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:''For other people with the same name, see [[Michael Jackson (disambiguation)]]''
[[Image:Music_album_record_thriller.jpg|250px|right|thumb|The cover to Michael Jackson's ''[[Thriller (album)|Thriller: Special Edition]]'' rerelease from [[2001]]. The original album was released in [[December]] [[1982]], and went on to become the best-selling album in the world and the best album of brand-new material in the [[United States]].]]
[[Image:Tv_martin_bashir_doc_michael_jackson.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Michael Jackson during the [[Michael Jackson: Bashir interview and allegations|Bashir interview]].]]
'''Michael Joseph Jackson''' (born [[August 29]], [[1958]]), is an [[African-American]] man who became one of the most successful [[popular music]] [[singer]]s of all time. He is also known as '''The King of [[Pop music|Pop]]''' or the '''King of the [[music video|Music Video]]'''. Jackson's successful career has gained him legions of devoted fans, yet he has been dogged by media fascination with his changing [[physical appearance]] and what some perceive as an "[[Eccentricity (behavior)|eccentric]]" lifestyle, which has led the tabloid press to dub him "Wacko Jacko" (which Jackson says he finds hurtful).
He is a generous children's friend, but he has also repeatedly been accused of [[sexual abuse]] of [[child]]ren and is, as of [[March]] [[2005]], [[Michael Jackson: Bashir interview and allegations|on trial for alleged child molestation and other offenses]]. He denies the charges. The trial is in [[Santa Maria, California]].
Jackson, who rose to fame in childhood as the lead singer of the [[Motown]] act [[The Jackson 5]], has received numerous music industry awards including 18 [[Grammy Award|Grammys]]. Estimates of his album sales worldwide range from 200 million to well over 300 million. His ''Thriller'' video is considered one of the greatest music videos of all time and a large step forward in artistic quality for music videos. MTV and ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine recently named four of his songs ("Billie Jean" #5, The Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" #9, "Beat It" #23, and "Rock with You" #82) among the 100 greatest pop songs of all time.
His hit album ''[[Thriller (album)|Thriller]]'' is the biggest-selling album of all time worldwide with over 50 million copies sold. The album is also the best-selling album containing all-original material in terms of domestic US sales--26 million copies sold). It is second to [[The Eagles]]' [[greatest hits]] collection ''[[Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)]]'', which has sold 28 million copies.
== Personal background ==
Jackson was born the seventh of nine children in [[Gary, Indiana]] to [[Joseph Jackson]] and [[Katherine Jackson]]. The entire family--including older siblings [[Rebbie Jackson|Rebbie]], [[Jackie Jackson|Jackie]], [[Tito Jackson|Tito]], [[Jermaine Jackson|Jermaine]], [[LaToya Jackson|LaToya]], and [[Marlon Jackson|Marlon]], and younger siblings [[Randy Jackson (musician)|Randy]] and [[Janet Jackson|Janet]]--lived in a tiny two-bedroom house, and Jackson's father Joseph Jackson earned a meager living working in a steel mill. Jackson and his sister LaToya both claimed that their father was cruel and physically abusive to his children. Jackson broke down and wept during a [[television]] interview when asked about this, and said that even as an adult just meeting his father often made him physically ill.
At the behest of their mother Katherine, the Jackson children were raised as [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] and practiced door-to-door evangelization. Jackson continued to do so after becoming famous, but then in disguise. His career and flamboyant style led to friction with congregation elders. At one point, his sister [[LaToya Jackson|LaToya]] was [[shunning|shunned]] by Jehovah's Witnesses, and in [[1987]], he formally left the religion. It was said that in [[2003]] he embraced [[Nation of Islam]].
Due to Joseph Jackson's strict religious beliefs, the Jackson kids were kept locked in their house while he worked the night shift. However, the children would sneak out of the house to their neighbours where they practiced singing and playing music. Eventually, Joseph found out about their musical abilities and decided to capitalise upon it in order to leave Gary for sunny [[Los Angeles]].
Jackson has been living at his 11 km² (2600 acres) [[Neverland#Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch|Neverland Ranch]] in [[Santa Ynez, California]], named after the magical kingdom featured in the children's story ''[[Peter Pan]]''. In [[December]] [[2003]], he said that after it had been searched by police (see below), it no longer felt like a home, and is now a house he just visits. He now lives in [[Beverly Hills, California|Beverly Hills]] in a $70,000-a-month rented home.
Jackson feels a strong connection to both children and [[animal]]s. He says that they do not give the complications that adult people often do, like negatively judging him, and betraying him.
