Michael Jackson Quiz
Thriller, the moonwalk, Neverland and the Jackson 5: 15 questions on the King of Pop.
With which family group did the young Michael first find fame, singing lead at the age of 11?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
The Jackson 5
Michael was the youngest lead singer of the Jackson 5, the Motown group formed with his brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon, whose first four singles all reached No. 1 in 1970.
"I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There" made them the first act to debut with four straight No. 1 hits.
Which 1982 Michael Jackson album is the best-selling album of all time?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Thriller
Thriller, released in November 1982, has sold an estimated 70 million copies worldwide and spent 37 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, with seven of its nine tracks released as singles.
It won a record eight Grammys in a single night in 1984, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year for "Beat It".
Which dance move did he unveil while performing "Billie Jean" on the Motown 25 TV special in 1983?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
The moonwalk
Jackson debuted the moonwalk, a backward glide that appears to move forward, during "Billie Jean" on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, broadcast in May 1983.
He credited street dancers and performers such as Jeffrey Daniel of Shalamar for teaching him the move, which was known as the backslide.
Which producer worked with Jackson on Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones met Jackson on the set of The Wiz and went on to produce his three defining albums, bringing in songwriter Rod Temperton and a crack team of session musicians.
Teddy Riley took over much of the production on Dangerous in 1991, bringing the new jack swing sound to "Remember the Time".
In which Indiana city was Michael Jackson born in 1958?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Gary
Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, the eighth of Joe and Katherine Jackson's ten children, in a two-bedroom house on Jackson Street.
The family home at 2300 Jackson Street still stands and became a shrine for fans after his death in 2009.
What did Jackson call the California ranch he bought in 1988, complete with its own amusement park and zoo?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Neverland
Neverland Ranch, near Los Olivos in Santa Barbara County, was named after the island in Peter Pan and featured a Ferris wheel, a railway and exotic animals.
Hayvenhurst was the Jackson family compound in Encino, Los Angeles, where Michael lived before buying Neverland.
Which 1979 album featured "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You"?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Off the Wall
Off the Wall, his first adult solo album and first with Quincy Jones, produced four US top-ten singles including "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough", which won him his first Grammy.
Jackson was reportedly upset that Off the Wall won only one Grammy and vowed that his next album would be impossible to ignore.
Who co-wrote the 1985 charity single "We Are the World" with Michael Jackson?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Lionel Richie
Jackson and Lionel Richie wrote "We Are the World" for USA for Africa, and Quincy Jones produced the all-star session recorded the night of the American Music Awards in January 1985.
A sign at the studio door read "Check your egos at the door", and the single raised tens of millions of dollars for famine relief.
Which rock guitarist played the solo on "Beat It", reportedly for free?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Eddie Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen recorded the "Beat It" solo as a favour, taking no payment, after Quincy Jones called him; the rhythm parts were played by Toto's Steve Lukather.
Slash later played with Jackson on "Give In to Me" and "Black or White" era performances, including the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards.
Who directed the 14-minute Thriller video, which premiered on MTV in December 1983?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
John Landis
John Landis, fresh from An American Werewolf in London, directed the Thriller short film, with make-up artist Rick Baker turning Jackson into a werecat and a dancing zombie.
Horror legend Vincent Price performed the spoken-word passage at the end of the song, reportedly recording it in just two takes.
Who did Michael Jackson marry in 1994, in his first marriage?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Lisa Marie Presley
Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis Presley's only child, in a secret ceremony in the Dominican Republic in May 1994, and the marriage ended in divorce less than two years later in 1996.
Debbie Rowe, a nurse he met at his dermatologist's office, became his second wife in 1996 and the mother of his two eldest children.
In the 1978 film The Wiz, which character did Michael Jackson play opposite Diana Ross's Dorothy?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Scarecrow
Jackson played the Scarecrow in The Wiz, Sidney Lumet's Motown-backed reworking of The Wizard of Oz, and it was on that film that he first worked with Quincy Jones.
