Michael Jackson is known around the world as the King of Pop. He has sold more albums worldwide than any solo artist. He has the biggest selling album of all time. He revolutionized popular music and dancing. He also set the standard for music videos, which he always called "short films."
These videos broke racial barriers on MTV, paving the way for other Black artists to be played on the network. It also gave Jackson an opportunity to showcase his visual influences and made statements about what is important to him. Much of Jackson's videography reflects his own personal circumstances at the time of the video's release.
These eight videos not only have significance to Jackson's career, but they represent key moments in his personal life as well.
8 Billie Jean
When Michael Jackson was growing up, he experienced things most people his age didn't. Among these were intense fans and their sometimes scary behavior. As Jackson grew into adulthood, he was often sent letters from female fans claiming he was the father of their child. According to J. Randy Taraborrelli's biography of Jackson, this song was inspired by a particular woman who sent him letters of this nature so much that it gave him nightmares. When it came time to shoot the video, the director, Steve Barron, refused to film dance. Jackson insisted he be able to have a small dance scene in the video.
7 Thriller
Michael Jackson was raised a Jehovah's Witness when he was growing up. At the time that he made the "Thriller" video, he was still very devoted to the faith. Jackson enlisted John Landis to direct the 14-minute short film and delved into his love of metamorphosis. Jackson was having fun with the idea of becoming a zombie and dancing with the undead. However, when members of his religion found out about the video, they threatened to ex-communicate him. This was because a belief in the occult is strongly condemned in the Jehovah's Witness religion. Devastated, Jackson tried to get the video destroyed. However, he settled for placing a disclaimer at the start of the video, insisting he didn't believe in the occult.
6 The Way You Make Me Feel
This was the second video to premiere after the release of Jackson's "Bad" album. Jackson wanted to have a video that complimented the song's subject matter. He auditioned several women to be his leading lady, ultimately selecting Tatiana Thumbtzen. She was a model who Jackson was taken with. Vincent Patterson, Jackson's choreographer, felt Jackson thought Thumbtzen complimented him in the looks department. Jackson even asked Thumbtzen to join him on tour, which she happily accepted. According to Thumbtzen, she asked Jackson if she could change the choreography before the show one night. Since he said yes, she kissed Jackson on stage during the performance. This resulted in her getting fired from the rest of the tour, leaving her heartbroken.
5 Dirty Diana
This song was inspired by the groupies Jackson saw around his brothers during his early years with the Jackson 5. He often told stories of his brothers bringing girls back to the hotel rooms while he and his younger brother Marlon were supposed to be asleep. These experiences had such an effect on Jackson that he put them into this song. Rumors swirled at the time of its release that Jackson was singing about Diana Ross. Jackson also told a story of when he met Princess Diana before a show in London, where she asked him if he would do "Dirty Diana," since it was her favorite song. He had taken it out of the show to respect her, and it was too late to add it back in.
4 Leave Me Alone
Michael Jackson had a difficult relationship with the media all of his life. He was on top of the world during the days of "Thriller," but he soon became a tabloid fixture afterwards. Some have speculated that Jackson himself is responsible for this. However, Jackson insisted that wasn't true. Stories of Jackson sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber and wanting to purchase the Elephant Man's skeleton dominated the headlines in the eighties. Jackson denied all the rumors and vented his frustration in the "Leave Me Alone" music video. In the video, Jackson makes fun of the tabloids and responds with a sense of humor. This video is also what helped inspire artist Mark Ryden to create the cover for Jackson's next album, "Dangerous."
3 Black or White
Racism is an issue Jackson dealt with his entire life. He told stories during his lifetime about hateful experiences his mother and brothers experienced when they were out in public. It was a topic that deeply affected him and he used his platform to speak out against it. This song is an example of one of those many instances. In the video, Jackson caused controversy with its provocative ending, featuring Jackson grabbing his crotch and smashing car windows. Jackson later explained the dance sequence was meant to express his frustration with racism and prejudice. Jackson would go on to remove the sequence from future airings on MTV.
2 Scream
In 1993, a 13-year-old boy accused Jackson of abuse. These allegations devastated Jackson and he always denied they were true. When Jackson was ready to create his next album, he wanted to express his anger about the situation and the public's response. At the same time, his sister Janet was on a world tour and wanted to show her support for her brother. She was previously asked by Jackson to do a duet when she was promoting her "Rhythm Nation" album, but refused since she had not come into her own yet. This time, however, she felt ready. The video was directed by Mark Romanek and is said to be the most expensive video ever made.
1 Earth Song
One of the many things Jackson became known for in his lifetime was his humanitarian work. He famously co-wrote the charity anthem, "We Are The World," and even begun his own Heal The World Foundation in the early nineties. He gave millions of dollars to children's hospitals and charities. He regularly hosted sick and underprivileged children at his Neverland Ranch. Another area Jackson was passionate about was the environment. This song and video gave Jackson an outlet to express his concern over the climate and future of the planet. The video's use of archival footage really drives home the message. It was also released way before speaking about environmental issues was common or popular.