Michael Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, the eighth of ten children to an African American working-class family, in Gary, Indiana, an industrial suburb of Chicago. His mother,Katherine Esther Scruse, was a devoutJehovah's Witness, and his father,Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, a steel mill worker who performed with an R&B band called The Falcons. Jackson had three sisters:Rebbie,La Toya, andJanet, and six brothers:Jackie,Tito,Jermaine,Marlon, Brandon (Marlon's twin brother, who died shortly after birth) andRandy.

Jackson had a troubled relationship with his father, Joe. He stated that he was physically and emotionally abused during incessant rehearsals, with whippings, and name-calling, though he admitted his father's strict discipline played a large role in his success. In one altercation recalled by Marlon, Joseph held Michael upside down by one leg and "pummeled him over and over again with his hand, hitting him on his back and buttocks". Joseph would also grab his sons and push them with great force against the wall. One night while Michael was asleep, Joseph climbed into his room through the bedroom window, wearing a fright mask and screamed, in hopes to scare him. He said he wanted to teach the children not to leave the window open when they went to sleep. For years afterward, Jackson said he suffered nightmares about being kidnapped from his bedroom.

Jackson first spoke openly about his childhood abuse in an interview with Oprah Winfrey broadcast on February 10, 1993 live from around the world. He admitted that he had often cried from loneliness and he would vomit on the sight of his father. Jackson's father was also said to have verbally abused Jackson, saying that he had a fat nose on numerous occasions. In fact, Michael Jackson's deep dissatisfaction with his appearance, his nightmares and chronic sleep problems, his tendency to remain hyper-compliant especially with his father, and to remain child-like throughout his adult life are in many ways consistent with the effects of this chronic maltreatment he endured as a young child. In an interview with Martin Bashir, later included in the 2003 broadcast of 'Living with Michael Jackson', Jackson acknowledged that his father hurt him when he was a child, but was nonetheless a "genius." When Bashir dismissed the positive remark and continued asking about beatings, Jackson put his hand over his face and objected to the questions. He recalled that Joseph sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his siblings rehearsed, and that" if you didn't do it the right way, he would tear you up, really get you ".

He showed talent early in his life, performing in front of classmates during a Christmas recital in kindergarten. In 1964, he and Marlon joined the Jackson 5 â€" a band formed by brothers Jackie, Tito, and Jermaineâ€"as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine. Jackson later began performing backup vocals and dancing; at the age of eight, he and Jermaine assumed lead vocals, and the group's name was changed to The Jackson 5.

The Jackson 5 recorded several songs, including "Big Boy", for the local record labelSteeltown in 1967, and signed with Motown Records in 1968. The group set a chart record when its first four singles ("I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There") peaked at number one on the'Billboard' Hot 100.

The Jackson 5 signed a new contract withCBS Records in June 1975, joining the Philadelphia International Records division, later Epic Records, They continued to tour internationally, releasing six more albums between 1976 and 1984, during which Jackson was the lead songwriter, writing hits such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)"," This Place Hotel,"and" Can You Feel It ". and it was here that he teamed up with Quincy Jones, who was arranging the film's musical score. Jones agreed to produce Jackson's next solo album, 'Off the Wall'. In 1979, Jackson broke his nose during a complex dance routine. His subsequent rhinoplasty was not a complete success; he complained of breathing difficulties that would affect his career. He was referred toDr. Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson's second rhinoplasty and subsequent operations.

Jones and Jackson produced the 'Off the Wall' album together. At the album's pre-release party, Michael, himself, stated that Little Richard had a "huge influence" on him. Songwriters for the album included Jackson,Heatwave's Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder, and Paul McCartney. Released in 1979, it was the first album to generate four U.S. top 10 hits, including the chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You". In 1980, Jackson won three awards at the American Music Awards for his solo efforts: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Male Soul/R&B Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". That year, he also won'Billboard' Music Awards for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album and a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, also for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt 'Off the Wall' should have made a much bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release. In 1980, he secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album profit.

In 1982, Jackson contributed the song "Someone In the Dark" to the storybook for the film 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'; the record won a Grammy for Best Album for Children. That same year Jackson issued his second Epic album, 'Thriller', which surprisingly became the most commercially successful album of all time with nearly no promotion. The album remained in the top 10 of the'Billboard' 200 for 80 consecutive weeks and 37 of those weeks at the peak position. It was the first album to have seven 'Billboard' Hot 100 top 10 singles, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It," and" Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'."'Thriller' was certified for 29 million shipments by theRIAA, giving itDouble Diamond status in the United States. It is the best-selling album of all time in the United States. It was, and currently remains, thebest-selling album of all time, with 110 million copies worldwide.

Jackson's attorney John Branca noted that Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point: approximately $2 for every album sold. He was also making record-breaking profits from sales of CDs and 'The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller', a documentary produced by Jackson and John Landis. Funded by MTV, the documentary sold over 350,000 copies in a few months. The era saw the arrival of novelties like dolls modeled after Michael Jackson, which appeared in stores in May 1984 at a price of $12. Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli writes that, "'Thriller' stopped selling like a leisure item â€" like a magazine, a toy, tickets to a hit movie â€" and started selling like a household staple." during his performance on 'Motown 25'

'Time' described Jackson's influence at that point as "Star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style and color too".

