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For other persons named Michael Jackson, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation).
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This article may be too long. Please discuss this issue on the talk page and help summarize or split the content into subarticles of an article series. |
| Michael Jackson | |
|---|---|
.jpg/58px-Michael Jackson 1984(2).jpg) | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Michael Joseph Jackson |
| Also known as | Michael Joe Jackson The King of Pop |
| Born | August 29 1958 Gary, Indiana, USA |
| Origin | Gary, Indiana, USA |
| Genre(s) | R&B, soul, pop, dance-pop, disco, rock, urban, funk, Motown |
| Occupation(s) | singer, songwriter, record producer, arranger, dancer, choreographer, actor |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, percussion, multiple instruments |
| Years active | 1967 - present |
| Label(s) | Motown, Epic, Sony, The Michael Jackson Company, Inc. |
| Associated acts | The Jackson 5/Jacksons, Janet Jackson, Quincy Jones, Siedah Garrett, Teddy Riley |
| Influences | James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Diana Ross, Joe Tex, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, The Beatles, David Ruffin, Little Richard, The Isley Brothers, Sammy Davis, Jr., Fred Astaire |
| Website | MichaelJackson.com |
Michael Joseph Jackson (born August 29, 1958), often referred to as MJMedia go into MJ Overdrive. usatoday.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-09. and The King of Pop,Michael Jackson\'s Biography. Fox News. Retrieved on 2006-11-12. is an American musician and entertainer, who debuted on the professional music scene at the age of ten as a member of the Jackson 5,Michael Jackson: Biography. The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (2004). Retrieved on 2008-02-14. and went on to become a pop icon as a solo artist. His successful career and controversial, enigmatic personal life have been a part of pop culture for almost four decades.Campbell, Lisa (1993). Michael Jackson: The King of pop. Branden. ISBN 082831957X. an example of the appellation "king of pop", Abdelnour, Mark (2004). Buying & Selling Music, Instruments, and Music Collectibles on Ebay. Thomson Course Technology. 159200504. indicates "MJ" as a well-recognized abbreviation, Jackson has dominated pop music since the late 1970s,Michael Jackson. real.com. Retrieved on 2007-03-14. becoming the first black entertainer to amass a strong cross-over following on MTV with his revolutionary transformation of the music video as an art form and as a promotional tool.Michael Jackson. vh1.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-22. The popularity of videos aired on MTV such as "Beat It" and "Billie Jean" created a tremendous synergyTom McGrath, from the chapter "Michael and MTV" from MTV: The Making of a Revolution. Available at: http://eightiesclub.tripod.com/id127.htm that helped to put the relatively young channel "on the map"Why Are Michael Jackson\'s Fans So Devoted?. abcnews.com. Retrieved on 2007-04-06. and Jackson continued to be a dominant figure on MTV with videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream". Jackson also popularized physically-complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, that have redefined mainstream dance and entertainment.Michael Jackson: In a Class by Himself. bmi.com. Retrieved on 2007-04-11.BMI is a performing rights organization that collects license fees on behalf of its songwriters, composers and music publishers and distributes them as royalties. His distinctive style, dance moves, and vocals have influenced a whole generation of hip hop, pop, and R&B artists. He has been cited as the "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time" by Guinness World Records,Jackson receives his World Records. Yahoo! News (November 14 2006). Retrieved on 2006-11-16. and holds the record for the best-selling album ever, Thriller.
Michael Jackson has received thirteen Grammy AwardsGrammy Winners Search. Grammy\'s official website. Retrieved on 2006-11-11. (eight on a single night in 1984) and two of his solo albums have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.2008 Grammy Hall of Fame List Jackson has charted thirteen #1 singles in the United States, more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era.The Return of the King of Pop. accesshollywood.com. Retrieved on 2007-03-14. In November 2006, the World Music Awards announced that Jackson had sold over 750 million units worldwidePop Icon Looks Back At A "Thriller" Of A Career In New Interview. CBS News (2007-11-06). Retrieved on 2008-02-14. and given $300 million to charity,YouTube making Jackson one of the best-selling music artists and the most charitable humanitarians of all time (bar Oprah Winfrey).IMDb Michael Jackson Biography However, Jackson\'s controversial appearance and actions have damaged his reputation in the eyes of some of the public and album sales have been in decline since the mid 1990s.Make or break for Michael Jackson. BBC (October 15 2001). Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
From 1988 to 2005, Jackson lived on his Neverland Ranch property, where he built an amusement park and private zoo that was frequently attended by disadvantaged and terminally ill children. Rumors of sleepover parties received both negative media coverage and public attention after it was revealed that children had slept in his bed or bedroom. This first came to light when he was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993. Michael Jackson\'s relationship with children was brought into the spotlight again in 2003 when the TV documentary Living with Michael Jackson was broadcast. This resulted in Jackson being tried, and later acquitted, of more child molestation allegations and several other charges in 2005. After this, Jackson went on hiatus, traveling to countries such as Bahrain, before starting work on new material in Ireland. He released an album on February 11, 2008 called Thriller 25 (a special edition of the "Thriller" album) which included some new material.
