Who is the King of Pop?
Michael Jackson is known as the King of Pop. His album Thriller (1982) is the best-selling album of all time, and he changed music videos, dance and live performance.
Jackson began performing as a child with his brothers in the Jackson 5 in the late 1960s. As a solo artist, he released hit albums such as Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad. Songs like Billie Jean, Beat It and Smooth Criminal became worldwide hits.
His moonwalk dance, first performed on television in 1983, became famous around the world. His music videos, especially the 14-minute Thriller, turned videos into major productions and helped break racial barriers on MTV.
Legacy
Jackson won 13 Grammy Awards, including a then-record eight in one night in 1984. He died in 2009 at age 50. The biopic Michael, about his life, was released in 2026.
Jackson's Thriller video was added to the US National Film Registry in 2009, the first music video to receive that honor, because of its cultural importance.
Did You Know?
The title King of Pop was popularized by actress Elizabeth Taylor, a close friend, when she introduced him at the Soul Train Music Awards in 1989.