Fans of American singer Michael Jackson are known as Moonwalkers. [1]
Fans of American singer Michael Jackson are known as Moonwalkers. [1]
 | This section needs to be updated.(August 2021) |
In the beginning of the 1970s, Jackson and his brothers would embark on tours across the globe, performing in front of millions of fans while recording hits at a rapid pace during the Jackson-mania. Adulation from fans young and old, male and female, black and white, would become par for the course. [2] [3] Jackson-Mania would reach a fever pitch around 1984 which saw three generations gather in front of a television set in many households to watch the "Thriller" music video. [4] Years following, Jackson released Bad which ended up selling 18 million copies in the first year, [5] the Bad World Tour ended up setting the record at the time for highest grossing concert [6] and Jackson ended the decade with over 110 million records sold. [7] In 1991 the Black or White music video debuted to over 500 million fans worldwide on Fox, [8] following that every music video from the album Dangerous received a worldwide TV premiere, in 1993 Michael Jackson performed at halftime during the Super Bowl, the broadcast was seen by a record 133 million viewers in the US [9] and an estimated 1.3 Billion worldwide, [10] following this Jackson had numerous broadcasts in 1993 which included an interview with Oprah which was watched by 90 million [11] & a biopic titled "Jackson's American Dream" averaging 36-38 million viewers across 2 episodes. [12] Michael-Mania experienced a resurrection days after his death on June 25, 2009. Within the weeks that followed his death, as he would go on to sell 35 million records worldwide and by June 2010 he had sold over 70 million records. [13] In the US alone he sold 48 Million records in the 10 years since his death with over 117 million worldwide [14] [15] [16] [17]
Despite the negative attitude of the media, the public still supported Jackson. A phone-in poll conducted by A Current Affair—known for its unfavorable coverage of the allegations—found that more than 80 percent of callers did not believe the Chandlers. [18] A poll of teenagers—Jackson's central fan base at the time—also reported that 75 percent did not believe the allegations; this rose to nearly 90 percent amongst African-American teenagers. Two-thirds of children between the ages of 13 and 15—the approximate age of Jordan Chandler at the time—believed he was innocent. [18] A poll conducted by Entertainment Weekly showed that only 12 percent of adults believed the allegations, and only eight percent of respondents indicated that they were less likely to buy a product endorsed by the entertainer. The same poll also concluded that public opinion of Jackson had risen since the allegations, with Jackson's past records selling at a faster rate. [19] [18]
Fans continued to support Jackson in the 2005 trial. Fans unfavorably felt about the media coverage of the case accusing it of being biased, demonizing Jackson and jeopardizing his chances for a fair trial. They came in throngs from all over the world to gather outside the Santa Barbara County Courthouse in Santa Maria during jury selection holding signs of support. Some continued to show their support when Jackson was hospitalized with flu, gathering outside the Marian Medical Center where he was staying. Jackson's fans continued to show their support throughout his trial. [20]
News of Jackson's death triggered an outpouring of grief around the world. Fans gathered outside the UCLA Medical Center, Neverland Ranch, his Holmby Hills home, the Hayvenhurst Jackson family home in Encino, the Apollo Theater in New York, and at Hitsville U.S.A., the old Motown headquarters in Detroit where Jackson's career began, now the Motown Museum. Streets around the hospital were blocked off, and across America people left offices and factories to watch the breaking news on television. [21] A small crowd, including the city's mayor, gathered outside his childhood home in Gary, where the flag on city hall was flown at half staff in his honor. [22] Fans in Hollywood initially gathered around the Walk of Fame star of another Michael Jackson, as they were unable to access Jackson's star, which had been temporarily covered by equipment in place for the Brüno film premiere. [23] Grieving fans and memorial tributes relocated from the talk radio host's star the next day. [24]
From Odessa [25] to Brussels, [26] and beyond, fans held their own memorial gatherings.
