AP 1972, Michael Jackson at age 13, the youngest member of the Jackson Five.
SUNSHINE/ZUMA Michael Jackson at the Sonesta Hotel in Amsterdam, Holland, promoting 'Off the Wall' in 1980.
1964 Jackson and his brother Marlon join the Jackson Brothers, a band started by their older siblings Jackie, Tito and Jermaine. After playing percussion, Michael soon begins singing backup vocals and dancing. By 8, he takes on lead vocals with Jermaine, and the group becomes known as the Jackson 5.
1968 MOTOWN AND RISE TO FAME: The group signs with powerhouse label Motown Records in 1968. The Jackson 5 becomes the first act to have its first four singles on a major label reach No. 1 on the charts. The hits include "I Want You Back," "ABC," "The Love You Save" and "I"ll Be There."
1975 The boy band leaves Motown after some less successful releases. The group signs with CBS Records, and Motown sues for breach of contract. As part of the agreement to let the Jackson 5 switch labels, the group changes its name to the Jacksons.
1978 "THE WIZ": Jackson stars as Scarecrow in this movie adapted from the Broadway musical. The film receives four Oscar nominations, along with a Best Supporting Actor nod for Jackson from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films.
1979 The performer breaks his nose during a dance routine. He has rhinoplasty surgery but complains of breathing difficulties. The operation is believed to be the first of many cosmetic enhancements.
1982 "THRILLER": Jackson's sixth album is released on Nov. 30, featuring hits such as "Billie Jean" and "Beat It." It goes on to become the best-selling record of all time, with 109 million copies sold to date. It remains on the Billboard 200's top-10 list for 80 straight weeks and is the first album to have seven Billboard Hot 100 singles.
1983 MOONWALK: Jackson's trademark dance move makes its debut on March 25, when he performs live on the "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever" TV special. While singing "Billie Jean," Jackson awes viewers with a move that makes him appear to be stepping forward as he glides backward.
1984: Pyrotechnics set the star's hair on fire while filming a Pepsi commercial in Los Angeles on Jan. 27. He suffers second-degree burns to his scalp and is rushed to the hospital.
1985 BRANCHING OUT: Hugely popular, Jackson turns his interest to a variety of projects. "We Are the World," written with Lionel Richie, becomes one of the best-selling singles of all time, and the proceeds are donated to famine relief in Africa. After befriending Paul McCartney, Jackson buys the publishing rights to more than 100 Beatles songs. Meanwhile, the singer adopts a chimpanzee, named Bubbles; his close friendship with the animal, coupled with stories that he has purchased the bones of the Elephant Man and sleeps in an oxygen chamber, earn him the nickname "Wacko Jacko." The star is troubled by health issues such as vitiligo, which causes chronic depigmentation of large patches of skin
