Making History- Michael Jackson's life
Making History- Michael Jackson's life
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By James Christie. |  |
Friday, 26, Jun 2009 05:46
Legendary musician Michael Jackson passed away yesterday at a hospital near to his home in LA.
The reaction to the news was immediate as fans swarmed the hospital to share in their grief at the news of his death.
On the eve of his UK tour, Michael Jackson appears to have been as popular now as he ever was, with a career spanning over four decades. Looking back, inthenews.co.uk presents a timeline of the star's 50 years.
The Life of Michael Jackson
Born on August 29th 1958 as the seventh of nine children in Gary Indiana, Michael Joseph Jackson entered the world.
Just five years later he began his music career with his brothers, as lead singer in their band, the famous Jackson 5. After signing with Motown, the band recorded four US number one hits, I Want You Back, ABC, The Love You Save and I'll Be There, recording 14 albums.
Staying with Motown until 1976, the band signed with Epic, reforming as The Jacksons with brother Randy taking Jermaine's place, making a further six albums. Michael wrote songs for the band including hit single Can You Feel It.
Later in life, Michael would tell Oprah Winfrey on her show about the child abuse he suffered at the hands of his father during these early years.
Off the Wall was released in 1979 as a solo album, including Don't Stop Til You Get Enough and Rock With You, under the watchful eye of producer Quincy Jones. The following year Michael broke his nose, undergoing the first cosmetic surgery for which the star would become famed for.
In 1982 Thriller brought Jackson further success, and has sold around 65 million copies worldwide, making it the best selling album of all time. The same year he won eight Grammy awards.
Click here to see Michael Jackson's greatest moments
Around the same time he was diagnosed with lupus and vitiligo, which were linked to the star's increasingly pale skin. His health was often the subject of controversy, with anorexia and body dysmorphic disorder being just two of the alleged health issues which reportedly plagued him.
Bad, released in 1987, was an equally successful album, including the infamous Man in the Mirror. Four years later it was Dangerous which kept the stars place firmly rooted in pop history.
In 1993 MJ's life took a serious turn for the worse when he was accused of sexual abuse by a 13-year-old. The case was later settled out of court and Jackson was not charged. Later that year he proposed to and married Elvis's daughter Lisa-Marie Presley, but they divorced less than two years later.
It was HIStory out in 1995 which further put Michael into the record books, and by 1996 it was the most successful double album of all time, being certified six times platinum in the USA.
In his private life, Jackson married again to Debbie Rowe in 1996, who gave birth to their first child, Prince Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., and later a daughter, Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson.
In 2001 Invincible was released, although it received relatively low record sales in comparison to the artists previous works. A year later his third child was born, Prince Michael II, also known as Blanket. The star was later condemned for holding the baby off a balcony in Germany in front of the world's media, for which he later apologised.
A greatest hits compilation was released in 2003, with Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection coming a year later. Soon after the star was once again accused of child molestation, but in 2005 a jury found him not guilty on all counts.
In the last few final years of his life, MJ made the headlines once again with the 25th Anniversary celebrations of the release of Thriller, and to celebrate his 50th birthday, Sony BMG released The King of Pop.
Yesterday morning Michael Jackson collapsed at his LA home and despite attempts to revive him was pronounced dead at 14:26 local time.
Click here to read tributes to Michael Jackson
Sarah Garrod