Contents |
Jackson showed musical talent early on performing in front of his classmates and other participants during a Christmas recital in his school at five. He joined his brothers first playing congas when they formed a group in 1964 later taking a more pivotal role within a year as a background singer and occasional dancer before ascending to the group\'s lead singer position at the age of eight. Rolling Stone says of his early years: "First he was a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts," and notes that after Jackson joined the Jackson Family vocal group at age five, "he quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer."Michael Jackson Biography - Rolling Stone Even though he sang with a "child\'s piping voice, he danced like a grown-up hoofer and sang with the R&B/gospel inflections of Sam Cooke, James Brown, Ray Charles, and Stevie Wonder." During this period, the boys toured Indiana extensively, and after winning a major local talent show in 1966 with a rendition of Motown hits and James Brown\'s "I Got You (I Feel Good)", led by Michael, they began playing professional gigs in Chicago, Illinois and across the mid-eastern U.S. Many of these gigs were in a string of black clubs and venues collectively known as the "chitlin\' circuit," and the young kids sometimes had to open for strip tease and other adult acts in order to earn money.The Jackson Five. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved on 2007-05-29.
Michael took co-lead singing duties with brother Jermaine when the group\'s name changed from The Jackson Brothers to The Jackson 5 in 1966. The group eventually auditioned for, and signed a contract with, Motown Records in 1968.Michael Jackson: Biography. VH1. Retrieved on 2006-11-11. They hit stardom with their first four singles, "I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I\'ll Be There", which charted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, the first time ever a group had pulled off that feat. While remaining a member of the group, History: 1970s. Michael Jackson\'s official website. Retrieved on 2006-11-11.Jackson released a total of four solo studio albums with Motown, among them Got to Be There in 1971 and Ben in the following year. These were released as part of the Jackson 5 franchise and produced successful singles such as "Got to Be There", "Ben", and a remake of Bobby Day\'s "Rockin\' Robin". Between 1971 and 1975, Jackson\'s voice "descended ever so slightly from boy soprano to his current androgynous high tenor."Michael Jackson: Biography : Rolling Stone
The group\'s sales declined after 1973 and they chafed under Motown\'s strict refusal to allow them creative control or input. In 1976, the group signed a new contract with CBS Records (first joining the Philadelphia International division and then Epic Records).The Jacksons Story: Overview. All Music Guide. Retrieved on 2006-11-11. Motown Records sued the group for breach of contract.
As a result of the legal proceedings, which were further complicated by the fact that Jermaine Jackson was married to the daughter of Motown president (Berry Gordy), the Jacksons lost the rights to use the "Jackson 5" name and logo. Jermaine left the group, choosing to stay at Motown.Michael Jackson Biography. Aristopia. Retrieved on 2006-11-12. They changed their name to "The Jacksons", featuring youngest brother Randy in Jermaine\'s place, and continued their successful career, touring internationally and releasing six more albums between 1976 and 1984, with Jermaine eventually re-joining in 1983, making them a sextet. From 1976 to 1984, Michael was the lead songwriter of the group,The Jackson Five. Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame & Museum. Retrieved on 2008-02-14. writing such hits as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)", "This Place Hotel", and "Can You Feel It". In 1978, Jackson starred as the Scarecrow in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical The Wiz with former-label mate Diana Ross playing Dorothy.The Wiz. IMDb. Retrieved on 2006-11-11. The songs for the musical were arranged by Quincy Jones, who established a partnership with Jackson during the film\'s production and agreed to produce his first solo album in four years.