Jackson's popularity would soar further. On March 25, 1983, he performed live on the 'Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever' television special, both with The Jackson 5 and on his own singing "Billie Jean". Wearing a distinctive sequined glove, he debuted his signature dance move, themoonwalk, which former Soul Train dancer and Shalamar member, Jeffrey Daniel had taught him 3 years before. His performances during the event were seen by 47 million viewers, and drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and the The Beatles' appearances on 'The Ed Sullivan Show'. Anna Kisselgoff of the 'The New York Times' said, "The moonwalk that he made famous is an apt metaphor for his dance style. How does he do it? As a technician, he is a great illusionist, a genuine mime. His ability to keep one leg straight as he glides while the other bends and seems to walk requires perfect timing." Ian Inglis, author of 'Performance and Popular Music: History, Place and Time' (2006) noted Jackson had created a pivotal turning point in the history of popular music" in that his performance marked the shift of emphasis from musical performance to visual presentation. In stark contrast to the other, live, performances of 'Motown 25', Jackson performed to a pre-recorded soundtrack, lip-syncing to his multi-layered pre-recorded voice, thus indicating that the visual reenactment of music video imagery had become an integral, and perhaps dominant, part of live performance." From this performance emerged the origin of music video as the primary source through which artists promote popular music.

On January 27, 1984, Michael and other members of the Jacksons filmed a Pepsi Cola commercial, overseen by executive Philip Dusenberry, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. In front of a full house of fans during a simulated concert, pyrotechnics accidentally set Jackson's hair on fire. He suffered second-degree burns to his scalp. Jackson underwent treatment to hide the scars on his scalp, and he also had his third rhinoplasty shortly thereafter.

On May 14, 1984, Jackson was invited to the White House to receive an award from President Ronald Reagan for his support of charities that helped people overcome alcohol and drug abuse. Jackson won eight awards during the Grammys that year.

Unlike later albums, 'Thriller' did not have an official tour to promote it, but the 1984Victory Tour, headlined by The Jacksons, showcased much of Jackson's new solo material to more than two million Americans. He donated all the funds (around $8 million) raised from the Victory Tour to charity. He also co-wrote the charity single "We Are the World" in 1985 with Lionel Richie, which was released worldwide to aid the poor in the U.S. and Africa. It became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with nearly 30 million copies sold and millions of dollars donated to famine relief.

In 1985, ATV Music, a music publishing company owning thousands of music copyrights, including the Northern Songs catalogue that contained the majority of the Lennon/McCartney compositions recorded by The Beatles, was put up for sale. Jackson had become interested in owning music catalogs after working with Paul McCartney in the early 1980s: Jackson had learned McCartney made approximately $40 million a year from other people's songs. McCartney's attorney assured Jackson's attorney that McCartney was not interested in bidding on ATV: McCartney reportedly said "It's too pricey". However, McCartney later changed his mind and tried to persuade John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono to join him in a joint bid. Ono declined, and McCartney pulled out. Jackson eventually beat the rest of the competition in negotiations that lasted 10 months, purchasing the catalog for $47.5 million.

Jackson's skin had been a medium-brown color for the entire duration of his youth, but starting in the mid 1980s, it gradually grew paler. The change gained widespread media coverage, including rumors that he was bleaching his skin. According to J. Randy Taraborrelli's biography, in 1986, Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo andlupus; the vitiligo partially lightened his skin, and the lupus was inremission; both illnesses made him sensitive to sunlight. (His long-term dermatologist Dr. Arnold Klein confirmed this on 'Larry King Live', after his death.) The treatments he used for his condition further lightened his skin tone, and, with the application of pancake makeup to even out blotches, he could appear very pale. The structure of his face had also changed: several surgeons speculated that he had undergone various nasal surgeries, a forehead lift, thinned lips, and cheekbone surgery.

Jackson lost weight in the early 1980s because of a change in diet and a desire for "a dancer's body". Witnesses reported that he was often dizzy and speculated that he was suffering from anorexia nervosa; periods of weight loss would become a recurring problem later in life. Some medical professionals have further speculated that he was suffering from body dysmorphic disorder, a psychological condition whereby the sufferer dislikes his appearance and has no concept of how he is viewed by others., here in the early stages of the disease

He became the subject of increasingly sensational reports. In 1986, the tabloids ran a story claiming that Jackson slept in ahyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow the aging process; he was pictured lying down in a glass box. Although the claim was untrue, Jackson had disseminated the fabricated story himself. When Jackson bought a chimpanzee calledBubbles from a laboratory, it was reported as an example of increasing detachment from reality. It was reported that Jackson had offered to buy the bones of Joseph Merrick (the "elephant man") and although untrue, Jackson did not deny the story.

