Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson

Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com

News

10 Reasons Michael Jackson Became The King Of Pop

Facebook Twitter Email
GRAMMYs
May 15, 2017 - 2:08 am

On June 25, 2009, the music world stopped spinning when news broke of the death of Michael Jackson. Jackson's unparalleled place in music history was quickly solidified as millions of fans around the world mourned the loss. The GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles subsequently sprang into action with the unveiling of the special exhibit, Michel Jackson: A Musical Legacy, which served as a follow-up to the Michael Jackson: HIStyle exhibit that opened in February of that year.

On the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards in 2010, GRAMMY winners Smokey Robinson, Celine Dion, Carrie Underwood, Usher, and Jennifer Hudson teamed for an all-star 3-D rendition of "Earth Song" in tribute to Jackson, who that year was honored posthumously with a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award.

With more than 75 million albums sold in the United States, Jackson ranks No. 7 on the RIAA's list of top-selling artists of all time. As we approach the five-year anniversary of his death, we look back on 10 royal achievements that made Jackson the King of Pop.

1970: First Four No. 1 Hits
Jackson made history with his brothers in the Jackson 5 when they became the first group in pop history to have their first four singles hit No. 1. The songs were "I Want You Back," "I'll Be There," "The Love You Save," and "ABC." The latter earned the Jackson 5 their first GRAMMY nomination for Best Contemporary Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus.

1982: Thriller Is Released
Following the release of his 1979 hit album Off The Wall, Jackson released Thriller on Nov. 30, 1982. Both albums were inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2008, but Thriller is widely considered Jackson's most successful album. Co-produced by Quincy Jones and Jackson, the landmark album became the first album to generate seven Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. With sales of 29 million copies, Thriller is tied with the Eagles' Their Greatest Hits 1971–1975 as the best-selling album of all time according to the RIAA.

1983: The Moonwalk
Jackson debuted what would become his signature dance move, the moonwalk, during a performance of "Billie Jean" on the May 16, 1983, TV special "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever" in celebration of the label's 25th anniversary.

Later that year, on Dec. 2 Jackson changed the music video world for good when he released the music video for "Thriller." The near 14-minute epic unlocked the unlimited possibilities of music video, while helping to cement the viability of the medium.

1984: Eight GRAMMYs, One Night
Jackson made history when he became the first artist to win eight GRAMMYs in one night at the 26th Annual GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 28, 1984. The King of Pop's haul included Album Of The Year for Thriller and Record Of The Year for "Beat It." Jackson is among the artists with the most GRAMMYs won in the '80s with 11.

1984: Hollywood Walk Of Fame X 2
Jackson became the first celebrity to have two stars in the same category on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Before receiving a recording star as a solo artist, he earned his name in cement as part of the Jacksons (previously known as the Jackson 5) in 1980.

1988: GRAMMY Solo Performance Debut
Jackson made his solo GRAMMY stage debut on the 30th Annual GRAMMY Awards, which took place in New York on March 2, 1988. Arguably one of the greatest performances in GRAMMY history, Jackson performed a medley featuring "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Man In The Mirror."

1993: GRAMMY Legend Award
To date, only 15 individuals have been awarded the prestigious GRAMMY Legend Award — a Recording Academy Special Merit Award that is presented to individuals or groups for ongoing contributions and influence in the recording field. Jackson became the 10th individual to earn this honor in 1993.

1997: The Jackson 5 Enter The Rock Hall
Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the first time as part of the Jackson 5 with his brothers Jackie Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Marlon Jackson, and Tito Jackson. He was later inducted 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 more than 1 million digital tracks in one week. (He sold 2.6 million tracks, easily breaking the old record.) 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.

2014: Jackson Makes History … Again
On May 21 Jackson became the first artist in history to score a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades when "Love Never Felt So Good" (from his posthumous release, Xscape) reached No. 9.

Michael Jackson's GRAMMY Moments: YouTube Playlist

 

News

Remembering Michael Jackson's Record-Setting Music Career

Facebook Twitter Email
GRAMMYs
May 15, 2017 - 2:08 am

Over the course of a four-decade career, Michael Jackson set a lot of records. In 1984 his landmark album Thriller became the first album to generate seven Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. 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.

Jackson's record-setting ways didn't stop when he died on June 25, 2009. In the week after his death, he became the first artist to sell more than 1 million digital tracks in one week. (He sold 2.6 million tracks, crushing the old record.) 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.

When Nielsen SoundScan released its final sales tallies for 2009, Jackson had four of the year's top 20 albums, a record for the SoundScan era. He also had seven of the year's top 100 albums and nine of the year's top 200 digital songs.