Off the Wall, released in 1979, made music history becoming the first album ever to spawn four top-ten hits, including the number-one hits, "Don\'t Stop \'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You". It reached #3 in the Billboard album charts, spending 48 consecutive weeks on the Top 20.Off the Wall. Fan of Music. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson jointly produced the album, with lyrics and music by Jackson, Heatwave\'s Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder, and Paul McCartney, among others. The album signaled the arrival of a new Michael Jackson, one not reliant upon his brothers to further his career.200 list. definitive200.com. Retrieved on 2007-03-21. Off the Wall, buoyed by its catchy dance rhythms and avoidance of the "shallow excesses...of the period\'s disco,"200 list. definitive200.com. Retrieved on 2007-03-21. eventually sold some 20 million copies worldwide.Off the Wall. Fan of Music. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt the album should have made a much bigger impact and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.
In January 1980, Jackson won his first awards for his solo efforts at the American Music Awards. He won "Favorite Soul/R&B Album" (for Off the Wall), "Favorite Male Soul/R&B Artist" and Favorite Soul/R&B Single (for "Don\'t Stop \'Til You Get Enough"). Later that month, he also won two Billboard Awards (for "Top Black Artist" and "Top Black Album"). On February 27 1980, Jackson won a Grammy Award for "Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male" (for "Don\'t Stop \'Til You Get Enough"). In 2003, the TV network VH1 named Off the Wall the thirty-sixth greatest album of all time.VH1 List of 100 Best Rock Albums. DailyCelebrations. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Rolling Stone ranked it #68 in their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.The RS 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. In 2008, the Off the Wall album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.2008 Grammy Hall of Fame List
Michael Jackson at the White House in 1984 with then-President Ronald Reagan and his wife.
In November 1982, the storybook for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was released. It included Jackson reading the story as well as one original song, "Someone in the Dark". The album later won a Grammy for "Best Album for Children".GRAMMY AWARD WINNERS. Grammy.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-14. On the first day of the following month, Jackson released his second Epic album, Thriller. Thriller is the best selling album of all time, though sales figures for the album vary between different sources who have cited the album as selling between 45 million copies worldwidehttp://www.billboard.com/bbcom/bio/index.jsp?pid=4902 and 104 million copiesCBS: Pop Icon Looks Back At A "Thriller" Of A Career In New Interview Jacko\'s Back!. MTV UK (November 16 2006). Retrieved on 2006-11-19.104 sales104 sales104 sales104 sales. The BBC claim that the Guinness Book of World Records lists it as 65 million copies sold as of 2007http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7117000.stm (note that sales of Thriller 25 will be added to American sales.[1]MJ album goes on catalog chart as a reissue ) and made Jackson\'s fame global. In 2007, NARM/The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ranked Thriller third on their "Definitive 200" albums list.200 list. definitive200.com. Retrieved on 2007-03-06. The album also became the first in history to spawn seven top-ten Billboard Hot 100 hit singles,History: 2000s. Michael Jackson\'s official website. Retrieved on 2007-08-18. including "Billie Jean", which was the first music video by a black artist to receive regular airplay on MTV,"Why Are Michael Jackson\'s Fans So Devoted?". ABC News (Feb. 23, 2005). Retrieved on 2008-02-14. "Beat It", and the album\'s title track, which was accompanied by a revolutionary music video. The thirteen-minute "Thriller" video was critically acclaimed and massive airplay lead to it being packaged with the featurette Making Michael Jackson\'s Thriller on VHS, where it became the best-selling music home video ever. Thriller spent 37 weeks at #1 and remained on the Billboard album chart for 122 weeks. It is currently certified 27x Platinum in the U.S., second only to The Eagles - Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975), which is currently certified as 29x platinum [2].
In 1983, while performing "Billie Jean" at the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever concert, Jackson debuted what can be regarded as his signature move: the moonwalk. The performance sparked a new wave of interest in Thriller, which continued to sell well throughout the year. In 1983, he started a sponsorship deal with Pepsi-Cola. As part of the deal with Pepsi-Cola, he agreed to star in a commercial. While filming the commercial in front of 3,000 fans the following year, a fireworks display behind him malfunctioned, shooting a shower of sparks on the singer’s head and setting fire to his hair. He suffered second-degree burns and later wore a hairpiece when collecting Grammys that year.Peisner, David. "Rock Stars Who\'ve Caught Fire Onstage!", Blender Magazine Online, February 2007. Retrieved on 2007-02-27. (English)
In February 1984, Jackson was nominated for twelve Grammy awards - of which he won eight - breaking the record for the most Grammy awards won in a single year.Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2004). The Magic and the Madness. Headline, 293. ISBN 0-330-42005-4. Seven were awarded for Thriller and the other for the E.T.: The Extra-terrestrial storybook. In 1984, he also won eight American Music Awards and the "Special Award of Merit" and three MTV Video Music Awards.
