Lasting Legacy of Michael Jackson: A Look at the Influence on History
A closer look at the lasting mark left by Michael Jackson—a timeline of influence.
Michael Joseph Jackson, the "King of Pop," was a highly influential American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. His four-decade career broke racial barriers and made him a global icon. He popularized dance moves like the moonwalk, the robot, and the anti-gravity lean, significantly impacting visual performance in popular music. Guinness World Records recognizes him as the most successful entertainer of all time.
1980: Jackson Inducted onto Hollywood Walk of Fame
In 1980, Michael Jackson was inducted onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame as a member of the Jacksons.
May 1984: Michael Jackson Dolls Appeared in Stores
In May 1984, dolls modeled after Michael Jackson appeared in stores, capitalizing on his global pop culture dominance.
1984: Jackson Inducted onto Hollywood Walk of Fame as Solo Artist
In 1984, Michael Jackson was inducted onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame as a solo artist.
1984: Time Magazine Recognition
In 1984, Time pop critic Jay Cocks wrote that "Jackson is the biggest thing since the Beatles," describing him as a phenomenon across various media and a "one-man rescue team for the music business".
1988: Jackson Received MTV Video Vanguard Award
In 1988, Michael Jackson received the MTV Video Vanguard Award, later renamed in his honor in 2001.
1989: King of Pop
In 1989, Elizabeth Taylor called Jackson "the true king of pop, rock and soul."
1990: Jackson Honored as Artist of the Decade
In 1990, Michael Jackson was honored as the "Artist of the Decade" by George H. W. Bush.
1990: Artist of the Decade
In 1990, President George H. W. Bush designated Michael Jackson as the White House's "Artist of the Decade".
1997: Jackson 5 Inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
In 1997, Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
1999: Jackson 5 Inducted to the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
In 1999, Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
2001: Jackson Inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as Solo Artist
In 2001, Michael Jackson was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist.
2001: MTV Video Vanguard Award Renamed in Jackson's Honor
In 2001, the MTV Video Vanguard Award was renamed in honor of Michael Jackson, recognizing his significant impact on music videos.
2002: Jackson Added to the Songwriters Hall of Fame
In 2002, Michael Jackson was added to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
2003: The Daily Telegraph Writer Tom Utley described Jackson as a "genius"
In 2003, The Daily Telegraph writer Tom Utley described Jackson as "extremely important" and a "genius", solidifying his legacy as a musical innovator and icon.
2006: Most Famous Person in the World
In 2006, Craig Glenday, the Editor-in-Chief of Guinness World Records, called Michael Jackson the most famous person in the world, recognizing his global impact.
June 25, 2009: Michael Jackson's Death
On June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson passed away, marking the end of the life of the iconic "King of Pop".
July 7, 2009: Memorial Service at Staples Center
On July 7, 2009, Michael Jackson's public memorial service was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, following a private family service.
July 2009: Lunar Republic Society Named Crater After Jackson
In July 2009, the Lunar Republic Society named a crater on the Moon after Michael Jackson.
September 3, 2009: Entombment at Forest Lawn
On September 3, 2009, Michael Jackson's body was entombed at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
October 2009: Release of "This Is It"
In October 2009, Michael Jackson's estate released the first posthumous song, "This Is It", co-written with Paul Anka, marking the beginning of posthumous releases.
December 2009: "Thriller" Preserved in National Film Registry
In December 2009, Michael Jackson's "Thriller" was selected by the Library of Congress as the only music video to be preserved in the National Film Registry, recognizing its enduring cultural importance.
2009: Posthumous Awards and Record Sales
In 2009, Michael Jackson posthumously won four American Music Awards. In the year following his death, Jackson sold more than 35 million albums worldwide, surpassing any other artist in 2009, and became the first artist to sell one million music downloads in a week.
March 2010: Sony Music Deal Extension
In March 2010, Sony Music signed a $250 million deal with the Jackson estate to extend distribution rights to Jackson's back catalog until at least 2017.
2010: Release of Michael Jackson: The Experience
For the 2010 holiday season, Ubisoft released a music video game featuring Jackson titled "Michael Jackson: The Experience" using motion-detecting camera systems.
2010: Jackson Inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame
In 2010, Michael Jackson was the first recording artist to be inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame.
2010: Release of Posthumous Album "Michael"
In late 2010, Sony released the first posthumous album, "Michael", along with the lead single "Hold My Hand", a duet with Akon.
April 2011: Unveiling of Michael Jackson Statue
In April 2011, a statue of Michael Jackson was unveiled outside Craven Cottage, the Fulham Football Club stadium, by chairman Mohamed Al-Fayed.
October 2011: Launch of Cirque du Soleil's "Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour"
In October 2011, Cirque du Soleil launched "Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour", a $57-million production, in Montreal.
2011: Conrad Murray's Conviction
In 2011, Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's personal physician, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in connection with Jackson's death.
2012: Family Dispute Resolution and Guardianship
In 2012, Jermaine Jackson retracted his signature on a public letter criticizing the executors of Michael Jackson's estate, and T.J. Jackson was given co-guardianship of Michael Jackson's children.
2012: Extinct Hermit Crab Named After Jackson
In 2012, the extinct hermit crab Mesoparapylocheles michaeljacksoni was named in honor of Michael Jackson.
May 23, 2013: Opening of Michael Jackson: One
On May 23, 2013, Cirque du Soleil's "Michael Jackson: One", opened in a renovated theater at the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas.
2013: Continued Album Sales After Death
By the end of 2013, Michael Jackson had sold over 50 million albums worldwide since his death, continuing his legacy.
