Michael Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, dancer and producer whose recordings, videos and stagecraft transformed global pop music. Born in Gary, Indiana, he began as a child star with the Jackson 5 before launching a solo career that reached unprecedented scale with Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad. Songs including “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” “Rock with You,” “Man in the Mirror,” “Smooth Criminal” and “Black or White” connected pop, R&B, funk and rock with meticulous production and groundbreaking visual presentation. His catalog remains one of popular music’s most commercially successful and culturally influential.
