Off the Wall
Released in 1979, Off the Wall was Michael's first solo album as an adult; unwittingly, it would lead to his coronation as an entertainment icon. The album produced four hit singles: the #1 "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," which also earned Michael his first solo Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance; the #1 "Rock With You"; "She's Out Of My Life," and "Off the Wall." The two #1 singles sold more than one million copies each, and Off the Wall stayed on Billboard's Top 100 Albums chart for 84 weeks (including eight months in the Top 10), selling more than five million copies in the U.S. and another three million worldwide.
Still doing double-duty as a member of the Jacksons, Michael led the group's 1980 album Triumph to platinum-plus status with the singles "Lovely One", "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Can You Feel It." The dynamic "Heartbreak Hotel," in particular, would introduce Michael's lyrical fixation with mystery, betrayal and romantic intrigue--all recurring themes in future Jackson compositions. The following year, in 1981, the Jacksons embarked on one of their most successful tours ever, a 36-city trek that grossed .5 million. The group raised more than ,000 for the Atlanta Children's Foundation during a benefit performance. Later that same year Epic released a double-album set from the tour, The Jacksons Live!
In 1982, Michael wrote and produced the Top 10 single "Muscles" for Diana Ross. He also narrated the special storybook album E.T.-The Extra-Terrestrial, which earned both Michael and Quincy Jones a Grammy for Best Children's Recording. MJ's career was as vibrant as ever; still, no one could have predicted the deluge of success to come.
Thriller
For Michael Jackson, October 1982 commenced calmly enough, at least in the musical sense. After all, the first single from Thriller, his second Epic solo album, was "The Girl Is Mine," a laid-back mid-tempo duet performed and co-writeen by Michael and Paul McCartney. The single quickly sold a million copies, clearing the launch pad for Thriller.
Thriller arrived in retail stores on December 1st, just in time for Christmas; by the year's end, it had sold more than one million units. January '83 saw the release of the album's second single, "Billie Jean." Within three weeks, the song captured the #1 R&B slot, and in just over a month topped the Pop chart as well. All hell was about to break loose.
The rock-tinged "Beat It," Thriller's third single, featured an electrifying solo by guitar hero Eddie Van Halen and was an immediate hit on AOR (Album-Oriented Rock) radio. Propelled by successful singles--and the groundbreaking "Billie Jean" and "Beat It" short films--Thriller conquers the #1 Pop Album spot on February 21st, 1983.
The flames were fanned in May when, during a reunion of the original Jacksons lineup (including Jermaine) on the nationally televised "Motown 25th Anniversary Special," Michael, alone in the white spotlight, performed "Billie Jean." This tour de force performance, featuring Jackson's now historic Moonwalk dance, was seen by more than 50 million American viewers and millions more worldwide. Following Michael's dazzling performance, sales of Thriller went through the roof.
Thriller's next single, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," went Top 5, followed by the Top 10 hits "Human Nature" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)." "Say, Say, Say"--a duet performed and written by Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney, from McCartney's album Pipes of Peace--went to #1 in December, '83.
Thriller had already sold more than 10 million copies when, on December 2, 1983, the fabled 14-minute film "Thriller" debuted on MTV. Today, "Thriller" is considered the most important clip in music video history, and not only for its state-of-the-art production. The film turned "Thriller" into the album's record-breaking sixth Top 10 single, and propelled Thriller into the Guiness Book of World Records as the best-selling album in history. Accordingly, The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller, released in December, became the largest-selling music home video ever, with more than 900,000 units sold.
Thriller generated a truckload of honors, including a record seven American Music Awards and eight Grammy Awards in 1984. Michael Jackson and Thriller also earned four Black Gold Awards, four American Video Awards, and three MTV Video Awards; Michael received the People's Choice Award for Favorite All-Around Male Entertainer.