Richard Pryor played the Wiz himself, and Nipsey Russell was the Tin Man in the film's all-Black cast.
What was the name of the 50-date London comeback concert series announced for 2009, which never took place?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
This Is It
This Is It was planned for London's O2 Arena from July 2009, but Jackson died on June 25 that year during rehearsals, and the footage became the documentary film of the same name.
Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour was a Cirque du Soleil tribute show that launched in 2011.
Which Michael Jackson single was accompanied by an 18-minute short film directed by Martin Scorsese?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Bad
Scorsese directed the black-and-white and colour short film for "Bad", shot in a Brooklyn subway station in 1986, with a young Wesley Snipes as Jackson's antagonist.
The screenplay was written by novelist Richard Price, who had just scripted Scorsese's The Color of Money.
In 1985 Jackson bought the ATV Music catalogue, giving him publishing rights to most songs by which band?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
The Beatles
Jackson paid around $47.5 million for ATV Music, which owned the Northern Songs catalogue of roughly 250 Lennon and McCartney compositions, outbidding Paul McCartney himself.
ATV was merged with Sony's publishing arm in 1995, and Sony bought out the Jackson estate's remaining share in 2016.
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All Entertainment quizzes →About the Michael Jackson Quiz
Michael Jackson sang lead for the Jackson 5 at the age of 11, made Thriller the best-selling album of all time, and turned a single glide across the Motown 25 stage into the most imitated dance move on the planet. His short films had Hollywood directors, his guitar solos had rock legends, and his ranch had its own amusement park.
These 15 questions cover the hits and the history: his Indiana hometown, his producer on three classic albums, the guitarist on "Beat It", his film debut as the Scarecrow and the music catalogue he bought in 1985. Start easy, finish with the deeper cuts that separate casual fans from the moonwalkers.
You will find 15 multiple choice questions here, each with four options. Difficulty: Medium. Most people finish in about 6 minutes, and every answer comes with a short explanation and one extra fact worth keeping.
How to play
Read the question and pick one of the four answers. The correct answer is revealed straight away with a short explanation, then press Next question to keep going. At the end you get your score out of 15 and a full review of your round. Play again any time and the questions arrive in a fresh order. There is no timer and no account.
Good to know before you play
What is Michael Jackson's best-selling album?
Thriller, released in 1982, is the best-selling album of all time, with estimated sales of around 70 million copies worldwide and seven top-ten singles.
Who produced Michael Jackson's biggest albums?
Quincy Jones produced Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982) and Bad (1987), the trio of albums that defined Jackson's solo career.
What kinds of questions are in this quiz?
It mixes easy hits such as the moonwalk and Neverland with medium questions on collaborators and films, and a few harder facts about his business deals and videos.
Answer key: all 15 questions with explanations
- With which family group did the young Michael first find fame, singing lead at the age of 11?
The Jackson 5 Michael was the youngest lead singer of the Jackson 5, the Motown group formed with his brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon, whose first four singles all reached No. 1 in 1970. "I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There" made them the first act to debut with four straight No. 1 hits. - Which 1982 Michael Jackson album is the best-selling album of all time?
Thriller Thriller, released in November 1982, has sold an estimated 70 million copies worldwide and spent 37 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, with seven of its nine tracks released as singles. It won a record eight Grammys in a single night in 1984, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year for "Beat It". - Which dance move did he unveil while performing "Billie Jean" on the Motown 25 TV special in 1983?
The moonwalk Jackson debuted the moonwalk, a backward glide that appears to move forward, during "Billie Jean" on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, broadcast in May 1983. He credited street dancers and performers such as Jeffrey Daniel of Shalamar for teaching him the move, which was known as the backslide. - Which producer worked with Jackson on Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad?