These reports became embedded in the public consciousness, inspiring the nickname " Wacko Jacko," which Jackson came to despise. Responding to the gossip, Jackson remarked to a reporter:

Jackson starred in the 3-D film 'Captain EO', directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It was the most expensive film produced on a per-minute basis at the time, and was later hosted inDisney theme parks. Disneyland featured the film in its Tomorrowland area for nearly 11 years, whileWalt Disney World screened the film in its EPCOT theme park from 1986 to 1994. With the industry expecting another major hit, Jackson's first album in five years, 'Bad' (1987), was highly anticipated. It had lower sales than 'Thriller', but was still a substantial commercial success, spawning seven hit singles in the U.S., five of which ("I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror" and "Dirty Diana") reached number one on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 charts, more than any other album. As of 2008, the album had sold 30 million copies worldwide.

In 1987, Jackson disassociated himself from the Jehovah's Witnesses, in response to their disapproval of the'Thriller' video. The Bad World Tour began on September 12 that year, finishing on January 14, 1989. He broke a 'Guinness World Record' when 504,000 people attended seven sold-out shows atWembley Stadium. He performed a total of 123 concerts to an audience of 4.4 million people, and gained a further 'Guinness World Record' when the tour grossed him $125 million. During the trip he invited underprivileged children to watch for free, and gave donations to hospitals, orphanages, and other charities. Jackson wrote about his childhood, The Jackson 5, and the abuse he had suffered. He also wrote about his facial appearance, saying he had had two rhinoplastic surgeries anddimple created in his chin. The musician then released a film called 'Moonwalker', which featured live footage and music videos that starred Jackson and Joe Pesci. It debuted atop the 'Billboard' Top Music Video Cassette chart, staying there for 22 weeks. It was eventually knocked off the top spot by 'Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues'. In 1989, his annual earnings from album sales, endorsements, and concerts was estimated at $125 million for that year alone.

The nickname was popularized by Elizabeth Taylor when she presented him with the Soul Train Heritage Award in 1989, proclaiming him "the true king of pop, rock and soul." President George H. W. Bush presented him with The White House's special" Artist of the Decade."From 1985 to 1990, he donated $500,000 to the United Negro College Fund, and all of the profits from his single" Man in the Mirror "went to charity. Jackson's live rendition of" You Were There "atSammy Davis Jr.'s 60th birthday celebration received an Emmy nomination. In the United States, the album's first single" Black or White "was its biggest hit, reaching number one on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 and remaining there for seven weeks, with similar chart performances worldwide. In the UK and other parts of Europe," Heal the World " was the biggest hit from the album; it sold 450,000 copies in the UK and spent five weeks at number two in 1992. He sold the broadcast rights to his 'Dangerous' world tour to HBO for $20 million, a record-breaking deal that still stands. Following the illness and death of Ryan White, Jackson helped draw public attention to HIV/ AIDS, something that was still controversial at the time. He publicly pleaded with theClinton Administration at Bill Clinton's Inaugural Gala to give more money to HIV/AIDS charities and research.

In a high-profile visit to Africa, Jackson visited several countries, among them Gabon and Egypt. His first stop to Gabon was greeted with a sizable and enthusiastic reception of more than 100,000 people, some of them carrying signs that read, " Welcome Home Michael." A year after Jackson met the boy, Evan administered sodium amytal to Jordan, a controversial sedative. Under influence of the drug, Jordan told his father that Jackson had touched his penis. The Chandlers initially wanted a payment, but Jackson refused, however due to deteriorating health he could not endure a long trial 'like O.J.'. Both parties engaged in unsuccessful negotiations to reach a financial settlement. Jordan told a psychiatrist and later police that he and Jackson had engaged in acts of kissing, masturbation and oral sex, as well as giving a detailed description of what he alleged were the singer's genitals.

The father was tape-recorded discussing his intention to pursue charges, where he said, "If I go through with this, I win big-time. There's no way I lose. I will get everything I want and they will be destroyed forever ... Michael's career will be over". In the same conversation, when asked how this would affect his son, Chandler replied, "That's irrelevant to me...It will be a massacre if I don't get what I want. It's going to be bigger than all us put together...This man Jackson is going to be humiliated beyond belief...He will not sell one more record". The recorded conversation was a critical aspect of Jackson's defense against the upcoming allegation made against him. He and his supporters argue that he was the victim of a jealous father whose only goal was to extort money from the singer. Jackson agreed to a 25-minute strip search, conducted by police and doctors at his ranch, required to see if a description provided by Jordan of Jackson's genitals was accurate. Doctors concluded there were strong similarities, but it was not a definitive match. His friends said he never recovered from the humiliation. He described the search in an emotional public statement, and proclaimed his innocence. On January 1, 1994, Jackson's insurance company settled with the Chandlers out of court for $22 million, after which Jordan stopped co-operating regarding criminal proceedings. Jackson was never charged, and the state closed its criminal investigation, citing lack of evidence.

