Michael Jackson (1958–2009), known as the King of Pop, was 50 years old when he died.
Michael Jackson in Hungary during the HIStory tour in 1996. PDO
The King of Pop died unexpectedly on June 25, 2009. Michael Jackson is undeniably one of the most successful artists of all time. Only Thrilleralbum (1982) has sold around 70 million copies, making it the best-selling album of all time.
Jackson became known for the Jackson 5 band he formed with his brothers, but did not rest on his laurels, but went on to a successful solo career.
Off the Wall album (1979) guaranteed Jackson’s breakthrough. It included, among other things Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enoughbut the most significant is probably the cooperation that started with the producer by Quincy Jones with.
Michael Jackson as a younger man at the time of the release of the Off the Wall album. PDO
Without producer wizard Jones, Jackson would hardly have achieved such a fairy-tale success. Of course, their collaboration culminated To Thrillerthe kind of success story that had not been seen before or even more so.
From Thriller to Moonwalk
Thriller seven of the nine songs reached the top ten in the US singles chart, including Billie Jean and Beat It.
The album brought seven Grammy awards. A successful one Thrillerdirected the music video About the Blues Brothers known John Landis. The music video raised the entire art industry to be taken seriously, because it was invested in a way never seen before.
The Thriller music video became a phenomenon. PDO
Thriller-music video is characterized as a short film, and its budget was unimaginably large for its time. The budget of half a million dollars was made possible, among other things, by the fact that a documentary film about its birth was promised to be built around the music video.
In 1983, Jackson appeared on television at the Motown label’s 25th anniversary show, where he performed the Moonwalk dance move for the first time. Jackson went from phenomenon to phenomenon.
Michael Jackson was also a style icon in the 80s. PDO
Michael Jackson co-wrote Lionel Richie with also one of the most successful singles of all time. of We Are the World the proceeds went to charity, and an awe-inspiring group of singers was assembled for that purpose. Among other things, they borrowed their voice Bruce Springsteen, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Tina Turner and Stevie Wonder.
Special behavior
Badalbum (1987) was the last collaboration with Quincy Jones. The tour supporting the album was a huge success, but around the same time Jackson’s behavior began to raise questions.
Michael Jackson in 1990, when the tours in particular were spectacular. PDO
The musician’s skin became lighter, which is said to be due to skin diseases. He also started visiting a plastic surgeon regularly to reshape his face. Around the same time, it was reported about Jackson’s other eccentric behavior.
Among other things, it was reported that he was sleeping in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. Jackson bought himself a chimpanzee, Bubbles. In the late 80s, he bought eleven square kilometers of land in California and founded the famous Neverland Ranch there, which got its name Peter Pan from the book Kää-Kä-Maas.
Neverland Ranch was Jackson’s home for a long time. PDO
In 1993, Jackson was accused of sexually abusing children, but no formal charges were ever brought. The matter was thoroughly investigated, but no evidence of abuse was found.
Jackson married the following year Elvis Presley filial, Lisa Marie Presley with. The couple was only together for less than a couple of years, but in 1996 Jackson married his longtime friend, with whom he had two children.
HIStory tour in Budapest. On the same tour, Jackson was also seen in Finland. PDO
In the 90s, a large HIStory tour also reached Finland. Jackson sold out two Olympic Stadiums in Helsinki.
Tragic ending
by Martin Bashir document Living with Michael Jackson (2003) defined the musician’s life until the end of life. The documentary put Jackson’s behavior under the magnifying glass because the artist revealed that he slept holding hands with the child.
On the HIStory tour in Germany. PDO
Jackson was arrested as a result of a criminal investigation. He was charged with child abuse. He was also accused of drugging the child.
In 2005, however, Jackson was acquitted of all charges. It later emerged that the FBI had been following Jackson since the early 90s. Nothing suspicious was ever found on the phones or old computers.
The King of Pop performed at halftime of the Super Bowl in 1993. PDO
Jackson’s career faltered in the 2000s, and none of the planned recordings of Invincible (2001) became releaseable. In 2009, however, he decided to do one more concert series.
More than a million tickets to the This Is It concerts were sold in less than two hours. In the end, the plans were to do 50 gigs, all of which were sold out. Three weeks before the start, Jackson died.
Michael Jackson died when he was only 50 years old. Jackson’s doctor had given him too much anesthesia, causing him to go into cardiac arrest.
Before his death, Jackson was preparing the massive This Is It concert series, which included 50 sold-out concerts in London. PDO