What changed

Michael Jackson

Comparing version 4 (21 October 2026, 10:55 UTC, imported from the content file) with version 5 (23 October 2026, 15:24 UTC, imported from the content file), which is the page as it stands.

21 paragraphs differ. Removed words are struck through; added words are underlined.

1. Known for: Solo recording artist; lead singer of the Jackson 5 (per Wikipedia contributors)

   Known for: Solo recording artist; lead singer of the Jackson 5

2. Career start: Lead singer, Jackson 5, from age six
3. Grammy Awards: 13 in total, including 8 for Thriller
4. Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles: 13

5. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductions: 2 (Jackson 5, 1997; solo, 2001) (per Encyclopaedia Britannica)

   Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductions: 2 (Jackson 5, 1997; solo, 2001)

6. Final studio album: Invincible (2001)
7. Died: 2009; death ruled a homicide
8. Official YouTube channel subscribers: Approximately 41.1 million
9. Early life and the Jackson 5

10. Michael Joseph Jackson worked as an American singer, songwriter, dancer and philanthropist. His professional start came at age six, singing as the Jackson 5's lead vocalist. Motown Records signed the Jackson 5 in 1969.

    Michael Joseph Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, dancer and philanthropist. He began his career at age six as the lead singer of the Jackson 5. Motown Records signed the group in 1969.

11. Solo career

12. Jackson rose to solo stardom with the album Off the Wall, released in 1979. The follow-up album Thriller, released in 1982, became the best-selling album in history according to the Wikipedia article, while the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame describes it as the best-selling album ever.

    Jackson rose to solo stardom with the album Off the Wall, released in 1979. Its follow-up, Thriller, released in 1982, became the best-selling album in history, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame likewise describes it as the best-selling album ever.

13. Coming out in 1987, Bad was the first LP to generate five US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles. Dangerous followed in 1991 and HIStory in 1995, both finding commercial success. Jackson's final studio album, Invincible, was released in 2001 and is described by the Wikipedia article as the costliest LP ever produced.

    Bad, released in 1987, was the first album to produce five US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles. Dangerous followed in 1991 and HIStory in 1995, and both were commercial successes. Jackson's final studio album, Invincible, was released in 2001 and is described as the costliest album ever produced.

14. Accolades

15. Jackson is reported to have scored 13 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. According to Wikipedia contributors, the Wikipedia article observes that he is the only artist to land a US top-ten single in six distinct decades. He has earned 13 Grammy wins, 8 of which were linked to Thriller.

    Jackson had 13 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and is the only artist to land a US top-ten single in six different decades. He won 13 Grammy Awards, 8 of them linked to Thriller.

16. Two Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductions came Jackson's way: in 1997 alongside the Jackson 5, and again in 2001 on his own. *NSYNC performed the honors during his 2001 solo induction.

    He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice: in 1997 with the Jackson 5, and in 2001 as a solo artist. *NSYNC performed the honors at his 2001 solo induction.

17. Jackson's accolades include 26 American Music Awards, 12 World Music Awards, 8 MTV Video Music Awards, 6 Brit Awards and 3 US presidential honors.

    His other awards include 26 American Music Awards, 12 World Music Awards, 8 MTV Video Music Awards, 6 Brit Awards and 3 US presidential honors.

18. Short films and videos

19. The official Michael Jackson YouTube channel describes how the short film for Thriller, directed by John Landis, was added to the Library of Congress' National Film Registry. That same channel states the short film for Billie Jean, directed by Steve Barron, marked the first heavy-rotation MTV video by a Black artist. The channel also reports that the Billie Jean short film entered the Music Video Producers Hall of Fame in 1992.

    The short film for Thriller, directed by John Landis, was added to the Library of Congress's National Film Registry. The short film for Billie Jean, directed by Steve Barron, was the first video by a Black artist to go into heavy rotation on MTV, according to the official Michael Jackson YouTube channel, and it entered the Music Video Producers Hall of Fame in 1992.

20. The Thriller channel page shows the single peaked at No. 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The Billie Jean video's channel page logs seven consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 in spring 1983, earning a Gold certification from the RIAA on April 4, 1983, and a Platinum one on February 4, 1989. The Thriller video's channel page records that the single earned Gold and Platinum RIAA certification on December 4, 1989.

    The Thriller single peaked at No. 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was certified Gold and Platinum by the RIAA on December 4, 1989. Billie Jean spent seven consecutive weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in spring 1983 and was certified Gold by the RIAA on April 4, 1983, and Platinum on February 4, 1989.

21. Sales and influence

22. The Wikipedia article describes Jackson as one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with global solo sales estimated above 500 million records. It also records that his 2009 passing triggered spikes in online traffic and a rise in music sales.

    Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with global solo sales estimated at more than 500 million records. His death in 2009 triggered spikes in online traffic and a rise in music sales.

23. Citing the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the singer shaped artists including BTS, Beyoncé, The Weeknd, Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Kanye West and Madonna.

