. June 1, 2015. Archived from the original on June 13, 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
154. ^ "Michael Jackson – Biography". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 20, 2008.
155. Ellis-Petersen, Hannah (August 1, 2014). "Michael Jackson Neverland Ranch expected to fetch up to $85m". The Guardian. Archived from the original on June 14, 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
156. Mull, Marison (May 6, 1988). "Pepsi Ads to Run on Soviet TV". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
157. Tannenbaum & Marks 2011, Chapter 41, "I Want to Have a Nickname".
158. ^ Browne, David (June 25, 2009). "Michael Jackson's Black or White". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 25, 2009. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
159. Campbell 1993, pp. 260–263.
160. "Remarks on the Upcoming Summit with President Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union". The American Presidency Project. April 5, 1990. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
161. "Taylor Swift to receive first-ever Taylor Swift Award". WFTV. Cox Media Group National Content Desk. April 5, 2016. Archived from the original on April 21, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
162. "Blacks Who Give Something Back". Ebony. Vol. 45, no. 3. March 1990. p. 68. ISSN 0012-9011. Archived from the original on March 5, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
163. Taraborrelli 2009, p. 382.
164. ^ "Garth Brooks ropes in most Billboard awards". The Beaver County Times. Associated Press. December 10, 1992. Archived from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
165. Montgomery, James (July 6, 2009). "Michael Jackson's Life & Legacy: The Eccentric King Of Pop (1986–1999)". MTV. Archived from the original on October 24, 2013. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
166. Gray, Chris; Shah, Saeed (October 3, 2002). "Robbie swings historic record deal with EMI". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 14, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
167. Willman, Chris (November 24, 1991). "Michael Jackson's 'Dangerous'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 16, 2019. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
168. ^ "Gold & Platinum Searchable Database – Jackson, Michael". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
169. "Michael Jackson's best selling studio albums". The Daily Telegraph. June 26, 2009. Archived from the original on October 17, 2019. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
170. ^ "The return of the King of Pop". Today. November 2, 2006. Archived from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
171. ^ "Michael Jackson Chart History". Billboard. September 12, 2008. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
172. "Jackson Shows Up to Gather Awards, Despite Ankle Injury". Los Angeles Times. March 11, 1993. ISSN 0458-3035. Archived from the original on July 16, 2019. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
173. ^ "Michael Jackson". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on June 17, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
174. "MJ's 'Dangerous' World Tour Raised Millions To Aid Children & Environment". Michael Jackson Official Site. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
175. Harrington, Richard (February 5, 1992). "Jackson to Tour Overseas". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.
176. Zad, Martie (October 4, 1992). "Michael Jackson Concert from Bucharest on HBO Saturday". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
177. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 452–454.
178. "Stars line up for Clinton celebration". Los Angeles Daily News. January 19, 1993.
179. Smith, Patricia (January 20, 1992). "Facing the music and the masses at the presidential gala". The Boston Globe.
180. Stuart, Tessa; Spanos, Brittany; Grow, Kory (January 19, 2017). "From Dylan to Beyonce: Most Legendary Inauguration Performances". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 20, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
181. ^ "Michael Jackson: Crowned in Africa, Pop Music King Tells Real Story Of Controversial Trip". Ebony. Vol. 47, no. 5. May 1992. pp. 34–43. ISSN 0012-9011.
182. Hugeux, Vincent (September 3, 2009). "Michael Jackson l'Africain". L'Express (in French). Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
183. "Hommage à Michael Jackson: deux ans déjà" (in French). China Internet Information Center. June 25, 2011. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
184. "Michael Jackson: The Thrill Of Thriller". BBC World Service. Archived from the original on February 18, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
185. Sandomir, Richard (June 29, 2009). "How Jackson Redefined the Super Bowl". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 29, 2012. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
186. Rosenthal, Phil (February 6, 2011). "Goal of spectacle colors NFL's thinking about Super Bowl halftime show". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on March 12, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
187. Andrews, Travis M. (February 2, 2018). "From Elvis Presto to Michael Jackson: How the Super Bowl halftime show found its groove". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
188. Margulies, Lee (February 12, 1993). "Jackson Interview Seen by 90 Million, ABC Says". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
189. "Cyrus, Bolton please the fans". Toledo Blade. Associated Press. January 27, 1993. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
190. Rosen, Craig (February 6, 1993). "Michael Jackson Cops 3 Top Prizes". Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 6. p. 12. ISSN 0006-2510.
191. McShane, Larry (February 25, 1983). "Grammy moments – memorable and forgettable". Deseret News. p. C3. Archived from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
192. "1993: Michael Jackson accused of child abuse". BBC News. February 8, 2003. Archived from the original on June 1, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
193. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 496–498.
194. ^ Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 477–478.
195. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 534–540.
196. Campbell 1995, pp. 28–29.
197. Broder, John M. (April 30, 2005). "Jackson's Books About Boys Are Allowed as Evidence in Trial". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 7, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
198. Jackson, Michael; Presley, Lisa Marie (June 19, 1995). "Interview". ABC Primetime (Interview). Interviewed by Diane Sawyer.
199. "Photos May Contradict Michael's Accuser". USA Today. May 2, 1994. Archived from the original on April 28, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
200. Halperin, Ian (2009). Unmasked: The Final Years of Michael Jackson. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4391-7719-8. Archived from the original on March 5, 2024. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
201. Ebert, John David (2010). Dead Celebrities, Living Icons: Tragedy and Fame in the Age of the Multimedia Superstar. Praeger. p. 201. ISBN 978-0-313-37764-8. Archived from the original on March 5, 2024. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
202. Steinhaus, Rochelle (June 16, 2004). "Jackson settlement from 1993 allegations topped $20 million". CNN. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
203. "Jackson's 'past' allowed in court". BBC News. March 29, 2005. Archived from the original on February 24, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
204. Mydans, Seth (September 22, 1994). "No Charges for Now Against Michael Jackson". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
205. "Warrant Allows a Strip Search of Jackson". Deseret News. Associated Press. November 16, 1993. Archived from the original on July 16, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
206. Philips, Chuck; Newton, Jim (November 13, 1993). "Jackson Ends World Tour, Cites Painkiller Addiction". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 18, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
207. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 518–520.
208. ^ Fenton, Matthew McCann (May 30, 2001). "Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley wed". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 16, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
209. ^ "She's out of his life" (Press release). CNN. January 18, 1996. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
210. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 580–581.
211. Schodolski, Vincent J. (January 19, 1996). "After 20 Months, Jackson and Presley Agree to Divorce". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on July 16, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
212. "Lisa Marie Presley Opens Up About Michael Jackson". January 20, 2011. Archived from the original on January 20, 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
213. Horowitz, Ken (May 19, 2009). "Sega Legends: Michael Jackson & Sonic 3". Sega-16. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
214. Nightingale, Ed (June 23, 2022). "Yuji Naka confirms Michael Jackson wrote music for Sonic 3". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on June 23, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
215. Szczepaniak, John (2018). The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers: Volume 3. S.M.G Szczepaniak. p. 292. ISBN 978-0-9929260-8-3.
