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12 Michael Jackson Facts For Kids 2023 [Must Read]

Michael Jackson was an American songwriter, singer, and dancer. He was considered to be the most popular entertainer in the world in the early and mid-1980s. He was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana. 

The youngest of five brothers, Michael Jackson, was raised by his father, Joseph, to become a member of the Jackson 5, a brilliant group of young celebrities. Other members of this band were Jackie Jackson, Tito Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, and Marlon Jackson.

He is acknowledged as one of the most influential cultural leaders of the 20th century and known as the “King of Pop.” His contributions to dance, fashion, music, and personal life throughout a four-decade career elevated him to a universally recognized figure in popular culture. Through his stage and video appearances, he popularised complicated dance techniques like the robot and moonwalk. 

Here are 12 interesting facts about this music legend!

1. Michael Jackson was only six years old when he began his music career.

At the age of six, Michael made his professional debut in 1964. Jackson made his stage debut with The Jackson 5 (later known as The Jacksons), a well-known performing group throughout the 1970s. The Jackson 5 gave performances in clubs and talent competitions before signing a deal with Steeltown Records in 1967 and issuing two singles. They parted ways with their initial record label in 1968 and joined Motown. With the singles “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” “The Love You Save,” and “I’ll Be There,” they became the first group to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 list four times in a row. They also managed to land sixteen Top-40 singles. After spending successful years performing with his brothers, Michael launched a solo career in 1971 and left the band in 1984.

2. Michael Jackson is the 8th child in his family.

Michael was raised in a big family. Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, Brandon, and Randy were his six brothers, and he also had three sisters, Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet. In a family of 12, Michael was the eighth sibling out of ten. He was raised in a typical two-bedroom home, sharing most of his possessions with his siblings to get by. The Jackson children all went on to get employed in the entertainment industry due to their parents’ influence.

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3. Michael Jackson had a shaky start in his solo career.

In addition to being a member of The Jackson 5, he began a solo career in 1971. He released many solo albums while performing with the band. During that time, he recorded four solo studio albums: Got to Be There (1972), Ben (1972), Music & Me (1973), and Forever, Michael (1975). His solo career stalled; however, he had a few successful songs. Michael left the family band when he met music producer Quincy Jones in 1978. He released the album Off the Wall in 1979 and got four top 10 tracks, including the number one singles “Rock with You” and “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough,” which were significant hits.

4. Michael Jackson has a humanitarian award for his philanthropic work.

 During his lifetime, Michael Jackson was a kind and giving philanthropist. He backed efforts on these issues at the height of the debate about HIV and AIDS. Michael Jackson also founded the Heal The World Foundation in 1992. The foundation was established to aid underprivileged children. In addition to these kind deeds, Michael Jackson supported charitable endeavors. These causes provided relief for war victims.

Additionally, he conducted tours in nations with high AIDS prevalence. This served to raise awareness of the disease and aid individuals afflicted. Africa was one of these countries. On May 14, 1984, President Ronald Reagan presented Jackson with the Presidential Humanitarian Award in recognition of his assistance to organizations that fight drug and alcohol abuse and initiatives to prevent drunk driving. Jackson also received an honor from President George H. W. Bush on May 1, 1992, recognizing him as “a point of light ambassador.”

5. Michael Jackson was a big Spiderman fan and tried to buy Marvel Comics!

Michael Jackson’s nephew Taj Jackson stated that his uncle tried to purchase Marvel back in the 1990s in an interview with a news website. He mentioned that he and Stan Lee discussed Michael Jackson’s eagerness to buy Marvel. Marvel’s bankruptcy filing announcement gave the celebrity the inspiration for the purchase. Being a major Marvel fan, Michael Jackson claimed he had meant to play the part of Spiderman. He wanted to buy Marvel to recreate Spiderman in his vision. But regrettably, that never happened.