In May 1994, Jackson married singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley. They had first met in 1975, during one of Jackson's family engagements at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, and were reconnected through a mutual friend in early 1993. They stayed in contact every day over the telephone. As the child molestation accusations became public, Jackson became dependent on Presley for emotional support; she was concerned about his faltering health and addiction to drugs. Presley explained, " I believed he didn't do anything wrong and that he was wrongly accused and yes I started falling for him. I wanted to save him. I felt that I could do it." In a phone call he made to her, she described him as high, incoherent and delusional. At the time, the tabloid media speculated that the wedding was a ploy to prop up Jackson's public image. Jackson and Presley divorced less than two years later, remaining friendly.

In 1995, Jackson merged his ATV Music catalog with Sony's publishing division creating Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Jackson retained half-ownership of the company, earned $95 million upfront as well asthe rights to even more songs. He then released the double album 'HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I'. The first disc, 'HIStory Begins', was a 15-track greatest hits album, and was later reissued as 'Greatest Hits â€" HIStory Vol. I' in 2001, while the second disc, 'HIStory Continues', contained 15 new songs. The album debuted at number one on the charts and has been certified for seven million shipments in the US. It is the best-selling multiple-disc album of all-time, with 20 million copies (40 million units) sold worldwide. 'HIStory' received a Grammy nomination forAlbum of the Year. "You Are Not Alone" was the second single released from 'HIStory'; it holds the 'Guinness World Record' for the first song ever to debut at number one on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 chart. "Earth Song" was the third single released from 'HIStory', and topped the UK singles chart for six weeks over Christmas 1995; it sold a million copies, making it Jackson's most successful single in the UK.

During the Australian leg of the HIStory World Tour, Jackson married dermatology nurseDeborah Jeanne Rowe on November 14, 1996 in an impromptu ceremony close to his Sydney hotel room. She gave birth to Michael's first two children: a son named Michael Joseph Jr (commonly known as Prince), and a daughter, Paris-Michael Katherine. Rowe and Jackson first met in the mid-1980s, when Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo. She spent many years treating his illness as well as providing emotional support. They built a strong friendship, then became romantically involved. Originally, there were no plans to marry, but following Rowe's first pregnancy, Jackson's mother intervened and persuaded them to do so. The couple divorced in 1999 but remained friends, and Rowe gave full custody of the children to Jackson. In the US, the album was certified platinum, but only reached number 24. Later that month, Jackson organized a set of "Michael Jackson & Friends" benefit concerts in Germany and Korea. Other artists involved includedSlash,The Scorpions, Boyz II Men, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, A. R. Rahman,Prabhu Deva Sundaram, Shobana Chandrakumar, Andrea Bocelli and Luciano Pavarotti. The proceeds went to the "Nelson Mandela Children's Fund", theRed Cross and UNESCO.

In October 2001, Jackson released 'Invincible'. This was his first full-length album in six years, and it turned out to be the last album of new material he released while still alive. The release of the album was preceded by a dispute between Jackson and his record label, Sony Music Entertainment.

Jackson had expected the licenses to the masters of his albums to revert to him sometime in the early 2000s. Once he had the licenses, he would be able to promote the material however he pleased and he would also be able to keep all the profits. However, due to various clauses in the contract, the revert date turned out to be many years away. Jackson discovered that the attorney who represented him in the deal was also representing Sony. The show also featured performances by Mýa,Usher, Whitney Houston, 'N Sync, Destiny's Child,Monica, Luther Vandross, and Slash, among other artists. However, the sales for 'Invincible' were lower than those of his previous releases, due in part to a lack of promotion, no supporting world tour and the label dispute. The album also came out at a bad time for the music industry in general. He charged that Mottola had called his colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger". Sony refused to renew Jackson's contract, and claimed that a $25 million promotional campaign had failed because Jackson refused to tour in the United States.

Jackson's third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (nicknamed "Blanket") was born in 2002. The mother's identity is unknown, but Jackson has said the child was the result of artificial insemination from asurrogate mother and his own sperm. In November of that year, Jackson brought his newborn son onto the balcony of his room at the Hotel Adlon in Berlin, as fans stood below, holding him in his right arm, with a cloth loosely draped over the baby's face. The baby was briefly extended over a railing, four stories above ground level, causing widespread criticism in the media. Jackson later apologized for the incident, calling it "a terrible mistake". Sony released a compilation of Jackson'shits on CD and DVD. In the US, the album was certified platinum by the RIAA; in the UK it was certified for shipments of at least 1.2 million units.

In a series of interviews with Martin Bashir, broadcast in 2003, as 'Living with Michael Jackson', Jackson was seen holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with Gavin Arvizo, 13, who later accused him ofsexual abuse. Shortly after the documentary aired, Jackson was charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts ofadministering an intoxicating agent in relation to Arvizo. After the trial, in a highly publicized relocation he moved to the Persian Gulf island of Bahrain, as a guest ofSheikh Abdullah.