2013: Top-Earning Dead Celebrity
Forbes recognized Michael Jackson as one of the top-earning dead celebrities, and placed him at the top spot from 2013 to 2023.
2013: Michael Jackson's Ghosts no longer the longest music video
In 2013, Michael Jackson's Ghosts lost its Guinness world record for the longest music video to Pharrell Williams' "Happy".
2013: Jackson Ranked as one of the Most Influential People of All Time
In 2013, a study ranked Michael Jackson as one of the most influential people of all time, placing him alongside Napoleon Bonaparte, underscoring his global recognition.
2013: Estate Tax Dispute
In 2013, the executors of Michael Jackson's estate filed a petition in the United States Tax Court due to a dispute with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over estate taxes.
February 2014: IRS Report on Estate Taxes
In February 2014, the IRS reported that Michael Jackson's estate owed $702 million; $505 million in taxes, and $197 million in penalties.
May 13, 2014: Release of "Xscape" Album
On May 13, 2014, "Xscape", an album of unreleased material, was released, and the lead single "Love Never Felt So Good" reached number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
May 2014: Statue Moved to National Football Museum
In May 2014, the statue of Michael Jackson was moved to the National Football Museum in Manchester.
2014: Top-Ten Single in Five Decades
In 2014, Michael Jackson became the first artist to have a top-ten single in the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades, showcasing his enduring appeal.
2014: Jackson Inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame
In 2014, Michael Jackson was posthumously inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.
2014: Jackson Identified as one of the Most Influential People of All Time
In 2014, a study by Young-Ho Eom at the University of Toulouse identified Michael Jackson as one of the most influential people of all time, using ranking methods like 2D Rank and PageRank algorithms.
2014: Jackson's Life Deemed One of the Most Important Cultural Moments
In 2014, the British Council of Cultural Relations considered Michael Jackson's life one of the 80 most important cultural moments of the 20th century.
2014: Queen Duet Release
Later in 2014, Queen released a duet recorded with Michael Jackson in the 1980s, showcasing archived musical collaborations.
2016: Jackson Estate Earnings
In 2016, Forbes estimated annual gross earnings by the Michael Jackson Estate at $825 million, the largest ever recorded for a celebrity, mostly due to the sale of the Sony/ATV catalog.
September 29, 2017: Release of Compilation Album "Scream"
On September 29, 2017, the compilation album "Scream" was released, adding to Jackson's posthumous discography.
2017: Sony Music Deal Extended
In 2017, the Sony Music deal which was signed in March 2010 with the Jackson estate was extended, continuing their distribution rights to Jackson's back catalog.
July 2018: Sony/ATV Buys Estate's Stake in EMI
In July 2018, Sony/ATV bought the Jackson estate's stake in EMI for $287.5 million, marking a significant financial transaction related to Jackson's music assets.
August 2018: Career Pretax Earnings
In August 2018, Forbes reported that Michael Jackson's total career pretax earnings in life and death were $4.2 billion.
2018: Postmortem Earnings
In 2018, Michael Jackson's postmortem earnings were $400 million, bringing his total to $2.4 billion.
2018: National Portrait Gallery named Jackson the most depicted cultural figure of the century
In 2018, the National Portrait Gallery named Michael Jackson the most depicted cultural figure of the century, later suggesting his artistic influence rivaled that of Jesus Christ. Nicholas Cullinan highlighted Jackson's unprecedented impact on art.
February 21, 2019: Jackson Estate Sues HBO
On February 21, 2019, the Jackson estate sued HBO for breaching a non-disparagement clause from a 1992 contract related to the documentary Leaving Neverland.
March 2019: Removal of Statue
Following renewed sexual assault allegations, the statue was removed from display in March 2019.
September 2019: Motion to Dismiss Denied
In September 2019, Judge George H. Wu denied HBO's motion to dismiss the case, allowing the Jackson estate to arbitrate.
2019: Countering Claims and Increased Album Sales
In 2019, after the release of "Leaving Neverland", documentaries presented information countering the claims, and Michael Jackson's album sales increased.
December 2020: Appeals Court Affirms Ruling
In December 2020, the appeals court affirmed Judge Wu's ruling, continuing the legal battle between the Jackson estate and HBO.
2021: Jackson Inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame
In 2021, Michael Jackson was among the inaugural inductees into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.
2021: Tax Court Ruling
In 2021, the Tax Court issued a ruling in favor of Michael Jackson's estate, stating the estate's total combined value was $111.5 million and the value of Jackson's name and likeness was $4 million.
November 18, 2022: 40th Anniversary Reissue of Thriller
On November 18, 2022, Epic released a 40th-anniversary edition reissue of Michael Jackson's "Thriller", celebrating the album's enduring legacy.
2023: Top-Earning Dead Celebrity
Forbes recognized Michael Jackson as one of the top-earning dead celebrities, and placed him at the top spot from 2013 to 2023.
2023: Jackson's royalty rate
In 2023, it was the equivalent of $6 of Jackson's royalty rate, which he obtained in 1984.
February 2024: Sony Acquires Half of Jackson's Publishing Rights
In February 2024, Sony Music acquired half of Michael Jackson's publishing rights and recording masters for an estimated $600 million, marking one of the largest deals for a single musician's work.
2024: Music Catalogue Sold to Sony
In 2024, half of Michael Jackson's music catalogue was sold to Sony for $600 million, marking the largest music acquisition for a single artist in history.
October 2025: Scheduled Release of Biographical Film "Michael"
A biographical film based on Michael Jackson's life, "Michael", directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jaafar Jackson, is scheduled for release in October 2025.
