Remembering Michael Jackson: The King of Pop

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A Tribute to Michael Jackson

There are few musicians that have attained legend status in their lifetimes. First, there was Elvis. Then came the Beatles. But there was only one that was able to revolutionise the entire music industry: Michael Jackson. His name is heard all over the globe, his face is universally recognised, and his voice resonates to all corners of the world. But most importantly, his legacy will continue, even after seven years since his death. What the man has achieved and struggled with in his career, both professionally and personally, will live long in the memories of people for decades to come.

The Beginning

From very humble beginnings, Michael was the eighth of ten children. His first real taste of the music industry began as a child in the 60’s, where he and his brothers formed the Jackson 5. The family released numerous hits, including “ABC” and “I’ll Be There”. Michael was regarded as a child prodigy, and began his solo career as he began adult life.

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Picture credit: MTV

The Rise of Michael Jackson

Michael hit the ground running with his solo career, releasing the album Off The Wall in 1979, which included hits such as “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”.  The true high points of Michael’s career were to come later though.

The album Thriller was released in 1982, and the subsequent music video for the song “Thriller” defied expectations of a typical music video and captivated audiences from all around the world. The album also included other hits, such as “Beat It” and “Billie Jean”. Thriller won Michael seven Grammy’s, and skyrocketed his appeal to the global stage.

[embed width=”800″ height=”500″] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA[/embed]
In 1985, Michael mesmerised audiences when he debuted the moonwalk, and the move has been synonymous with him his entire life. He wore a black studded jacket and rhinestone white gloves during a performance of “Billie Jean”. (3:38 in video below)

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[embed width=”800″ height=”380″] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnhXbuaUbmY[/embed]

Changing appearance

Michael was always known to be wildly eccentric, and his personal life truly demonstrated that. His health issues became a popular topic in the mid-late 80’s, as his appearance changed. The reasoning behind his paler skin was a topic of much speculation, with skin bleaching and surgery being two of the possibilities that derived from the gossip. His rapid weight loss was also suspected to be a result of anorexia. Despite these health problems in the late 80’s, he still released two albums in this period, Bad and Dangerous, including tracks such as “Man in the Mirror”, “Bad” and “Black and White”.

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Image credit: ca.complex

Michael Jackson’s style

In 1993, Michael headlined Superbowl XXVII. One of the greatest performances in Superbowl history, Michael donned a black and gold military outfit with bullets crossing his body and Aviator sunglasses. This historical performance was the first time more people viewed the half-time show than the actual game.

Michael was often spotted wearing Ray-Ban sunglasses throughout his career, often wearing Aviators and Wayfarers. He would often wear the immensely popular Aviator 3025 at shows and performances too, like at the 1993 Superbowl halftime show.tribute-michael-jackson

Picture credit: Zimbio

Michael also wore prescription glasses later in his career. He had several pairs, most commonly wearing ones with oval frames or ones with rectangular frames.

Legacy

Michael Jackson will always be remembered as the most eccentric and charismatic characters in music history. His legacy on the music industry will shine on for years to come. His voice, dynamism, personality and impact on the perception of African-Americans will never be forgotten.

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Picture credit: Fanpop

Header image from wallpaperscraft.

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