The King Of Pop Through The Years

Michael Jackson

Early years

1958: Born Aug. 29 in Gary, Ind. He is the seventh child of Joseph and Katherine Esther Jackson.

1969: In Los Angeles, the Jackson 5 debut as Motown's newest act.

* In December, the group's single "I Want You Back" hits No. 1 on the Billboard Top 40 Chart.

1970: Jackson 5 hits "ABC," "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There" all reach No. 1 on Billboard charts.

1972: First No. 1 solo hit "Ben," a song about a movie rat.

1974: Introduces a dance step called the robot on Soul Train. The step sweeps the country.

1978: Played "The Scarecrow" in the movie musical The Wiz, alongside Diana Ross, Richard Pryor and Nipsey Russell.

1979: Jackson's Off the Wall solo album catapults him to superstar status.

King of Pop is crowned

1982: Thriller is released, eventually selling more than 100 million copies. It makes Jackson the biggest pop music star of the decade. The record becomes one of the best-selling albums of all time.

1983: "Beat It" reaches No. 1 on the charts.

* "Billie Jean" also becomes a gigantic hit, and the influential video, featuring more of Jackson's electric dancing, remains a landmark.

* Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, airs on NBC. After a memorable performance by "The Jacksons," Michael wows the crowd with a rendition of "Billie Jean," which included the jaw-dropping moonwalk.

* The high-concept, 13-minute "Thriller" video, directed by John Landis, becomes a huge sensation.

1984: Jackson's hair catches on fire during filming of a Pepsi commercial.

1987: News reports say Jackson tries to buy the skeleton of the Elephant Man. The album Bad is released and sells more than 8 million copies.

1988: Michael Jackson donates $125,000 from a concert at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Mich., and some personal memorabilia to start off a fundraising drive to preserve and improve the Motown Historical Museum.

* Releases Moonwalk, an autobiography.

Personal trials

1991: Releases Dangerous album, certified for 7 million in sales.

1993: In his first TV interview in 14 years, Jackson tells Oprah Winfrey that the change in his skin complexion is from a disorder called vitiligo.

* A lawsuit claims that Jackson seduced and abused a 13-year-old boy.

1994: Settles the lawsuit with substantial payment to the plaintiff. Los Angeles and Santa Barbara district attorneys don't file child molestation charges against him.

* Marries Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley.

1996: Presley files for divorce.

* Jackson marries nurse Debbie Rowe.

1997: Rowe gives birth to son Prince Michael.

* The Jackson 5 are inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame.

1998: Rowe gives birth to daughter Paris Michael Katherine.

Drama, drama, drama

2001: The Invincible album is released with a respectable 2.1 million copies sold, but only two minor hits.

2002: Third child, Prince Michael II is born.

2003: Jackson faces charges of child molestation. Posts $3 million in bail and throws up the "V" sign, while standing on a black Suburban, before leaving the courthouse in Santa Maria, Calif.

2004: Jackson pleads not guilty to child molestation charges in January.

2005: In June, Jackson was acquitted of child molestation charges.

Sources: Detroit Free Press archives; USA Today; "Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock and Roll"