The eighth child of the Jackson family, Michael made his professional debut in 1964 with his,
elder brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon as a member of the Jackson 5. He began his
solo career in 1971. In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music.
His music videos, including those of "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller" from his 1982
album Thriller, are credited with breaking racial barriers and transforming the medium into an,
art form and promotional tool. He continued to innovate with videos such as "Black or White"
and "Scream" throughout the 1990s. Through stage and video performances, Jackson popularized
a number of complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, to which he gave
the name.
Aspects of Jackson's personal life, including his changing appearance, personal relationships,
and behavior, generated controversy. In 1993, he was accused of child sexual abuse, but the civil
case was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount and no formal charges were brought.[18]
In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further child sexual abuse allegations and several other
charges after the jury found him not guilty on all counts. Jackson died of acute propofol and
benzodiazepine intoxication on June 25, 2009, after suffering from cardiac arrest. His personal
physician, Conrad Murray, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. Forbes ranks Jackson as the
top-earning dead celebrity with earnings of $825 million in 2016, the highest yearly amount ever
recorded by the publication.