Michael Jackson dead R I P 1958...2009

1958
Michael Joseph Jackson is born August 29, in Gary, Indiana, USA.

1962
Joe, Michaels father, organises a family musical group it eventually becomes the Jackson 5

1970
The Jackson 5 release I Want You Back, ABC, The Love You Save and I'll Be There they all top the charts

1972
Michael Jackson scores his first number 1 single as a solo artist with Ben he also earns an Oscar nomination

1977
Jackson stars in the movie The Wiz with Diana Ross and meets Quincy Jones

1979
Jackson releases his first solo album as an adult. Off The Wall, produced by Quincy Jones goes platinum, while singles Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough and Rock With You top the charts.

1982
Jackson releases Thriller, the album goes on to become the biggest-selling album of all time, staying in the charts for 2 years and hitting number one worldwide

The Girl Is Mine a duet with Paul McCartney, Beat It, Billie Jean, Wanna Be Startin' Somethin', Human Nature and P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) all reach number one in the charts.

Michael Jackson supports the singles with amazing music videos, turning them into mini movies with narratives, best shown on Thriller, widely acknowledged as the greatest video of all time.

1983
Jackson wins 8 Grammys and becomes a spokesperson for Pepsi.

1984
Michael records his last album with the Jacksons.

1985
We Are The World is released, the single supports the all-star famine relief effort for Africa.

1986
Jackson buys a ranch in California and turns it into Neverland, an amusement park filled with rides and animals. He undergoes cosmetic surgery and gets accused of wanting to turn white as his skin gets lighter.

Wild rumours about Jacksons personal life start to surface, the media talk about hormone treatments, the star sleeping in an oxygen tent and excessive cosmetic surgery.

1987
Jacksons new album Bad is released - once again produced by Quincy Jones.

Singles I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Man in the Mirror and Dirty Diana all debut at number 1.

The world tour supporting the album becomes the highest-grossing tour of all time.

More media speculation about the stars personal life tabloids start to call him Wacko Jacko.

1991
New album Dangerous is released, first single Black Or White debuts at number one, although the video gets criticised for its violent scenes.

Following singles Remember the Time, In the Closet, Jam and Heal the World dont perform as well as expected.

1993
Jackson is accused of molesting a 13 year old boy, he denies the charges and settles out of court, paying an estimated 18 to 20 million.

1995
Michael Jackson marries Lisa Marie Presley, the marriage breaks up 19 months later.

Jackson releases HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book 1, a two-CD set featuring new material and his greatest hits, singles Scream and You Are Not Alone top the charts but the record is perceived as a disappointment.

1996
Jackson marries Debbie Rowe, over the next two years the couple has two children, son Prince Michael Jackson, Jr. and daughter Paris Michael Katherine Jackson.

1999
The couple divorce.

2001
Michael Jackson is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and holds a massive concert at Madison Square Garden celebrating the 30th anniversary of his first solo record.

Release of Invincible- the album performs well but singles You Rock My World and Butterflies disappoint and the single What More Can I Give get cancelled.

2002
Jacksons media appearances take an extreme turn when at the MTV Video Music Awards he gets a birthday cake he thinks he has won the Artist of the Millennium title.

Fans grasp in horror when he dangles his son off a balcony in Germany. He apologises the next day but his image gets more and more tarnished.

2003
The stars Neverland ranch is searched and he is arrested on charges of child molestation.

2005
Jacksons child molestation trial begins and he is acquitted on all counts.
The singer moves to Bahrain.

2009
Jackson announces his comeback with a 50 date run of shows at Londons O2 arena called This Is It.

Michael Jackson dies June 25th in California.

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