6. Michael Jackson holds the record for most ever received Grammys by an artist in a single night.

Michael Jackson set a record for the most Grammys won in a single evening when he won 8 Grammys in 1984. ‘Thriller’ won Album Of The Year, and ‘Beat It’ won Record of the Year, among the eight. Throughout his career, Jackson won a total of 13 Grammys. He isn’t known as the King of Pop for no reason!

7. Michael Jackson was considered the greatest entertainer of all time.

Michael Jackson’s career was so revolutionary and prosperous that he was given many Guinness World Records, including the title of Most Successful Entertainer of All Time! In November 2006, Michael personally went to their headquarters to pick up his awards and express his gratitude for their recognition. He also took the time to thank the employees in person.

Some of the Guinness World Records Jackson holds are:

• The Youngest Vocalist to Top the U.S. Singles Chart
• First Vocalist to Enter The U.S. Single Chart at No. 1
• First Entertainer to Sell More Than 100 Million Albums Outside the US
• Most Weeks at the Top of the US Album Charts (Non-Soundtrack)
• Most Successful Music Video
• First Entertainer to Earn More Than $100 Million in a Year
• Highest Paid Entertainer of All Time.

8. Michael Jackson was married to Elvis Presley’s Daughter, Lisa Presley.

There were shock waves when the King of Pop married the King of Rock, Elvis Presley’s Daughter, Lisa Presley, in 1994. The media kept their wedding a secret as the couple didn’t want any distractions and the paparazzi around them during this occasion. The couple filed for divorce after 20 months of marriage in 1996. 

9. Michael Jackson wore a wig.

Jackson’s hair caught fire in 1984 while shooting for a Pepsi commercial. The singer sustained second and third-degree burns due to the incident, which is thought to be why he began to don a wig. His managers said that he had been concealing the bald spot with the wig for years. Pepsi gave him compensation of $1.5 million to cover the losses.  This was also disclosed in a recent 2019 documentary.

10. The infamous Michael Jackson “leaning move” was made possible with the help of a unique patent shoe. 

One of the dancing techniques for which Michael Jackson will be best remembered today is the gravity-defying lean, which he did in his 1987 hit Smooth Criminal. Many have pondered for years how Michael managed the 45-degree tilt without assistance from anything on stage other than his own body. The King of Pop, Michael Jackson, filed a patent for a unique shoe that gives the appearance of being weightless. While filming the music video for his single “Smooth Criminal” in 1987, Michael came up with a dancing move where he leaned forward 45 degrees to appear to be defying gravity. Of course, the audience was unaware that wires were being used to create the illusion. The dancing routine gained rapid notoriety. The heel of the shoe had a slot. A peg that could be raised and lowered through the stage when needed would fit into the space. Michael could lean forward into the linked ankle straps once his heel made contact with the peg.

11. Michael Jackson fans live on even after his death, and he is considered the most collectible celebrity worldwide. 

More than ten years after the King of Pop’s passing, some admirers are still committed to gathering mementos and trinkets relating to him.

Private auctions sometimes sell items owned by or connected to Michael, raising thousands of dollars. The official clothes he donned in his music videos and performances are among these things. This features the white gloves he frequently used with various other ensembles in addition to his well-known red suit from the Thriller music video. 

12. Michael Jackson wrote an autobiography named Moonwalk.

Jackson’s autobiography, Moonwalk, which included contributions from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Stephen Davis, was published in 1988. It hit the top of the New York Times bestsellers list after selling 200,000 copies. Jackson talked about his upbringing, The Jackson 5, and his father’s abuses. Five months after Michael Jackson released his album “Bad,” Doubleday launched the book on February 1 of that year. Moonwalk topped the New York Times Best Seller list five months after its first release. It then re-entered the chart in October 2009, after Michael’s passing.

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Conclusion 

Michael’s brilliance, charisma, and allure made him leave his mark on musical history. He became known as the “King Of Pop” thanks to his contributions to the entertainment business. He continues to rank among the most significant entertainers in the development of pop music and is remembered by many even today.

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