Assignment 2-1

I chose the pop singer Michael Jackson for this week’s analysis. Michael was born in 1958 and grew up as a member of the Jackson 5 family act. While still a member, he also began his own solo career in 1971. In his career he holds the Guinness World Record as “Most Popular Entertainer of All Time”. He has more single hits than any other male artist in the “Top 100” era and sold an estimated 750 million records in his career. He has been called “The King of Pop” (Jones, R., Brown S., 2005) since 1989. His outrageous stage costumes have influenced clothing designers and his dance steps have inspired other entertainers. His shows have included spectacular special effects and extreme dance moves. He has performed all over the world. All this has made him a popular cultural icon for more than 30 years. Michael Jackson died in 2009 of cardiac arrest but his popularity and music will continue. Along with his accomplishments as a musician and showman, he definitely represents America in the eyes of the world. In my travels I have seen numerous images of Michael Jackson in some of the most remote places on the planet. In Afghanistan, one of the more charismatic local national contractors who did business on the base chose “Michael Jackson” as his business alias. He knew the importance of having his customer identify with his name.

Reference: Jones, R., Brown, S. (2005) Michael Jackson, the man behind the mask: an insider’s story of the king of pop. Select Books.