Michael Jackson is one of the most influential artists in history. A singer, songwriter, dancer, and global icon, his impact transcends race, genre, and generation. With an estimated one billion records sold and the only artist in history to have Top 10 hits across six decades, his reach is unmatched.

Jackson’s rise began at age 11 as the youngest artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 with the Jackson 5. His solo career set new standards: Off the Wall made him the first solo artist with four Top 10 singles from one album; Thriller remains the best selling album worldwide; and his eight Grammy wins in 1984 are still the most earned by any artist in a single night. Jackson continued breaking records with Bad, the first album to generate five consecutive No.1 singles and “You Are Not Alone”, from the HIStory album, was the first song ever to debut at No. 1.

A true visionary, he transformed music videos into cinematic art with short films like “Billie Jean” and “Beat It,” and used the medium to spotlight social issues in works such as “They Don’t Care About Us.” Jackson broke MTV’s racial barrier as its first Black artist in heavy rotation, his 1993 Super Bowl performance set the modern blueprint for halftime shows, and This Is It remains the highest grossing music documentary of all time.

His influence continues to soar with multiple companies of a Tony-Award winning Broadway musical, hit Cirque du Soleil show, and highly anticipated biopic.