He says that, like Peter Pan, he does not want to grow up. He says he compensates for his "lost childhood", during which he always had to practice and perform. Neverland contains a small [[zoo]] and [[amusement park]]. About once a week he has been inviting a bus full of (especially sick and poor) children there to have a day of fun.
His favorite pastimes include playing with children, e.g. having [[water balloon]] and water gun fights, and having rides with them in his [[golf cart]]s (which children are often allowed to drive themselves), [[4-4-0#Crown Metal Products|small steam train]], and the other rides of the amusement park, and having long telephone conversations with young friends. Also he has had [[sleepover]]s with children. However, he now supposedly feels that it violates a [[social norm]] in the eyes of many people and places him in a vulnerable position with regard to suspicions and allegations of sexual abuse. He has publicly stated he will no longer have them with children not related to him.
Jackson kept a [[chimpanzee]], Bubbles, in Neverland, which he valued highly, treating him more like a friend than a pet. Bubbles was moved from the ranch after reaching maturity because adult chimpanzees are very strong and can be dangerous.
His is a [[vegetarian]]. He likes [[climb]]ing [[tree]]s; he has written several songs sitting in his favorite tree at Neverland, which he calls Giving Tree, because, he says, it is so inspiring.
Jackson's celebrity friends have included [[Quincy Jones]], [[Diana Ross]], [[Rick James]], [[Usher]], [[Marlon Brando]], comedians [[Steve Harvey]] and [[Chris Tucker]] and actress [[Elizabeth Taylor]] and former [[child actors]] [[Emmanuel Lewis]] and [[Macaulay Culkin]]. Both Taylor and Culkin are [[godparent]]s to Prince Michael and Paris. He is also friends with paranormalist [[Uri Geller]]. He has also been friends with [[rabbi]] [[Shmuley Boteach]], with whom Jackson founded the now defunct "Heal the World" and "Heal the Kids" foundations. (For the related song and video "Heal the World" see below.) Michael is also the godfather of [[Lionel Richie]]'s adopted daughter [[Nicole Richie]].
It has been rumored that Jackson has used extensive [[plastic surgery]] to modify his appearance, although he claims to have had only three operations: Two [[rhinoplasty|rhinoplastic surgeries]] (the first of which he claims was to repair a broken nose resulting from a dancing accident in 1978, and the second to correct imperfections in the first surgery) and the surgical creation of a cleft in his chin (Jackson often omits mentioning the cleft when listing his cosmetic surgery, but he confirms the surgery in his [[1988]] autobiography ''[[Moon Walk]]''). Some critics have characterized his plastic surgery and purported "skin bleaching" as an attempt to hide his [[African-American]] ancestry. Jackson has insisted, however, that he only uses heavy makeup to mask the effects of [[vitiligo]], a condition that causes white patches on the skin.
=== Jackson marriages and children ===
In [[1994]] Jackson married [[Lisa Marie Presley]], the daughter of [[Elvis Presley]]; the marriage lasted less than two years, ending in divorce. In [[1996]], he married [[Debbie Rowe]], with whom he had a son, Prince Michael, and a daughter, Paris Katherine. They were divorced in [[1999]]. Rowe later said that she let Jackson have the children as a "gift".
Around February [[2002]] Jackson had another son, Prince Michael II, also called "Blanket", with a [[surrogate mother]] whose identity has not been disclosed. In late 2002, Jackson stirred up controversy while staying in a hotel in [[Berlin]] by briefly suspending him over the edge of the railing of a balcony. In what Jackson explains as a security measure against [[kidnapping]], the children's faces are masked or veiled when they are in public.
In December [[2003]] Jackson's parents promised they would look after the three children if they were taken away from their son. Reportedly the children have been interviewed by social workers. In March [[2004]] it was confirmed there was an unspecified family matter between Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe, to be handled in mediation. In July 2004 news was released that Jackson is to be the father of [[quadruplets]], via [[artificial insemination]]. The mother is said to be a "struggling actress". Jackson however, strongly denied the allegations.
Rumours in [[2003]] claimed that Jackson had another son, seventeen-year-old Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., who apparently has an almost identical resemblance to Jackson as a young man.
==Musical career==
[[Image:Mj1971-got-to-be-there.jpg|left|200px|thumb|The cover to Michael Jackson's first solo LP, [[1971]]'s ''Got to Be There''.]]
=== The Jackson 5 and Motown ===
''Main entry: [[The Jackson 5]]''
Five of the Jackson brothers, [[Jackie Jackson|Jackie]], [[Tito Jackson|Tito]], [[Jermaine Jackson|Jermaine]], [[Marlon Jackson|Marlon]] and Michael, formed the [[Jackson 5]], an R&B musical act, in the mid [[1960s]]. With Michael as the lead singer, the group built up a following and a buzz by playing at clubs and bars throughout the Midwest, and even winning an Amateur Night competition at the [[Apollo Theater]] in [[Harlem, New York]]. It is alleged that they were beaten and abused by their father if they performed poorly. The Jackson 5 signed their first recording contract with the local Steeltown label in [[1967]], and had a regional hit with "Big Boy".
