Jackson, Michael Joseph

Jackson, Michael Joseph, 1958–, American performer, b. Gary, Ind. Jackson is known as a superb dancer and pop singer, often conveying an androgynous image and an ambiguous sexuality, but offstage he has become known for various alleged eccentricities, for his sharp business acumen, and for a physical appearance that has changed radically over the years. As a child in the 1960s and 70s he was the dominant voice and youngest member of the Jackson Five, a pop group that included five brothers. With his solo albums Off the Wall (1979) and the even more successful Thriller (1982), which sold over 30 million copies, he became one of the world's leading pop stars. His success continued with Bad (1987) and Dangerous (1991), both of which sold over 20 million copies. In 1993 he was charged in a civil suit with sexual abuse of a minor, a charge he denied. The suit was settled out of court in 1994, and no criminal charges were filed. Jackson's much-publicized double album HIStory (1995) was criticized as petty, maudlin, and paranoid and garnered comparatively disappointing sales. Reaction to his next album, Invincible (2001), was mixed. Jackson was indicted in another sexual abuse case in 2004. The trial, in 2005, was marked by sensational testimony and spellbound media coverage, and ended in Jackson's acquittal.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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