Birth name: Michael Joseph Jackson, Born August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, U.S. Michael Joseph Jackson was an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actor, choreographer, poet, businessman, philanthropist and record producer. Referred to as the King of Pop. His unrivaled contribution to music, dance and fashion, and a much-publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades.
The 1982 album Thriller became the best-selling album of all time, having sold more than 110 million copies worldwide.
The video for "Thriller" is the only music video inducted into the national film registry in the Library of Congress where induction are preserved forever. He was the first African American artist to amass a strong crossover following on MTV.
Jackson died on June 25, 2009 from a drug overdose, amidst preparations for a series of concerts entitled This Is It.
In March 2010, Sony Music Entertainment signed a $250 million deal with Jackson's estate to retain distribution rights to his recordings until 2017 and release seven posthumous albums over the next decade.