Quincy Jones Quincy Jones met Jackson on the set of The Wiz and went on to produce his three defining albums, bringing in songwriter Rod Temperton and a crack team of session musicians. Teddy Riley took over much of the production on Dangerous in 1991, bringing the new jack swing sound to "Remember the Time". - In which Indiana city was Michael Jackson born in 1958?
Gary Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, the eighth of Joe and Katherine Jackson's ten children, in a two-bedroom house on Jackson Street. The family home at 2300 Jackson Street still stands and became a shrine for fans after his death in 2009. - What did Jackson call the California ranch he bought in 1988, complete with its own amusement park and zoo?
Neverland Neverland Ranch, near Los Olivos in Santa Barbara County, was named after the island in Peter Pan and featured a Ferris wheel, a railway and exotic animals. Hayvenhurst was the Jackson family compound in Encino, Los Angeles, where Michael lived before buying Neverland. - Which 1979 album featured "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You"?
Off the Wall Off the Wall, his first adult solo album and first with Quincy Jones, produced four US top-ten singles including "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough", which won him his first Grammy. Jackson was reportedly upset that Off the Wall won only one Grammy and vowed that his next album would be impossible to ignore. - Who co-wrote the 1985 charity single "We Are the World" with Michael Jackson?
Lionel Richie Jackson and Lionel Richie wrote "We Are the World" for USA for Africa, and Quincy Jones produced the all-star session recorded the night of the American Music Awards in January 1985. A sign at the studio door read "Check your egos at the door", and the single raised tens of millions of dollars for famine relief. - Which rock guitarist played the solo on "Beat It", reportedly for free?
Eddie Van Halen Eddie Van Halen recorded the "Beat It" solo as a favour, taking no payment, after Quincy Jones called him; the rhythm parts were played by Toto's Steve Lukather. Slash later played with Jackson on "Give In to Me" and "Black or White" era performances, including the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards. - Who directed the 14-minute Thriller video, which premiered on MTV in December 1983?
John Landis John Landis, fresh from An American Werewolf in London, directed the Thriller short film, with make-up artist Rick Baker turning Jackson into a werecat and a dancing zombie. Horror legend Vincent Price performed the spoken-word passage at the end of the song, reportedly recording it in just two takes. - Who did Michael Jackson marry in 1994, in his first marriage?
Lisa Marie Presley Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis Presley's only child, in a secret ceremony in the Dominican Republic in May 1994, and the marriage ended in divorce less than two years later in 1996. Debbie Rowe, a nurse he met at his dermatologist's office, became his second wife in 1996 and the mother of his two eldest children. - In the 1978 film The Wiz, which character did Michael Jackson play opposite Diana Ross's Dorothy?
Scarecrow Jackson played the Scarecrow in The Wiz, Sidney Lumet's Motown-backed reworking of The Wizard of Oz, and it was on that film that he first worked with Quincy Jones. Richard Pryor played the Wiz himself, and Nipsey Russell was the Tin Man in the film's all-Black cast. - What was the name of the 50-date London comeback concert series announced for 2009, which never took place?
This Is It This Is It was planned for London's O2 Arena from July 2009, but Jackson died on June 25 that year during rehearsals, and the footage became the documentary film of the same name. Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour was a Cirque du Soleil tribute show that launched in 2011. - Which Michael Jackson single was accompanied by an 18-minute short film directed by Martin Scorsese?
Bad Scorsese directed the black-and-white and colour short film for "Bad", shot in a Brooklyn subway station in 1986, with a young Wesley Snipes as Jackson's antagonist. The screenplay was written by novelist Richard Price, who had just scripted Scorsese's The Color of Money. - In 1985 Jackson bought the ATV Music catalogue, giving him publishing rights to most songs by which band?
The Beatles Jackson paid around $47.5 million for ATV Music, which owned the Northern Songs catalogue of roughly 250 Lennon and McCartney compositions, outbidding Paul McCartney himself. ATV was merged with Sony's publishing arm in 1995, and Sony bought out the Jackson estate's remaining share in 2016.
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