Reports of financial problems for Jackson became frequent in 2006, after the closure of the main house on the Neverland Ranch as a cost-cutting measure. One prominent financial issue concerned a $270 million loan secured against his music publishing holdings. After delayed repayments on the loan, a refinancing package shifted the loans from Bank of America to debt specialistsFortress Investments. A new package proposed by Sony would have had Jackson borrow an additional $300 million and reduce the interest rate payable on the loan, while giving Sony the future option to buy half of Jackson's stake in their jointly owned publishing company (leaving Jackson with a 25% stake). Despite these loans, according to Forbes, Jackson was still making as much as $75 million a year from his publishing partnership with Sony alone.

Jackson was awarded theDiamond Award on November 15, 2006, for selling over 100 million albums, at the World Music Awards. In late 2006, he agreed to share joint custody of his first two children with ex-wife Debbie Rowe. Jackson and Sony boughtFamous Music LLC from Viacom in 2007. This deal gave him the rights to songs by Eminem, Shakira and Beck, among others.

The 25th anniversary of 'Thriller' was marked by the release of 'Thriller 25', recorded in Ireland, it featured the previously unreleased song "For All Time" and re-mixes. Two remixes were released as singles to moderate success: "The Girl Is Mine 2008" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008". 'Thriller 25' sold well as a re-issue, peaking at number one in eight countries and Europe. In 12 weeks 'Thriller 25' sold over three million copies worldwide. To celebrate Jackson's 50th birthday, Sony BMG released a series of compilation albums called 'King of Pop'. 'King of Pop' did reach the top 10 in most countries where it was issued, and also sold well as an import in other countries.

Fortress Investments threatened to foreclose on Neverland Ranch, which Jackson used as collateral for loans running into many tens of millions of dollars. However, Fortress opted to sell Jackson's debts toColony Capital LLC. In November, Jackson transferred Neverland Ranch's title to Sycamore Valley Ranch Company LLC, which was a joint venture between Jackson and Colony Capital LLC. This deal cleared Jackson's debt, and he reportedly even gained an extra $35 million from the venture. At the time of his death, Jackson still owned a stake in Neverland/Sycamore Valley, but it is unknown how large that stake was.

In September 2008, financial concerns prompted Jackson to enter negotiations withJulien's Auction House to display and auction a large collection of memorabilia amounting to approximately 1390 lots. The auction was scheduled to take place between April 22 and April 25. Though an exhibition of the lots opened on 9900 Wilshire Blvd between April 14 and 25, the auction was eventually cancelled at Jackson's request.

In March 2009, Jackson announced in a press conference at London'sO2 arena that he would perform there in major comeback concerts titledThis Is It. The shows were to be Jackson's first major series of concerts since the HIStory World Tour finished in 1997, and had been cited as one of the year's most important musical events with over one million people attending in total. Jackson suggested possible retirement after the shows; in his own words it would be his "final curtain call". Although initially a 10 date concert, it was increased to 50 dates after record breaking ticket sales. Jackson rehearsed in Los Angeles in the weeks leading up to the tour under the direction of choreographer/director Kenny Ortega. The concerts would have commenced on July 13, 2009 and finished on March 6, 2010. Less than three weeks before the first show was due to begin in London and with all concerts being sold out, Jackson died of a cardiac arrest. AEG Live, the concert promoters, released a promotional video that took up an entire commercial break, setting a record for ITV. According to Jackson's website, ticket sales for the concerts broke several records. Randy Phillips, president and chief executive of AEG Live, stated that the first 10 dates alone would have earned the singer approximately £50 million. Columbia Pictures made a feature documentaryconcert-film from the rehearsal and pre-recorded footage. The contract for the film stipulated that a cut of the film must be screened for Jackson's estate, which stands to receive 90 percent of the profits. A final cut was done on October 28, 2009, for a limited 2 week run in theatres worldwide.

A new single titled "This Is It" was released on October 12, 2009, with a new album of the same name, 'This Is It' which was released worldwide on October 26, 2009, and in North America on October 27, 2009, the day before the 'Michael Jackson's This Is It' documentary film, which became the highest grossing documentary or concert movie ever (more than $252 million worldwide). Two versions of the new song appear on the second "This Is It" album's first disc, which also features original masters of Michael Jackson's hits in the order in which they appear in the movie. The album's second disc features previously unreleased versions of more Jackson hits, as well as a previously unheard spoken word poem entitled " Planet Earth."

As a result of Jackson's death, he became the biggest selling albums artist of 2009 in the United States with over 8.2 million in album sales.On June 25, 2009, Jackson never woke up from his evening sleep at his rented mansion at 100 North Carolwood Drive in theHolmby Hills district of Los Angeles. Attempts at resuscitating him by hispersonal physician were unsuccessful. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics received a911 call at 12:22 p.m. (PDT), arriving three minutes later at Jackson's location. He was reportedly not breathing andCPR was performed. Resuscitation efforts continued en route to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and for an hour after arriving there at 1:13 p.m. (20:13 UTC).