216. Carless, Simon (March 27, 2006). "Michael Jackson's Secret Sonic 3 Shame". GameSetWatch. Archived from the original on May 16, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
217. Van Luling, Todd (January 25, 2016). "The Michael Jackson Video Game Conspiracy". HuffPost. Archived from the original on March 14, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
218. "Top 100 Albums". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on September 13, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
219. "Michael Jackson's best selling studio albums". The Daily Telegraph. June 26, 2009. Archived from the original on October 17, 2019. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
220. Pareles, Jon (June 18, 1995). "Pop View; Michael Jackson Is Angry, Understand?". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 24, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
221. ^ "News – Jackson receives his World Records". Yahoo! News. November 14, 2006. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011.
222. Harrington, Richard (June 23, 1995). "Michael Jackson changes his tune on lyrics". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
223. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 576–577.
224. "Company News; Michael Jackson sells rights to Beatles songs to Sony". The New York Times. Associated Press. November 8, 1995. Archived from the original on May 26, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
225. ^ Leeds, Jeff; Sorkin, Andrew Ross (April 13, 2006). "Michael Jackson Bailout Said to Be Close". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 18, 2011. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
226. Myers, Justin (December 14, 2018). "The best-selling singles of all time on the Official UK Chart". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on September 28, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
227. McKie, John (February 21, 1996). "Brits brawl as Cocker 'pulps' Jackson chorus". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 14, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
228. "Brit Awards: Brits behaving badly". BBC News. March 4, 2000. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
229. Christensen, Thor (January 30, 1996). "Brooks turns down award for favorite artist of the year". Rome News-Tribune. Archived from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
230. "60,000 Attend Free Michael Jackson Concert". Associated Press. Archived from the original on February 5, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
231. Hall, James (January 24, 2023). "Inside the Middle East's private gig gravy train for musicians, from Beyoncé to Michael Jackson". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on February 5, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
232. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 570–586.
233. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 580–581, 597.
234. "Debbie Rowe, Michael Jackson's ex-wife and kids' mom, to testify". Los Angeles Times. August 14, 2013. Archived from the original on October 10, 2022. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
235. "Jackson child custody fight ends". BBC News. September 30, 2006. Archived from the original on July 31, 2017. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
236. Rojek 2007, p. 74.
237. ^ Burkeman, Oliver (July 7, 2002). "Jacko gets tough: but is he a race crusader or just a falling star?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
238. "Ricky Martin, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, Others to Join Pavarotti for Benefit". VH1. May 5, 1999. Archived from the original on October 18, 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
239. "Slash, Scorpions, Others Scheduled for "Michael Jackson & Friends"". VH1. May 27, 1999. Archived from the original on February 21, 2010. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
240. Fisher, Mark (2009). The Resistible Demise of Michael Jackson. John Hunt Publishing. p. 154. ISBN 978-1-84694-348-5. Archived from the original on March 11, 2023. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
241. Solihun, Soleh. The King is Dead. PT Mizan Publika. p. 157. ISBN 978-602-8579-13-1. Archived from the original on March 11, 2023. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
242. Rozhon, Tracie (November 16, 2000). "Big Deal; An Old Chagall Haunt, Repainted". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 4, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
243. ^ Basham, David (January 18, 2000). "Lauryn Hill, Backstreet Boys, DMX Honored With American Music Awards". MTV. Archived from the original on September 25, 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
244. ^ "Michael Jackson's Thriller 25 to rock the planet". China Internet Information Center. February 8, 2008. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
245. Orth, Maureen (April 2003). "Losing His Grip". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on March 6, 2008.
246. Aiese, Eric. "Billboard: Michael Jackson Concert Review". Classic Whitney. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
247. "Jackson's CBS Special Moonwalks Over Rivals". Billboard. November 15, 2001. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
248. "Was Michael Jackson almost in WTC on 9/11?". Today. September 14, 2011. Archived from the original on June 22, 2017. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
249. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 614–617.
250. ^ Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 610–611.
251. Leonard, Devin (January 2, 2017). "Michael Jackson Is Worth More Than Ever, and the IRS Wants Its Cut" (Press release). Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on February 8, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
252. Marikar, Sheila; Friedman, Emily (June 29, 2009). "Michael Jackson, King of Pop, Dead at 50". ABC News. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
253. "Keys, Destiny's Child, McGraw win at American Music Awards". Lodi News-Sentinel. Associated Press. January 10, 2002. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
254. Chonin, Neva (January 11, 2002). "Awards recognize popular success / Keys, Destiny's win as expected". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
255. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 599–600.
256. ^ Vineyard, Jennifer (November 20, 2002). "Michael Jackson Calls Baby-Dangling Incident A 'Terrible Mistake'". MTV. Archived from the original on November 20, 2010. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
257. D'Angelo, Joe (February 4, 2002). "Jackson sued by promoter for attempting world tour without him". MTV. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
258. Overend, William (March 21, 2003). "Officials Revisit Tax Break for Jackson's Neverland as Cattle Ranch". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
259. "Jackson's Legal Troubles". The Wall Street Journal. June 13, 2005. Archived from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
260. Silverman, Stephen M. (May 10, 2004). "Jackson Settles Old Lawsuit Against Him". People. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
261. "Jackson fans celebrate at Apollo". BBC News. July 1, 2009. Archived from the original on August 4, 2020. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
262. Haughney, Christine (April 25, 2002). "For the DNC, It's Showtime at the Apollo". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
263. Wheeler, André (November 2, 2019). "HBO's The Apollo: 'The story of how black America lifted itself through music'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on March 21, 2020. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
264. ^ "Michael Jackson Brands Recording Industry as Racist". Billboard. July 8, 2002. Archived from the original on November 10, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
265. Jackson, Jermaine (December 31, 2002). "Interview with Jermaine Jackson". Connie Chung Tonight (Interview). Interviewed by Connie Chung. CNN. Archived from the original on December 7, 2008. Retrieved July 2, 2008.
266. Taraborrelli 2009, p. 640.
267. Davies, Hugh (February 4, 2003). "Jackson has children in his room for 'sleep-overs'". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
268. Living with Michael Jackson (television). ITV. February 6, 2003. Event occurs at 0:51. Who's the criminal? Who's the jack-the-ripper in the room?... I'm sleeping on a sleeping bag on the floor. I give him the bed, 'cause he has a brother named Star. So him and Star took the bed. And I'm on the floor on the sleeping bag.
