The King of Pop

“Please go for your dreams. Whatever your ideals, you can become whatever you want to become.” -Michael Jackson. Throughout the years there have been many influences in today’s society through pop culture. Michael Jackson is one of the most significant icons in the world of music and has affected many generations, past and present. He is labeled as the ‘King of Pop”, a genius, a legend and an icon of his time. His legacy is priceless, with very few musicians reaching his level of fame across all parts of the world.

When America first met Jackson, he was a lovable, pint-sized pre-teen with a puffy afro and an electric voice. As for the music? Pop, rock, disco, jazz - Jackson's tunes had a little bit of everything, all swirled together and peppered with plenty of high-pitched shrieks, squeals and "Hee-hees (Rosen)." Jackson's contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades (Wikipedia). This also included his “Neverland Ranch” and the wide array of scandals from his unorthodox lifestyle. Throughout the start of his music career to his iconic performances and achievements, he has affected our culture and how we live our lives today, not only in America but through the souls of people in all societies throughout the world.

Early Life

On August 29, 1958 a legend was born in the steel town Gary, Indiana (Brumburgh). He was raised by his father Joe Jackson and mother Kathrine Jackson. The soon to be star was the eighth born within his nine brothers and sisters. His father was a former boxer and a steel worker by day, but still aided in the family's musical interest. Beginning at an early age, his father pushed hard for Michael and his brothers to succeed in music. He didn’t want to see his children struggle in life as he had. Michael’s mother also taught the children folk and religious songs, to which they began to sing along together (Biography). This set the stage for young Michael to rise to stardom.

Michael was one of the most famous child stars that has ever existed. Except, he did not have much of a childhood. His early life did not consist of playing outside, but rather being stuck inside of a recording studio, making music and practicing for upcoming shows. While completing these tasks after school for 5 hours a day, the brothers also had to deal with the mental and physical abuse from their father. If they messed up during the dance routine their father would become violent. He would beat them with a belt buckle or the cord of an electric kettle, or make them spend hours carrying cinder blocks from one side of their garden to the other when they incurred his wrath (Petridis). Out of all the brothers, Michael received the cruelest bullying. When Joe Jackson learned his teenage son was self-conscious about the size of his nose, he took to referring to him as Big Nose, an insult that haunted him into adulthood (Petridis). The torments of his father lasted from beginning to the end of Michael’s career, however, Jackson stated “You can not hurt me, I found peace within myself.”

Even though the boys endured a harsh relationship with their father, the family's strong devotion to music led them to fortune. The Jackson boys soon formed a family band, called the Jackson 5, that became a success at amateur shows and talent contests throughout the Midwest (Biography). The band included the brothers Tito, Jackie, Marlon, Jermaine and most importantly Michael. By the early 1960s, the older boys Jackie, Tito and Jermaine had begun performing around the city; by 1964, Michael and Marlon had joined in (Brumburgh). The first single the brothers produced together was “Big Boy.” With the popularity of this single, they got signed to the record label “Motown” in the year 1969. That same year they moved their family into Los Angeles to continue their work with Motown Records. During this process they started to discover Michael was a music prodigy; he had a natural talent for singing and dancing. His older brother, Jackie, told Gerri Hershey in Rolling Stone, "It was sort of frightening. He was so young. I do not know where he got it. He just knew (Biography)." By the end of the 60’s the boys were producing back to back number one hits. These songs include fan favorites like, "I Want You Back," "ABC," "Never Can Say Goodbye," and "Got to Be There."

However, the boy band they formed was not enough for Michael and his talents. His dancing and stage presence caused him to become the focus of the group (Biography). So, he then started to create a solo career for himself at the age of 13, although he still kept ties with the Jackson 5. Over a period of time Michael released 4 studio albums, while continuing to work with Motown. Jackson continued to write songs for the Jackson 5 but moved to New York City in 1978 to star as the scarecrow in a musical called “The Wiz.” While the film did not do as good as promised, it was at this time that Jackson appeared to frequently attend the Studio 54 night club. It was there where he was greatly influenced by early hip hop, changing his music and dance techniques forever.

