Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actor, choreographer, published poet, businessman, philanthropist and record producer. Referred to as the King of Pop, he is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records while also being regarded as one of the most influential.[1][2][3]

His contribution to music, dance and fashion,[4][5] and a much-publicized personal life made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. Jackson made his debut alongside his brothers in 1964 as lead singer and youngest member of The Jackson 5. His solo career started in 1971, resulting in ten studio albums of which the 1982 album Thriller became the best-selling album of all time, having sold more than 110 million copies worldwide.

Four of his other albums, Off the Wall, Bad, Dangerous and HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (best-selling double-album by a solo artist of all time) rank among the world’s best-sellers making him the artist with the most best-selling albums. His 1997 release, Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix is the best-selling remix album of all time.