Jackson had Top 10 hits in each of the last five decades, which is remarkable for someone who was only 50 when he died. The Jackson 5's first hit, "I Want You Back," cracked the Top 10 the very last week of the '60s. Jackson kept his Top 10 record alive in the '00s (if just barely) when "You Rock My World" reached No. 10 in 2001.

It's extraordinary how young Jackson was when he hit it big. Before his 12th birthday in August 1970, he had sung lead on three No. 1 hits: "I Want You Back," "ABC" and "The Love You Save." (Two months later, there would be a fourth, "I'll Be There," which made the Jackson 5 the first act to top the Hot 100 with its first four hits.)

Jackson was just 12 when he first made the cover of Rolling Stone; 13 when he landed his first Top 5 solo hit ("Got To Be There"); and 14 when he sang the Oscar-nominated "Ben" on the Academy Awards.

Most of the chart records Jackson set were tied to the trio of albums he recorded with legendary producer Quincy Jones from 1979–1987. Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad sold tens of millions of copies and generated a combined total of 17 Top 10 hits.

Thriller, released when Jackson was 24, logged 37 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. That constituted the second-longest run in the top spot since the chart became a weekly feature in 1956. Only the West Side Story soundtrack had more weeks on top. (Ironically, Jackson's video for "Beat It," one of the iconic hits from Thriller, was an homage to "West Side Story.")

Jackson also set some GRAMMY records. In 1984 he became the first artist to win eight GRAMMYs in one night. (In 2000 Carlos Santana equaled the feat.) That same year, he became the only artist to win GRAMMYs in the Pop, Rock and R&B Fields in one year. (He remains one of only three artists to win in all three fields over the course of a career. The others are B.B. King and Tina Turner.)

Over the years, Jackson won a total of 13 GRAMMYs. 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. (Of the other three, two were in the general categories of Album and Record Of The Year, while one was for Best Recording For Children.)

The Recording Academy gave Jackson its GRAMMY Legend Award in 1993 and posthumously presented him a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.

Jackson's most memorable night at the GRAMMYs was Feb. 28, 1984, the year of his Thriller sweep. But a close second was March 2, 1988. He was nominated for four awards for Bad and for Producer Of The Year — and lost them all. But he still came away a winner. His tour-de-force performance that night of "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Man In The Mirror" belongs on the short list of the greatest performances in GRAMMY history.

(Paul Grein writes the weekly Chart Watch blog for Yahoo.com.)

 

News

Michael Jackson: A Pop Messiah

Facebook Twitter Email
GRAMMYs
Dec 2, 2014 - 3:22 pm

Michael Jackson photos »
Michael Jackson video »
Related news: MJ's Final Hours »
Related blog: A Record Setter »
Related blog: HISMuseum

True story. The first time I saw Michael Jackson perform, I cried.

Go ahead, laugh. But that's just how devastatingly talented Michael was. From the time he assumed the world stage 41 years ago to his tragic death last year at age 50, Michael consistently demonstrated that magical, mystical quality called "mojo." But I'm getting ahead of myself. Permit me to backtrack…

It's 1969 and I'm watching a TV variety show called "The Hollywood Palace," anxiously awaiting the television debut of the Jackson 5. After what seems like an eternity, the group is introduced and they launch into their debut Motown single, "I Want You Back." The resulting performance was positively mind-bending. Michael was just 11 years old — the same age I was — but he sang and moved with the soul, precision and confidence of a Lilliputian James Brown. The level of professionalism — dare I say, the mastery — was off the charts.

Looking back, it seems ironic that I witnessed this performance on a black-and-white television. Watching the Jackson 5 that October night, my drab world suddenly went widescreen, went Technicolor. I wasn't the only one affected. My 14-year-old sister had this fevered expression on her face that I'd never seen before. Even in my youth and inexperience, I knew that look. It was the expression of a girl consumed by the flames of sexual obsession.

And that's when the tears began to trickle. I knew that, barring a miracle, I would never annihilate a woman the way Michael did when he performed.

It's been a year since we learned of the King of Pop's death, right on the eve of a much-anticipated series of comeback concerts. Had he lived to perform those shows, I'm sure the multiple GRAMMY winner would have decimated a new generation of girls and boys. Michael possessed the same megaton talent and appeal as Elvis and the Beatles. When Michael sang and moved, you couldn't take your eyes (or ears) off of him.

Michael was transformed into a global megastar in the wake of his coming-of-age masterpieces Off The Wall and Thriller, but he was always a megastar to African-American boomers like myself. Just as Elvis and the Beatles lit fires in the hearts of suburban white kids, Michael and his brothers inspired a generation of black kids to take up music. Thanks to his influence, I learned to play the guitar. It's a gift that keeps on giving.

