Michael Jackson: the man, the life, the legend.

Michael Jackson’s death has struck the world and the world of music hard. His often tumultuous and unconventional personal life has made media headlines the world over, numerous times.

His career has certainly had its highs and lows, from being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to facing child molestation charges. Michael Jackson caused a media frenzy at every turn.

His music career was underway at an early age with the group The Jackson 5, that was started by his father and included his brothers. They went on release songs such as ‘ABC’, ‘The Love You Save’ and many others which were all chart toppers.

Michael then went on to have a highly successful solo career with highlights that included releasing ‘Thriller’-the album that went on to become the biggest-selling album of all time, staying in the charts for 2 years and hitting number one worldwide. The music video for Thriller being dubbed as “the greatest video of all time”.

In 1987 the world tour supporting the album ‘Bad’ became the highest-grossing tour of all time. At the same time more media speculation about his personal life lead the tabloids start to call him ‘Wacko Jacko’.

His career was one that was blighted by his highly unusual personal life as it was his personal life that often overshadowed his music, like his marriage to Lisa Marie Presley and the purchase of Neverland, an amusement park filled with rides and animals that he called home. He also underwent extensive cosmetic surgery and was accused of wanting to ‘turn white’ as his skin got lighter. Wild rumours about Jackson’s personal life start to surface and caused what was now left of his music career to fade into the background.

In 2005 he faced charges of child molestation and was acquitted on all counts. Although acquitted, the trial caused even more havoc in his already turbulent personal life.

His musical career was adversely affected by his tarnished image  and many of his later musical offerings were never as successful as many hoped. We will never truly know what happened during the last stage of his life but we can only choose to respect the musical legend and inspiration that he was.

xx

yours in musical madness

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