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US/Jackson
The King of Pop
Article published on the 2009-06-26 Latest update 2009-06-29 08:39 TU
Pop singer Michael Jackson performing in Munich 27 June 1999
(Photo: Reuters)
1958 Michael Jackson is born, the seventh of nine children, in Gary, Indiana on 29 August.
1962 The Jackson Five begins with Jackie, Jermaine, Tito, Marlon and with Michael on lead vocals.
1969 "I want you back" is a hit for the Jackson Five and a contract with Tamla Motown follows.
1970 Jackson begins solo career.
1979 Having moved from Motown to Epic, he releases Off the Wall with production by Quincy Jones. It sells 11 million copies.
1982 The world’s top-selling album of all time, Thriller, is released and goes on to sell at least 50 million copies and spend 37 straight weeks at the top of the charts.
1985 Jackson spends 47.5 million dollars to buy the rights to all the Lennon-McCartney songs, outbidding Paul McCartney.
1985 Writes "We are the World" as part of the charity pop event that will later bring about Live Aid.
1987 Bad is released and sells 20 million copies. It signals the end of his collaboration with producer Quincy Jones.
1991 Dangerous is released and sells 21 million copies.
1993 Jackson is accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy. The father settles out of court.
1994 Marries Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley.
1995 HIStory, past, present, future is released.
1996 Divorces Lisa Marie and marries Debbie Rowe.
1999 Second divorce with custody of the children going to Jackson.
2001 Invincible is released and sells 2.1 million copies.
2002 Is criticised for dangling nine-month-old son from the window of a Berlin hotel.
2003 Jackson is arrested on charges of sexual abuse and intoxication of a minor. He is acquitted of all charges two years later.
2003 Settles out of court when manager brings a 13-million-dollar lawsuit for back salary. Sotheby's auction house sues for non-payment for two paintings.
March 2009 Facing bankruptcy, Jackson announces 50 concerts in London from July 2009 to March 2010. The planned concerts, his first in ten years, sell out.
25 June 2009 Jackson dies from heart failure in Los Angeles and the news is reported on the web within minutes. Google News gets so many enquiries it believes it is under attack by automated software. French President Nicolas Sarkozy says he will always remember the first time he saw Jackson doing the moonwalk and, in Britain, the Foreign Office denies media reports that Foreign Secretary David Miliband had twittered a reaction ending "RIP Michael".