Thriller was a gigantic hit that made Jackson the seminal icon of American culture at the time. At the age of 25, the New York Times called him a "musical phenomenon", further commenting that "in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else"."MICHAEL JACKSON AT 25: A MUSICAL PHENOMENON", New York Times, January 1984. Retrieved on 2007-05-15. (English) Time magazine explained that "the fallout from Thriller has given the [music] business its best years since the heady days of 1978, when it had an estimated total domestic revenue of $4.1 billion."Cocks, Jay. "Why He\'s a Thriller", Time Magazine, March 1984. Retrieved on 2007-03-17. (English) Thriller also helped to bring music from African-American artists back into mainstream radio for the first time since the mid-1970s.
Jackson also became something of a sex symbol, as he was described by Time magazine: "Undeniably sexy. Absolutely safe. Eroticism at arm\'s length". Additionally, Michael Jackson\'s rhinestone glove and Thriller jacket became iconic aspects of his outfits which American youth sported all too eagerly. As a sign of his stature at the time, Republican officials considered inviting Jackson to their national convention, in 1984, where they would renominate Reagan, but a change of plans left Ron Walker, the convention manager, stating that "We never thought we had a ghost of a chance.""CAMPAIGN NOTES; Republicans Considered Inviting Michael Jackson", New York Times, June 1984. Retrieved on 2007-04-19. (English)
After reuniting with his brothers, he helped to write and produce the Victory album. He then performed and starred in the Victory Tour, which started on July 6, 1984 and lasted for five months. That year, Jackson was invited to the White House and was thanked by President Ronald Reagan at a White House ceremony for allowing the song "Beat It" to be used in drunk driving prevention television and radio public service announcements.Drunk Driving Prevention (1983–Present). Ad Council. Retrieved on 2006-11-11.
Jackson continued his charity work in 1985 by co-writing with Lionel Richie the hit song "We Are the World", and singing a featured solo on the charity single. The record helped to raise money and awareness for the famine in East Africa and was one of the first instances where Jackson was seen as a humanitarian. The song also won a Grammy for "Song of the Year". "We Are the World" became one of the top five best-selling singles of all time and the best selling single of the 1980s.EightiesClub.com
Tabloid stories of Jackson sleeping in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to stall the aging-process, and an allegation claiming Jackson attempted to purchase the bones of the Elephant Man inspired the pejorative sobriquet "Wacko Jacko" (wacko meaning eccentric or irrational). The name "Wacko Jacko," first used by British media, would come to be detested by Jackson.Michael Jackson: Biography. All Music Guide. Retrieved on 2006-11-11.
In 1986, Jackson starred in the George Lucas-produced, Francis Ford Coppola-directed 3-D film Captain EO. The film lasted 17 minutes but had costs estimated at $17 million.Business Data for Captain EO. IMDb. Retrieved on 2006-11-30. At the time, it was the most expensive film produced on a per-minute basis. In the U.S., the Disney theme parks hosted Captain EO. Disneyland featured the film in Tomorrowland from September 18, 1986 until April 7, 1997.Michael Jackson Trader.com It was also featured in Walt Disney World in Epcot from September 12, 1986 until July 6, 1994.
In 2008, the Thriller album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.2008 Grammy Hall of Fame List
In 1987, Jackson released Bad; his third album for the Epic Records label, and the final album with producer Quincy Jones. He initially wanted to make the album 30 tracks long, but Jones cut this down to 11. According to Jones, Jackson wanted the title track to be a duet with Prince who later declined the duet.Michael Jackson Bad. SputnikMusic. Retrieved on 2008-02-15. Jones said the reason given by Prince was that he thought the song would be a hit whether he was in it or not.Jones, Quincy. Interview with David Wild. Bad (Special Edition). 2001. With the industry expecting another monster hit, the release was heavily anticipated as it was Jackson\'s first album in five years.Cocks, Jay. "The Badder They Come", TIME Magazine, March 2007. Retrieved on 2007-03-31. (English) The album had over two million advance orders. Jackson hired film director Martin Scorsese to direct the video for the album\'s title track.Bad. IMDb. Retrieved on 2006-11-11. When the 18-minute music video debuted on TV, it sparked a great deal of controversy as it became apparent that Jackson\'s appearance had changed dramatically.The HisTory of Michael Jackson\'s Face. Anomalies Unlimited. Retrieved on 2006-11-11.