Bad
On August 8, 1987, the single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," a duet with Michael Jackson and singer Siedah Garret, was released; its immediate acceptance at radio and retail quickly took the song to #1. On August 31, Michael's Bad album arrived in stores, with the largest advance orders for any album ever. That same day, CBS-TV aired the prime-time special "Michael Jackson: The Magic Returns," which premiered Jackson's 17-minute "Bad" short film, directed by Martin Scorsese. It was Michaelmania all over again, as Bad became the first album in history to spin off five #1 Pop singles (Dirty Diana, Man in the Mirror, The Way You Make Me Feel, Bad, and I Just Can't Stop Loving You) and the second best-selling (non-soundtrack) album in history behind Thriller. The Bad tour--Michael's first ever as a solo artist--began in Japan and hit 127 dates in 15 countries, playing to nearly five million fans. By its conclusion, in Los Angeles on January 27, 1989, the tour had set a world record gross of more than million.
It was during the astounding chart and sales performances of Bad that Michael Jackson fans and industry insiders alike began referring to the star as "the King of Pop." The general consensus, especially after the solidifying success of Bad, was that Michael had done it all--and done it bigger and better than any other entertainer. In April 1988, Michael proved that he could dominate more than music charts when his autobiography Moonwalker, edited by Jacqueline Onassis, topped the best-seller lists in both the U.S. and U.K.
Now firmly entrenched in the visual arts, Michael released the video film Moonwalker, a 94-minute fantasy of music, dance, and special effects. Like everything else Jackson had touched, it too went to #1 on Billboard's Video Sales chart, overtaking 1983's The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller as the largest selling music home video with over one million units sold. Remarkably, Moonwalker was displaced from the top slot by the May '89 video release Michael Jackson...The Legend Continues, which--with a whopping 500,000 sales--became the second all-time best-selling music video after Moonwalker.
Bad garnered its fair share of accolades. President Bush proclaimed Michael Jackson the Artist of the Decade in a White House ceremony; Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI) inaugurated and presented him with the first Michael Jackson Award of Achievement. The Bad single "Leave Me Alone" earned a Grammy Award in the Best Music Video column, and Sony Music (then CBS Records) honored Jackson as the 1980s Top-Selling Recording Artist, with sales of more than 110 million units worldwide. Indeed, by combining his Motown and Epic output with the Jacksons with his work as a solo artist, Michael Jackson could claim a staggering 210 million in worldwide record sales.
Dangerous
On September 5, 1991, MTV changed its Video Vanguard Award to the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award in the star's honor. A month later, on November 11, "Black or White" was released as the first single from Dangerous; it would hold the #1 Pop position for seven weeks. True to Michael's groundbreaking spirit, the "Black or White" short film featured a striking new visual effect called morphing. On November 14, the 11-minute "Black or White" had its worldwide television premier.
Dangerous, fueled by the #1 R&B singles "Remember the Time" (#3 Pop) and "In the Closet" (#6 Pop), and the #3 R&B hit "Jam," sold more than 17 million copies worldwide during its first 18 months. The Dangerous tour dominated every country it flew into: in Japan alone, Michael played eight sold-out shows to more than 500,000 fans.
With the dawn of the new year 1993, Michael and his music took over TV screens around the world. His shimmering January 31 half-time performance during Superbowl XXVII drew the single largest American viewing audience in television history. On February 10th, his exclusive prime-time TV interview with Oprah Winfrey was viewed by 100 million people. On February 24th, 1.2 billion vieweres around the world tuned in to the 35th Grammy Awards to watch Michael's performance and his acceptance of the Living Legend Award.
On March 9, Michael appeared on the Soul Train Music Awards, where he received the Humanitarian of the Year Award along with honors for Best R&B Single ("Remember the Time") and Best R&B Album (Dangerous). But the most exciting part of the show came when Michael, suffering from a severe ankle injury, turned the show on its ear by performing the funky "Remember the Time" from a wheelchair!
On March 19th, Michael received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hollywood Guiness Book of World Records Museum for his unprecedented achievements in the entertainment industry.
