The King Of Pop Michael Jackson
He has gone through personal scandal, family squabbles and numerous career quakes but Michael Joseph Jackson remains one of the planet's best known figures.
Born in 1958, Jackson has spent his whole life in the public eye as he began performing at the age of four.
Though the youngest member of the Jackson Five, he became the group's lead vocalist, projecting a self-confident image which belies the private personality he shows today.
Despite his age, he managed to make chart-toppers like I Want You Back and I'll Be There completely credible.
By the time he was 10, the Jackson Five had signed to Motown Records and were well on the road to US success, bullied into fame by their father Joe.
"There is a lot of sadness in my past life," Jackson told Oprah Winfrey in 1993.
Animals and Toys
Rumours began of slightly odd behaviour at this time, with Michael said to be seeking solace in the Scarecrow role and going home at night with his make-up still on.
He was really launched as an adult star with Off The Wall in 1979, a collaboration with legendary producer Quincy Jones.
The album topped the UK and US charts and had the singles Don't Stop Till You Get Enough, for which Jackson won a Grammy, and Rock With You.
But the rumours about Jackson's behaviour grew.
He seemed to be trying to capture the youth he never had, surrounding himself with animals and toys.
In 1982 he released the very adult album Thriller, the most successful album of all time, selling more than 47m copies and winning seven Grammys.
It produced a run of hits such as The Girl Is Mine - a duet with Paul McCartney - Billie Jean, Beat It and Thriller.
He landed the largest individual sponsorship deal in history from Pepsi in 1983 and his involvement in the 1984 Victory tour sparked the greatest demand for concert tickets in history.
Michael Jackson had become a myth and as his career headed for the stratosphere, rumours about him started to gain mythical proportions too.
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