Michael Jackson videography

American entertainer Michael Jackson (1958–2009) debuted on the professional music scene at age five as a member of The Jackson 5 and began a solo career in 1971 while still part of the group. Referred to as the "King of Pop" in subsequent years, Jackson promoted seven of his solo albums with music videos, or as he would refer to them as "short films". In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular culture and the first African American entertainer to have a strong crossover fanbase on Music Television (MTV). The popularity of his music videos that aired on MTV, such as "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and "Thriller"—credited for transforming the music video from a promotional tool and into an art form through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameo appearances—helped bring the relatively new channel to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made Jackson an enduring staple on MTV into the 1990s. Some of his short films drew criticism for their violent and sexual elements; others were lauded by critics and awarded Guinness World Records for their length, success and expense.

The singer's earliest film role was Scarecrow in the 1978 American musical The Wiz. He went on to appear in productions such as Men in Black II (2002) as well as lesser known productions, Miss Cast Away (2004) and his own feature-length movie, Moonwalker (1988) in which he starred alongside Joe Pesci. The singer also had a guest role in an episode of American cartoon The Simpsons. Some of his other releases are noted for their runtime. Captain EO (1986), a 17-minute film that cost $30 million to create, was the most expensive video to produce (in dollars per minute) at the time of its release. Michael Jackson's Ghosts (1996), in which Jackson played five characters, has been credited as the longest music video ever. Several of Jackson's feature films have been released on home video, and have been certified by trading bodies such as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).