In death as in life, Michael's mystique just seems to grow. Nowadays I'm struck by the notion that he was a sort of pop messiah — a notion underscored by the eerie Biblical allegories of Michael's life. Born the impoverished son of a man named Joseph, Michael was a musical wonderworker who sacrificed his youth to inspire others. His career leveled off in the mid-'70s, only to stage the most successful "resurrection" in entertainment history. Many fans will argue that Michael was unjustly persecuted (i.e., "crucified") later in his career. Any mythology professor worth his or her salt would have a field day with this stuff.

I was trawling the Internet last June 25 when news broke that Michael had been rushed to the hospital suffering cardiac arrest. Even before his death was confirmed, I knew he was gone. For decades I had a premonition that Michael would die young, so when his time finally arrived there was no shock or prostrating grief, just acceptance.

Unlike that night in 1969, I didn't cry.

(Bruce Britt is an award-winning journalist and essayist. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, USA Today, San Francisco Chronicle, and other prominent publications. He lives in Los Angeles with his beloved Fender Telecaster.)

Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey

Photos: WireImage.com

List

Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, Jay-Z: 25 GRAMMY Record Setters | Black History Month

Facebook Twitter Email
From wins and nominations to momentous firsts and incredible feats, take a look at 25 GRAMMY records set by African-Americans
Paul Grein
GRAMMYs
Feb 8, 2018 - 3:50 pm

African-American artists have been making history at the GRAMMYs since the awards were first presented on May 4, 1959. Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie each took home two awards that night.

Watch: Kendrick Lamar Wins Best Rap Album

And they have continued to be at the forefront right through this year, when Kendrick Lamar scooped up five GRAMMYs (bringing his total to date to an even dozen).

To help celebrate Black History Month, here are 25 GRAMMY records set by African-American artists. Note: This isn't just a list of the first African-American winners in various categories — though those milestones are meaningful in their own right. These are instances where an African-American artist or producer set a record in competition with everybody.

1. Michael Jackson

The first artist to win eight GRAMMYs in one night: Michael Jackson (1983). In that Thriller of a year, Jackson also became the first artist to amass 12 nominations in one night.

2. Quincy Jones

Artist with the most GRAMMY nominations: Quincy Jones (79). Jones landed his first noms in 1960; his most recent in 2001.

3. Beyoncé And Jay-Z

The only couple where both individuals have received 20 or more GRAMMYs: Beyoncé and Jay-Z. At last count, she has amassed 22 GRAMMYs. He has won 21.

Beyoncé wins Best Urban Contemporary Album GRAMMY

4. Beyoncé

The youngest artist to amass 20 career GRAMMYs: Beyoncé, who was 33 when she picked up her 18th, 19th and 20th GRAMMYs at the 2014 awards. She broke a record that was held by Kanye West, who was 35 when he collected his 19th, 20th and 21st GRAMMYs at the 2012 awards.

5. Mariah Carey

The youngest artist to receive nominations in each of the four General Field categories (Record, Album and Song Of The Year and Best New Artist): Mariah Carey, who was 20 when she was nominated in all four categories for 1990. She won for Best New Artist.

6. Stevie Wonder

The only artist in GRAMMY history to win Album Of The Year with three consecutive studio albums: Stevie Wonder. He achieved this extraordinary three-peat with Innervisions (1973), Fulfillingness' First Finale (1974) and Songs In The Key Of Life (1976).

7. Stevie Wonder

The first artist to win Album Of The Year with an entirely self-produced album: Stevie Wonder (Innervisions).

8. Stevie Wonder

The youngest artist to win his third GRAMMY for Album Of The Year: Stevie Wonder, who was just 26 when he won for the third time with Songs In The Key Of Life.

Remember these Stevie Wonder's GRAMMY highlights?

9. Ray Charles

The artist with the longest span of Album Of The Year nominations: Ray Charles. His noms in the category span 43 years, from Genius + Soul = Jazz (1961) to Genius Loves Company (2004).

10. Ella Fitzgerald

The first woman to receive an Album Of The Year nomination: Ella Fitzgerald, who was nominated in 1958, the awards' first year, for Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Irving Berlin Song Book.

11. Roberta Flack

The first artist to win back-to-back awards for Record Of The Year: Roberta Flack ("The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," 1972, and "Killing Me Softly With His Song," 1973).

12. The 5th Dimension

The first group or duo to win twice for Record Of The Year: The 5th Dimension. The vocal quintet won for "Up, Up And Away" (1967) and "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)" (1969).

13. Ray Charles

The artist with the longest span of Record Of The Year nominations: Ray Charles. His noms in the category span 44 years, from "Georgia On My Mind" (1960) to "Here We Go Again," a collaboration with Norah Jones (2004).

14. Thom Bell

The first producer to win for Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical: Thom Bell (1974, the first year the award was presented).

15. Quincy Jones

The first producer to win twice for Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical: Quincy Jones. He shared his second award with Michael Jackson. Jones was also the first producer to win three times in the category.

