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How Michael Jackson ascended the musical Olympus, and what the king of the pop scene left behind
How Michael Jackson ascended the musical Olympus, and what the king of the pop scene left behind

Video: How Michael Jackson ascended the musical Olympus, and what the king of the pop scene left behind

Video: How Michael Jackson ascended the musical Olympus, and what the king of the pop scene left behind
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Michael Jackson is one of the most famous singers who ascended the world pedestal in the 80s, becoming the real king of pop music. He is loved and adored, he is imitated to this day, trying to cover hits and dance his famous moonwalk. And of course, like any outstanding musician, Michael has had many iconic moments in his career. Today we will tell you about a dozen of them.

1. "Thriller"

A still from the Thriller video. / Photo: google.com.ua
A still from the Thriller video. / Photo: google.com.ua

Album "Thriller" turned all the standards of commercial pop success. Released on November 30, 1982, it debuted at number one, containing seven of the top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits, including "Beat It" and "Billie Jean", as well as the impressive track of the album's eponymous title. This album made Michael the first performer to win eight Grammy Awards in one evening. Thriller remained at the top of the charts for thirty-seven weeks. And despite the fact that over time the success began to fade, he returned again a year later, after an explosive clip appeared on the screens, bearing the name of the album.

Michael Jackson and Ola Rae. / Photo: scarletboulevard.com
Michael Jackson and Ola Rae. / Photo: scarletboulevard.com

Needless to say, the dance from the video continues to inspire masses of people to try the choreography, and the album continues to be the world's best-selling album with estimated sales of around seventy million according to the Guinness Book of Records, although some estimates set a much higher figure. …

2. Billie Jean - famous moonwalker

The legendary moonwalk. / Photo: easyvoice5.ru
The legendary moonwalk. / Photo: easyvoice5.ru

On May 16, 1983, the king of pop stunned the world with a moonwalk - a sliding backward step he adopted from street dance. He made his debut in the movement, performing the song "Billie Jean" to complete the NBC Motown 25 broadcast, an anniversary tribute to the label. Although the moonwalk was seen on the streets, Michael perfected this movement, and then completely adapted it for himself, diluting it with new elements.

Moonwalk has become a signature and generation-defining dance move. In the same show, Jackson made his debut in his only white glove, inlaid with rhinestones, as well as a suit of his choice, which became his hallmark for many years.

3. Advertising Pepsi and the consequences

Michael Jackson and Pepsi. / Photo: mjvibe.com
Michael Jackson and Pepsi. / Photo: mjvibe.com

In a shocking accident, Michael's hair caught fire while filming a Pepsi commercial on January 27, 1984. The singer was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles with second and third degree burns. The moment made headlines around the world - and probably changed his life: to help him fall asleep and soothe the pain, he was given pain relievers and sedatives, which are believed to have led him to regular use and a tragic overdose.

4. Choreography

Frame from the video Beat It. / Photo: fanpop.com
Frame from the video Beat It. / Photo: fanpop.com

Singers rarely paid much attention to choreography in music videos and on stage. The same cannot be said about Michael. With his performances and movements, he literally "blew up" crowds of people, every minute gaining an increasing army of fans and admirers around the world.

Remember his hip movements and finger snapping in "Beat It"? And in "Billie Jean" he sneaks along the streets of the city, gracefully shifting his legs, and then whirls, forcing to draw the attention of the viewer on the other side of the screen. In Thriller, zombies obey him with pleasure, dancing behind the king of pop, waving their arms in sync.

Legendary 45-degree forward tilt. / Photo: lifestyle.sapo.pt
Legendary 45-degree forward tilt. / Photo: lifestyle.sapo.pt

However, it is "Smooth Criminal" that best reflects his combination of Fred Astaire, combining smooth movements that instantly give way to sharp ones. But the main feature of this number was the skillfully created 45-degree forward bend, made thanks to the patented boots with pegs that fix the dancers in the desired position.

5. Fighter for racial unity

The man in the mirror. / Photo: fanpop.com
The man in the mirror. / Photo: fanpop.com

When he wasn't dancing in his videos, Michael used art to make political and cultural statements. The video for "Man in The Mirror" from his 1987 album "Bad" contains a very oddly juxtaposed montage of world-historic events, featuring Civil Rights Movement leader Martin Luther King Jr. and children in poverty. Later in the video for his 1991 song "Black or White", new technology was used to create facial morphs for a number of people to show that all races and ethnic groups have similarities.

6. The Jackson 5 and Future Success

The Jackson 5. / Photo: google.com.ua
The Jackson 5. / Photo: google.com.ua

It's also worth mentioning that as a teenager, Michael was a Motown sensation in the 70s. A child prodigy with extraordinary charisma and natural dance talent, he led his group of brothers. With four singles topping the Billboard charts, The Jackson 5 was one of the first African Americans to gain widespread acclaim. With hits like "ABC" and "I Want You Back," Michael paved his way to worldwide fame.

7. Style and image

King of the dance floor. / Photo: boom.ms
King of the dance floor. / Photo: boom.ms

A soft felt hat, white shiny socks with black shoes, giant sunglasses, a glove - this is how he declared himself, standing out from the crowd of performers.

White glove.\ Photo: facebook.com
White glove.\ Photo: facebook.com

Whatever Jackson wore, it caused a sensation. But in some respects, his choice was practical: oversized jackets shaped his rail-thin figure, while tight black trousers accentuated the ideal poses he took in the dance.

8. Climbing the world Olympus

Conqueror of the audience's hearts. / Photo: trendsmap.com
Conqueror of the audience's hearts. / Photo: trendsmap.com

He entered the world stage on January 31, 1993. And he stood there for what seemed like an incredibly long time for a live broadcast. Michael allowed the viewer to embrace the king of pop, who had disappeared from view by 1993. But then he earned that title again with a fast-paced, story-changing TV show.

9. Charity

Michael is surrounded by children. / Photo: twitter.com
Michael is surrounded by children. / Photo: twitter.com

In 1985, Jackson used his fame for good when he and Lionel Richie co-wrote the song "We are The World" to support hunger relief in Africa. Together with producer Quincy Jones, they recorded the song with 30 of the hottest, most famous vocalists of the time, including headliners Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Billy Joel, Tina Turner and Ray Charles. Released as a single in 1985, the charity record grossed over $ 60 million under the auspices of the United States for Africa, which continues to this day. Jackson's solo on the album and his black jacket with elements of gold brocade in the video are still the highlight and hallmark of the king of the pop scene.

10. Hits for the ages

Michael Jackson: Photoshoot from The Wiz. / Photo: yandex.ua
Michael Jackson: Photoshoot from The Wiz. / Photo: yandex.ua

In 1978, the musical The Wiz marked a turning point in Michael's career. This showed his versatility and supported his post-Motown status as a national artist. While playing Scarecrow, he met Jones, who produced Wiz, and was already a major record producer, in particular Frank Sinatra. Before meeting Jones, Jackson's career floundered in his The Jackson 5.

The birth of the king of pop. / Photo: sl.odkurzacze.info
The birth of the king of pop. / Photo: sl.odkurzacze.info

But with Jones, Michael found a partner who took him to the next level. Their albums began with "Off The Wall", then "Thriller" and "Bad", since then Jackson's life has never been the same.

Continuing the theme of the stars, read about how he became one of the most successful and sought-after directors who created the fantastic Star Wars saga that went down in the history of cinema.

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