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Remembering Michael Jackson ~ 1958 / 2009 ~ An Artist and An Icon

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Written by rubin   
Saturday, 27 June 2009 05:55

Portrait of the iconic pop star, "Michael Jackson" (1984), Andy Warhol depicts Jackson with his pop art style. Courtesy the Andy Warhol Foundation

LOS ANGELES—Over the past few years, the limelight had finally started to dim on Michael Jackson, as attention focused more on his troubled personal life than his unparalleled talents. But with yesterday's disheartening news of his tragic death at the age of only 50, the King of Pop is back in the forefront of our minds as we remember not only our first experiences with his music — being scared out of our wits when we saw the "Thriller" video for the first time, or trying to moonwalk across our kitchen floors — but also the role he played in the culture at large for many wonderful years of major entertainment.  The term icon is often used when referring to celebrities, but when one refers to Michael Jackson the word ICON surely applies, and may be an under-statement.

Five of Jackson's solo albums – "Off the Wall," "Thriller," "Bad," "Dangerous" and "HIStory," all with Epic Records, a Sony Music label – are among the top-sellers of all time. During his extraordinary career, he sold an estimated 750 million records worldwide, released 13 No.1 singles and became one of a handful of artists to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized Jackson as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time and "Thriller" as the Biggest Selling Album of All Time. Jackson won 13 Grammy Awards and received the American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award.

Michael Jackson started in the music business at the age of 11 with his brothers as a member of the Jackson 5. In the early 1980s, he defined the art form of music video with such ground-breaking videos as "Billie Jean," "Beat It" and the epic "Thriller." Jackson's sound, style and dance moves inspired subsequent generations of pop, soul, R&B and hip-hop artists.

Remembering Michael Jackson 1958 - 2009 R.I.P.

Michael Jackson began his assent to the zenith of international pop culture in the 1970's as the stand-out member of the Jackson 5. His aspirations for success as a solo artist would be realized beyond anyone's wildest imagination in the following decade with the release of his albums Off The Wall, Thriller, and Bad. His altruistic personality and undeniable musical talent proved him capable of reinventing everything from music industry conventions to age-old racial barriers, becoming the first black entertainer to be embraced by the new crossover audience of the MTV generation. “The King of Pop” became one of the defining aspects of 1980's popular culture. His highly acclaimed, extravagant worldwide tours propelled him into the international spotlight, earning him recognition and respect from millions of fans around the world. Michael Jackson's innovations reach far beyond his groundbreaking musical aesthetic extending from short film to high fashion and influencing countless generations to come.

Jackson's Neverland Ranch is named after Peter Pan's magical island whose youthful inhabitants never grow up and was created in 1988 when Michael Jackson purchased the 2,700-acre property in central California's wine country.

Neverland became an awe-inspiring wonderland containing larger-than-life superheroes, a custom made horse-drawn carriage and antique automobile replicas, top-tier 19th century paintings and sculpture, exquisite furniture and fine art, renowned international awards and Michael Jackson's iconic concert costumes. Michael Jackson was an enthusiastic and avid collector of everything from exquisite antiques to prized entertainment and popular culture memorabilia.

We at Art Knowledge News add our humble few words to the chorus of tributes worldwide to this Great Artist . . The Man In The Mirror ..  The Editor

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