Michael Jackson

"The meaning of life is contained in every single expression of life."

• Born Michael Joseph Jackson on Aug. 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana. Died June 25, 2009

• While Michael Jackson had a Top 5 album and No. 1 hit on his hands with his second solo album, 1972's Ben and its title track, it was 1979's chart-topper "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" from his third album, Off The Wall, that cemented Jackson in the pop stratosphere. Released in 1982, Thriller marked his first No. 1 album, and it stayed there for an unprecedented 37 weeks.

• Jackson earned his first career GRAMMY at the 22nd GRAMMY Awards when "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" won for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male. Jackson graced the GRAMMY stage once in 1988 at the 38th GRAMMYs, performing "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Man In The Mirror."

• At the 26th GRAMMY Awards in 1984, Jackson became the first artist to win eight GRAMMYs in one night, a feat that has only been tied one other time when Santana won eight GRAMMYs for 2000.

• Jackson was honored with The Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010, and the prestigious GRAMMY Legend Award in 1993.

• Michael Jackson is best remembered for his 1985 African famine relief efforts through the song "We Are The World" and the charity USA For Africa. He also introduced millions to the missions of the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Michael Jackson Bio

About Michael Jackson

Born Michael Joseph Jackson on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, Michael Jackson became one of the most celebrated and influential artists in the history of recorded music. Over a career spanning more than four decades, he earned 13 Grammy Awards from 38 nominations — including the historic distinction of winning eight Grammys in a single night, a record set at the 26th Grammy Awards in 1984 that has never been surpassed.

Early Life and the Jackson 5

Michael Jackson began performing professionally at age six as the lead vocalist of the Jackson 5, a family group that also included brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon. Signed to Motown Records in 1969, the group achieved immediate commercial success, scoring four consecutive number-one singles with "I Want You Back," "ABC," "The Love You Save," and "I'll Be There." The Jackson 5's blend of soul, pop, and R&B set the template for Michael's own artistic approach — infectious melodies, precise choreography, and an emotional vocal delivery beyond his years.

In 1975, the group transitioned to Epic Records and rebranded as The Jacksons, continuing to record and tour. By this time, Michael had already begun carving out a parallel solo career, releasing several albums through Motown that charted steadily if not spectacularly.

Breakthrough: Off the Wall and Solo Stardom

The pivotal moment in Michael Jackson's solo journey came in 1979 with Off the Wall, produced by Quincy Jones. The album was a creative and commercial leap — sophisticated, funky, and emotionally nuanced in ways that separated it from the teen-pop of his earlier work. It produced four Top 10 singles, including the Grammy-winning "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," which earned Jackson his first Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male at the 22nd Grammy Awards in 1980.

Off the Wall was a statement of artistic maturity, but it was also a preview of something far bigger to come.

Thriller: The Best-Selling Album of All Time

Released in November 1982, Thriller is the best-selling album in history, with estimated worldwide sales exceeding 66 million copies. Produced again by Quincy Jones, the album was a genre-defying work that drew from pop, rock, R&B, funk, and post-disco — with contributions from Eddie Van Halen on guitar and Paul McCartney as a duet partner.

Its singles were ubiquitous: "Billie Jean," "Beat It," "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," "Human Nature," "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)," and the title track all became cultural touchstones. The 14-minute short film for "Thriller," directed by John Landis, transformed the music video into an art form and is still considered the most influential music video ever made.

At the 26th Grammy Awards in 1984, Thriller swept the ceremony. Jackson won eight awards in a single night — Album of the Year, Record of the Year ("Beat It"), Best Male Pop Vocal Performance ("Thriller"), Best Male R&B Vocal Performance ("Billie Jean"), Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male ("Beat It"), Best R&B Song ("Billie Jean"), Best Recording for Children (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial), and Producer of the Year (shared with Quincy Jones). No artist had ever won eight Grammys in one night before, and only Carlos Santana has since matched that total, at the 42nd Grammy Awards in 2000.

Bad, the Grammy Legend Award, and Global Touring

In 1987, Jackson released Bad, his third studio collaboration with Quincy Jones. The album spawned five consecutive number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 — a feat that had never been achieved from a single album before. "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," "Bad," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Man in the Mirror," and "Dirty Diana" all topped the charts. The accompanying Bad World Tour ran from 1987 to 1989 and remains one of the highest-grossing concert tours of all time.

At the 30th Grammy Awards in 1988, Jackson received nominations for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for tracks from Bad, and he performed "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Man in the Mirror" live on the Grammy stage — one of his few Grammy telecast appearances.

In 1993, the Recording Academy honored Jackson with the Grammy Legend Award, recognizing his extraordinary contributions to the music industry over the course of his career.

Dangerous, HIStory, and Later Work

Jackson's 1991 album Dangerous marked a creative shift toward harder-edged new jack swing production, helmed by Teddy Riley and collaborators. "Black or White," "Remember the Time," and "Heal the World" became global hits. The album earned nominations at the 35th Grammy Awards in 1993, including Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Black or White" and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Jam."

His 1995 double album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I — part greatest hits, part new material — was one of the best-selling albums of the decade. The duet "Scream," recorded with sister Janet Jackson, won the Grammy for Best Music Video at the 38th Grammy Awards in 1996, with the accompanying video directed by Mark Romanek widely praised as a landmark in the form.

Lifetime Achievement and Legacy

Following his death on June 25, 2009, the Recording Academy honored Michael Jackson with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at the 52nd Grammy Awards in 2010, recognizing his unparalleled impact on music and popular culture.

His legacy endures across every dimension of the industry he helped shape. He pioneered the music video as a storytelling medium, introduced the moonwalk to the world during a 1983 Motown 25 television special, and broke racial barriers on MTV at a time when Black artists rarely received airplay on the channel. His influence is audible in virtually every genre of contemporary pop, R&B, and dance music.

Michael Jackson's 13 Grammy wins across categories spanning pop, R&B, rock, children's music, and music video reflect the singular breadth of his artistry — a body of work that transcended genre, era, and geography to reach audiences in every corner of the world.

Key Grammy Milestones

• 1980 — First Grammy win: Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male ("Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"), 22nd Grammy Awards
• 1984 — Historic 8 Grammy wins in one night for Thriller, 26th Grammy Awards
• 1988 — Live Grammy performance of "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Man in the Mirror," 30th Grammy Awards
• 1993 — Grammy Legend Award, 35th Grammy Awards
• 1996 — Grammy win for Best Music Video ("Scream" with Janet Jackson), 38th Grammy Awards
• 2010 — Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, 52nd Grammy Awards

Total Grammy Wins: 13 | Total Nominations: 38