Michael Jackson's Milestones
Birth
Michael Joseph Jackson born in Gary, Indiana, the eighth of ten children in the Jackson family.
Joined Jackson Brothers
Joined his older brothers' band, The Jackson Brothers (later The Jackson 5), initially playing congas and later as a backup vocalist.
Became lead singer of Jackson 5
Became a joint lead vocalist of The Jackson 5 with his older brother Jermaine, due to his exceptional vocal talent and stage presence at a young age.
Jackson 5 signed with Motown
The Jackson 5 signed with Motown Records, moving to Los Angeles. Their first four singles ('I Want You Back', 'ABC', 'The Love You Save', 'I'll Be There') all hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Released 'Got to Be There' (Solo)
Released his first solo studio album with Motown, 'Got to Be There', while still a member of The Jackson 5.
Released 'Ben' (Solo Album)
Released his second solo album, 'Ben'. The title track, a song about a pet rat, became his first solo #1 single.
Jackson 5 left Motown, signed with Epic
The Jackson 5 (renamed The Jacksons) left Motown Records for Epic Records, seeking more creative control. Jermaine stayed with Motown.
First Rhinoplasty
Underwent his first rhinoplasty procedure after breaking his nose during a complex dance routine. He would have several more cosmetic surgeries over the years.
Released 'Off the Wall'
Released his fifth solo studio album, 'Off the Wall', produced by Quincy Jones. It marked his breakthrough as a solo adult artist, spawning hits like 'Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough' and 'Rock with You'.
Released 'Thriller'
Released his sixth studio album, 'Thriller'. It became the best-selling album of all time, with estimated sales of over 70 million copies worldwide, and won a record-breaking eight Grammy Awards in 1984.
Performed Moonwalk on Motown 25
Debuted his signature dance move, the Moonwalk, during a performance of 'Billie Jean' on the TV special 'Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever', electrifying audiences.
Pepsi commercial accident
Suffered second-degree burns to his scalp after his hair caught fire due to a pyrotechnics accident during the filming of a Pepsi commercial.
Victory Tour with The Jacksons
Embarked on the Victory Tour with his brothers, which was his last tour with them.
Co-wrote 'We Are the World'
Co-wrote the charity single 'We Are the World' with Lionel Richie to raise funds for famine relief in Africa. The song became one of the best-selling singles of all time.
Second Rhinoplasty and Cleft Chin
Underwent further cosmetic surgery, including a second rhinoplasty and reportedly the creation of a cleft in his chin.
Starred in 'Captain EO'
Starred in 'Captain EO', a 17-minute 3D science fiction film shown at Disney theme parks, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by George Lucas.
Released 'Bad'
Released his seventh studio album, 'Bad', which spawned five Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles, a record for one album. The 'Bad' world tour was also highly successful.
Purchased Neverland Ranch
Purchased a large property in Santa Ynez Valley, California, which he developed into Neverland Ranch, complete with an amusement park and zoo.
Released 'Dangerous'
Released his eighth studio album, 'Dangerous', which continued his global success with hits like 'Black or White' and 'Remember the Time'.
Super Bowl XXVII Halftime Show
Performed an iconic halftime show at Super Bowl XXVII, which significantly boosted television ratings and set a new standard for Super Bowl performances.
First child molestation allegations
Faced public allegations of child sexual abuse made by Jordan Chandler. The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount, and no criminal charges were filed at the time.
Married Lisa Marie Presley
Married Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley, in a private ceremony in the Dominican Republic. They divorced in early 1996.
Released 'HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I'
Released a double album, 'HIStory', with one disc of greatest hits and another of new material often addressing the media scrutiny and allegations he faced.
Married Debbie Rowe
Married Debbie Rowe, a dermatology nurse, in Sydney, Australia. They had two children together.
Son Prince Michael Jackson I born
First child, Michael Joseph 'Prince' Jackson Jr., born to Debbie Rowe.
Inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Jackson 5)
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Jackson 5.
Daughter Paris Jackson born
Second child, Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson, born to Debbie Rowe.
Divorced Debbie Rowe
Divorced Debbie Rowe. Rowe relinquished custody rights of their children to Jackson.
Inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Solo)
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist, becoming one of the few artists inducted twice.
Released 'Invincible'
Released his tenth and final studio album, 'Invincible'. Despite some success, its sales did not match his previous albums, and disputes with Sony Music arose.
Son Prince Michael Jackson II (Blanket) born
Third child, Prince Michael 'Blanket' Jackson II (later known as Bigi), born via an unnamed surrogate mother.
Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction
Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame for his contributions to music.
Berlin 'dangling baby' incident
Caused controversy by briefly dangling his infant son, Prince Michael II, over a hotel balcony railing in Berlin in front of fans and media.
Second child molestation allegations / Trial
Arrested and charged with multiple counts of child molestation involving Gavin Arvizo. After a highly publicized trial in 2005, Jackson was acquitted on all charges.
Moved to Bahrain
Lived in Bahrain for a period as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa following his acquittal.
Announced 'This Is It' concerts
Announced a series of 50 comeback concerts, titled 'This Is It', scheduled to be held at The O2 Arena in London, beginning in July 2009.
Death
Died at age 50 in Los Angeles, California, from acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication after suffering cardiac arrest. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, was later convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
'Michael Jackson's This Is It' film released
A documentary concert film, 'Michael Jackson's This Is It', compiled from rehearsal footage for the planned London concerts, was released posthumously to critical and commercial success.