    The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame names BTS, Beyoncé, The Weeknd, Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Kanye West and Madonna among the artists he shaped.

24. Legal matters
25. The Wikipedia article reports that Jackson was accused in 1993 of sexually abusing a child, with a civil suit resolved out of court.
26. According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, Jackson faced arrest and child molestation charges in 2003, involving a boy other than the one from the 1993 matter. According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, a 14-week trial led to his acquittal on the 2003 charges in 2005.
27. Leaving Neverland, a 2019 documentary, laid out further child sexual abuse allegations involving Jackson.
28. In 1993, Jackson was accused of sexually abusing a child, and a civil suit was resolved out of court. In 2003 he was arrested and charged with child molestation involving a different boy from the one in the 1993 case. After a 14-week trial, he was acquitted of the 2003 charges in 2005. Leaving Neverland, a 2019 documentary, presented further child sexual abuse allegations involving Jackson.
29. Personal life

30. Jackson revealed in a 1993 televised interview with Oprah Winfrey that he had vitiligo, which had begun changing his skin in the early 1980s. Jackson's autopsy report, issued after his 2009 death, confirmed that he had vitiligo.

    In a 1993 televised interview with Oprah Winfrey, Jackson revealed that he had vitiligo, which had begun changing his skin in the early 1980s. His autopsy report, issued after his death in 2009, confirmed the condition.

31. Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley in 1994; they divorced in 1996. Jackson had a third child in 2002 via a surrogate mother.

    Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley in 1994, and they divorced in 1996. He had a third child in 2002 via a surrogate mother.

32. Death

33. Jackson was preparing for the This Is It concert series when he died in 2009. Britannica reports that his death was caused by cardiac arrest attributed to a combination of sedatives and the anaesthetic propofol, and was ruled a homicide. According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, Jackson's personal physician, Conrad Murray, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in 2011.

    Jackson died in 2009 while preparing for the This Is It concert series. His death was caused by cardiac arrest attributed to a combination of sedatives and the anesthetic propofol, and was ruled a homicide. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in 2011.

34. Posthumous releases

35. Following his death, the 2009 documentary Michael Jackson's This Is It was released, then the LPs Michael (2010) and Xscape (2014). The 2026 biopic Michael, helmed by Antoine Fuqua, casts Jaafar Jackson in the lead.

    After his death came the 2009 documentary Michael Jackson's This Is It and the albums Michael (2010) and Xscape (2014). The 2026 biopic Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua, stars Jaafar Jackson in the lead role.

36. Online presence

37. According to the Thriller video's official YouTube channel, the official 4K upload of the Thriller music video had been viewed more than 1.19 billion times. According to the Billie Jean video's channel page, the official Billie Jean video had been viewed more than 2.3 billion times. According to the Beat It video's channel page, the official Beat It video had been viewed more than 1.48 billion times. According to the same Thriller channel page, the official Michael Jackson YouTube channel had approximately 41.1 million subscribers.

    On YouTube, the official 4K upload of the Thriller music video had been viewed more than 1.19 billion times, the official Billie Jean video more than 2.3 billion times and the official Beat It video more than 1.48 billion times. The official Michael Jackson YouTube channel had approximately 41.1 million subscribers.

38. Thriller (1983 music video) The official music video for Thriller, on the estate's channel, from the start of the zombie dance; cited in the discography and short-film sections.
39. Billie Jean (1983 music video) The official music video for Billie Jean, on the estate's channel, from the first paving stone lighting under Jackson's step; cited in the short-film and certification sections.
40. Beat It (1983 music video) The official music video for Beat It, on the estate's channel, from Jackson's first appearance; cited in the online-presence section.
41. Timeline
42. 1969: The Jackson 5 signed with Motown Records.
43. 1979: According to Wikipedia contributors, Release of the solo album Off the Wall.
44. 1982: According to Wikipedia contributors, Release of Thriller.
45. 1983: According to michaeljacksonVEVO, Billie Jean spent seven consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 in spring 1983.
46. 1983-04-04: Billie Jean certified Gold by the RIAA.
47. 1987: According to Wikipedia contributors, Release of Bad.
48. 1991: According to Wikipedia contributors, Release of Dangerous.
49. 1992: According to michaeljacksonVEVO, the Billie Jean short film inducted into the Music Video Producers Hall of Fame.
50. 1993: According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, Jackson publicly discussed his vitiligo in a televised interview with Oprah Winfrey.
51. 1995: According to Wikipedia contributors, Release of HIStory.
52. 1997: According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Jackson 5.
53. 2001: According to Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist by *NSYNC; release of Invincible.
54. 2009: According to Wikipedia contributors, Died of cardiac arrest while preparing for the This Is It concert series.
55. 2011: According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, Conrad Murray found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
56. 2019: According to Wikipedia contributors, Release of the documentary Leaving Neverland.
57. 2026: According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, Release of the biopic Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jaafar Jackson.

Back to the page · Suggest a change