As we approach the five-year anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death, we reflect on the ten royal accomplishments that cemented his status as the King of Pop. The music world came to a halt on June 25, 2009, when Michael Jackson’s death was announced. Jackson’s unrivaled place in music history was swiftly cemented as millions of admirers across the world mourned his passing. The GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles then rushed into action, unveiling the unique exhibit Michel Jackson: A Musical Legacy, as a follow-up to the Michael Jackson: HIStyle exhibit, which premiered in February of that year.
In 2010, during the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards, Grammy winners Smokey Robinson, Celine Dion, Carrie Underwood, Usher, and Jennifer Hudson collaborated on an all-star 3-D rendition of “Earth Song” in honor of Jackson, who was posthumously recognized with a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award that year.
With more than 75 million records sold in the United States, Jackson is ranked seventh on the RIAA’s list of the best-selling artists of all time. As we approach the five-year anniversary of Jackson’s death, we look back on the ten regal feats that cemented him as the King of Pop.
Jackson and his siblings in the Jackson 5 created history by becoming the first pop group to have their first four singles reach number one. The tracks were titled “I Want You Back,” “I’ll Be There,” “The Love You Save,” and “ABC.” The latter garnered the Jackson 5 their first GRAMMY nomination for Best Contemporary Vocal Performance By Duo, Group, or Chorus.
1982: Thriller is released.
After the release of his 1979 breakthrough album Off The Wall, Jackson released Thriller on November 30, 1982. Both albums were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008, however Thriller is usually regarded as Jackson’s most successful album. Quincy Jones and Jackson co-produced the milestone album, which became the first to yield seven Top
ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100. According to the RIAA, Thriller is tied for the best-selling album of all time with the Eagles’ Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975, having sold 29 million copies. 1983: The Moonwalk.
Jackson debuted what would become his characteristic dance routine, the moonwalk, during a performance of “Billie Jean” on the May 16, 1983, TV special “Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever” to commemorate the label’s 25th anniversary.
Later that year, on December 2, Jackson transformed the music video world forever with the premiere of the music video for “Thriller.” The nearly 14-minute epic unveiled the limitless potential of music videos while also ensuring the medium’s sustainability.
1984: Eight GRAMMYs in One Night
Jackson made history.
On February 28, 1984, he became the first musician to win eight GRAMMYs in a single night at the 26th Annual GRAMMY Awards. The King of Pop’s awards included Album of the Year for Thriller and Record of the Year for “Beat It.” Jackson is one of the musicians with the most GRAMMYs won in the 1980s, with 11. 1984: Hollywood Walk of Fame X2.
Jackson became the first celebrity to receive two stars in the same category on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Before becoming a music star as a solo performer, he made his name in cement as a member of the Jacksons (formerly known as the Jackson 5) in 1980.
In 1988, I made my GRAMMY solo performance debut.
Jackson made his solo GRAMMY stage debut on the 30th.
The annual GRAMMY Awards took place in New York on March 2, 1988. Jackson sang a medley of “The Way You Make Me Feel” and “Man In The Mirror,” which is widely regarded as one of the best GRAMMY performances ever.
1993: Grammy Legend Award. To date, only 15 people have received the prestigious GRAMMY Legend Award, a Recording Academy Special Merit Award given to individuals or organizations for their continued achievements and influence in the recording industry. Jackson became the tenth person to get this distinction in 1993.
In 1997, the Jackson 5 were inducted into the Rock Hall.
Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the first time as a member of the Jackson 5, alongside his siblings Jackie Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, and Marlon
Jackson and Tito Jackson. He was later recognized as a solo artist in 2001. 2009: 2.6 million downloads sold.
In the week following his death, Jackson became the first artist to sell over a million digital recordings in a single week. (He sold 2.6 million tracks, comfortably exceeding the previous record.) He also became the first artist to have three top-selling albums in the United States. Two weeks later, he became the first musician to have six of the top ten selling albums.
In 2014, Jackson made history yet again.
On May 21, Jackson became the first musician in history to have a Top 10 success on the Billboard Hot 100 in five distinct decades with “Love Never Felt So Good” (from his posthumous CD, Xscape) reaching No. 9.
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