The [[Jackson 5]] were discovered by both [[Gladys Knight & the Pips]] and [[Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers]], who brought them to [[Motown Records]] in [[1968]]. Label head [[Berry Gordy]] bought out the Jackson 5's Steeltown contract and signed the group to Motown in [[March]] [[1969]]. Gordy then moved the Jackson family to [[California]], and proceeded to turn them into international stars. In fall [[1969]], The Jackson 5 were presented to the public by [[Diana Ross]] and were officially launched as the next big Motown act. The group's first four singles, "I Want You Back" from 1969, and "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There" from [[1970]] all became #1 hits in the US. Later hits included "Mama's Pearl" & "Never Can Say Goodbye" ([[1971]]), "Lookin' Through the Windows" ([[1972]]), "Get It Together" ([[1973]]) and "Dancing Machine" ([[1974]]). Most of the Jackson 5 hits were produced by [[The Corporation (Motown)|The Corporation]], a collective of [[songwriter]]s and [[record producer]]s including Gordy, [[Freddie Perren]], Alphonzo Mizell, and Deke Richards.
With Motown Records, the Jackson 5 made 14 albums, and Michael also recorded four albums as a solo artist. Among Michael's early solo hits were "Got to Be There" ([[1971]], his solo debut); and "Rockin' Robin", "I Wanna Be Where You Are", and the #1 hit "Ben" (all [[1972]]).
=== The Jacksons and Epic Records===
In [[1976]], the Jackson brothers signed a deal with [[CBS Records]], first joining the [[Philadelphia International]] division and later moving over to [[Epic Records]]. The new deal with CBS provided more creative freedom and larger royalies that they were not allowed at Motown. By leaving Motown behind, they lost the rights to use the "Jackson 5" name and logo. Additionally Jermaine, who had married Berry Gordy's daughter Hazel, opted to remain at Motown for a full-time solo career. Now known as [[The Jacksons]], and featuring younger brother [[Randy Jackson (musician)|Randy]] in Jermaine's place, the brothers continued their successful career, touring internationally and releasing 6 albums between 1976 and [[1984]]. Hits during this period included "Enjoy Yourself" & "Show You The Way To Go" ([[1976]]), "Find Me A Girl" ([[1977]]), "Blame It On The Boogie" ([[1978]]), "Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)" ([[1979]]), "Can You Feel It?" & "Heartbreak Hotel" ([[1980]]) and "Torture" & "State of Shock" ([[1984]]).
Jackson starred in the film ''[[The Wiz]]'' alongside mentor Diana Ross in [[1978]]. It was here that he met [[Quincy Jones]], the music producer for ''The Wiz'', who would later produce Michael's three most acclaimed solo albums, ''[[Off the Wall]]'', ''[[Thriller (album)|Thriller]]'' and ''[[Bad (album)|Bad]]''. ''Off the Wall'', released in [[1979]], produced a record four Top 10 hits and sold seven million copies in the United States.
=== Solo career ===
[[Image:Mj-1979-off-the-wall.jpg|right|thumb|200px|An alternate album cover to [[1979]]'s ''[[Off the Wall]]''. The [[:Image:MichaelJackson-OffTheWall.jpg|more familiar album cover]] features a shot of Jackson's feet.]]
==== ''Off The Wall'' to ''Thriller'' ====
Michael Jackson's [[1979]] album ''[[Off the Wall]]'' was a worldwide hit and spawned the #1 hit singles and music videos "Rock With You" and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". A ballad, "She's Out Of My Life" reached the top 10 in 1980.
In the [[1980s]], Jackson released a progression of solo albums of slickly-produced synthesizer-heavy pop. In what was perhaps the "Golden Age" of the [[Music video|video clip]], some of Jackson's videos were virtually short [[film]]s with considerable plots, impressive special effects, and featuring Jackson's distinctive dance style.
His ''[[Thriller (album)|Thriller]]'' album was released in [[1982]], produced 7 Top 10 hit singles, broke records and quickly became the world's best selling album ([[as of 2003]] it has sold over 50 million copies). The "[[Billie Jean]]" music video, released to promote ''Thriller'', became the first video by a black artist to be aired on [[MTV]], and the "[[Thriller (song)|Thriller]]" [[short film]], included with ''The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller'', became the world's best selling [[home video]] at the time.