Bad had lower sales compared to Thriller, but was still a commercial success. In the U.S., it spawned seven hit singles,five of which went to #1: "I Just Can\'t Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror",and "Dirty Diana". Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2004). The Magic and the Madness. Headline. ISBN 0-330-42005-4. Two decades after it was released, Bad still holds the record for generating more #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 charts than any other album. It went on to sell over 32 million copies worldwide and the RIAA certified Bad at 8x Platinum. At the 1993 Grammy Awards, the album was acknowledged as the second best selling album of all time, but has since been overtaken.Vidéos MySpaceTV : Classements: Vidéos utilisateur - Tout - Du jour Les plus consultés In September 1987, Jackson embarked upon his first solo world tour, the Bad World Tour, which had record-breaking attendance figures. In Japan alone, Jackson had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record of 200,000 in a single tour.Harrington, Richard. "Jackson to Make First Solo U.S. Tour", Washington Post, January 1988. Retrieved on 2007-05-22. (English) The tour lasted sixteen months with Jackson performing 123 concerts to over 4.4 million fans worldwide.Bad fortune. Guardian Unlimited (June 15 2005). Retrieved on 2006-11-11.
This period saw Jackson enjoy "a level of superstardom previously known only to Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and Frank Sinatra." This success led to him to be dubbed the "King of Pop",Michael Jackson\'s Biography. Fox News. Retrieved on 2006-11-12.. The nickname was conceived by actress and friend Elizabeth Taylor when she presented Jackson with an "Artist of the Decade" award in 1989, proclaiming him "the true king of pop, rock and soul."HIStory: Past, Present And Future - Book I, Booklet In 1990, the White House presented the singer with its own special "Artist of the Decade" award, in recognition Michael Jackson\'s musical influence in the 1980s. It was delivered to Jackson by President George H. W. Bush, who commended Jackson for acquiring a "tremendous following", among other achievements.Remarks on the Upcoming Summit With President Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union. The American Presidency Project. Retrieved on 2007-04-08.
In November 1991, Jackson released Dangerous, which, at roughly 30 million copies worldwide,Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2004). The Magic and the Madness. Headline. ISBN 0-330-42005-4. registered sales figures almost identical to those of Bad and became one of the most successful New jack swing albums of all time. Dangerous featured several hits, including "Black or White", "Remember the Time", "In the Closet", "Give In To Me", and "Heal the World". Dangerous was highly anticipated, as highlighted by an incident at the Los Angeles International Airport that witnessed a group of armed robbers stealing 30,000 copies of the new album before its official release .
The biggest hit single in the United States from the album was "Black or White", which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained there for seven weeks,Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2004). The Magic and the Madness. Headline. ISBN 0-330-42005-4. with similar performances around the world. The single was accompanied by a controversial video, premiering as a simulcast on the Fox network, MTV, and BET, which featured scenes construed as having a sexual nature as well as depictions of violent behavior. The offending scenes in the final half of the fourteen minute version of "Black or White" were edited out to prevent the video from being banned. on November 14, 1991, the video for "Black or White" simultaneously premièred in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million people, the largest viewing ever for a music video.
The second single released from Dangerous was "Remember The Time" which spent 8 weeks in the top 5 in U.S..MJInf.co.uk The song hit a peak at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and #1 on Billboard\'s R&B Singles chart. In 1993, Jackson performed the song at the Soul Train Awards in a wheel chair saying he had an injury in rehearsals.YouTubeAt the ceremony, he was given three awards "Best Male Single" of the year for "Remember The Time", "Best R&B Album" for Dangerous and a Humanitarian Award for his charitable contributions to date.Music Awards. Allmichaeljackson.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-15.