On June 25, 2010, the first anniversary of Jackson's death, fans traveled to Los Angeles to pay tribute. They visited Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, his family home, and Forest Lawn Memorial Park. Many carried sunflowers and other tributes to leave at the sites. [27] [28]
On June 26, 2010, fans marched in front of the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery-Homicide Division at the old Parker Center building, and assembled a petition with thousands of signatures, demanding justice in the homicide investigation. [29] [30] [31]
In 2014, 34 members of the French-based Michael Jackson Community fan club sued Jackson's doctor for the emotional damage caused by the singer's death. Five of them were awarded one euro each since they were able to prove their suffering. Their lawyer, Emmanuel Ludot, stated that to his knowledge this was "the first time in the world that the notion of emotional damage in connection with a popstar has been recognised". [32]
On December 10, 2010, as a promotion of Jackson's first posthumous album of previously unreleased tracks Michael a 29,070-square-foot (2,701 m2) poster depicting the album artwork from Michael was erected at the Rectory Farm in Middlesex, England, by fans which broke a Guinness World Record for the largest poster in the world. [33]
In 2019, after the release of HBO's documentary Leaving Neverland , Jackson fans demanded the Sundance Film Festival cancel the premiere. [34] Fans protested outside Channel 4's office, and led an internet campaign against the film. They also crowdfunded an advertising campaign to publicise Jackson's innocence, with the slogan "Facts don't lie. People do" on buses and bus stops.
In July 2019, three Jackson fan clubs in France, Michael Jackson Community, the MJ Street and On The Line, have filed a suit against two of the late alleged abuse victims for sullying his image in Leaving Neverland, using the defamation laws that make it an offence to wrongly sully the image of a dead person. US or British laws do not provide such protection to the deceased. [35] [36]
The Jackson Family Foundation, in conjunction with Voiceplate, presented "Forever Michael", an event bringing together Jackson family members, celebrities, fans, supporters and the community to celebrate and honor his legacy. A portion of the proceeds were presented to some of Jackson's favorite charities. [37] [38]
A convention for the European community, the Kingvention, was established in the United Kingdom in 2015, following the success witnessed in Jackson–related events in the continent. All special guests worked closely with Jackson. [39]
Michael Jackson Fans For Charity (MJFFC) is a fan-made charity inspired by Jackson. [40]
The MJJCommunity won Best Fan Forum at the O Music Awards 2011. [41]
Mike Pesca of Slate and Kevin Fallon of The Daily Beast described fans as conspiracy theorists due to doubts over Jackson's sexual abuse allegations. [42] [43]
Crypto.com Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in downtown Los Angeles. Opened on October 17, 1999 as the Staples Center, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street, and has since been considered a part of L.A. Live. Owned and operated by Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), it is the home venue of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL)—which are both owned in part by AEG's founder Philip Anschutz, as well as the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks.
Sycamore Valley Ranch, formerly Neverland Ranch or Neverland Valley Ranch, is a developed property in Santa Barbara County, California, on the edge of Los Padres National Forest. From 1988 to 2005, it was the home and private amusement park of the American singer Michael Jackson. The ranch is about 5 miles (8 km) north of unincorporated Los Olivos, and about eight miles (13 km) north of the town of Santa Ynez.
People v. Jackson was a 2005 criminal trial held in Santa Barbara County Superior Court in Santa Maria, California. The American pop singer Michael Jackson was charged with molesting Gavin Arvizo, who was 13 years old at the time of the alleged abuse, at his Neverland Ranch estate in Los Olivos, California.
The Essential Michael Jackson is a greatest hits compilation album by American singer Michael Jackson. It was released on July 19, 2005, by Sony Music's catalog division Legacy Recordings as part of The Essential series. The two-disc compilation features thirty-eight hit songs by Michael Jackson, from his days at Motown Records with The Jackson 5 in the late 1960s and early 1970s to his 2001 hit "You Rock My World".
American singer Michael Jackson (1958–2009) released ten studio albums, five soundtrack albums, thirty-five compilation albums, ten video albums and seven remix albums. Since his death, two albums of unreleased tracks have been posthumously released. Jackson made his debut in 1964 at the age of five with The Jackson 5, who were prominent performers during the 1970s. Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists in history with over 500 million records sold worldwide. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Jackson has sold 89 million certified albums in the United States.
John Gregory Branca is an entertainment lawyer and manager who specializes in representing rock and roll acts. He is also co-executor of the Estate of Michael Jackson.
Tariano Adaryll "Taj" Jackson II is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and director. He is an original member of 3T along with his brothers Taryll Adren Jackson and Tito Joe ("TJ") Jackson. His career and solo work include a reality television series for which he was executive producer. His band 3T currently still tours, and he works as a spokesperson on behalf of the Jackson family.
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a four-decade career, his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture. Jackson influenced artists across many music genres. Through stage and video performances, he popularized street dance moves such as the moonwalk, which he named, and the robot.