In 1979 Jackson released his fifth solo album, which was named “Off the Wall.” It was this album that solidified him as a solo performer. The album helped Jackson move from the bubble gum pop of his youth to more mature, complex sounds (Wikipedia). While Jackson received a lot of notoriety from “Off the Wall,” he felt that it should have been more influential than it was. He was determined his next album would have a bigger impact on society. By his sixth solo album in the 1980s he became widely more popular than the brotherly group (Brumburgh). In the year 1982 he came out with “Thriller”, the sixth album, which set many records, including the most bought album of all time. As Michael Jackson once said, “People ask me how I make music. I tell them I just step into it. It is like stepping into a river and joining the flow. Every moment in the river has its song.”

Iconic

Over the course of his career, Michael Jackson became one of, if not the most iconic artists of all time. Everything from his dance moves, and his unique voice, to his thought provoking videos, proved him to be one of the most noteworthy musicians ever. As Michael Jackson said, “To live is to be musical, starting with the blood dancing in your veins. Everything living has a rhythm. Do you feel your music?”

Over Michael Jacksons prolonged career he accomplished a plethora of musical achievements. While he had no musical training and could not read or write music notation, beginning in the 1970s he made history along with his brothers. They became the first band in history to have their first four singles hit No. 1 on the charts. These songs include, "I Want You Back," "I'll Be There," "The Love You Save," and "ABC." The Jackson 5 then earned a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus, from the success of such songs. His next big achievement was when Thriller was released. It was the first album to generate seven Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and logged 37 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album sold 65 million copies and achieved a Double Diamond status in the US. In 1984 he became the first artist to win eight Grammy’s in one night. That same year, he became the only artist to win Grammy’s in the Pop, Rock and R&B Fields in the same year (Merrill). In 1988 his follow-up Bad became the first album to yield five No. 1 hits. In 1995 "You Are Not Alone" became the first single to enter the chart at No. 1 (Merrill). Over Michael’s career he accomplished a total of thirteen Grammy awards. Fittingly, they recognized the wide range of his talents. Four of the awards were for vocal performances, three for music videos, two for songwriting, and one for producing (Merrill). These records did not stop after his death on June 25, 2009 either. In the week after his death, he became the first artist to sell more than 1 million digital tracks in one week. He also became the first artist to have the three best-selling albums in the United States. Two weeks later, he became the first artist to have six of the 10 best-selling albums (Merrill). With a list of achievements such as these it is easy to see why he was called “The King of Pop”.

Michael was nothing short of a fashion icon. From his fantastical face to his fairy-dusted wardrobe, Michael had to look as superhuman as he did to match his incomprehensible talents and the enigmatic phenomenon he was (Madsen). Michael did not wear the common runway artist fashion, he had outfits custom made from personal designers along with high fashion brands. His influence on fashion can still be seen today, as modern day’s prominent musicians still often look to him when it comes to getting those attention-grabbing perfect looks. From the sparkling sequins to his red leather jacket, Jackson was always gaining the attention of people at first glance. The seemingly excessive zippers, buckles, and chains made him appear larger than life, an exceptional look for an exceptional performer. The single shining glove, when seen today, still conjures up memories of Jackson and his over the top fashion style. Jackson was always innovating, and once said, “If fashion says it is forbidden, I am going to do it.”

Michael Jackson’s vocal style also set him apart from his contemporaries. He started singing as a child, so it is not surprising that his voice changed as he grew up. Jackson was greatly influenced by Diana Ross and saw her as a mother figure. He used unique singing techniques such as the “vocal hiccup” and his gulps, shouts, and grunts were used expertly to show emotion without words. Sometimes he even distorted words to the point that they were unrecognizable. He expertly used these techniques along with his ability to tread between smoothness and aggression with his voice to achieve a singing style that was completely unique.

Michael Jackson took music videos to a whole new level. In his at the time cutting edge videos, he included choreographed dance, along with storylines and special effects. Prior to his “Thriller” album, Jackson had trouble getting his videos played on MTV. The popularity of “Billie Jean” forced MTV to play Jackson’s videos-a lot. Before Jackson came along, MTV was primarily playing rock videos. His videos helped the young MTV’s viewing figures and led to them moving away from almost rock only videos and more in favor of pop and R&B. This helped pave the way for many artists after him to get in the spotlight.

