Michael Jackson: The ‘King of Pop’s’ 25 best songs ranked [PHOTOS]
Michael Joseph Jackson was born August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana. The son of Joe and Katherine Jackson made his public singing debut as part of the Jackson 5 in 1964, joining his brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon. By 1968 the group was signed to Motown and achieved worldwide success with Michael as the lead singer.
In 1971 Michael began his solo career with Motown and achieved instant success with hits like “Got to Be There,” “Rockin’ Robin” and “Ben.” By 1973, the success was dwindling and Michael’s songs weren’t charting like they used to. After taking some time to grow into a man (and an artist), Michael was signed to Epic Records and released the “Off the Wall” album in 1979. With five singles including the chart-toppers “Don’t Stop Til’ You Get Enough” and “Rock With You,” Michael had catapulted himself into a certified multi-platinum superstar.
From that point on, everything Michael touched seemed to turn to gold, platinum or diamond. His next two albums, “Thriller” and “Bad,” became two of the biggest-selling albums of all time and combined for 13 Top 10 hits from 1982 to 1989. The worldwide superstar known for his unparalleled voice, dance moves and mysterious persona was officially the “King of Pop.”
Michael’s career began to slow down in the 1990s. His albums “Dangerous” and “HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I” were still highly successful, multi-platinum chart-toppers with #1 singles like “Black or White” and “You Are Not Alone,” but his public image became tarnished with rumors and ongoing legal battles. He released what would become his final studio album, “Invincible,” in 2001 along with his last Top 10 single, “You Rock My World.”
Throughout Michael’s career he was known not only as a musical trailblazer, but an artist who transformed the visual medium of music videos as we know it. For his contributions, MTV now calls its equivalent of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Video Music Awards the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. Jackson received 13 Grammys in his career and was honored with the Grammy Legend Award, The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and Grammy Hall of Fame Honors for his albums “Thriller” and “Off the Wall.”
On June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson died at the age of 50 in Los Angeles, California. Fans around the world still celebrate him as one of the most iconic entertainers of all time and his music continues to live on. Scroll through our gallery of Michael Jackson’s 25 best songs above. This list is comprised of his work as a solo artist, not as part of The Jackson 5. It also excludes the worldwide smash hit “We Are the World,” which Michael co-wrote with Lionel Richie and recorded with various artists.