Michael Jackson is known around the world as the King of Pop. He broke racial barriers by being the first Black artist to have his videos played on MTV. He revolutionized dancing and the way artists performed on stage. He also changed the way people saw music videos, making them into an art form.
Jackson famously performed at the Super Bowl halftime show in 1993. His performance was a ratings hit, drawing in more viewers for the halftime show than the game itself. Artists far and wide now consider getting a halftime show gig to be a landmark moment in their career.
This is how Michael Jackson set the standard for halftime show entertainment at the Super Bow.
Michael Jackson Becomes The King Of Pop
In 1977, Michael Jackson embarked on a trip to New York City to film the musical movie The Wiz. Jackson co-starred with his Motown mentor Diana Ross in the adaptation of The Wizard of Oz. Ross played Dorthy and Jackson played the Scarecrow. The film helped Jackson connect with the talented musician and producer Quincy Jones, who produced the film's soundtrack.
Jackson and Jones would later team up on 1979's "Off The Wall." The album was Jackson's first solo effort as an adult and drew inspiration from the disco music of the time.
The album was nominated for two Grammys, with Jackson winning for Best R&B Vocal Performance for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." Jackson was disappointed he wasn't nominated for more awards and vowed to do even better with his next album.
The "Thriller" album was released in 1982 and set off Michael-mania for the next several years. Jackson wowed audiences by performing the moonwalk on Motown 25 in 1983 and broke racial barriers by being the first Black artist to receive airplay on MTV. Jackson's videos set fashion trends and made music videos a new art form.
"Thriller" became the best-selling album of all time, a record it holds to this day. It also won a record eight Grammy Awards in 1984. Jackson co-wrote the charity single "We Are The World" with Lionel Richie 1985.
It raised a ton of money for hungry and starving children in Africa, while becoming one of the best-selling physical singles of all time.
Jackson's "Bad" album followed in 1987. The album spawned a ton of hit singles, five of which went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This was a record tied only by Katy Perry with her 2010 "Teenage Dream" album. The album also saw Jackson embark on his first solo concert tour, which was also a huge success.
The Super Bowl Needed Michael Jackson To Revive The Halftime Show
Once upon a time, the Super Bowl halftime show was no different than the halftime shows you would see at your high school football games.
There were often marching bands that came out to perform. Later on, drill teams and acts like Up with People would perform. These shows were deemed culturally outdated by the early 90s.
In 1992, the Fox series In Living Color aired a special episode on Super Bowl Sunday to compete with the halftime show.
The halftime show featured a salute to the 1992 Winter Olympics with skating by Brian Boitano and Dorothy Hamill. Gloria Estefan was the musical guest, but the halftime show still saw a 22% decrease in viewership thanks to In Living Color.
For the next halftime show, the NFL needed a huge star to take over and bring in young viewership. Jackson was approached due to his star power and his appeal to multiple generations. After some tough negotiations, Jackson agreed to perform at the 1993 Super Bowl.
The Aftermath Of Michael Jackson's Halftime Performance
Jackson's halftime show included a medley of his hit songs and included a rendition of "Heal the World." Jackson did his signature dance moves, including the famous moonwalk. The final song saw Jackson surrounded by children from around the world with an enormous inflatable globe.
Jackson's performance drew in huge ratings, marking the first time in Super Bowl history that ratings for the halftime show were higher than the game itself.
It also set the standard for more popular artists to perform at the halftime show. This is what helped lead the Super Bowl halftime show to be the gig every performer now dreams of having.
In the years since Jackson's Super Bowl performance, artists have stunned the world with their own halftime shows.
Madonna also drew in high ratings for her halftime show, BeyonceÌ appeared twice and surprised the audience with a Destiny's Child reunion, while Lady Gaga flew in from the roof of the stadium.
Michael Jackson is an artist that set the standard for those who came after him. This isn't just true of music videos, but the Super Bowl as well. It is one of the many reasons he was and always will be the King of Pop.