Michael Jackson

American singer, songwriter, producer, dancer, and actor

Michael Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, producer, dancer, and actor (1958-2009) whose mammoth success and fame led him to be called the "King of Pop." Born in Gary, Indiana, he began as lead singer in the sibling act Jackson 5, topping the charts with hit singles I Want You Back, ABC, and I'll Be There. Jackson then transitioned into a historic solo career that included the breakthrough album Off the Wall in 1979 and its No. 1 smash Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough, which earned Jackson the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

In 1982, he released his sixth studio album Thriller, which became the biggest-selling album of all time and placed at No. 2 on Apple Music's 100 Best Albums list. It also earned him seven Grammy Awards including Album of the Year and honors for the title track and its worldwide hits, Beat it and Billie Jean.

He followed it up with the chart-topping albums Bad, Dangerous, and Invincible, and a slew of No. 1 classics and accompanying music videos including Say, Say, Say with Paul McCartney, Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Man In The Mirror, Black Or White, You Are Not Alone, and Remember The Time. He appeared in the films The Wiz and Men In Black II, and in the posthumous documentaries Bad 25 (directed by Spike Lee) and Thriller 40.