"[[Billie Jean]]" and "Thriller", as well as "[[Beat It]]", were the three music videos released from the album, and have since become three of MTV's most significant videos in history, placing highly on several MTV and VH1 countdowns, and receiving substantial airplay on [[MTV2]] to this day. The album's other singles were "[[Human Nature (song)|Human Nature]]" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)", both of which were also hits, despite neither having music videos.
While performing "Billie Jean" during the ''[[Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever]]'' special on [[television]] on [[May 16]], [[1983]], Jackson publicly performed the [[moonwalk]] (later his signature dance move) for the first time, stunning TV audiences. In January [[1984]] at the [[American Music Award]]s, Jackson was nominated for 9 awards and won a record 8 awards (tied by Whitney Houston's ''The Bodyguard'' soundtrack in [[1994]]). In February at the [[Grammy Award]]s Jackson was nominated for 12 awards and won a record-breaking 8 awards (now equaled by [[Carlos Santana]]'s [[1999]] ''Supernatural'') – 7 for ''Thriller'' and 1 for his narrative on ''The E.T. Storybook''. In May, ''Thriller'' was certified by the [[Guiness Book of Records]] as the biggest selling popular music album of all time. In addition in 1984, he was also awarded the [[H. Claude Hodson]] Medal of Freedom at the [[NAACP Image Award]]s, feted at the White House by President [[Ronald Reagan]] with the Presidential Special Achievement Award and in November was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].
==== "We are the World" to ''Dangerous'' ====
Inspired by [[Band Aid (band)|Band Aid]], he was instrumental in organizing the single "[[We Are the World]]" (co-written with [[Lionel Richie]]) in [[1985]]. "We Are the World" was sung by 44 different singers including [[Harry Belafonte]], [[Cyndi Lauper]], [[Diana Ross]], [[Ray Charles]] and [[Stevie Wonder]] and sold 7 million copies in the [[United States]], becoming the best selling single of all time (eclipsed by [[Elton John]]'s "Candle In The Wind" in 1997), to raise money for [[USA for Africa]] – a charity working to raise awareness about and help starving people in [[Africa]].
[[Image:Movie eo smile.jpg|framed|left|Michael Jackson in ''[[Captain Eo]]'']]
Jackson starred in the [[George Lucas]]/[[Francis Ford Coppola]] [[3-D film]] ''[[Captain Eo]]'' in [[1986]], which was shown in [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] [[theme park]]s until [[1998]]. Minute for minute it is the most expensive film ever produced, costing an estimated US $30 million to make. The film contained the songs "We Are Here To Change The World" and "Another Part Of Me".
In [[1987]], Jackson released ''[[Bad (album)|Bad]]'' and began his first solo world tour. He performed to sold out audiences at each concert. The following year Jackson released a silly, playful movie entitled "[[Moonwalker]]" and a serious, personal autobiography titled ''[[Moon Walk]]''.
''Bad'' was another smash success for Jackson. Its singles and music videos "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man In The Mirror", "Dirty Diana", "Another Part Of Me", "Smooth Criminal" and "Leave Me Alone" provided Jackson with another string of hits. The album's only relatively unsuccessful single, "Liberian Girl", remains to this day as one of Jackson's least seen music videos and least heard singles. Nonetheless, he made history by becoming the first artist to generate 6 number one singles off of one album. Of the 7 singles released in the USA, the first 5 went to '''#1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts''', "Another Part Of Me" peaked at #11 ('''#1 on Billboard's R&B charts''') and "Smooth Criminal" went to #7. However, despite the success, many industry members were surprised about Bad's sales. While Thriller moved 25 million in America, Bad "only" moved about 8 million. Michael actually hoped Bad would do BETTER than Thriller.