The memorial was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, preceded by a private family service atForest Lawn Memorial Park's Hall of Liberty. Jackson's casket was present during the memorial but no information was released about the final disposition of the body. While some unofficial reports claimed a worldwide audience as high as one billion people the U.S. audience was estimated by Nielsen to be 31.1 million, an amount comparable to the estimated 35.1 million that watched the2004 burial of former president Ronald Reagan, and the estimated 33.1 million Americans who watched the1997 funeral for Princess Diana.

Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Mariah Carey, John Mayer, Jennifer Hudson,Usher, Jermaine Jackson, and Shaheen Jafargholi performed at the event. Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson gave eulogies, while Queen Latifah read, "We had him," a poem written for the occasion by Maya Angelou. The Reverend Al Sharpton received a standing ovation with cheers when he told Jackson's children," Wasn't nothing strange about your Daddy. It was strange what your Daddy had to deal with. But he dealt with it anyway. "Jackson's 11-year-old daughter, Paris Katherine, cried as she told the crowd," Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine ... I just wanted to say I love him ... so much."

On August 24 several news outlets quoted anonymous sources as stating that the Los Angeles coroner had decided to treat Jackson's death as a homicide; this was later confirmed by the coroner on August 28. At the time of death, Jackson had been administered propofol, lorazepam and midazolam.

Law enforcement officials are currently conducting a manslaughter investigation of his personal physician, Conrad Murray. Jackson was buried on September 3, 2009, atForest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.

On February 8, 2010, Jackson's personal physician Conrad Murray was charged with involuntary manslaughter by prosecutors in Los Angeles.Jackson's music genre takes roots in R&B, Motown, pop andsoul. He had been influenced by the work of contemporary musicians such as Little Richard, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Diana Ross, David Ruffin, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Sammy Davis, Jr., The Isley Brothers, and the Bee Gees. He was also an admirer of performers from the English music hall tradition, such as Benny Hill and Charlie Chaplin.

While Little Richard had a huge influence on Jackson,

At first, the young Michael Jackson owed his vocal technique in large part to Diana Ross. In October 1969, it was decided that Michael would live with Diana Ross. Not only a mother figure to him, he often observed her in rehearsal as an accomplished performer. He later confessed: " I got to know her well. She taught me so much. I used to just sit in the corner and watch the way she moved. She was art in motion. I studied the way she moved, the way she sang â€" just the way she was." He told her: 'I want to be just like you, Diana'. She said: 'You just be yourself.'" But Michael especially owed his 'oooh's to Diana Ross. At first, Michael almost always punctuated his verses with a sudden interjection of 'oooh'. Diana Ross used this effect on many of the songs recorded with the The Supremes, and young Michael was delighted to take ownership.

Steve Huey of Allmusic said that, throughout his solo career, Jackson's versatility allowed him to experiment with various themes and genres. Several critics observed 'Off the Wall' was crafted from funk, disco-pop,soul, soft rock, jazz andpop ballads. Prominent examples include the ballad "She's Out of My Life", and the two disco tunes "Workin' Day and Night" and "Get on the Floor". In "Billie Jean", Jackson sings about an obsessive fan who alleges he has fathered a child of hers. The anti-gang violence rock song "Beat It" became a homage to 'West Side Story', and was Jackson's first successful rock cross-over piece, according to Huey.

In 'Bad', Jackson's concept of the predatory lover can be seen on the rock song "Dirty Diana". The lead single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a traditional love ballad, while "Man in the Mirror" is an anthemic ballad of confession and resolution. He comments the album is more diverse than his previous 'Bad', as it appeals to an urban audience while also attracting the middle class with anthems like "Heal the World". 'Dangerous' contains sexually charged efforts like "In the Closet", a love song about desire and denial, risk and repression, solitude and connection, privacy and revelation.

'HIStory' creates an atmosphere of paranoia. Its content focuses on the hardships and public struggles Jackson went through just prior to its production. In the new jack swing-funk-rock efforts "Scream" and "Tabloid Junkie", along with the R&B ballad "You Are Not Alone", Jackson retaliates against the injustice and isolation he feels, and directs much of his anger at the media. In the introspective ballad "Stranger in Moscow", Jackson laments over his "fall from grace", while songs like "Earth Song", "Childhood", "Little Susie" and "Smile" are all operatic pop pieces. 'Invincible' found Jackson working heavily with producer Rodney Jerkins. It is a record made up of urban soul like "Cry" and "The Lost Children", ballads such as "Speechless", "Break of Dawn" and "Butterflies" and mixeship hop, pop andrap in "2000 Watts", "Heartbreaker" and "Invincible".

Jackson sang from childhood, and over time his voice and vocal style changed noticeably. Between 1971 and 1975, Jackson's voice descended from boy soprano to high tenor. Jackson first used a technique called the "vocal hiccup" in 1973, starting with the song "It's Too Late to Change the Time" from the Jackson 5's 'G.I.T.: Get It Together' album. Jackson did not use the hiccup techniqueâ€" somewhat like a gulping for air or gaspingâ€" fully until the recording of 'Off the Wall': it can be seen in full force in the " Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" promotional video. It contains many features of Jackson's vocal style, including the vocal hiccup he is known for.

