Michael Jackson timeline

Aug. 29, 1958: Michael Jackson is born in Gary, Ind..

Nov. 6, 1971: Jackson’s first solo single, “Got to Be There” is released. Already he’s had eight Top 40 hits with the Jackson 5, including four consecutive chart-toppers.

Oct. 14, 1972: “Ben,” the title song from a film about a beloved rat, becomes 14-year-old Jackson’s first No. 1 single.

Aug. 5, 1979: "Off the Wall," the first album by the “adult” Jackson is released. It produces four hit singles and spends eight months in the Top Ten.

Oct. 16, 1982: Diana Ross’ single “Muscles,” written and produced by Jackson, enters the Top Forty. Inspired by Jackson’s snake of the same name, the song peaks at No. 10.

Nov. 9, 1982: A storybook album for "E.T.: The Extraterrestrial," is released. Featuring narration by and a new song from Jackson, it earns him a Grammy for Best Children’s Recording.

Dec. 1, 1982: Jackson’s "Thriller" is released.

Feb. 21, 1983: "Thriller" tops the album charts for the first of 37 weeks.

March 5, 1983: “Billie Jean,” the second single from Jackson’s "Thriller," tops the singles charts for the first of seven weeks.

March 25, 1983: The TV special "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today and Forever" is taped. The Jackson 5 perform a medley of their hits, then Michael sings “Billie Jean” (from "Thriller") by himself, premiering his “moonwalk” dance move. 

March 31, 1983: “Beat It,” by Jackson is premiered on MTV. 

Dec. 2, 1983: MTV debuts Jackson’s 14-minute “Thriller” film. "The Making of Michael Jackson’s Thriller," released in time for Christmas, becomes the largest-selling music home video ever.

Feb. 27, 1984: MTV world premieres the Jackson’s Pepsi commercial and presents an interview with director Bob Giraldi.

Aug. 8, 1987: “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You,” a duet between Jackson and Siedah Garret, is released in advance of the album "Bad." It is the seventh No. 1 single of his solo career.

Aug. 31, 1987: "Bad," by Jackson - the followup to "Thriller" and therefore the most hotly anticipated album in history - is released. It tops the charts for eight weeks and yields seven hit singles.

Nov. 14, 1991: Jackson’s 11-minute “Black or White” video debuts on television. It is a teaser for "Dangerous," his third No. 1 album in a row and the source of seven more hit singles.

Feb. 10, 1992: MTV kicks-off its first global sweepstakes with “My Dinner with Michael.” Winners from around the world attended a dinner party hosted by Jackson on the set of his music video “In the Closet.”

Jan. 31, 1993: Jackson performs at Superbowl XXVII.

Feb. 24, 1993: Jackson receives the Living Legend Award at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, and 1.2 million people worldwide view his performance and acceptance.

Sept. 15, 1993: Lawyers for a 13-year-old boy file a civil suit against Jackson for seduction and sexual abuse. On Dec. 22, Jackson responds to the allegations via satellite from his Neverland compound: “I am totally innocent of any wrongdoing.” On Jan. 25, 1994, he settles out of court with his accuser for an undisclosed amount.

June 3, 1995: Jackson’s "HIStory: Past, Present, and Future, Book 1," a double CD pairing one disc of new music with one of greatest hits, is released.

Sept. 7, 1995: “The 1995 MTV Video Music Awards” is held live from New York City’s Radio City Music Hall. Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson win three awards for “Scream.” 

May 11, 1997: "Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix," by Jackson, is released. Containing eight remixes from 1995’s "HIStory: Past, Present, and Future, Book 1" and five new songs, it sells only one million copies.

Oct. 30, 2000: Jackson’s "Thriller" receives its 26th platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America, representing 26 million copies sold in the U.S. It remains the second best-selling album in music history.

March 19, 2001: Jackson is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the sixteenth annual induction dinner. N’Sync are his presenters.

July 30, 2001: “Rock My World,” the premiere single from Jackson’s forthcoming album "Invincible," is debuted.

Sept. 25, 2001: "Invincible," Jackson’s first album in four years, is released. 

June 25, 2009: Jackson passes away in Los Angeles after suffering from cardiac arrest.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (www.rockhall.com)