Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009), the "King of Pop", was one of the most commercially successful and influential entertainers of all time. Jackson transformed the art of the music video and paved the way for modern pop music in his own country.

Jackson's work, distinctive musical sound and vocal style have influenced scores of hip hop, rock, pop and R&B artists, including Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Usher, Chris Brown, Britney Spears, Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Ludacris, 50 Cent, The Game, Fall Out Boy, Green Day, Miley Cyrus, John Mayer, Lenny Kravitz, and R. Kelly. For much of his career, he had an "unparalleled" level of worldwide influence over the younger generation through his musical and humanitarian contributions.

Jackson's videos and music helped break down racial barriers when first shown on MTV, putting the relatively new channel on the map, changing its focus from rock and roll to pop music and R&B, and therefore shaping it to what it is today.