"D.S." is a song by Michael Jackson, released on his 1995 album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. It is a rock song that conveys themes such as bitterness, mistrust and corruption within law enforcement. It was written, composed and produced by Jackson and includes an instrumental accompaniment and guitar solo by Slash.
The American singer Michael Jackson first faced allegations of child sexual abuse in 1993. Evan Chandler, a dentist and screenwriter based in Los Angeles, accused Jackson of sexually abusing Chandler's 13-year-old son, Jordan. Jackson had befriended Jordan after renting a vehicle from Jordan's stepfather. Though Evan initially encouraged the friendship, he later confronted his ex-wife, who had custody of Jordan, with suspicions that the relationship was inappropriate.
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. is an American multinational entertainment company that was founded in 2010 following the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. It promotes, operates and manages ticket sales for live entertainment internationally. It also owns and operates entertainment venues and manages the careers of music artists.
On June 25, 2009, the American singer Michael Jackson died of acute propofol intoxication in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 50. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, said that he found Jackson in his bedroom at his North Carolwood Drive home in the Holmby Hills area of the city not breathing and with a weak pulse; he administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to no avail, and security called 9-1-1 at 12:21 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (UTC–7). Paramedics treated Jackson at the scene, but he was pronounced dead at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood at 2:26 p.m.
"Better on the Other Side" is a tribute song from American recording artists The Game, Chris Brown, Diddy, DJ Khalil, Polow da Don, Mario Winans, Usher and Boyz II Men dedicated to Michael Jackson. The song was recorded on June 25, 2009, after being notified that Jackson had died that day, and subsequently released the following day on Diddy's Twitter account. The song gained airplay on radio show "Big Boy's Neighborhood" as well as on Game affiliate DJ Skee's satellite radio show, "Skeetox". The song's lyrics are about Jackson's influence and effect on people worldwide, as well as the recording artist reflecting on their memories of Jackson.
A public memorial service for Michael Jackson was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, twelve days after his death. The event was preceded by a private family service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park's Hall of Liberty in Hollywood Hills, and followed by a gathering in Beverly Hills for Jackson's family and close friends.
Michael Jackson's This Is It is a 2009 American documentary film about Michael Jackson's preparation for This Is it, a series of concerts that were cancelled due to his death in 2009. Named for the concert residency of the same name, the film includes additional behind the scenes footage, including dancer auditions and costume design. The film's director, Kenny Ortega, confirmed that none of the footage was originally intended for release, but after Jackson's death, it was agreed that the film would be made. The footage was filmed in California at the Staples Center and The Forum.
The personal relationships of Michael Jackson have been the subject of public and media attention for several decades. He was introduced to the topic of sexual activity at the age of nine while a member of the Jackson 5. He and his brothers would perform at strip clubs, sharing the bill with female strippers and drag queens, and the sexual adventures of his brothers with groupies further affected Jackson's early life. It was reported that his first girlfriend was actress Tatum O'Neal, when he was a teenager in the 1970s. However, Tatum O'Neal had stated that their relationship was strictly platonic. In recent years, singer and actress Stephanie Mills had revealed herself to be Jackson’s first girlfriend, their relationship starting when they first met at the production of The Wiz. Jackson was then rumoured to have entered a platonic relationship with actress and model Brooke Shields in 1984. Shields later stated that they both held an equal admiration for each other, but that he started to become more asexual and distant towards her.
Leaving Neverland is a 2019 made-for-television documentary film directed and produced by Dan Reed. It focuses on two men, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who allege they were sexually abused as children by the American singer Michael Jackson.
The Estate of Michael Jackson is a legal entity established following the death of American singer Michael Jackson in 2009 for the purpose of administering his property and overseeing his posthumous income. Jackson's last will was filed by the attorney John Branca at the Los Angeles County courthouse on July 1, 2009. Signed July 7, 2002, it names Branca and accountant John McClain as executors; they were confirmed as such by a Los Angeles judge on July 6, 2009. All assets are given to the (pre-existing) Michael Jackson Family Trust, the details of which have not been made public. The Associated Press reported that, in 2007, Jackson had a net worth of $236.6 million: $567.6 million in assets, which included Neverland Ranch and his 50% share of Sony/ATV Music Publishing' catalogue, and debts of $331 million. The guardianship of his three children is given to his mother, Katherine, or if she is unable or unwilling, to singer Diana Ross. Jackson's will allocates 20% of his fortune as well as 20% of money made after death to unspecified charities.
