He is known for his specialized dance technique called the moonwalk and for his trademark white glove. Songs like “Beat It” and “Billie Jean” are not just familiar tunes, they are iconic examples of “pop art,” transcending the genre of music and becoming revived in various cultural forms. His distinctive sound and unique vocal style have continuously brought fans to near hysteria every time he appears on the stage. He is, without a doubt, the reigning King of Pop and Michael Jackson is not about to remove his crown.

Michael Jackson started his career at age eleven, when he started performing with his siblings in a group called The Jackson 5. The little family affair won recognition during the 1960s for their renditions of Motown classic hits. Jackson emerged from the group as the frontman, with Rolling Stone magazine describing the young man as “a prodigy with overwhelming musical gifts.” Jackson 5’s first four singles “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” “The Love You Save” and “I’ll Be There” charted at the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100, solidifying their spot on the world music market and prompting the group to step up their touring schedule.

Jackson released his first solo album, called Off the Wall in 1979 and it generated four US top ten hits including “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough” and “Rock With You.” This was just the beginning of Jackson’s path to stardom, because only a few years later he released the iconic album Thriller. With “Billie Jean,” “Beat It” and “Thriller” heading the track list of songs this was not an album that was lost and forgotten in the early years of the 1980s. The millions of copies sold and the recognition that this record still gets today is a testament to the powerful impact the album and Michael Jackson himself had on the pop music industry. The New York Times perhaps summed it up perfectly: “in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else.”

Jackson emerged from the 1980s a shining star and a pop culture icon. Even with his sudden success, Jackson remained dedicated to causes that he firmly believed in and supported. In 1992 Jackson founded the Heal the World Foundation, which primarily sent millions of dollars around the globe to help children that were threatened by war and disease. In addition, Jackson has visited several underdeveloped countries, helping to bring awareness to poverty and suffering and especially to the plight of children in these circumstances.

Michael Jackson is a man with incredible star power. Even today, he has the ability to attract thunderous applause from massive crowds, who pack stadiums to see the iconic King of Pop. The image of Jackson with a downturned hat, a white glove and that familiar robotic moondance, is in short, legendary.