269. Levitan, Corey (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson's relationship with Las Vegas started at young age". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on April 11, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
270. "Michael Jackson – Number Ones". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on May 22, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
271. Broder, John M. (December 19, 2003). "Jackson Is Formally Charged with Child Molesting". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 28, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
272. Madigan, Nick; Neilan, Terence (January 16, 2004). "Michael Jackson Pleads Not Guilty to Molestation Charges". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 8, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
273. Davis, Matthews (June 6, 2005). "Trial health problems for Jackson". BBC News. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
274. "Jackson cleared of child molestation". The Guardian. Associated Press. June 13, 2005. Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
275. Associated Press (December 23, 2009). "Michael Jackson's FBI Files Released". Billboard. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on November 4, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
276. Vogel, Joe (January 29, 2019). "What You Should Know About the New Michael Jackson Documentary". Forbes. Archived from the original on March 15, 2019. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
277. "Michael Jackson: The fantastic possessions revealed". The Independent. Reuters. June 26, 2009. Archived from the original on May 14, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
278. ^ Bishara, Motez (October 4, 2021). "'We wanted to make history': Michael Jackson's bizarre year in Bahrain". The Guardian. Archived from the original on January 20, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
279. "Michael Jackson Sails with Two Seas". Billboard. April 18, 2006. Archived from the original on June 6, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
280. ^ "Jackson parts with Bahrain label". BBC News. September 26, 2006. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
281. "Jackson strikes deal over loans". BBC News. April 14, 2006. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
282. "Jackson Closes Neverland House". CBS News. July 6, 2009. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
283. Blistein, Jon. "Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch Devalued in Real Estate Market". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 30, 2018. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
284. Bainbridge, Luke (August 14, 2010). "Michael Jackson's Irish hideaway". The Guardian. Archived from the original on January 21, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
285. "2006 World Music Awards". Chiff. Archived from the original on February 4, 2008.
286. Reid, Shaheem (December 30, 2006). "James Brown Saluted by Michael Jackson at Public Funeral Service". MTV. Archived from the original on April 26, 2010. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
287. "The Police Plan MTV Unplugged Performance, Michael Jackson Buys Rights to Eminem Tunes, and More". Rolling Stone. May 31, 2007. Archived from the original on June 2, 2007.
288. RedOne (March 23, 2009). "Interview with RedOne, producer and songwriter for Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, Akon, Kat DeLuna and Darin" (Interview). Interviewed by Jan Blumentrath. HitQuarters. Archived from the original on June 12, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
289. Talmadge, Eric (March 8, 2007). "Michael Jackson 'wouldn't change' career". USA Today. Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
290. "Michael Jackson Greets Troops in Japan". CBS News. March 10, 2007. Archived from the original on February 24, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
291. "Michael Jackson wows US troops during lavish Japan stint". ABC News. March 11, 2007. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
292. Goodman, Elizabeth (September 24, 2007). "Will.i.am on Working with Michael Jackson". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
293. Friedman, Roger (May 16, 2008). "Jacko: Neverland East in Upstate New York". Fox News. Archived from the original on May 19, 2008. Retrieved May 22, 2008.
294. "Choose the Tracks on Michael Jackson's 50th Birthday Album!". Sony BMG. June 20, 2008. Archived from the original on June 28, 2008.
295. "Neverland Ranch Note Sold to Colony Capital" (Press release). Business Wire. May 11, 2008. Archived from the original on July 17, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
296. "Neverland escapes foreclosure hook". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. May 12, 2008. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
297. "Neverland peters out for pop's Peter Pan". The Sydney Morning Herald. Press Association. November 13, 2008. Archived from the original on June 30, 2018. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
298. Topping, Alexandra (April 15, 2009). "Michael Jackson memorabilia sale cancelled". The Guardian. Archived from the original on January 20, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
299. ^ Adams, Guy (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson: The final decline of a pop legend". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 14, 2022. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
300. Foster, Patrick (March 6, 2009). "Michael Jackson grand finale curtain-raiser". The Times. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011.
301. Kreps, Daniel (March 12, 2009). "Michael Jackson's "This Is It!" Tour Balloons to 50-Show Run Stretching Into 2010". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 16, 2018. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
302. "Michael Jackson: The Last Rehearsal". Life. June 29, 2009. Archived from the original on July 4, 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
303. Gottlieb, Jeff (August 12, 2013). "Michael Jackson trial: Pop star was 'tapped out,' millions in debt". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
304. Greenburg, Zack O'Malley. "Michael Jackson's Personal Debts Paid Off, Just In Time For Bad 25". Forbes. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
305. "Michael Jackson dead at 50 after cardiac arrest" (Press release). CNN. June 25, 2009. Archived from the original on August 27, 2009. Retrieved August 31, 2009.
306. ^ Duke, Alan (February 10, 2010). "Coroner releases new details about Michael Jackson's death" (Press release). CNN. Archived from the original on March 15, 2019. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
307. Rayner, Gordon and Singh, Anita. Michael Jackson: the final days and how TMZ.com scooped the world Archived July 10, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, The Daily Telegraph, June 26, 2009.
308. "Michael Jackson's life cut shockingly short". Associated Press. June 26, 2009. Archived from the original on November 19, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
309. Whitcraft, Teri; Pisarcik, Kristin; Brown, Kimberly (June 23, 2010). "Timeline: Michael Jackson's Final Days". ABC News. Archived from the original on November 23, 2022. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
310. ^ Harvey, Michael (June 26, 2009). "Fans mourn artist for whom it didn't matter if you were black or white". The Times. Archived from the original on September 20, 2011.
311. Moore, Matthew (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson, King of Pop, dies of cardiac arrest in Los Angeles". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022.
312. Whitcomb, Dan; Isensee, Laura (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson death still unsolved after autopsy". Reuters. Archived from the original on July 7, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
313. Doheny, Kathleen (August 24, 2009). "Propofol Linked to Michael Jackson's Death". WebMD. Archived from the original on August 24, 2017. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
314. Rawlinson, Linnie; Hunt, Nick (June 26, 2009). "Jackson dies, almost takes Internet with him" (Press release). CNN. Archived from the original on May 20, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
315. ^ Wood, Daniel B. (June 27, 2009). "Outpouring over Michael Jackson unlike anything since Princess Di". The Christian Science Monitor. Archived from the original on August 13, 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
316. ^ Shiels, Maggie (June 26, 2009). "Web slows after Jackson's death". BBC News. Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
317. Skok, David (June 26, 2009). "Internet stretched to limit as fans flock for Michael Jackson news". The Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on July 3, 2009.
318. Krazit, Tom; McCullagh, Declan (June 26, 2009). "Debate: Can the Internet handle big breaking news". CNET. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
319. Dtelter, Brian (June 26, 2009). "MTV's Jackson Marathon". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
320. "Jacko news spreads to Eastenders". Metro. June 26, 2009. Archived from the original on June 30, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
321. "More adds, loose ends, and lament". The 120 Minutes Archive. July 25, 2009. Archived from the original on May 14, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
322. "Over 1.6M apply for Jackson memorial tickets" (Press release). Associated Press. July 4, 2009. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
323. "Michael Jackson memorial draws crowds online" (Press release). CNN. July 8, 2009. Archived from the original on August 18, 2012. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
324. Scott, Andrew (July 9, 2009). "Michael Jackson Memorial Earns 31 Million Viewers & More TV News". AOL TV. Archived from the original on July 23, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
325. "Hazarika''s funeral creates world record". MSN. July 8, 2009. Archived from the original on August 7, 2014.