Jackson was awarded a record breaking $890 million contract by [[Sony]] and released an album ''[[Dangerous (album)|Dangerous]]'' in [[1991]]. During the ''Dangerous'' world tour Jackson announced the creation of his [[Heal the World Foundation]]. ''Dangerous'' contained the singles and music videos "Who Is It", "Give In To Me", "Gone Too Soon" (a tribute to young [[AIDS]] victim [[Ryan White]]), and "Will You Be There", which would later become the theme song to the movie ''[[Free Willy]]''. But the album's most successful and memorable singles and videos were "Jam", "Remember The Time", "Black Or White", "In The Closet", and "Heal The World". As was becoming the standard for Jackson, the album's music videos were among the most costly, creative, and innovative of their time. "Give In To Me" featured [[Slash (musician)|Slash]] from [[Guns n' Roses]] in its video. The video for "Heal The World", to correspond to Jackson's charity of the same name, featured children and adults from throughout the world. "Will You Be There" showed Jackson singing in front of scenes from ''Free Willy''. Several of the other videos had complex storylines and dance sequences, and featured cameo appearances by celebrities. The video for "Jam" showed Jackson and [[Michael Jordan]] playing basketball and dancing together, while "Remember The Time" was set in a Egyptian palace and starred [[Eddie Murphy]] as the king of the palace who was trying to entertain his wife, played by [[Iman]]. [[Magic Johnson]] played the king's chief guard. Jackson's singing and dancing is the thing that finally makes Iman's character happy, in the seven-minute long video. Jackson and [[Naomi Campbell]] played lovers in "In The Closet". Again, Michael had high hopes, and planned to sell 100 million copies of Dangerous. But after a relatively small stay in the top 10, the album fell out and sold 7 million in the US and 29 million worldwide. This was hardly bad, but it was certainly nowhere near 100 million.
====''Black Or White''====
Of all the album's groundbreaking and popular videos, "Black Or White" probably remains the most aired and most remembered today. The original video is over ten minutes long, and premiered simultaneously on November 14, 1991, on MTV, VH1, BET, and ABC, becoming one of the most-watched music video premieres in history. The original video begins with [[Macaulay Culkin]] playing a young Jackson fan whose father (played by [[George Wendt]]) tells him to turn his music down. Culkin's character, instead, decides to bring his speakers into the living room and cranks the speakers to full blast, which sends the father flying through the roof, in a manner somewhat similar to that used in an earlier [[Twisted Sister]] music video. He ends up landing in the middle of some exotic ___location. The music to "Black Or White" then starts, and Jackson proceeds to take viewers on a trip around the world, from country to country and culture to culture. As the song ends, the video features a [[morphing]] effect, whereby the faces of several different people of different ethnicities' (including [[Tyra Banks]] and [[voice actor]] [[Cree Summer]]) are [[morphing|morphed]] one into another, as a symbol of global unity. Although this was ''not'' the first music video to feature morphing technology — former [[10cc]] members [[Godley & Creme]] used morphing even more extensively in the [[1985]] video to their song "Cry", though in a less technologically polished way — it was the first exposure many people had to the technology, and this effect amazed those who saw the video for the first time. Thanks in part to "Black Or White", as well as the development of computer technology, the morphing effect has since become somewhat common in music videos today, and can now be done much cheaper than in the early 1990s. The original video for "Black Or White" then continued, even after the song itself ended, for another four minutes. The last four minutes depicted Jackson doing his infamous crotch-rubbing, smashing store windows, and destroying a car with a metal crowbar. It finally ended with a cameo appearance by [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] and [[Homer Simpson]]. However, Jackson's rampage and crotch grabbing caused a good deal of controversy with many parents of young children who watched the video's premiere. MTV and other music video stations decided to cut out the last four minutes of the video for all subsequent airings, and Jackson issued an apology statement to anyone who had been offended. To date, the final four minutes of the "Black Or White" video has only since re-aired in America on MTV2 between the hours of 1 AM and 4 AM, as part of their special uncensored airing of the "Most Controversial Music Videos" of all time, however the extended version is available on Jackson's DVDs. A few years ago, VH1 Europe aired them in daytime but now cuts them out.
==== ''HIStory'' to ''Invincible'' ====
''[[HIStory]]'', a [[double album|double-disc album]], was released in [[1995]]. Its first disc had fifteen of his greatest hits and second disc contained fifteen new songs. The album produced two new hit singles and videos in America: "Scream", a duet with his sister [[Janet Jackson|Janet]], whose futuristic music video, with a seven million dollar price tag, is the most expensive music video ever made; and "You Are Not Alone", the first song to ever debut at number one on the [[Billboard Hot 100]] Singles Chart and whose video had a cameo from Jackson's then-wife, Lisa Marie Presley. The album's other singles and videos, "Childhood", "Earth Song", "Stranger In Moscow", and "They Don't Care About Us" had limited success in America, and performed far better in Europe. "Childhood" is notable for having been the theme song to ''Free Willy 2''. "They Don't Care About Us" caused a stir when it was released due to controversial lyrics which were considered by some to be anti-Semitic. This caused American MTV and VH1 to ban the song's music video, even though it garnered heavy airplay on many of America's [[Boxnetwork]]s. The lyrics "Jew me, sue me/ Kick me, kike me" were modified on the album's official release in reponse to the criticism. Apart from the video for "Scream," singles and videos from ''HIStory'' nowadays garner little airplay in America, making the album a failure overall by Jackson's standards, though it has sold over 18 million double albums as of 2004. It was branded a failure very quickly. Executives and Jackson hoped it would stay at #1 throughout the summer, yet it only spent 2 weeks at the top with unspectacular sales. On the other hand, the album spawned his biggest hit ever in the UK, "Earth Song" stayed at the top of the chart for six weeks and sold over a million copies.
