SimplyMJ.20m.com-The Essential Michael Jackson Website-The Albums
Michael Jackson was born on 29th August 1958 in Gary, Indiana, USA. His first hits were in 1969 with his brothers, the Jackson Five, when they released 4 consecutive #1 hits. He released his first solo single in 1971, at the age of 13, with "Got To Be There". In 1972 "Ben", a song from a film about a rat reached #1, and gave Michael his first #1. He was later to release some of the most famous albums ever, Thriller, Off The Wall, Dangerous and Bad. These albums gave him many nicknames including "The biggest selling artist of all time", "The greatest artist the world has ever known" and "The King of Pop".
"Off the Wall", the first album released by a more mature Michael (he turned 21 that month), reaches #1. On 1st December 1982 "Thriller" is released. This was to be the fastest selling album of all time and the most awarded album of the 20th Century. It won eight Grammies and seven American Music Awards. Later the Guinness Book proclaimed it as the Biggest Selling Album of all time. On 21st February 1983 "Thriller" reached #1 in the album charts and stayed there for 37 weeks and remained in the top 40 for over 2 years (122 weeks). In March of 1983 "Billie Jean", from "Thriller", is released and tops the singles chart for seven weeks. "Beat it" is world premiered on MTV and topped the charts.
On December 2nd of that year the fourteen minute "Thriller" mini film is released on video and becomes the largest selling music home video ever. On February 27th 1984 MTV world premieres is Pepsi commercial and presents an interview with director Bob Giraldi. After a break of three years without producing songs Michael releases "I just can't stop loving you", a duet with Siedah Garret. It is the seventh #1 single of his solo career. On the 31st of that month "Bad" the follow up to "Thriller" and therefore the most hotly anticipated album in history is released. It tops the charts for eight weeks.
On December 23rd of 1989 MTV present him with video vanguard artist of the decade award in Los Angeles. November the 14th of 1991 "Black or White" is debut on television. It is a teaser for "Dangerous" his third #1 album in a row and the source of seven more hits. On January 31st 1993 Michael Jackson's half time performance at SuperBowl XXVII draws the largest viewing audience in the history of American television. He is awarded the living legend award at the 35th annual Grammy awards on February 24th 1993, with 1.2 million people watching.
In September of 1993 lawyers for a thirteen-year-old boy file a civil suit against Michael Jackson for seduction and sexual abuse. On December 22nd he responded to the allegation via satellite from his Neverland complex saying: "I am totally innocent of any wrong doing". On January 25th 1984 he settled out of court with his accuser for an undisclosed sum, estimated at 30 million dollars.
On June 3rd 1995 he releases "HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book 1", a double CD with one disc of new songs and another of greatest hits. October 30th 2000 sees him receiving his 26th Platinum certification for "Thriller". It remains the biggest selling album of all time, and the second fastest selling. On September 25th 2001 he released "Invincible" his first album in over four years. This included releasing the single "You Rock My World", which unfortunately didn't make it to number one.