326. Hanley, Paul (2014). Eleven. Friesen Press. p. 73. ISBN 978-1-4602-5047-1. Archived from the original on March 5, 2024. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
327. Allen, Nick (July 7, 2009). "Michael Jackson memorial service: the biggest celebrity send-off of all time". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
328. Potter, Andrew (July 7, 2009). "There was nothing strange about your daddy". Maclean's. Archived from the original on April 9, 2014. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
329. Branigan, Tania (September 8, 2001). "Jackson spends £20m to be Invincible". The Guardian. Archived from the original on January 16, 2013. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
330. "Top Moments: Michael Jackson Memorial". TV Guide. July 7, 2009. Archived from the original on July 11, 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
331. "Rev Lucious Smith on conducting the memorial service for Michael Jackson". Radio Live. June 28, 2010. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
332. Coleman, Mark (September 4, 2009). "Michael Jackson finally laid to rest in Los Angeles". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
333. Reid, Tim (August 25, 2009). "LA coroner to treat Michael Jackson's death as a homicide". The Times. Archived from the original on September 24, 2011. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
334. "Jackson 'had lethal drug levels'". BBC News. August 25, 2009. Archived from the original on July 23, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
335. "Michael Jackson's doctor denies manslaughter charge". BBC News. February 9, 2010. Archived from the original on June 12, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
336. "Conrad Murray guilty of Michael Jackson manslaughter". BBC News. November 8, 2011. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
337. Leonard, Jack; Blankstein, Andrew; Winton, Richard (November 8, 2011). "Conrad Murray could face significant prison time". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
338. Kasindorf, Martin (November 29, 2011). "Conrad Murray sentenced to four years in Jackson death". USA Today. Archived from the original on May 7, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
339. Martens, Todd (October 13, 2009). "Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson dominate American Music Awards nominations [Updated]". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 15, 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
340. "2009 American Music Awards: Scorecard". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. November 22, 2009. Archived from the original on July 21, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
341. Anderson, Trevor (June 25, 2019). "Michael Jackson's Posthumous Career: 10 Numbers That Tell The Tale". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
342. "Jackson sells 35 million albums since death". Today. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
343. Van Buskirk, Eliot (July 1, 2009). "Michael Jackson First Artist to Sell Over 1 Million Downloads in a Single Week". Wired. Archived from the original on October 4, 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
344. Caulfield, Keith (January 6, 2010). "Taylor Swift Edges Susan Boyle for 2009's Top-Selling Album". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 27, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
345. "The late Michael Jackson a billion-dollar man". Today. June 21, 2010. Archived from the original on September 21, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
346. Peters, Mitchell (November 8, 2013). "Michael Jackson's Touring Life After Death: The Billboard Cover Story". Billboard. Retrieved August 25, 2024. 50 million albums sold worldwide after his death
347. ^ Smith, Ethan (March 16, 2010). "Sony Places Big Bet on a Fallen 'King'". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on February 24, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
348. "Michael Jackson in 'record' $200m music deal". BBC. March 16, 2010. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
349. Kreps, Daniel (March 16, 2010). "Michael Jackson Estate, Sony Strike Massive $250 Million Deal to Release King of Pop's Music". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
350. Christman, Ed (December 14, 2017). "Michael Jackson Estate, Sony Music Extend Partnership for Recordings". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
351. Christman, Ed (July 31, 2018). "Sony Completes Acquisition of Michael Jackson Estate's Share of EMI Music Publishing". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 31, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
352. Trust, Gary (May 21, 2014). "Michael Jackson, Coldplay Hit Hot 100's Top 10; John Legend Still No. 1". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 8, 2020. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
353. "Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' First Ever 30X Multi-Platinum RIAA Certification". Recording Industry Association of America. December 16, 2015. Archived from the original on January 28, 2016. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
354. McIntyre, Hugh (February 16, 2017). "Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' Has Now Been Certified 33-Times Platinum". Forbes. Archived from the original on February 17, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
355. Daly, Rhian (August 20, 2018). "Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' is no longer the best-selling album of all time in the US". NME. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
356. Christman, Ed (February 9, 2024). "Sony Music Buys Stake in Michael Jackson Catalog, Valuing Rights at Over $1.2B". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 11, 2024. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
357. Sisario, Ben (February 9, 2024). "Sony Reaches Blockbuster Deal for Michael Jackson's Catalog". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 11, 2024. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
358. Bain, Katie; Donahue, Bill (December 8, 2023). "Michael Jackson Estate Says Digital Sale Of Early Jackson Recording Violates Estate Rights". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 18, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
359. Goodman, Dean (October 13, 2009). "'New' Michael Jackson Single Written in 1983". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 5, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
360. Eng, Joyce (August 10, 2009). "Judge Approves Michael Jackson Film". TV Guide. Archived from the original on October 2, 2018. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
361. Herrera, Monica (September 23, 2009). "New Michael Jackson Song, Album Due in October". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
362. "Michael Jackson's This Is It". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
363. "Judge OKs Jackson performance film deal" (Press release). Associated Press. August 10, 2010. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
364. "Exclusive: Will.i.am Explains His 'Disgust' for New Michael Jackson Album". Rolling Stone. December 13, 2010. Archived from the original on September 19, 2011. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
365. "Michael Jackson Fans Will Moonwalk in Motion-Sensing Game". Billboard. Associated Press. June 15, 2010.
366. "Michael Jackson Fulham FC statue defended by Al Fayed". BBC News. April 3, 2011. Archived from the original on December 11, 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
367. "Michael Jackson statue moves to National Football Museum". BBC News. May 6, 2014. Archived from the original on December 10, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
368. "Michael Jackson statue: National Football Museum removes artwork". BBC News. March 6, 2019. Archived from the original on May 7, 2019. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
369. "Cirque plans $57M touring Jackson show". CBC News. November 3, 2010. Archived from the original on May 16, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
370. Hicks, Tony (November 3, 2010). "People: Cirque du Soleil mounting Michael Jackson tour". Mercury News. Archived from the original on October 6, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
371. Jones, Chris (July 13, 2013). "'Michael Jackson One' in Las Vegas: Cirque du Soleil refinds its way". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on September 30, 2018. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
372. O'Malley Greenburg, Zack (February 2, 2013). "Michael Jackson's New Vegas Show 'One' Will Double The Fun". Forbes. Archived from the original on May 28, 2013. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
373. "Jermaine calls for an end to Jackson family feud". BBC News. August 2, 2012. Archived from the original on October 27, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
374. "Michael Jackson nephew made co-guardian of children". BBC News. August 23, 2012. Archived from the original on October 1, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
375. "New Michael Jackson album to be released in May". BBC News. March 31, 2014. Archived from the original on July 3, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
376. Trust, Gary (May 21, 2014). "Michael Jackson, Coldplay Hit Hot 100's Top 10; John Legend Still No. 1". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 26, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
377. Leight, Elias (September 6, 2017). "Michael Jackson's Estate Details 'Scream' Compilation". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 6, 2017. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
378. BWW News Desk (October 9, 2020). "MJ the Musical on Broadway Postponed to September 2021". BroadwayWorld. Archived from the original on October 29, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
379. "Tony awards 2022: the full list of winners". The Guardian. June 13, 2022. Archived from the original on July 31, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
380. Gail Mitchell (May 16, 2022). "Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' Celebrates 40th Anniversary With Double-CD Set". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
381. "Thriller 40 – A Double CD Set Of Michael Jackson's Original Masterpiece Thriller & Bonus Disc Out Now". Legacy Recordings. November 18, 2022. Retrieved November 19, 2022. Immersive audio mixes of Thriller are now available at various DSPs, including 360 Reality Audio on Amazon, Spatial Audio on Apple Music, mixed by Serban Ghenea from the original masters for immersive audio, with the immersive mixes by John Hanes.