In the UK, as well as other parts of Europe, "Heal the World" was the biggest hit from the album. In Britain, it sold 455,000 copies alone and spent five weeks at #2. It was the Christmas #2 of 1992 and because of extra seasonal sales it outsold "Black or White"."http://www.mjinf.co.uk/Dangerous/Heal_the_world.htm
Later that year, Jackson made most high-profile international visits: a trip to Africa in which he visited several countries, among them Gabon and Egypt.Johnson, Robert. "Michael Jackson: crowned in Africa", Ebony Magazine, May 1992. Retrieved on 2007-05-19. (English) This was the singer\'s second arrival on the continent, his first having occurred as a 14-year-old with the Jackson 5. His first stop to Gabon was greeted with a sizable reception of more than 100,000 people in "spiritual bedlam", some of them carrying signs that read, "Welcome Home Michael". In his trip to the Ivory Coast, Jackson visited the gold-mining village of Krindjabo, populated by the Agni tribe and located near the capital of Abidjan, and was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief. He then thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed official documents formalizing his kingship, and sat on a golden throne while presiding over ceremonial dances. Jackson finished his stay in Africa by going to Egypt and promoting the Dangerous album. In January 1993, he performed during the halftime show at Super Bowl XXVII. It drew one of the largest viewing audiences in the history of American television.The return of the King of Pop. MSNBC (November 2 2006). Retrieved on 2006-11-19. Jackson was given the "Living Legend Award" at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.History: 1990s. Michael Jackson\'s official website. Retrieved on 2006-11-11.
In June 1995, Jackson released HIStory: Past, Present And Future - Book I, which recieved a Grammy nomination for "Album Of The Year"Michael Jackson, The essentual collection, booklet as well as four more nominations including winning one (seen below). It sold 18 million copies (36 million units) worldwide making it the largest selling multiple-disc album of all time by a solo artist.dotmusic.com (July 19, 2003). 3 Janet albums listed in the World\'s 150 Biggest Selling Albums Ever. LiveDaily. Retrieved on 2008-02-15.http://www.mjtkop.com/home/modules/news/article.php?storyid=848To promote the album, Jackson embarked on the successful HIStory World Tour, which was attended by more than four and a half million people. Jackson also made a promotional "teaser" music video showing him marching with thousands of military personnel as well as shipping statues of himself on boats around EuropeMichael Jackson HIStory Teaser and 30 million dollars were spent on its promotion by Sony.[url=http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800092369/|Yahoo! Movies biography] The first disc, HIStory Begins, was a fifteen-track greatest hits album (this disc was later released as Greatest Hits - HIStory Vol. I, in 2001 selling an estimated 3 million copies).[citation needed] The second disc, HIStory Continues, contained fifteen new songs.
The first single released from HIStory was "Scream", sung and performed with his sister Janet Jackson. The single had the best ever debut at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and had a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals" Michael Jackson, The essentual collection, booklet. The music video for "Scream" is one of his most critically acclaimed winning three MTV awards in 1995 and a Grammy in 1996. "Scream" is currently the most expensive music video ever made.Guinness World Records (2005). Guinness World Records 2006. Guinness. ISBN 1-904994-02-4. "You Are Not Alone" was the second single released from HIStory and would become the first song ever to debut at #1 on the Hot 100,Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2004). The Magic and the Madness. Headline. ISBN 0-330-42005-4. (beating his previous single "Scream"). It reached #1 in various international markets, including Britain. It was seen as a major artistic, commercial success and receieved a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Performance".Michael Jackson, The essentual collection, booklet
"Earth Song" was the third single released from HIStory, it was accompanied by a well received expensive music video that was nominated for a grammy in 1996 but lost to his earlier video "Scream".Michael Jackson,The Ultimate Collection,Booklet The song topped the UK singles chart for six weeks over Christmas in 1995 and sold one million copies there, making it his most successful UK single, surpassing the success of "Billie Jean". At the 1996 BRIT Awards, Jackson was awarded as the Artist of A Generation.Brits Winners 1996 At the ceremony Jackson performed the track "Earth Song", dressed in white and surrounded by children and an actor portraying a rabbi. Pulp lead singer Jarvis Cocker leapt onstage and made rude gestures, and in the ensuing scuffle, several children received minor injuries.Jarvis\' stage invasion at the 1996 Brits (July 24 2006). Retrieved on 2006-12-28.