In [[1997]] Jackson released ''[[Blood on the Dance Floor]]'', a [[remix]] album of several of the tracks off of '''HIStory''', which also included 5 new songs and has since become the biggest-selling remix album of all time. The album only had one single and official music video, the title track, which failed to catch on in America, and again proved a far more popular hit in Europe. However, Jackson also produced "Ghosts", a 40-minute short film, which was shown in several movie theaters and uses the songs "Ghosts" and "2 Bad" in the film. The short film "Ghosts" is occasionally played as an hour-long special, with space made for commercials, on MTV and VH1, especially during the Halloween season.
Jackson's [[2001]] album ''[[Invincible (album)|Invincible]]'', the most expensive album ever produced, debuted at number one on the [[Billboard 200|U.S. charts]], selling 2 million copies in the United States and 5-6 million worldwide. While the numbers seemed impressive, the sales figures were nonetheless disappointing, considering Jackson's previous success and the cost of the album. As opposed to his earlier albums which each spawned at least six singles, most of which were generally worldwide smashes, ''Invincible'' produced only the singles "You Rock My World" and "Butterflies" in America. "Cry" was also issued as a third single in Europe. "You Rock My World" managed the top ten in America, but only for a week, and its big-budget, 14-minute music video received only sparse airplay on MTV, VH1, MTV2, and BET, usually in a shortened, 5-minute version. "Butterflies" was a top 20 hit in America as well as a #2 hit on the R&B charts, but did not reach the top 10, despite a popular radio remix featuring rapper [[Eve (rapper)|Eve]]; the song's relative lack of success also allowed no budget for a music video.
In November 2002 Jackson received in Berlin Germany's Millennium Bambi 2002 award, in recognition of his status as the world's "greatest living pop icon". The awards recognise outstanding personalities and performances in various fields, including show business, film, politics and sport.
==== "One More Chance" ====
On [[November 21]], [[2003]], Jackson released a new song, "One More Chance," written by [[R. Kelly]]. It was the only new track on his ''[[Number Ones]]'' greatest hits album. "One More Chance" went on to become the #1 track on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart for three straight weeks. The song was also featured as a montage video on the CBS TV special "Michael Jackson Number Ones." The special was then released on DVD as "The One."
==== World tour ''Celebration'' ====
Jackson is planning a world tour — provisionally called Celebration — with music [[media proprietor|mogul]] Charles Koppelman, to start if he is acquitted, a few months after that.
== Miscellaneous controversies ==
[[Image:Michaeljacksonm.jpg|thumb|200px|Police photograph of Michael Jackson, [[November 20]], [[2003]]]]
In late [[2002]], new [[scandal]] arose surrounding Jackson. His most recent album, ''[[Invincible (album)|Invincible]]'', had disappointing sales figures. Instead of blaming this on what was, by most fans and critics, considered mediocre music, he blamed his record label and industry executives, most notably the legendary producer [[Tommy Mottola]], whom Jackson likened to [[Satan]]. Jackson also recorded a song featuring various celebrities on vocals in an attempt to raise funds for disaster relief following the [[September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack]]. However, the song was never released. One possible reason was that producer Marc Schaffel has worked as a producer of [[homosexual]] [[pornography]] (his house was searched by the police in 2004; it is not clear whether this was related to Jackson).
In [[October]] [[2002]] various international banks claimed that Jackson was in financial debt into the tens of millions of dollars due to various unpaid loans. That same month, concert promoter [[Marcel Avram]] sued Jackson in a court in [[Santa Maria, California]], claiming that he reneged on a deal to perform on a series of [[millennium]] concerts crossing the [[International Date Line]] on the evening of [[December 31]], [[1999]] - [[January 1]], [[2000]]. Jackson lost the case, and is appealing.
He has been involved in a legal dispute with his former financial adviser, Union Finance and Investment Corp. of South Korea, who claim that Jackson owes the firm $12 million in fees and expenses and that Jackson's extravagant spending may lead to his [[bankruptcy]]. See also [[Michael_Jackson:_Bashir_interview_and_allegations#Jackson.27s_finances|Jackson's finances in connection to the trial]].
== Miscellaneous ==
On [[February 27]], [[2004]], Jackson was stopped by police while vacationing with his children near [[Aspen, Colorado]], where he went because his children wanted to see snow. Jackson had been shopping at a [[Wal-Mart]] earlier in the day wearing a ski-mask. Employees found this suspicious and called the police with a description of his vehicle. The incident led to nothing as he was pulled over, asked to reveal his identity, and then left to go on his way.