382. Peralta, Diego (May 31, 2024). "Antoine Fuqua's Michael Jackson Biopic Gets a Big Update". Collider. Archived from the original on May 31, 2024. Retrieved June 20, 2024. Alt URL
383. Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 30, 2023). "Michael Jackson Nephew Jaafar Jackson To Play King Of Pop In Antoine Fuqua-Directed Biopic". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
384. Brown, Stacy M. (September 9, 2024). "John Branca's Masterstroke: How Michael Jackson's Estate Surged Passed $2 Billion in Ticket Sales". The Times Weekly. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
385. "Choreographer: Michael Jackson 'sexually abused me'". Today. May 16, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
386. Menezes, Alroy (August 6, 2014). "James Safechuck Alleges Sexual Abuse By Michael Jackson, Sues Singer's Estate". International Business Times. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
387. Stone, Ken (July 7, 2017). "Sex abuse by long-dead Michael Jackson? Judge rejects lawsuit". MyNewsLA.com. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
388. Selby, Jenn (August 6, 2014). "Michael Jackson hit with new child sex abuse claims more than five years after his death". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 14, 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
389. Broder, John M. (May 6, 2005). "2 Witnesses Say They Shared Jackson's Bed and Were Never Molested". The New York Times. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
390. Sperling, Nicole (February 21, 2019). "'Michael Is Everywhere': Two Michael Jackson Accusers Explain Why They're Speaking Out in HBO's Leaving Neverland". Vanity Fair. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
391. "Safechuck Ruling Demurrer Dismissal". June 28, 2017. Retrieved May 28, 2019 – via Scribd.
392. Dalton, Andrew (December 20, 2017). "APNewsBreak: Michael Jackson Sex Abuse Lawsuit Dismissed" (Press release). Associated Press. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
393. "Michael Jackson sex abuse lawsuit dismissed". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. December 19, 2017. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
394. Mandel, Andrea (October 21, 2020). "'Leaving Neverland' accuser James Safechuck's lawsuit against Michael Jackson's companies dismissed". USA Today. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
395. "Lawsuit of Michael Jackson sexual abuse accuser dismissed". Associated Press News (Press release). October 23, 2020. Archived from the original on September 12, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
396. Feldman, Kate (October 21, 2020). "Michael Jackson estate tries to block documentarian from filming 'Leaving Neverland' sequel: report". Daily News. New York. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
397. Kanter, Jake (October 21, 2020). "'Leaving Neverland' Director Dan Reed Fights Subpoenas as He Shoots Sequel to Channel 4/HBO's Michael Jackson Film". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
398. Dalton, Andrew (April 27, 2021). "Judge tosses lawsuit of man who alleged Jackson molestation". ABC News. Associated Press. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
399. Haynes, Charlie (February 28, 2019). "Michael Jackson 'abused us hundreds of times'". BBC News. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
400. Bakare, Lanre (March 7, 2019). "Michael Jackson estate launches PR blitz as documentary airs in UK". The Guardian. Archived from the original on September 26, 2019. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
401. Roy, Eleanor Ainge (March 6, 2019). "Michael Jackson songs pulled from radio stations in New Zealand and Canada". The Guardian. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
402. Pieters, Janene (March 6, 2019). "First Dutch radio station boycotts Michael Jackson music". NL Times. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
403. "Michael Jackson's Family Calls 'Leaving Neverland' Documentary a 'Public Lynching'". Variety. January 28, 2019. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
404. Kreps, Daniel (January 26, 2019). "Michael Jackson Estate Slams 'Leaving Neverland': 'Tabloid Character Assassination'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
405. "Corey Feldman Guards Michael Jackson After 'Leaving Neverland' Airs". Vibe. March 4, 2019. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
406. McDermott, Maeve (May 22, 2019). "Aaron Carter defends Michael Jackson after saying the star did one 'inappropriate' thing". USA Today. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
407. "Leaving Neverland: who is Brett Barnes, Michael Jackson's 'other boy'?". The Daily Telegraph. March 8, 2019. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
408. "'Square One', el documental que "desmonta" las acusaciones de pederastia sobre Michael Jackson" (in Spanish). October 16, 2019.
409. Wallis, Adam (April 8, 2019). "Jackson family responds to 'Leaving Neverland' in 30-minute YouTube documentary". Global News. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
410. Trendell, Andrew (August 15, 2019). "New documentary 'Chase the Truth' defending Michael Jackson is released". NME. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
411. Shepherd, Jack (March 9, 2019). "Michael Jackson albums climb the charts following Leaving Neverland broadcast". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 14, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
412. Landrum, Jonathan Jr. (June 24, 2019). "Michael Jackson's popularity endures, even after new scandal". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on July 21, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
413. Ramsey, Teresa (November 14, 2019). "Michael Jackson songs back on New Zealand radio airwaves". Stuff. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
414. Lemieux, Marc-André (October 29, 2019). "Fin du boycottage de Michael Jackson". Le Journal de Montréal (in French). Retrieved December 30, 2019.
415. Gardner, Eriq (February 21, 2019). "Michael Jackson Estate Sues HBO Over 'Leaving Neverland' Documentary". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
416. Rosenbaum, Claudia (September 20, 2019). "'Leaving Neverland' Judge Sides with Michael Jackson Estate, Compelling HBO to Arbitration". Billboard. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
417. Cullins, Ashley (December 14, 2020). "HBO Loses Appellate Bid to Avoid Arbitration with Michael Jackson Estate in 'Leaving Neverland' Dispute". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
418. Kuo, Christopher (August 18, 2023). "Sexual Abuse Suits Against Michael Jackson's Companies Are Revived". The New York Times.
419. "ADL Welcomes Michael Jackson's Decision to Remove Anti-Semitic Lyrics from Song". Anti-Defamation League. June 22, 1995. Archived from the original on October 1, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
420. "Michael Jackson's music had impact around the globe" (Press release). Reuters. July 4, 2009. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
421. Vigilante, David (June 26, 2009). "Commentary: Jackson was the Jackie Robinson of MTV" (Press release). CNN. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
422. ^ "Michael Jackson's music had impact around the globe". Reuters. July 4, 2009. Archived from the original on October 7, 2019. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
423. Johnson, Robert E. (May 1992). "Michael Jackson: Crowned in Africa, pop music king tells real story of controversial trip". Ebony. Vol. 47, no. 7. Johnson Publishing Company. pp. 34–36, 40, 42–43.
