Michael Joseph Jackson was born in Gary,Indiana on august 29th 1958.
With the pop/dance/R&B band The Jackson 5 made out of him from age 5 to 21 and his older brothers,Michael saw success with hit after hit such as 'ABC','I Want You Back' and the band memorable christmas melodies 'I saw mommie kissing santa claus','Little drummer boy' and more.
He made a decent solo debut 4 years before making his breakthrough album 'Off the wall',with the soundtrack hit song named after the title movie,'Ben'.
With disco years on the move in 1979,Michael saw his career sky rocket with 'Off the wall' album hits such as 'don't stop 'till you get enough','rock with you' and more.
The album to date has gone 7 times platinum in the US and altogether sold 18 million copies worldwide.
Wowed the critics not knowing of the juggernaut Michael was going to become from his next album 'Thriller' in 1982 produced by music mogul Quincy Jones to the present.
'Thriller' took off in sales after in 1982 50 million plus tv viewers saw in awe in a tv special with Michael how incredible of a dancer he really was, and after introducing his version of the moonwalk, kids and young adults around the world mimiced the superstar as well as buying his album.
To date 'Thriller' went 26 times platinum (1 million sales is certified platinum) and worldwide has a combined sales of 53 million copies, becoming the biggest selling album ever to be made.
The album took home the most grammies ever with 8 pieces.
Plus with this success music television station MTV was forced to play the videos of Michael which it never did before with any other black musicians, opening doors and barriers and standards in the United States.
Unstoppable, Michael then took his brothers for a spin of the success touring with them in 1984 promoting the album 'Victory' by the Jacksons renamed now from the former Jackson 5.
Tragically Michael suffered an on stage accident and had to be hospitalized with third degree burns on top of his head requiring some plastic surgery.
Since the accident Michael's appearance changed not only from the nose job he had done during the 'Thriller' album and the tour accident in 1984.
He returned to the scene in 1985 he and many superstars sang the single he co-wrote with friend Lionel Richie which became a major success raising millions for kids in Africa.
Michael looked different..his skin was significantly lighter almost white and his face didn't look the same although he was still handsome....with the album'Bad' released in 1987 fans and critics were presented with not only a great album which to date sold 25 million copies worldwide but Michael changing physically and starting rumors of massive plastic surgery being performed on him.
He kept silent for years about the rumors and continued on to his next commercial success album in 1991 'Dangerous' firing his producer Quincy Jones and got together with Teddy Riley.
This album sold even more than the previous topping charts worldwide also but closing sales at 28 million copies to date.
As Michael went to finish the album's tour in 1993 allegations surfaced accusing him of the one thing he stood for and fought for when not making music...his involvement with children.
Michael was bombarded with allegedly molesting a 12 year old boy and nearly destroyed his career as investigations and suspicions went through that year until Michael publicly addressed the audience in tv statement claiming his innocence.
He then went a step further settling with the boy's family for around 20 million dollars and then the investigation stopped as the accusers didn't pursue criminal charges.
Most fans stayed loyal to the then self pro claimed'King of Pop',a name Michael had associated himself with during the 'Dangerous' album.
In 1995 Michael resurfaced and proved he still was the juggernaut he was and released the double album 'History'.
This album cleverly contained songs of his defense about the child molestation allegations and a list of hits from his previous albums on the other disc which was sold as either seperate or as a double album.
The album sold 15 million copies of each disc making the combining sale to 30 million copies worldwide,his totall records sales in his solo career since 1975 are now 165 million in albums and singles and 265 million combined with his brothers since 1969!!.
Now not only was Michael ruler of the charts he was also one of the wealtiest estimating his fortune at 750 million dollars in 1996 by Forbes magazine reports.
More than half of that fortune contained an investment he had made back in 1985 buying at an auction a catalog of 300,000 songs which featured valuable Elvis Presley and Beatles songs outbidding Paul McCartney at 45 million dollars alienating the former 2 friends,the catalog is currently worth around 1 billion dollars but Michael gave 50 percent up in to Sony in turn of a large cash loan along with banks he also borrowed from ,securing his dept with Sony as he's borrowing up to the 50 procent of catalog which has almost reached the maximum.
In 2001 he financed his financed his next album'Invincible'with 30 million dollars anticipating the success in return......didn't happen.
Two years later the album has'only' sold 6 million worldwide causing major losses of Michael and resulting him without a renewal contract of Sony making him the sole financer of future albums with Sony and Epic records.
Sony did so not because of the album's failure since the remix album'Blood on the dance floor'sold around the same when released in 1997, but this time Michael is facing his past again which may result in future losses.
Child molestation allegations are set to be filed against him again as another young boy charged him and this time he has to fight in court where he'll be formerly be charged in december 2003 after his arrest on november 20th 2003.
Michael was released the same day on a 3 million dollar bond,the same day his greatest hits album was released'Number ones'.
Trials will start in January of 2004.
it remains to be seen if his career will survive this time and if he's innocent or guilty of the charges.
Now in real estate and half of the catalog and the major dept he's in right now the star's networth fortune although still massive dropped to 350 million dollars and receiting record sales with his current album'Number ones' and the criminal case isn't helping him to climb out of dept.
To be continued.
Bio written by: mister |
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