Michael Jackson: the King of Pop
On August 29, 1958, Michael Joseph Jackson was born in the U.S. industrial city of Gary, Indiana.
Famously nicknamed The King of Pop, Michael Jackson changed music history and captivated audiences for over four decades.
At the age of eight, he began singing, alongside his siblings, for his family’s band, The Jackson 5.
Since that time, the group has sold over 100 million records.
In 1983, he revolutionized pop music with his song and music video Thriller.
At that time, music by African American singers was mostly aimed at Black listeners.
But Thriller was a smash hit with every audience, everywhere.
Its success allowed other Black performers, such as Prince and Whitney Houston, to break the color barrier on Music Television.
Michael Jackson’s albums set numerous sales records.
He is also the most awarded artist in music history, with over 370 awards.
But, he died, tragically and unexpectedly, in 2009 at the age of 50.