424. Murphy, Tim (May 3, 1996). "NEWS FEATURE: In India, Gandhi is out, Michael Jackson is in". Religion News Service. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
425. Michael Jackson outdraws the Pope. September 4, 1996. Michael Jackson is bigger than the Pope here, thousands of screeching fans welcomed the King of Pop at the Airport Tuesday as he arrived to kick off his History World Tour. The Crowd was far bigger than the one received by the Pope during his recent visit according to locals. {{cite book}}: |newspaper= ignored (help)
426. Abbas, Nosheen (August 2, 2009). "Pakistan Mourns Michael Jackson". HuffPost. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
427. Halperin, Shirley (December 31, 2012). "Psy on Pressure, the Universal Language of Michael Jackson and Ushering in 2013 'Gangnam Style' (Q&A)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
428. "'Thriller 40' reveals Michael Jackson is the King of Pop for K-pop icons like BTS". The Times of India. December 3, 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
429. Vogel, Joseph (March 17, 2018). "Black and White: how Dangerous kicked off Michael Jackson's race paradox". The Guardian. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
430. "Why Michael Jackson's songs on climate change and racial inequality need to be youth anthems now". India Today. August 29, 2018. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
431. ^ "Michael Jackson Named Most Successful Entertainer Of All Time". CityNews. November 15, 2006. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
432. ^ Ditzian, Eric (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson's Groundbreaking Career, by the Numbers". MTV. Archived from the original on July 16, 2014. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
433. ^ "100 Greatest Singers of All Time". Rolling Stone. December 3, 2010. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
434. "The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time". Rolling Stone. January 1, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
435. Dodson, Howard (July 7, 2009). "Michael Jackson: Icon". New York Public Library. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
436. Fernandes, Kasmin (June 25, 2014). "Why Michael Jackson was a style icon". The Times of India. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
437. Lemon, Don (June 23, 2010). "Michael Jackson's style influence lives on" (Press release). CNN. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
438. Vena, Jocelyn (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson's Style Legacy, From Military Jackets to One Glove". MTV News. Archived from the original on October 21, 2014. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
439. Keyes, J. Edward (July 7, 2009). "Michael Jackson's, Indelible Pop Legacy". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
440. Smith, Danyel (June 26, 2009). "Commentary: Michael Jackson, the greatest star" (Press release). CNN. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
441. "Michael Jackson". BET. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
442. Utley, Tom (February 7, 2003). "Of course Jackson's odd—but his genius is what matters". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 26, 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
443. "Gordy Brings Mourners to Their Feet with Jackson Tribute". July 7, 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
444. Tourtellotte, Bob (July 8, 2009). "Michael Jackson hailed as greatest entertainer, best dad" (Press release). Reuters UK. Archived from the original on January 22, 2016. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
445. Rosen, Jill (June 28, 2009). "7 Ways Michael Jackson Changed the World". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on May 2, 2016. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
446. Haider, Arwa (June 29, 2018). "The Complex and Celebrated Image of Michael Jackson". Elephant. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
447. Stansfield, Ted (June 28, 2018). "How Michael Jackson Impacted the World of Art". Another Man. Retrieved November 8, 2024. Few have permeated the realm of art like Michael Jackson. Aside from Jesus Christ, there aren't many people who have inspired creative practitioners to the degree that the MJ has.
448. Finch, Mariko (July 23, 2018). "Celebrating Michael Jackson at the National Portrait Gallery". Sotheby's. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
449. Glenday, Craig (2011). Guinness World Records 2011. Sterling Pub. ISBN 978-0-440-42310-2.
450. Glenday, Craig (2013). Guinness World Records 2013. Random House. ISBN 978-0-345-54711-8. p. 408: The Five leading names are Jesus, Muhammad, Isaac Newton, Buddha and Confucius, clearly significant figures. However who among us could quote more lines from Confucius than a Michael Jackson song, the man Guinness named the most famous person on earth in 2006
451. Powell, Rose (June 10, 2014). "Misplaced Pages's most influential people: Carl Linnaeus, Jesus, Hitler, Michael Jackson". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
452. Eom, Young-Ho; Shepelyansky, Dima L. (2013). "Highlighting entanglement of cultures via ranking of multilingual Misplaced Pages articles". PLOS ONE. 8 (10): e74554. arXiv:1306.6259. Bibcode:2013PLoSO...874554E. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0074554. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 3789750. PMID 24098338.
453. Sparber, Max (June 26, 2009). "Meeting a supernova". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
454. Ghazal, Rym. "'He meant so much to Arabs'". The National. Retrieved December 7, 2024. I don't think MJ knew just how much his music shaped a whole generation of Arabs, just how many fans he had here and just how devoted they remained throughout his ordeals. We might not have heard of the Beatles or Elvis Presley, but we sure knew Michael Jackson. There were fears among the religious police about his "influence" on the young mind, he was a symbol of America as a land of opportunity, especially for a generation of Arabs that had grown up in conflict. People named their cars after him, not to mention their pets - my own white-and-black cat is called MJ, I cannot think of another foreign artist who has infiltrated our culture so much as him.
455. Grundey, Adam (June 29, 2019). "Wanted dead or alive: Despite 'Leaving Neverland,' Michael Jackson's star seems undiminished in the Middle East". Arab News. Retrieved December 7, 2024. As a performer and musician, Jackson was idolized around the world. He became an enormous part of people's lives — and arguably the most recognizable person in history, despite the surgery.
456. Irish, John (September 21, 2016). "Ghana leader tells U.N. to dance to tune of Michael Jackson". Reuters. Archived from the original on October 3, 2019. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
457. "Michael Jackson's music had impact around the globe". Reuters. November 29, 2016. Archived from the original on November 29, 2016. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
458. "We live in Michael Jackson's world: SRK". The Times of India. August 20, 2009. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
459. Gardner, Dinah (October 28, 2009). "Why the Chinese are obsessed with the late Michael Jackson". MinnPost. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
460. "Ethiopian envoy confers with UNESCO Peace Medal winner "MJ Resurrector" of China". Fana Broadcasting Corporate. November 18, 2024. Retrieved December 8, 2024. The world's most Michael Jackson-like Chinese "MJ Resurrector", winner of the UNESCO Peace Medal
461. Montenegro, Manuel (December 7, 2016). "See The Reaction Of An Amazon Tribe To Modern War Footage, The Moon Landing And More". KAMI. Retrieved December 7, 2024. A French movie crew visited a remote tribe in the Amazon rainforest to show them video clips encasing modern society
462. "Michael Jackson continua vivo em São Tomé e Príncipe" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Universo Online. Retrieved July 25, 2024. The 'King of Pop' is still alive in a remote and unknown location on the planet: on the small African islands of São Tomé and Príncipe. Damião Mendes Marques is known only as 'Michael' and became a local celebrity. Always dressed as his idol, he attracts crowds with his performance and dreams one day of being able to meet the Jackson family.
463. Kerr, Jim; Squibb, Shirley. "Tristen De Cunha Performing Arts Show". Tristan da Cunha Government. Retrieved December 7, 2024. The show started with a dance to Thriller, zombies appeared from all directions and danced with Nathan Swain, the island's Michael Jackson lookalike.
