| A Legendary Career
BIOGRAPHY: Born August 29th 1959, the seventh child of the Jackson family, Michael's musical career began at the age of 11 as a member of the Jackson 5. A seemingly unstoppable talent, Michael began singing solo in 1971 and released his debut album "Got To Be There" by January of 1972. "Got To Be There" was quickly followed by his second album "Ben" only 7 months later (August 1972), and "Music and Me" the following year (1973).
The '70s also saw Jackson put out two more records ("Forever, Michael" in 1975, and "Off The Wall" in 1979) however it was the release of "Thriller" in 1982, with songs like 'Billie Jean', 'Beat It', and the award-winning title track 'Thriller', that truly gave the King of Pop his crown as a musical icon. International success and critical acclaim only continued for Michael throughout the '80s, with numerous artistic collaborations, and the release of "Bad" in 1987.
However, as Jackson's career flourished it brought with it an increased public interest in the artist's rather abnormal personal life. By the release of the album "Dangerous" in 1991, Jackson was arguably as famous for his performances on stage, as he was for his off-stage exploits. In 1993, Jackson was accused of molesting the 13-year-old son of Evan Chandler, one of Jackson's former friends. Though the matter was settled out of court it took a substantial toll both on Jackson's public image, and on Jackson himself. He later blamed an addiction to pain killers on the stress of the accusations.
In an attempt to fight back, Jackson released the 2-disc "Hi-Story" in 1995, an album which openly attacked the press who he blamed for scandalizing him, with songs like "Tabloid Junkie", "They Don’t Care About Us", and "Scream". However, despite the album's success, the damage was already done to Jackson's reputation and he became increasingly reclusive. Jackson's final album "Invincible" was released in 2001.
Despite being ridiculed for his personal life, Michael Jackson will forever be remembered as one of the world's most significant and influential performers, with music that will extend beyond any shadows cast by his personal misfortunes. Selected Discography: Recommended Greatest Hits Collections: Michael Jackson Concert & Documentary DVDs: Michael Jackson Biography Books: Additional Online Resources: |  |