16. Babyface

The only producer to win four times for Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical: Babyface. He shared the first of these awards with his partner, L.A. Reid.

17. Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis

The producer(s) with the most nominations for Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical: Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. The hit-making team amassed 11 noms from 1986–2005. They won the award for 1986.

18. Aretha Franklin

Most consecutive awards in any category: Aretha Franklin, eight consecutive awards for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female (1967–1974). The streak kicked off with the immortal "Respect." They don't call her the "Queen Of Soul" for nothing.

19. Ella Fitzgerald

The first woman to receive a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award: Ella Fitzgerald (1967).

20. Lauryn Hill

The first woman to win five GRAMMYs in one night: Lauryn Hill (1998). Her awards included Album Of The Year for The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill.

Lauryn Hill Wins 1999 Album Of The Year GRAMMY

21. Beyoncé

The first woman to win six GRAMMYs in one night: Beyoncé (2009). Her awards included Song Of The Year for "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)."

22. Ray Charles

Most posthumous GRAMMYs in one night (five): Ray Charles (2004). His awards included Album Of The Year for Genius Loves Company.

23. Pinetop Perkins

The oldest artist to win a GRAMMY: Pinetop Perkins, who was 97 when he won Best Traditional Blues Album for Joined At The Hip (2010).

24. Elizabeth Cotten

The oldest female artist to win a GRAMMY: Elizabeth Cotten, who was 90 when she won Best Ethnic Or Traditional Folk Recording for Elizabeth Cotten Live! (1984). (She was 26 days older than Betty White was when she won the 2011 award for Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling). Hey, days count in GRAMMY record-setting.)

25. Deleon Richards

The youngest individual artist to receive a GRAMMY nomination: Deleon Richards, who was just eight when she was nominated for Best Soul Gospel Performance — Female for her album Deleon (1985).

(Paul Grein is a veteran music journalist and historian whose work appears regularly at Yahoo.com and Hitsdailydouble.com.)

Catching Up On Music News Powered By The Recording Academy Just Got Easier. Have A Google Home Device? "Talk To GRAMMYs"

Morgan Heritage on the GRAMMYs red carpet

Morgan Heritage

Photo: Jeff Vespa/WireImage.com

News

Morgan Heritage On Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley And The GRAMMYs

Facebook Twitter Email
Reggae band's Gramps Morgan talks about the future of the reggae genre, the group's recent GRAMMY nomination and how a rock icon is inspiring his 60th GRAMMYs red carpet look
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Jan 23, 2018 - 4:47 pm

Morgan Heritage have been mixing up the magic this year, and now they have a 60th GRAMMY Awards nomination to prove it.

Meet The Nominees: Morgan Heritage | 60th GRAMMYs

The band of siblings, comprising Peter "Peetah" Morgan, Una Morgan, Roy "Gramps" Morgan, Nakhamyah "Lukes" Morgan, and Memmalatel "Mr. Mojo" Morgan, have earned their second career GRAMMY nomination for Best Reggae Album for 2017's Avrakedabra, a 12-track masterpiece that pushes the boundaries of traditional reggae.

"We look at hip-hop music and country music and rock music and as it was 40 years ago doesn't sound the same way it does today, so the genre has to grow," says Gramps Morgan. "It cannot just sound the same it sounded 40 years ago. [We] really want to be adamant to show you the music can grow while still maintaining its roots."

With tracks such as "Pineapple Wine," "Ride And Roll," "One Life To Live," and "Dancing In The Moonlight," Morgan Heritage has infused elements of funk and even dubstep into their well-worn comfort zone of roots reggae that Jambands.com called "not lit only with spiritual light, but also secular enjoyment."

While Morgan Heritage has their own prior GRAMMY moment to celebrate — they won a GRAMMY for Best Reggae Album for Strictly Roots at the 58th GRAMMY Awards — it's another seminal GRAMMY moment that stands out in Gramps Morgan's mind from watching previous telecasts.

"My favorite GRAMMY moment as a child growing up in Springfield, Mass., was when Michael Jackson won all of those GRAMMYs for 'Thriller,'" said Gramps Morgan. "You remember that blue and gold outfit, he just looked so royal, as the King of Pop should look. I remember that moment, saying, 'Wow, how can somebody win so many GRAMMYs?'"

For The Record: Michael Jackson

And this year, Morgan Heritage are looking to have a little fun while they attend the 60th GRAMMY Awards on Jan. 28 in New York, with inspiration from a surprising source.

"This year I'm trying to get a little creative," says Gramps Morgan. "I'm working with Elvis Presley's mentor, a tailor. You gotta see me on the red carpet. Make sure you're there. It's gonna be a secret. Trying to get a little creative and have fun this year."