464. ^ Daunt, Tina (July 8, 2009). "Giving in spirit and deed". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
465. Jackson-Lee, Sheila (June 26, 2009). "H. RES. 600: Honoring an American legend and musical icon".
466. Brad Cafarelli, "Superstar's musical career had the classic humble start", Los Angeles Times (November 7, 1988), Section VIII, p. 1, 5.
467. Vogel, Joseph (September 24, 2017). "Michael Jackson's Forgotten Humanitarian Legacy". HuffPost. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
468. Wilhelm, Ian (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson and Philanthropy". The Chronicle of Philanthropy.
469. "Jackson's foundation now virtually defunct". Today. March 25, 2004. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
470. "He won't stop 'til they get enough". The Daily Telegraph. January 1, 2001.
471. "Most charities supported by a pop star". Guinness World Records. 2000.
472. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 304–307.
473. "Drunk Driving Prevention (1983–Present)". Advertising Education Foundation. 2003. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
474. "What actually is perfect pitch – and how do I get it?". Classic FM. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
475. Brown, Geoff (1996). The complete guide to the music of Michael Jackson and The Jackson family. London: Omnibus Press. p. 164. ISBN 978-0-7119-5303-1.
476. Jones, Lucy (August 29, 2018). "The Incredible Way Michael Jackson Wrote Music". NME. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
477. Hoffman, Claire (August 6, 2009). "The Last Days of Michael Jackson". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
478. Light, Alan (January 1, 1992). "Michael Jackson's 'Dangerous'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
479. Stone, Rolling (June 23, 2014). "50 Best Michael Jackson Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
480. Stegner-Petitjean, Isabelle (December 15, 2011). "'The Voice in the Mirror'. Michael Jackson: From a Vocal Identity to its Double in Sound". Volume! La revue des musiques populaires. 8 : 2 (8 : 2): 222–253. doi:10.4000/volume.3851. ISSN 1634-5495.
481. Swedien, Bruce; Jackson, Michael (2009). In the studio with Michael Jackson. New York: Hal Leonard Books. pp. 8–10, 119–126. ISBN 978-1-4234-6495-2. OCLC 316825874.
482. Lopez, Rich (November 26, 2023). "Review: Simply said, 'MJ' was a thriller". Dallas Voice. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
483. Ewing, Tom (June 10, 2011). "Michael Jackson starts work on Off the Wall". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
484. "Apple Music: Michael Jackson Love Songs". Apple Music. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
485. Brackett & Hoard 2004, p. 414.
486. Holden, Stephen (November 1, 1979). "Michael Jackson: Off The Wall". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 7, 2016. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
487. ^ Connelly, Christopher (January 28, 1983). "Michael Jackson: Thriller". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
488. ^ Pareles, Jon (November 24, 1991). "Recordings View; Michael Jackson in the Electronic Wilderness". The New York Times. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
489. Hunter, James (December 6, 2001). "Michael Jackson: Invincible". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 1, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
490. Vogel 2012, p. 9.
491. McCormick, Neil (June 30, 2009). "Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen & Bono". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on July 3, 2009. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
492. Tucker, Ken (June 5, 1988). "Summer Reading; Firing Your Father Isn't Easy". The New York Times. p. 751. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
493. "100 Greatest Singers: 65 – David Ruffin". Rolling Stone. November 27, 2008. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
494. Herron, Martin (June 27, 2009). "Michael Jackson saved my life". Scarborough Evening News. Archived from the original on June 28, 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
495. "Jackson Attends Brown's Public Funeral". Contactmusic.com. January 2, 2007. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
496. Taraborrelli 2009, p. 64.
497. Simon, Mallory (July 3, 2009). "Jackson shared bond with 'very dear friend Diana Ross'" (Press release). CNN. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
498. Taraborrelli 2009, p. 60.
499. Lewis Jones 2005, pp. 6, 54.
500. Winters, David (June 26, 2009). "David Winters remembers Michael Jackson". Magick Papers. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015.
501. Hernandez, Eugene (June 27, 2009). "Remembering Michael Jackson, on Screen". IndieWire. Archived from the original on June 27, 2009.
502. ^ Jones, Lucy (April 2, 2014). "The Incredible Way Michael Jackson Wrote Music". NME. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
503. ^ Roy, Sanjoy (June 26, 2009). "What Michael Jackson did for dance". The Guardian. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
504. "Rolling Stone Readers Pick Their 10 Favorite Dancing Musicians". Rolling Stone. July 14, 2011. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
505. Suddath, Claire (June 25, 2009). "How to Moonwalk like Michael". Time. Archived from the original on May 15, 2011.
506. Catton, Pia (June 20, 2018). "How Michael Jackson Changed Dance History". Biography. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
507. Lehman 2008, p. 84.
508. ^ "Michael Jackson Turns 30!". Jet. Vol. 74, no. 35. August 29, 1988. p. 58. ISSN 0021-5996.
509. ^ Heyliger, M. "A State-of-the-Art Pop Album: Thriller by Michael". Consumerhelpweb.com. Archived from the original on December 4, 2008. Not many artists could pull off such a variety of styles (funk, post-disco, rock, easy listening, ballads)...
510. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Michael Jackson – Off the Wall – Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
511. Palmer 1995, p. 285.
512. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Michael Jackson – Thriller – Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
513. ^ Henderson, Eric (October 18, 2003). "Michael Jackson – Thriller". Slant Magazine. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
514. Christgau 1981, Consumer Guide '70s: J.
515. Pareles, Jon (September 3, 1987). "Critic's Notebook; How Good Is Jackson's 'Bad'?". The New York Times. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
516. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Michael Jackson – Dangerous – Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
517. Harrington, Richard (November 24, 1991). "Jackson's 'Dangerous' Departures; Stylistic Shifts Mar His First Album in 4 Years". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012.
518. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Michael Jackson – HIStory – Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
519. ^ Hunter, James (August 10, 1995). "Michael Jackson: HIStory: Past, Present, Future, Book I". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 18, 2016. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
520. "Thomas W. (Tom) Sneddon Jr". National Defense Authorization Act. Archived from the original on June 27, 2006. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
521. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Michael Jackson – Invincible – Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved September 9, 2007.
522. Beaumont, Mark (November 30, 2001). "Michael Jackson: Invincible". NME. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
523. Dobuzinskis, Alex (December 30, 2009). "Jackson "Thriller" film picked for U.S. registry" (Press release). Reuters. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
524. "Michael Jackson, "Billie Jean," directed by Steve Barron, produced by Simon Fields & Paul Flattery". Blender. October 2005.
525. ^ Gundersen, Edna (August 25, 2005). "Music videos changing places". USA Today. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
526. Robinson, Bryan (February 23, 2005). "Why Are Michael Jackson's Fans So Devoted?". ABC News. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
527. Inglis 2006, pp. 119, 127: "That Jackson lip-synced 'Billie Jean' is, in itself, not extraordinary, but the fact that it did not change the impact of the performance is extraordinary; whether the performance was live or lip-synced made no difference to the audience."