Gritty lead vocals on the verse were displayed by the release of "Bad" in 1987 and lighter tones employed on the chorus. The turn of the 1990s saw the release of the introspective album 'Dangerous'. 'The New York Times' noted that on some tracks, "he gulps for breath, his voice quivers with anxiety or drops to a desperate whisper, hissing through clenched teeth" and he had a "wretched tone". Nelson George summed up Jackson's vocals by stating "The grace, the aggression, the growling, the natural boyishness, the falsetto, the smoothnessâ€"that combination of elements mark him as a major vocalist". Steve Huey of Allmusic observed how Jackson transformed the music video into an art form and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameo appearances; simultaneously breaking down racial barriers. According to director Vincent Paterson, who collaborated with the singer on several music videos, Jackson conceptualized many of the darker, bleak themes in his filmography.

Before 'Thriller', Jackson struggled to receive coverage on MTV, allegedly because he was African American. Pressure from CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", leading to a lengthy partnership with Jackson, also helping other black music artists gain recognition. MTV employees deny any racism in their coverage, or pressure to change their stance. MTV maintains that they played rock music, regardless of race. The popularity of his videos on MTV helped to put the relatively young channel "on the map"; MTV's focus shifted in favor of pop and R&B. His performance on 'Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever' changed the scope of live stage show; "That Jackson lip-synced 'Billie Jean' is, in itself, not extraordinary, but the fact that it did not change the impact of the performance is extraordinary; whether the performance was live or lip-synced made no difference to the audience" thus creating an era in which artists re-create the spectacle of music video imagery on stage. The choreography in 'Thriller' has become a part of global pop culture, replicated everywhere fromIndian films toprisons in the Philippines. The 'Thriller' short film marked an increase in scale for music videos, and has been named the most successful music video ever by the 'Guinness World Records'. For "Smooth Criminal", Jackson experimented with an innovative "anti-gravity lean" in his performances, for which he was granted U.S. Patent No. 5,255,452. Although the music video for "Leave Me Alone" was not officially released in the US, in 1989, it was nominated for four 'Billboard' Music Video Awards, winning three; the same year it won a Golden Lion Award for the quality of the special effects used in its production. In 1990, "Leave Me Alone" won a Grammy forBest Music Video, Short Form.

TheMTV Video Vanguard Artist of the Decade Award was given to Jackson to celebrate his accomplishments in the art form in the 1980s; the following year the award was renamed in his honor. "Black or White" was accompanied by a controversial music video, which, on November 14, 1991, simultaneously premiered in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million people, the largest viewing ever for a music video. Along with Jackson, it featured Macaulay Culkin, Peggy Lipton and George Wendt. It helped usher in morphing as an important technology in music videos."was shot primarily in black and white, and at a cost of $7 million." Remember the Time "was an elaborate production, and became one of his longest videos at over nine minutes. Set in ancient Egypt, it featured groundbreaking visual effects and appearances by Eddie Murphy,Iman and Magic Johnson, along with a distinct complex dance routine. The video for" In the Closet "was Jackson's most sexually provocative piece. It featured supermodel Naomi Campbell in a courtship dance with Jackson. The video was banned in South Africa because of its imagery. The song and its accompanying video are a response to the backlash Jackson received from the media after being accused of child molestation in 1993. A year later, it won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form; shortly afterwards 'Guinness World Records' listed it as themost expensive music video ever made at a cost of $7 million." Earth Song " was accompanied by an expensive and well-received music video that gained a Grammy nomination for Best Music Video, Short Form in 1997. The video had an environmental theme, showing images of animal cruelty, deforestation, pollution and war. Using special effects, time is reversed so that life returns, wars ends, and the forests re-grow. Released in 1997 and premiering at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival, 'Ghosts' was a short film written by Jackson and Stephen King and directed by Stan Winston. The video for 'Ghosts' is over 38 minutes long and holds the 'Guinness World Record' as the world's longest music video.

Phillip Bloch said " Michael Jackson was not influenced by fashion, fashion was influenced by him." From early on Jackson was described as a person with an utterly unique sense of style wearing fringed shirts, platform heels, and wide bell-bottom pants with a "Huggy Bear" inspired hat to top off his look. During 'Off The Wall', he would update his style wearing tuxedo jackets, pegged pants, thick white socks with black shiny loafers, instantly giving a classic look, new flair, and originality bringing in the start of his iconoclastic style. During the 'Thriller' era Jackson would become a fashion icon and bring about the popularity of items that he wore in his music videos, at award ceremonies, and on stage performances such as his Beat It red jacket, aviator sunglasses, military jackets, jheri curl, high pants with white glittering socks, the Billie Jean black jacket, his black fedora hat, and most famously his glittering white glove that he first wore on the Motown 25 special.

Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, Jackson began to wear his iconic military-influenced outfits in silver, with his trademark armbands, during the Bad Tour. He would continue to perform in these outfits this time in gold during the Dangerous Tour, and during the HIStory Tour, where he wore a more futuristic military space outfit. Towards the mid and late 1990s, Jackson embraced a softer look wearing mostly lightweight flowy shirts and even appearing bare chested; though he occasionally reverted to his military inspired outfits. During his trials throughout the later years, Jackson wore a surgical mask and carried an umbrella to protect him from the sun. He was subsequently criticized by the media and legal analysts in the 2005 child abuse trial for not dressing in a manner appropriate for a court appearance. Mary Fulginiti Jenow, a former federal prosecutor who is now a criminal defense lawyer described Jackson as looking ready to " break out into the moonwalk." During his final public appearance at Ed Hardy's designer Christian Audigier birthday party, Jackson and Audigier began talks and later started to work together on a clothing line that would be composed of items such as red jacket with Jackson's portrait on it, a black leather belt with large buckle reading 'BAD,' silver socks, silver gloves, and an umbrella. Audigier is said to be busy putting together the final pieces of the brand.

Jackson's creative sense of style has also made a huge impact on the younger generation. He has been described as having an innovative sense of style that impacted the trendsetters of today who mimmick his fashion likeUsher,Chris Brown, Beyonce, Rihanna, Kanye West, and many others. His style has inspired the fashion-forward for two decades and continues to do so.

On November 24, 2009, some of Michael Jackson's memorabilia was auctioned in New York including the Rhinstone Glove used during his first moonwalk performance, which his auctioned off for $350,000, nine times its expected price, to Hoffman Ma of Hong Kong, a Chinese businessman. Among other items were a 1989 "Bad" tour jacket which sold for $225,000 and a fedora hat which sold for $22,000.Jackson throughout his career transformed the art of the music video and paved the way for modern pop music. Jackson's work, distinctive musical sound and vocal style have influenced scores ofhip hop,rock,pop andR&B artists, including Beyonce, Mariah Carey,Usher,Chris Brown, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, 50 Cent,The Game, Green Day, Fall Out Boy, Miley Cyrus, John Mayer, Lenny Kravitz, and R. Kelly. Jackson's music and videos, such as 'Thriller', helpedbreak down racial barriers when first shown on MTV, putting the relatively new channel on the map, changing its focus fromrock to pop music and R&B, and therefore shaping it to what it is today. Jackson remained a staple on MTV through the '90s. Brazilian journalist Sergio Martins, in his article about the artist and his death in 'Veja' magazine, wrote that after Jackson's work being a versatile dancer became a must for subsequent male stars of pop music. Michael Jackson, along with his musical style and videos, have gone onto become pop culture phenomenons.

Michael Jackson was inducted onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1984. Throughout his career he received numerous honors and awards, including the World Music Awards' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium, the American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award and theBambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award. He was a double-inductee of theRock and Roll Hall of Fame, once as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1997 and later as a solo artist in 2001. Jackson was also an inductee of theSongwriters Hall of Fame in 2002., 15 Grammy Awards (including the "Living Legend Award" and the "Lifetime Achievement Award"), 26 American Music Awards (24 only as a solo artist, including one for "artist of the century")â€"more than any artistâ€", 13number one singles in the US in his solo careerâ€"more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era

â€"and estimated sales of up to 750 million records worldwide, making him theworld's best selling male solo pop artist.

He was characterized as "an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the tools to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility and loads of sheer star power". In late 2007, Jackson said the following of his work and future influence, " Music has been my outlet, my gift to all of the lovers in this world. Through it, my music, I know I will live forever."

His total lifetime earnings from royalties on his solo recordings and music videos, revenue from concerts and endorsements have been estimated at $500 million; some analysts have speculated that his music catalog holdings could be worth billions of dollars. This speculation however is contradicted by financial documents obtained by the Associated Press, which showed that as of March 31, 2007, Jackson's 50 percent stake in the Sony/ATV Music Publishing catalog (his most prized asset) was worth $390.6 million and Michael Jackson's net worth was $236 million. As one of the world's most famous men, Jackson's highly publicized personal life, coupled with hissuccessful career, made him a part of popular culture for the last four decades.

Shortly after his death on June 25, 2009, MTV briefly returned to its original music video format to celebrate and pay tribute to his work. The channel aired many hours of Jackson's music videos, accompanied by live news specials featuring reactions from MTV personalities and other celebrities. The temporary shift in MTV's programming culminated the following week with the channel's live coverage of Jackson's memorial service. At the memorial service on July 7, 2009, founder of Motown Records Berry Gordy proclaimed Jackson as " the greatest entertainer that ever lived."

On December 29, 2009 the American Film Institute recognized Jackson's passing as a "moment of significance" saying, " Michael Jackson's sudden death in June at age 50 was notable for the worldwide outpouring of grief and the unprecedented global eulogy of his posthumous concert rehearsal movie 'This is It'.