Jackson's
blazing rise to stardom -- and later fall from grace -- is among the
most startling of show business tales. The son of a steelworker, he
rose to fame as the lead singer of the Jackson 5, a band he formed with
his brothers in the late 1960s. By the late '70s, as a solo artist, he
was topping the charts with cuts from "Off the Wall," including "Rock
With You" and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough."
In 1982, he released "Thriller," an album that eventually produced seven hit singles. An appearance the next year on a
Motown Records 25th-anniversary special cemented his status as the
biggest star in the country.
For the rest of the 1980s, they came no bigger. "Thriller's"
follow-up, 1987's "Bad," sold almost as many copies. A new Jackson
album -- a new Jackson appearance -- was a pop culture event. iReport: Share your memories of Michael Jackson
The pop music landscape was changing, however, opening up for rap,
hip-hop and what came to be called "alternative" -- and Jackson was
seen as out of step.
His next release, 1991's "Dangerous,"
debuted at No. 1 but "only" produced one top-ranking single -- "Black
or White" -- and that song earned criticism for its inexplicably
violent ending, in which Jackson was seen smashing car windows and
clutching his crotch.
nd then "Dangerous" was knocked out of its No. 1 spot on the album
charts by Nirvana's "Nevermind," an occurrence noted for its symbolism
by rock critics.
After that, more attention was paid to
Jackson's private life than his music career, which faltered. A 1995
two-CD greatest hits, "HIStory," sold relatively poorly, given the huge
expense of Jackson's recording contract: about 7 million copies,
according to Recording Industry of America certifications.
From the time he putted a golf ball at the age of 2 on "The Mike Douglas Show," Tiger Woods has been a golden child.
While athletes in different professions dealt with doping scandals and other controversies, Woods continued to do what he did best: dominate the field of professional golf and rake in endorsements.
But it is that squeaky-clean image, and the tightly controlled persona Woods has cultivated over the course of his career, that experts say is fueling speculation and interest in the circumstances surrounding his recent car accident.
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