528. "Philippine jailhouse rocks to Thriller". BBC News. July 26, 2007. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
529. Taraborrelli 2009, pp. 370–373.
530. Corliss, Richard (September 6, 1993). "Michael Jackson: Who's Bad?". Time. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
531. US 5255452, Michael J. Jackson; Michael L. Bush & Dennis Tompkins, "Method and means for creating anti-gravity illusion", issued October 26, 1993 
532. Campbell 1993, p. 273.
533. Anderson, Kyle (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson's Video Vanguard Award, in MJ's Top MTV Moments". MTV News. Archived from the original on April 29, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
534. Campbell 1993, p. 303.
535. "Michael Jackson Co-Directs Music Film, 'In the Closet'". Jet. April 27, 1992. p. 56.
536. Campbell 1993, pp. 313–314.
537. Boepple 1995, p. 52.
538. Bark, Ed (June 26, 1995). "Michael Jackson Interview Raises Questions, Answers". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 06E.
539. McIntyre, Hugh (August 24, 2014). "The 5 Most Expensive Music Videos of All Time". Forbes. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
540. Gottlieb, Steven (August 28, 2014). ""Scream" Gets Named Most Expensive Video Ever; Director Mark Romanek Disagrees". VideoStatic. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
541. Kot, Greg (January 8, 1997). "Pumpkins a Smash Hit with 7 Grammy Nominations". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
542. "Longest music video". Guinness World Records. November 21, 2013. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
543. Montgomery, James (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson's Video Co-Stars: From Eddie Murphy to Marlon Brando". MTV. Archived from the original on June 28, 2009. Retrieved March 22, 2010.
544. "NAACP Image Award Spotlight Black' Achievements". Jet. Vol. 101, no. 13. March 18, 2002. p. 36. ISSN 0021-5996.
545. "Zorro, Nemo, Muppets & More: Wide Variety Tapped for 2009 Film Registry". Library of Congress. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
546. Itzkoff, Dave (December 30, 2009). "'Thriller' Video Added to U.S. Film Registry". The New York Times. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
547. Hinckley, David (June 25, 2014). "Michael Jackson remembered 5 years later: How the Daily News covered the tragic story of icon's death". New York Daily News. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
548. Gold, Scott; Lee, Chris; Harriet, Ryan (June 26, 2009). "King of Pop is dead at 50". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 4, 2024. Sold more than half a billion copies.
549. Frazza, Luke (June 25, 2024). "Il y a 15 ans, Michael Jackson nous quittait" (in Canadian French). Radio-Canada. Retrieved November 1, 2024. 500 millions - C'est le nombre de disques vendus dans le monde par Michael Jackson, qui se classe parmi les trois plus gros vendeurs [500 million - This is the number of records sold worldwide by Michael Jackson who ranks among the three best selling artists of all time]
550. Wyman, Bill (January 4, 2013). "Did "Thriller" Really Sell a Hundred Million Copies". The New Yorker. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
551. "Hot 100 Anniversary: Most No. 1s by Artist". Billboard. August 6, 2008. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
552. "Remarks at a White House Ceremony Marking Progress Made in the Campaign Against Drunk Driving". Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. University of Texas at Austin. May 14, 1984. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
553. George 2004, pp. 44–45.
554. Campbell 1993, p. 321.
555. Lewis, Monica (June 14, 2007). "20 People Who Changed Black Music: Michael Jackson, the Child Star-Turned-Adult Enigma". The Miami Herald. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
556. Collett-White, Mike (March 11, 2009). "Michael Jackson to add concerts after sellout". Reuters. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
557. "Grammy Legend Award". Grammy Awards. Archived from the original on January 22, 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
558. "Lifetime Achievement Award". Grammy Awards. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
559. "Michael Jackson and Halle Berry Pick Up Bambi Awards in Berlin". Hello!. November 22, 2002. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
560. "The Vocal Group Hall of Fame: Album Categories 1999 Inductee". The Vocal Group Hall of Fame Foundation. Archived from the original on October 15, 2017.
561. Masley, Ed (March 28, 2019). "Stevie Nicks is about to join these 22 men as a two-time Rock and Rock Hall of Fame inductee". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
562. Sanneh, Kelefa (June 15, 2002). "Hall of Fame Inducts Songwriters". The New York Times. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
563. Keiser, Tom (August 15, 2010). "Photos: Michael Jackson induction ceremony". The News-Times. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
564. Yarborough, Chuck (August 19, 2014). "R&B Music Hall of Fame sets big weekend to induct sophomore class featuring Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Marvin Gaye, Norm N. Nite and more". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
565. Ruggieri, Melissa (May 5, 2021). "Black Music Walk of Fame to honor James Brown, OutKast, Usher and others in Atlanta". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
566. "Doctorates of Rock". Rolling Stone. July 19, 2011. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
567. "Sanwi kingdom mourns passing of a prince". France 24. June 29, 2009. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
568. Leach, Ben (July 9, 2009). "Moon crater named after Michael Jackson". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
569. Chivers, Tom (September 28, 2009). "Google's Doodles: 10 of the best including UFOs and Google". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
570. Kent State University (January 19, 2012). "Mesoparapylocheles michaeljacksoni: Fossil hermit crab named after Michael Jackson". Phys.org. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
571. "80 Moments That Shaped the World" (PDF). British Council. 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
572. Harris, John E. (June 24, 2014). "Speaking of Vitiligo..." Vitiligo Clinic & Research Center. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
573. Gundersen, Edna (November 24, 2003). "For Jackson, scandal could spell financial ruin". USA Today. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
574. Deutsch, Linda (May 4, 2005). "Forensic accountant tells court Jackson is in financial straits". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on March 26, 2017. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
575. Pulley, Brett (November 21, 2003). "Michael Jackson's Ups And Downs". Forbes. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
576. Greenburg, Zack O'Malley (August 29, 2018). "Michael Jackson at 60: The King of Pop by the Numbers". Forbes. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
577. "Stress killed MJ, says ex-publicist". The Times of India. June 27, 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
578. O'Brien, Timothy L (May 14, 2006). "What Happened to the Fortune Michael Jackson Made?". The New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
579. "Estate of Michael J. Jackson, Deceased, John G. Branca, Co-Executor and John McClain, Co-Executor". August 19, 2016. Archived from the original on November 6, 2018. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
580. Gottlieb, Jeff (February 7, 2014). "Michael Jackson estate embroiled in tax fight with IRS". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
581. "United States Tax Court: Washington, DC 20217". February 2, 2016. Archived from the original on October 11, 2016. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
582. Sisario, Ben (May 3, 2021). "Michael Jackson's Estate Is Winner in Tax Judge's Ruling". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 28, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
583. Greenburg, Zack O'Malley (October 14, 2016). "Michael Jackson's Earnings: $825 Million In 2016". Forbes. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
584. Greenburg, Zack O'Malley; Robehmed, Natalie (October 31, 2017). "The Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities of 2018". Forbes. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
585. Greenburg, Zack O'Malley (October 30, 2019). "The Real Reason Behind Michael Jackson's Earnings Drop". Forbes. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
586. Freeman, Abigail. "The Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities 2021". Forbes. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
587. "The Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities of 2023". Forbes.