During the "HIStory World Tour", Slash joined Jackson onstage for some shows, including one in Seoul, South Korea in 1996. This was held at the Chamsil Olympic Stadium and filmed for a live broadcast and commercial release on VHS.http://www.michael-jackson-trader.com/tours/historytour.html release of VHS Slash also appeared at Jackson\'s MTV Music Video Awards 1995 performance during "Black or White", played a solo, then played along to the opening of "Billie Jean".Michael Jackson HIStory on Film volume II VHS/DVD
In 1997, Jackson released an album of new material titled Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, with remixes of hit singles from HIStory, and five new songs; it sold six million copies worldwide and became the greatest selling remix album ever, reaching #1 in Britain. Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2004). The Magic and the Madness. Headline. ISBN 0-330-42005-4. Of the new songs, three were released globally: the title track, "Ghosts" and "Is It Scary". The title track reached #1 in the UK. The singles "Ghosts" and "Is It Scary" were based on a film created by Jackson called "Ghosts".Ghosts. IMDb. Retrieved on 2006-11-11. The short film, written by Jackson and Stephen King and directed by Stan Winston, features many special effects and dance moves choreographed to original music written by Jackson.Michael Jackson\'s Ghosts Movie Information. Michael Jackson Trader. Retrieved on 2006-11-11. The music video for "Ghosts" is over 35 minutes long and is currently the world\'s longest music video.MTV effort may not be longest music video. United Press International (July 24 2006). Retrieved on 2006-12-28.
In October 2001, Invincible was releasedHistory: 2000s. Michael Jackson\'s official website. Retrieved on 2006-11-11. and debuted at number-one in thirteen countries. Invincible went on to sell nearly 8-10 million copies worldwide. Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2004). The Magic and the Madness. Headline. ISBN 0-330-42005-4. The album spawned three singles: "You Rock My World," "Cry," and "Butterflies." Around the same time that Invincible came out, Jackson and 35 other artists recorded a charity benefit single entitled "What More Can I Give", designed to raise money for 9/11 victims, which was never released. Just before the release of Invincible, Jackson informed the head of Sony Music Entertainment, Tommy Mottola, that he was not going to renew his contract; the contract was about to expire in terms of supplying the label with albums of full-new material for release through Epic Records/SME. In 2002, all singles releases, video shootings, and promotions concerning the Invincible album were canceled.
Subsequently, Jackson made allegations that Mottola was a "devil" and a "racist" who did not support his African American artists and who used black artists for his own personal gain Jackson stated that Mottola had called Jackson\'s colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger". Michael Jackson. Surgeon to the Stars. Retrieved on 2006-11-19.Jackson, Jermaine. Interview with Connie Chung. Connie Chung Tonight. December 31 2002. (Interview). . Sony disputed these allegations, pointing out that Mottola was once married to biracial pop star Mariah Carey.Mariah Carey Biography. IMDb. Retrieved on 2008-02-15.Carey seemed nonchalant about Jackson\'s claims when asked about them by Larry King on Larry King Live.Carey, Mariah. Interview with Larry King. Larry King Live. December 19 2002. (Interview). The sales for this album were poor compared to his previous releases, which may be due to the lack of a supporting world tour and because only one music video was released to promote the album. While most reviewers called the album Jackson\'s least impressive effort,Michael Jackson. Entertainment.ie. Retrieved on 2007-09-09.Michael Jackson. All Music Guide. Retrieved on 2007-09-09.Michael Jackson. NME. Retrieved on 2007-09-09. the reviews that were negative often discussed the singers perceived eccentric image rather than the music.Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2004). The Magic and the Madness. Headline. ISBN 0-330-42005-4.
On September 7 and September 10 2001, Jackson organized a special 30th Anniversary celebration at Madison Square Garden for his 30th year of being a solo artist. The show aired on November 13, 2001 and featured performances by Mýa, Usher, Whitney Houston, \'N Sync, the Jacksons, Slash, and a number of other artists.Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration. IMDb. Retrieved on 2006-11-19. In wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, Jackson helped organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C.. The concert was aired on October 21, 2001, and included performances from dozens of major artists, including Jackson, who performed his song "What More Can I Give" as the finale.
In November 2003, Jackson and Sony Records released a compilation of his number-one hits on CD and DVD titled Number Ones. The compilation has sold over six million copies worldwide.Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2004). The Magic and the Madness. Headline. ISBN 0-330-42005-4. On the album\'s scheduled release date, Jackson was in Las Vegas filming the video for "One More Chance" (the only new song included in the Number Ones compilation), the Santa Barbara Sheriff\'s Department searched Jackson\'s home, the Neverland Ranch, and issued an arrest warrant for Jackson on new c