While the music video “Thriller” was named by Guinness Book of World Records as the most successful music video of all time, Jackson had many other acclaimed and innovative videos. His 1987 video “Bad” was loaded with sexual imagery and dance. While “Bad” was called infamous by some people, other people said it just added to his edgy image. His 1991 video “Black or White” and had the biggest viewing audience of all time up until that point. The video also used face morphing special effects which at the time was cutting edge technology. The video for “Scream” got a record 11 MTV Video Music Award nominations and won several categories including “Best Choreography”, “Best Dance Video”, and “Best Art Direction”. It also won a Grammy for Best Music Video. The “Ghosts” music short film held the record for the longest music video for 17 years. Jackson’s 1991 video for “You Rock My World” won an NAACP Image Award for outstanding music video.

One of the things that made Michael Jackson’s videos so amazing was his incorporation of dance. When it came to movement with the music, he was in a class all his own. Even from his youth it was obvious that his dancing talent and skills were extraordinary. Jackson’s dance style was so unique and well known that his moves became recognized throughout the entire world. In 1983, during a solo performance of “Billie Jean, Jackson made history when he premiered “the Moonwalk”. When the world saw this move, millions of hearts skipped a beat. The iconic glide backwards while simultaneously having the appearance of walking forwards, astonished people. For months, kids were sliding up and down the halls of their schools attempting to do the “Moonwalk.” Jackson’s influence did not end with this one dazzling move. There is the “Moonwalk,” followed by a spin, and then his trademark toe stand with its freeze-frame pose that made the crowd go wild (Catton). In the “Smooth Criminal” music video Jackson introduced the anti-gravity lean. This other worldly move was done feet planted flat on the floor, and keeping his body straight, but leaning forward at an impossible 45 degree angle. This feat was accomplished with the help of a pair of specially designed shoes which were designed with a bolt in the heel that lodged into the floor.

Jackson’s dancing was not just moving with the words and music; it was a major part of his performance. His slides, limb flicks, spins, then moving into a perfectly posed toe stand, made audiences go insane and ushered in a new style of live show and music video. His influence can still be seen today in performance and music videos with the sharp choreography and dance formations of modern artists. Michael Jackson once described his meaning of dance, “I love the whole world of dance, because dancing is really the emotions through bodily movement. And however you feel, you just bring out the inner feeling through your mood...people don't think about the importance of it.” However, today people see dance in a new light because of how he expressed himself.

Changing the World

Michael Jacksons influence in music, dance, and fashion were also liberating. These accomplishments alone were enough to make him a legend, but he also had a major impact on the people and world around us. Jackson's fame was not just in the United States, it was worldwide. This global influence gave people from every part of the world a sense of connection. He had a vision of peace, unity, and harmony between all people, of every county and region. This sense of oneness was a common theme in his music. His unmatched fame and recognition gave him the opportunity to spread his message to all corners of the globe. The seed of unity that he planted still grows in the hearts of millions of people in the world.

To this day many celebrities still use their fame and influence to raise awareness for causes that they see important. Their reach to audiences and their ability to share their knowledge, can be greatly attributed to Jackson. While he was not the first to use fame to promote ideas, he was one of the most successful at it. He showed how it was possible to achieve and helped lay the groundwork for all the generations that came after him.

When Michael Jackson was still a child the Civil Rights Act was passed and by law ended segregation. While this was a big step forward for minorities like him, it did not end racism. The fight for equality had a profound impact on Jackson, so throughout his career he continued the work of breaking down the still existing racial barriers. For example, the bestselling album of all time “Thriller” was so wildly popular, it granted him the ability to cross over into mainstream music. This was remarkable because he was the first black artist to do so. The album, which was released in November 1982, also allowed him to be the first black musician to appear on MTV with the song “Billy Jean.” Jackson’s music was so wonderful that no matter what race an individual was, they still enjoyed his music. It proved that race was irrelevant when it came to what good music was, and who enjoyed listening to it. As Rolling Stone’s Michael Endelman said, “It really broke down the barrier and it proved that music fans do not necessarily think in these kinds of black-and-white terms, especially when there is music that is so compelling and so great, that they did not care. They loved Michael Jackson, it did not matter what race he was.”

