From Thriller to Bad, Michael Jackson's 15 greatest songs on the London debut of MJ The Musical

There's good reason Michael Jackson was crowned the King of Pop.

He was a true musical icon. The expression is often overused, but in terms of Jackson’s music, it was entirely deserved. His songs, his fashion, and his dance moves all had an unparalleled influence on pop.

For at least a decade-and-a-half, he dominated the airwaves: the albums he released from 1979 to 1995 – starting with the disco-tinged masterpiece of Off The Wall and ending with the 30-song behemoth HIStory – are all among the highest-selling albums of all time.

But of course his career was mired by disturbing allegations, and accusations of child molestation, the first of which was made against the singer in 1993 and settled out of court. And, after the release of the tremendously upsetting 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland, listening to Jackson’s music was complicated further.

Which is why MJ: The Musical, which opens in London tonight after wowing US audiences on Broadway, has been splitting theatre fans. “It's not OK to see the Michael Jackson musical in London, it's abhorrent,” said the Standard’s Anna van Praagh.

Others have found ways to separate the art from the artist: 1.1