A Child Star is Born
At the age of 6, Michael joined his brothers' band, The Jackson Brothers. By the age of 8, he was the group's lead vocalist. The next year, in 1968, the group signed with Motown records, and skyrocketed to fame shortly after.
The Jackson 5 in Action
Changing their name to The Jackson 5 in 1969, the brothers became a Motown phenomenon in the 1970s. They appeared frequently on the TV variety show circuit, performing for a legion of screaming fans. (L-R) Tito Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Jackie Jackson, Michael Jackson, Jermaine Jackson.
Going Solo, Transformation
In spite of the success of The Jackson 5, Michael decided to go solo in 1972. During a 1979 video shoot, Jackson broke his nose and was given rhinoplasty to fix the damage. This began Jackson's lifelong love affair with plastic surgery.
Moonwalking Through Rehearsal
In 1982, Jackson released his wildly successful solo album, Thriller, which won a record-breaking nine Grammys. During this time Jackson patented his "Moonwalk" dance and began wearing his signature rhinestone glove.
The Best Performs with the Best
When the Jackson's Victory Tour dates overlapped with Van Halen's 1984 Tour dates in Dallas, Texas, the two groups treated fans to a live collaboration. The groups were already good friends; Eddie Van Halen originally performed the guitar solo for Michael Jackson's "Beat It" single, which was featured on the album Thriller (1982).
Pepsi Commercial Hits the Wrong Spot
On January 27, 1984, Michael suffered second-degree burns during a pyrotechnics stunt filmed for a Pepsi-Cola commercial. Jackson underwent treatment to hide the scars on his scalp, and had his third rhinoplasty shortly after.
Michael Jackson Goes "Bad"
Five years after the success of Thriller, Jackson released his next effort, Bad (1987). The record jumped to No.1 on the pop charts, and earned two Grammy Awards.
Michael's Menagerie
At the height of his success in 1988, Jackson bought the Sycamore Valley Ranch in Santa Barbara, California. He renamed the 2,600-acre property Neverland in homage to writer J.M. Berrie's novel Peter Pan, the tale of a boy who refused to grow up. Among other attractions, the property would hold an amusement park and a zoo filled with exotic animals.
Let the Rumors Begin
As Jackson's fame increased, so did tabloid rumors. At first cultivating the strange reputation, he had to eventually speak out against allegations that he bought the bones of the Elephant Man, slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, and bleached his skin.
The First Autobiography
In 1988, Jackson released his first autobiography, Moon Walk. In the book, he wrote about his abusive childhood and discussed his multiple surgeries, which included a dimple in his chin and several rhinoplasties.
The Showman
By the mid-90s, Jackson had become a fashion icon as well as an international pop star. His outrageous outfits were surpassed only by his drastic facial changes, which included a battle with the skin pigmentation disorder, vitiligo.
A Union of Pop Royalty
When Jackson was accused of child molestation in 1993, it was friend and confidante Lisa Marie Presley who became Jackson's main source of emotional support. The couple surprised friends and fans in 1994, when they married in a private ceremony in the Dominican Republic. They divorced two years later, shortly after Jackson was cleared of his sexual abuse charges, but remained close friends.
Making Pop Music HIStory
With the release of his single "You Are Not Alone" from his 1995 album HIStory, Jackson made the Guinness Book of World Records for the first song ever to debut at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The Remix Master
In 1996, less than a year after his divorce from Presley, Jackson married dermatology nurse Debbie Rowe in a private ceremony. Shortly after their marriage, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, which became the most popular remix album in history.
Hanging Out in Berlin
When Jackson and Rowe welcomed their first child in 1997, Prince Michael Joseph, Jr., the proud father stirred controversy after dangling his new son over a hotel balcony in Berlin—the eccentric singer's way of showing the new baby to the paparazzi. The couple would go on to have a daughter, Paris Michael Katherine, in 1998. Jackson's third child, Prince Michael II, was born to a surrogate mother in 2002.
Famous Friends
Throughout his life, Michael was surrounded by powerful and influential friends, including Princess Diana, Francis Ford Coppola, Diana Ross and Elizabeth Taylor. Here, Taylor and Jackson attend the wedding of another close companion, Liza Minnelli, who married David Gest on March 16, 2002, in New York City.
Mug Shot
Jackson found himself amidst controversy again in 2003, when a second child accused the star of drugging and abusing him. The musician was charged with seven counts of molestation in Santa Barbara, California on November 20, 2003. He was acquitted of all charges in 2005, but Jackson's reputation would be forever tarnished.
In Seclusion
After his highly publicized trial, Jackson and his children headed to Bahrain to escape the media frenzy. As a guest of the Prince of Bahrain, Sheikh Abdullah, Michael began writing new songs and planning his comeback. Back in the United States, rumors of the pop star's possible bankruptcy began to surface.
The Comeback That Never Was
Jackson planned a major comeback tour for 2009, and tickets to the shows sold out within minutes. On June 25, 2009, shortly before the first performance, Jackson died of an accidental prescription drug overdose while in the care of his personal physician. The singer was only 50 years old.
A Very Public Memorial Service
More than 31 million viewers watched Jackson's televised memorial service at Los Angeles' Staples Center on July 7, 2009. Millions more attended the live event, including Michael's sister, Janet Jackson (L), and his children, Paris (2nd L), Prince Michael II (2nd R) and Prince Michael (R).
Back to His Humble Beginnings
After his death, mourners around the world grieved at impromptu memorials to the King of Pop, including this makeshift tribute at Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Indiana.
Honored at the Grammys One More Time
On January 31, 2010, Jackson received a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award at the 52nd Annual Grammy ceremony in Los Angeles. His daughter, Paris, and son, Prince Michael, accepted the award in his stead. "Through all his songs, his message was simple: Love," said Prince Michael. "We will continue to spread his message and help the world."