Jackson continues to be plagued with seemingly press-invented rumours; partly they are unrelated with his current court case; tabloids allege that he is in Colorado seeking treatment at an in-patient addiction clinic.
In 2004, film director [[Kevin Smith]] told ''[[Playboy]]'' magazine that Jackson wanted to make a feature movie entitled ''Hot Rod''. This film would feature Jackson as a man with the ability to transform into an [[automobile]], and an as-yet-uncast [[adolescent]] male companion who rides Jackson everywhere while he is in his car state.
Jackson has been considering a tour of [[Africa]] in May or June 2004 to raise money to fight [[AIDS]], if the court will let him. The countries he would visit would include [[Zimbabwe]], [[South Africa]], and [[Senegal]]. At some stage in April, officials in [[Namibia]] expected him, but that was due to miscommunication.
==Discography==
===Albums===
''For a detailed description of each album, see [[List of Michael Jackson albums]].''
;[[Motown]] releases:
* 1972: ''[[Got to Be There]]''
* 1972: ''[[Ben (album)|Ben]]''
* 1973: ''[[Music and Me (album)|Music and Me]]''
* 1975: ''[[Forever, Michael]]''
* 1984: ''[[Farewell My Summer Love]]''
;[[Epic Records|Epic]] releases:
* 1979: ''[[Off the Wall]]''
* 1982: ''[[Thriller (album)|Thriller]]''
* 1987: ''[[Bad (album)|Bad]]''
* 1991: ''[[Dangerous (album)|Dangerous]]''
* 2001: ''[[Invincible (album)|Invincible]]''
;Compilations:
* 1995: ''[[HIStory]]'' (double-album: disc one is a [[greatest hits]] collection, disc two is all-new material)
* 1997: ''[[Blood on the Dance Floor]]''
* 2003: ''Number Ones''
* 2004: ''[[Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection]]'' ([[box set]])
=== Singles ===
''For a detailed list of singles, see [[List of Michael Jackson singles]].''
===Top Five US and UK singles===
The following singles reached the Top Five on either the Billboard US Hot 100 and R&B singles charts or UK pop singles charts:
* 1971: "Got to Be There" (#4 Pop, #4 R&B, #5 UK)
* 1972: "Rockin' Robin" (#2 Pop, #2 R&B #3 UK)
* 1972: "Ben" (#1 Pop, #5 R&B)
* 1979: "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" (#1 Pop, #1 R&B, #3 UK)
* 1980: "Rock With You" (#1 Pop, #1 R&B)
* 1980: "She's Out Of My Life" (#3 UK)
* 1980: "Off The Wall" (#5 R&B)
* 1981: "One Day In Your Life" (#1 UK)
* 1983: "The Girl Is Mine" (with [[Paul McCartney]]) (#2 Pop, #1 R&B)
* 1983: "[[Billie Jean]]" (#1 Pop, #1 R&B , #1 UK)
* 1983: "[[Beat It]]" (#1 Pop, #1 R&B, #3 UK)
* 1983: "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" (#5 Pop, #5 R&B)
* 1983: "Say Say Say" (Paul McCartney with Michael Jackson) (#1 Pop, #2 R&B, #2 UK)
* 1984: "[[Thriller (song)|Thriller]]" (#4 Pop, #3 R&B)
* 1987: "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" (#1 Pop, #1 R&B, #1 UK)
* 1987: "Bad" (#1 Pop, #1 R&B, #3 UK)
* 1987: "The Way You Make Me Feel" (#1 Pop, #1 R&B, #3 UK)
* 1987: "Another Part Of Me" (#1 R&B)
* 1988: "Man In The Mirror" (#1 Pop, #1 R&B)
* 1988: "Dirty Diana" (#1 Pop, #8 R&B, #4 UK)
* 1988: "Smooth Criminal" (#2 R&B)
* 1989: "Leave Me Alone" (#2 UK)
* 1991: "Black Or White" (#1 Pop, #3 R&B, #1 UK)
* 1992: "Remember The Time" (#3 Pop, #1 R&B, #3 UK)
* 1992: "Heal The World" (#2 UK)
* 1993: "Give In To Me" (#2 UK)
* 1995: "Scream" (with [[Janet Jackson]]) (#5 Pop, #2 R&B, #3 UK)
* 1995: "You Are Not Alone" (#1 Pop, #1 R&B, #1 UK)
* 1995: "Earth Song" (#1 UK)
* 1996: "Why" (3T featuring Michael Jackson) (#2 UK)
* 1996: "Stranger In Moscow" (#4 UK)
* 1997: "Blood On The Dance Floor" (#1 UK)
* 1997: "HIStory/Ghosts" (#5 UK)
* 2001: "You Rock My World" (#2 UK)
* 2002: "Butterflies" (#2 R&B)
* 2003: "One More Chance" (#5 UK)
==Filmography==
*[[1978]]: ''[[The Wiz]]'' (Scarecrow)
*[[1986]]: ''[[Captain EO]]'' (Captain EO)
*[[1988]]: ''[[Michael Jackson: Moonwalker]]'' (Himself)
*[[1997]]: ''[[Ghosts]]'' (Maestro/Mayor/Ghoul Mayor/Super Ghoul/Skeleton)
*[[2002]]: ''[[Men in Black II]]'' (Agent M)
*[[2004]]: ''[[Miss Cast Away and the Island Girls]]'' (Agent M.J.)
