Born: 29 August 1958 · Died: 25 June 2009 · Age: 50
King of Pop behind Thriller, the best-selling album of all time, famous for the moonwalk and groundbreaking music videos
Did you know?He co-wrote the charity single We Are the World with Lionel Richie to raise money for famine relief.
Editor's Take:
Michael Jackson's genius lay in combining sound and image at the exact moment television and music video were becoming the centre of pop culture. He began as a child star in a family group and, unusually, grew into an even bigger solo artist, rather than fading as so many child performers do. His dance moves, especially the moonwalk, became as famous as his songs and influenced performers across the world for decades. His videos broke barriers on MTV for Black artists and turned pop releases into global events. His later life was marked by controversy, yet his recordings continue to sell and be streamed in vast numbers.
Key Milestones
1969: Lead singer of the Jackson 5 on their first number one
1979: Releases the solo album Off the Wall
1982: Releases Thriller, the best-selling album ever
1983: Debuts the moonwalk on Motown 25
1985: Co-writes We Are the World
1987: Releases Bad and begins his first solo world tour
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is widely regarded as one of the most culturally significant figures of the 20th century.
Born in Gary, Indiana, Jackson was performing with his brothers in the Jackson 5 before he was ten, scoring a run of Motown number ones. As a solo artist he became the biggest star on the planet.
His 1982 album Thriller remains the best-selling album of all time, and its videos turned music television into an art form. In 1983 he unveiled the moonwalk on live TV and made it the most famous dance move in history. Hits from Billie Jean to Smooth Criminal still fill dance floors worldwide. His later life was clouded by controversy and legal battles. He died in Los Angeles in June 2009, aged 50, just weeks before a planned run of comeback concerts in London.
Did you know?He won a record-breaking eight Grammy Awards in a single night in 1984, mostly for Thriller.
Michael Jackson's birthday is August 29. Michael Jackson was born on August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana, United States.
How old was Michael Jackson at the time of death?
Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, aged 50.
Who shares a birthday with Michael Jackson?
Famous people who share Michael Jackson's August 29 birthday include John Locke, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, John McCain, Maurice Maeterlinck and Ingrid Bergman.