HIStory: Past Present & Future - Book 1
HIStory Begins: The Greatest Hits
Jackson presents what is without a doubt his most ambitious musical undertaking yet. HIStory: Past Present & Future - Book I is a 30-song two-CD set that not only chronicles Michael Jackson's dynamic musical career, but gives fans a fascinating listen to where he is musically in the '90s--and an exciting glimpse at his direction for the future.
HIStory Disc I is more than merely Michael Jackson's greatest hits; it is 15 of pop's biggest chart records ever, a deluxe retrospective and a virtual soundtrack for the last decade. The Epic albums from which these singles are culled forever changed the business of pop music; the songs themselves left an indelible imprint on pop culture. Meticulously remastered, the hits sound better than ever.
Included are "Rock With You" and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," the #1 singles from Jackson's multi-platinum Off the Wall, the 1979 album which marked Michael's auspicious debut as an adult solo artist. "The Girl Is Mine," "Beat It," "Billie Jean," and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" are all from the 1982 album Thriller, which--having spent 37 weeks at #1 and selling more than 44 million copies worldwide--remains the all-time best-selling album in history and the record that made Michael Jackson an international icon.
"I Just Can't Stop Loving You," "Bad," "The Way You Make Me Feel," and "Man In The Mirror" are taken from the 1987 album Bad. To date, Bad has sold more than 25 million copies worldwide, making it the second all-time best-selling (non-soundtrack) album. "Black or White," "Remember the Time," and "Heal the World" are from Jackson's 1991 album Dangerous, which has sold over 23 million copies worldwide.
HIStory Continues: The New Album
HIStory Disc II is 15 new songs produced by Michael Jackson, with 12 of the songs composed by the artist. Jackson's celebrated collaborators included the team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, David Foster, Dallas Austin, R. Kelly, Janet Jackson, MJ production mainstays Bill Botrell, Bruce Swedien and Rene, and a dazzling array of guest artists and top-notch players.
HIStory Disc II features a Michael Jackson the world has never heard before, an artist at his prolific peak. If Thriller was Michael Jackson at his most successful in terms of sheer numbers, then HIStory Disc II is Jackson turning the creative corner as a composer, producer, and arranger. His singing exudes a renewed passion, and on some tracks he even reveals his talent on keyboards and guitar. Lyrically, Michael is unusually open--and often angry. A careful listen to HIStory Disc II makes one thing immediately crystal clear: Despite his phenomenal success and unique circumstances, Michael Jackson has not lost his passion for life, his disdain for the forces of evil, or his faith in the future. He still has hit finger on the pulse of great popular music, and he's still as funky as ever.
This disk opens with "Scream," the album's first single and Michael's first-ever duet with his sister Janet. The two spew verses that condemn the pressures of society, their words driven home by a rambunctious, high-tech monster of a groove. The second single, "You Are Not Alone," was the first ever single to debut at #1 on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart. The romantic ballad begins intimately, then slowly swells into a pop love plea of anthemic proportions. The album has since produced 3 more worldwide singles ("Earth Song," "They Don't Care About Us," and "Stranger in Moscow), all of which doing extrememly well on worldwide charts. The album has officially sold nearly 14 million copies, and on top of the HIStory World Tour, described as Michael's largest and most ambitious tour yet, the album continues to sell very well after 18 months. The album is expected to last until late 1997, with additional singles being released over that time as Michael continues his HIStory World Tour.
Invincible
Invincible is an album that only goes to further prove that Michael Jackson is a true musical genius. Opening the album in true Jackson style - "Unbreakable" - he reverts back to his old formula and immediately grabs the listener. His vocals overflow with emotion on such tracks as "Heaven Can Wait" and "Speechless". Showing that Michael can still form a moving ballad with "Cry" and "The Lost Children" - he is a true ambassador for children's rights! We see an insight into his mind with "Privacy" and "Threatened" telling the people completely of how he feels. Every track shows anyone can make comebacks. 77 Minutes of pure bliss - any rumour slagging this album is completely wrong. Michael is back for good - he is Invincible! Long live the king of pop, rock, soul & R 'n'B - The King of Music!
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