On November 14, 1991, television history was made when Michael Jackson’s “Black or White” music video premiered simultaneously across 27 countries. Broadcast on MTV, Fox TV, and the BBC’s Top of the Pops, the event drew an estimated 500 million viewers worldwide—the largest audience ever for a music video at the time. 

Directed by John Landis, who previously collaborated with Jackson on Thriller, the 11-minute short film served as the lead single for Jackson’s eighth studio album, Dangerous. The video opens with a comedic prologue featuring Macaulay Culkin and George Wendt, before transitioning into a global tour where Jackson dances alongside traditional performers from Africa, Thailand, India, Russia, and Native American cultures.

However, it was the video’s final sequence that stunned audiences and forever changed visual effects in pop culture. Using cutting-edge computer-generated imagery (CGI) developed by Pacific Data Images, the sequence featured a diverse group of models—including a young Tyra Banks—seamlessly “morphing” into one another while lip-syncing to the song’s chorus. While morphing had been used sparingly in films like Willow and Terminator 2, “Black or White” brought the technology into living rooms globally, making it an instant cultural touchstone.

The premiere was not without controversy. The original broadcast included a four-minute epilogue in which Jackson performed an aggressive, solo dance routine in a dark alley, smashing car windows and grabbing his crotch. Following backlash from parents and critics over the violent imagery, Jackson apologized and edited the sequence out of subsequent airings.

Despite the controversy, “Black or White” became an undeniable triumph. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks, cemented Jackson’s status as the King of Pop, and established the music video premiere as a premier global television event. / Stories

Profession: King of Pop

Nationality:

Biography: One of the most successful and popular entertainers in music history, Jackson began his musical career as a child, performing with his brothers in Jackson 5 before going solo in 1971. The Jackson 5 had numerous hits, including “ABC” and “I’ll Be There”.

After releasing the commercially successful album “Off the Wall” in 1979, he released “Thriller” in 1982, which became the best-selling album of all time with over 65 million copies sold and contained such hits as “Billie Jean”, “Beat It” and the title track.

Jackson, who became famous for his choreography and groundbreaking music videos, dominated pop music in the 1980s; successful albums “Bad” (1987) and “Dangerous” (1991) followed. The winner of 13 Grammy Awards, Jackson sold more than 350 million records and was one of the most influential entertainers in history.

Jackson’s eccentric personal life dominated the latter half of his career, including his financial troubles, changing appearance and general behavior. In the 1990s and 2000s he was accused of child sexual abuse, charges which he denied and was acquitted of in two highly publicized trials.

In 2009 he announced a series of comeback concerts, entitled This Is It. Before those concerts could be undertaken he died aged 50 of a cardiac arrest, brought on by an accidental overdose of propofol administered by his personal physician. His death led to a global outpouring of grief and his memorial service was widely watched around the world.

Born: August 29, 1958
Birthplace: Gary, Indiana, USA

Generation: Baby Boomer
Chinese Zodiac: Dog
Star Sign: Virgo

Died: June 25, 2009 (aged 50)
Cause of Death: Cardiac arrest induced by an overdose of prescription drug propofol