Michael Jacksons thoughts on race and unity was clear in his 1991 video “Black or White.” During this time racial tensions were high with the Rodney King beating and Los Angeles riots. In a part of the video Jackson travels to several different countries and dances with the unique cultures of each land. As the video continues, a sequence of various faces of people from many different parts of the world sing and morph from one to another. The lyrics culminate with the message that race does not matter. While the main theme of the song might be about unity of all races, it was not without a display of his frustrations when it came to hate and racism. Some of the lyrics address hate groups and the discrimination that was occurring in the world around him. The final part of the video is an aggressive dance without music or vocals, showing just how frustrated he was with the current climate in race relations. Michael Jackson once said, “In a world filled with hate, we must still dare to hope. In a world filled with anger, we must still dare to comfort. In a world filled with despair, we must still dare to dream. And in a world filled with distrust, we must still dare to believe.”

Not only did Michael Jackson want unity between all races, he also wanted unity between the entire human race and the earth. When it came to environmental issues he was ahead of his time. He wanted everyone to take a look around and see what the human race was doing to the planet. Jackson described how we treat our earth by stating, “Hope is such a beautiful word, but it often seems very fragile. Life is still being needlessly hurt and destroyed.” He meant by this statement that we hope for the world to be beautiful, but we still destroy our home. Through his music he drew attention to the issues of saving the environment and climate change. His 1995 music video “Earth Song” undeniably expressed his concerns. The video began with showing the beauty of nature but soon cut to the destruction that mankind was inflicting upon it. With scenes of animal cruelty and war, pollution, and clearing of rainforests, along with images of people losing their homes, he showed the error having no concern for the planet. Michael, singing the lyrics in a wasteland, showed where the human race would have to live if they continued on their course of destruction. The video ends with a sequence of cut trees standing again, animals and people coming back to life, and pollution returning to its source. These images symbolized the needs for change and to turn the clock back before it was ultimately too late. In Jackson's 2009 documentary film “This is It” Jackson says, “I love the planet, I love the trees. I have this thing for trees - the colors and changing of leaves. I love it.” “I respect those kinds of things. I really feel that nature is trying so hard to compensate for man’s mismanagement of the planet. Because the planet is sick, like a fever. If we don’t fix it now, it is at the point of no return. This is our last chance to fix this problem that we have, where it is like a runaway train. And the times has come. This is it.”

Music was only one of the tools Jackson had at his disposal when it came to raising awareness and supporting causes. With his fame also came money. He used large portions of this money to financially support certain charities and humanitarian efforts. His donations to charity are almost too many to mention, and he most likely positively affected just as many people through this support as he did through music. To name a few charities he donated to: “Atlanta Children’s Foundation,” “Mount Sinai New York Medical Center,” “Camp Good Times’ for terminally ill children,” “The T.J. Martell Foundation for Leukemia and Cancer Research,” “The United Negro College Fund,” “Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital,” and “Childhelp USA.” These are just a very small fraction of the charities he supported, and does not even take into account the numerous charities he started himself. Jackson’s list of humanitarian efforts and accomplishments are truly monumental. It was through these offerings of his time and money that he was able to touch the lives of millions and make the world a better place. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan gave Jackson awards for his charity work in helping people overcome drug and alcohol abuse. “I will never stop helping and loving people.” Michael Jackson

Conclusion

Unfortunately, Michael Jackson died on June 25th, 2009 at the age of 50. Even though he’s gone, he is still and always will be an icon, not just in America, but all over the world. His musical achievements, and stunning videos, along with his unmatched dancing style, and incomparable fashion, made him one of the most significant artists of all time. He changed the world in a multitude of ways, and also greatly influenced the artists and music today. His expressions of his desire for unity and harmony, both racially and environmentally, positively touched the lives of millions, as did his generous donations of both his time and money. From the start of his career to the finish, he has had a profound impact on the culture, world around him, and how we live our lives today. Michael Jackson has gone down in history as a genius and a legend, and truly earned the name “The King of Pop.”

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