==Computer games==
* ''[[Michael Jackson's Moonwalker]]'' is an arcade game that was ported to the [[Sega Mega Drive]] (Sega Genesis) and [[Sega Master System]].
* ''[[Space Channel 5 Part 2]]'' is a [[dance game]] co-starring Michael Jackson, for the [[PlayStation 2]] and [[Sega Dreamcast]].
==See also==
*'''[[Michael Jackson: Bashir interview and allegations]]'''
*[[The Jackson 5]]
*[[List of best selling music artists]]
== External links ==
* [http://mjjsource.com/ MJJSource] – Michael Jackson Official Website.
* [http://www.nndb.com/people/599/000022533/ NNDB entry] - useful in spite of some oddities such as the "Executive summary".
* [http://www.smooth-criminal.com/ Smooth-Criminal.com] – Message board forum for the Michael Jackson Community.
* [http://mjj.cjb.net MJ Mania] Michael Jackson News & Info Board
* [http://marriage.about.com/cs/celebritymarriages/p/michaeljackson.htm Michael Jackson's Marriages]
* [http://isitscary.com/ IsItScary.com] – Premier Michael Jackson Fan Website
* [http://www.mjtll.com/ The Living Legend - Belgian Michael Jackson Website]
* [http://www.michaeljackson.com/ Official website at Sony Music]
* [http://www.mjtnk.com Michael Jackson]
* [http://lyrics.rare-lyrics.com/M/Michael-Jackson.html Unofficial Michael Jackson Lyrics Collection]
* [http://www.mjturkfan.com/html MJTurkFan: Michael Jackson Fans - Turkish Site] (The First and Only Turkish Site That Has Been Linked On The Official Site Of Michael Jackson, MJJSource)
*[http://www.michaeljacksonforever.com Michael Jackson Forever - Fansite with Books, Music Lyrics and more.]
*[http://news.corporate.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/jacko/52604drplybail.pdf Court paper] - includes lists of activities, awards, and charities (pdf)
=== News ===
* [http://mjmediasource.cjb.net Michael Jackson Media Group]
* [http://www.mjnewsonline.com/index.php MJNewsOnline.com: Latest Michael Jackson News] (Pro-Jackson Website)
* [http://www.musicindustrytoday.com/news/MichaelJackson: News Articles on Michael Jackson]
* [http://www.michael-jackson.beginthier.nl: Over 300 MJ links]
=== Discussion forums ===
*[http://www.blackorwhite.nl/MichaelJackson/phpBB2 Blackorwhite MichaelJackson Forum]
* [http://www.mjjforum.com/forums/index.php Michael Jackson Discussion Forums]
* [http://www.mjnewsonline.com/board/index.php Michael Jackson Discussion Board]
=== Music ===
* [http://flakmag.com/music/mj/videos.html Discussion of music videos]
=== Appearance ===
* [http://anomalies-unlimited.com/Jackson.html The history of Michael Jackson's face]
* [http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/story?id=131910&page=1 ABC News: Surgeon: Michael Jackson A 'Nasal Cripple.'"]
=== Interviews ===
[[Image:TV_oprah_with_michael_jackson_February_10_1993_.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Oprah Winfrey]] and Michael Jackson]]
* [http://www.michaeljackson.ru/english/gravity/interviews/rinterviews.html michaeljackson.ru]
* [http://www.mjshouse.com/stories/living_with_mj_transcript.wm mjshouse.com]
* [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/12/28/60minutes/main590381.shtml CBS News]
* [http://www.usatoday.com/life/2003-11-23-neverland-believe_x.htm USA Today: Neverland]
[[Category:1958 births|Jackson, Michael]]
[[Category:American singers|Jackson, Michael]]
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