Michael Jackson: Music Icon

Michael Jackson was unquestionably the biggest pop star of the '80s, and certainly one of the most popular recording artists of all time. In his prime, Jackson was an unstoppable dynamo, possessed of all the tools to dominate the charts almost at will: an instantly identifiable voice, jaw-dropping dance moves, stunning musical versatility, and loads of sheer star power.

With stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced many hip hop- pop and contemporary R&B artists. With that accomplishment, Jackson became the first solo artist to have four Top Ten hit singles in the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart from a single album. The album went on to sell over 20 million copies worldwide, establishing Jackson as a musical force without his brothers.

Born to a working-class family with an ill-tempered, authoritarian father, Michael and his siblings were raised as Jehovah's Witnesses. Having shown a deep interest in music and dancing since his very early years, Michael and his siblings would sneak out of the house to practice music at their neighbor's house. Born not just to celebrity, but to stardom, Michael Jackson never knew what it was like to live normally, or even behave normally. He was drafted into the family's musical act, the Jackson 5, while in elementary school, and taken to Motown records.

With more than $85 million already in the bank from ticket sales for the London shows, Jackson's death could have massive repercussions for AEG Live. The producer-promoter footed the bill for a $20 million production, and Jackson's take on ticket sales alone was estimated to be over $50 million. With "Off the Wall" and large portions of the more calculated but still thrilling "Thriller" (1982), Jackson took artistic risks that paid off handsomely in commercial success. His music felt daring, provocative and exuberant, crossing lines of gender and genre. Within minutes of Jackson's arrival by ambulance at UCLA Medical Center, people began arriving by the hundreds outside. As word spread that he was dead, people burst into tears.

Michael Jackson was a great talent - his music has been a part of my life since the very beginning of his career. His contribution to the music industry will be sorely missed. Michael Jackson was a legendary icon and is someone I feel like I’ve grown up with from childhood. His music influenced everything we hear today, the first black star to hit MTV, he was truly the greatest performing artist of my lifetime and there will be no other greater than MJ himself! Michael Jackson was indeed a big, big deal. His artistic contributions to music are matched by only a handful of people worldwide.