Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration

Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration

Concert by Michael Jackson
Promotional poster for Jackson's New York City show
Associated album	Invincible
Start date	September 7, 2001
End date	September 10, 2001
No. of shows	2
Box office	$10,072,105
Michael Jackson concert chronology
MJ & Friends (1999) Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration (2001) United We Stand: What More Can I Give (2001)

The Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration was a 2001 concert show and television special by Michael Jackson. It was staged in Madison Square Garden in New York City on September 7 and 10, 2001. On November 13, 2001, the CBS television network aired the concerts as a two-hour special in honor of Jackson's thirtieth year as a solo entertainer (his first solo single, "Got to Be There", was recorded and released in 1971). The show was edited from footage of the two performances. Nielsen Media Research reported that an estimated 45 million people watched all or part of the special, making "Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration" one of the highest-rated musical specials in television history.^[1] Coincidentally, the 30th anniversary concert was also watched by 30 million viewers, on CBS, when it aired later the same year.^[2]

The shows sold out in two hours. Ticket prices were among the most expensive ever for an event; the best seats (with VIP access) cost $10k, but included a dinner with Jackson and a signed poster. The show was choreographed by Glenn Douglas Packard and Brian Thomas, who were nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography. It was presented by David Gest, World Events LLC, and Clear Channel Entertainment. Jackson reportedly earned $7.5 million for each of the two concerts. The concert's official box-office taking was $10,072,105 for both concerts.^[3]

To some fans, Jackson appeared more disoriented in the first concert, as he only did one short moonwalk and improvised the ending of the "Billie Jean" performance. In 2011, presenter David Gest would claim that Jackson was on drugs during the concerts, in the documentary Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon; however, despite taking pain medication, Jackson himself explained that he merely had not rehearsed for the first concert and was self-conscious of his performance. Contradictorily, in his book You Are Not Alone: Michael Through a Brother's Eyes, Michael’s brother Jermaine Jackson said that during this time, Michael was taking Demerol, a pain-relieving medicine with reported psychotropic effects.

Regardless, the show was a major success, with appearances by numerous celebrities, athletes and actors, and performances with/by other musicians; Jackson himself performed “The Way You Make Me Feel” with Britney Spears, and Mya, Usher and Whitney Houston gave a rousing performance of “Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'”.^[4] The two concerts were the only times Jackson performed any song from his album Invincible live.