The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies | ISSN: 2452-0497

We deliver primarily academic research-based content and we also provide resources for academics and teachers. We archive online content so that we can deliver researchers a referencing service. We are impartial and are not affiliated with any institution. Therefore we remain objective and balanced in our content. We provide content of a diversity which gives us perspectives of all kinds and makes very clear that we can study Michael Jackson from a wide variety of subject specialisms, from Popular Culture and Literature to African-American Heritage.

MJ Studies Today CVIII

14th December 2024

Abstract: In this month’s column, Kerry Hennigan reflects on the current and forthcoming official projects from the Michael Jackson Estate, namely MJ: the Musical and the forthcoming biographical movie Michael. In considering the concerns of some fans, Kerry looks back on the Estate’s collaboration with Cirque du Soleil, and on the potential for all such […]

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Episode 76 – Wannabe Startin’ Somethin’

21st November 2024

In episode 76, Karin and Elizabeth discuss the essay “Wannabe Startin’ Somethin’: Michael Jackson’s Critical Race Representation” by Dawn-Elissa Fischer, Professor at the San Francisco State University where she teaches courses on black popular culture, information technology and virtual ethnography. REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and Elizabeth Amisu. “Episode 76 – ‘Wannabe Startin’ Somethin’’, Michael Jackson’s Dream Lives […]

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MJ Studies Today CVII

14th November 2024

Abstract: Every year around Halloween, the sound of Michael Jackson’s song “Thriller” enjoys a resurgence on music streaming platforms as the occasion’s most essential theme song. Just as essential is the iconic dance routine from the Thriller short film, which this year inspired an animated feature by Illumination starring the cast of the Sing movies. […]

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MJ Studies Today CVI

14th October 2024

Abstract: This issue of MJ Studies Today continues the story of false narratives and alternative histories generated or regurgitated about Michael Jackson. Picking up where Part 1 (August 2024) left off, this month columnist Kerry Hennigan looks at some of the stories about Jackson that circulated following his death. Some of these defied not only […]

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MJ Studies Today CV

14th September 2024

Abstract: This month’s MJ Studies Today column looks at the use of Michael Jackson’s music by various athletes competing in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, plus the announcement of delegates from Indiana that their state was “the home of Michael Jackson” while broadcasting his music at this year’s Democratic National Convention. Kerry Hennigan considers the […]

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Episode 75 – Summer Edition Michael Jackson’s Dream Lives On

29th August 2024

Abstract: In Episode 75, Karin and Elizabeth speak briefly about the hiatus the Journal has been in, past episodes and great essays to read, and the 8th year of The Dangerous Philosophies and the paperback published in April this year by Bloomsbury. Elizabeth also shares her experience visiting MJ the Musical. REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and […]

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MJ Studies Today CIV

14th August 2024

MJ Studies Today CIV, August 2024, “Damned Lies” and Conspiracies in the life and afterlife of Michael Jackson, Part 1. Trust Betrayed Continue reading →

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MJ Studies Today CIII

14th July 2024

MJ Studies Today, July 2024 looks at events surrounding the 15th anniversary of the death of pop icon Michael Jackson. Continue reading →

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MJ Studies Today CII

14th June 2024

MJ Studies Today for June 2024 looks at a new book about Michael Jackson published in February 2024. Titled Michael Jackson: The Man, The Music, The Controversy by Monika Wiesak, it presents a sympathetic view of the superstar without shying away from the serious controversies that have continued to dog his legacy. Continue reading →

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MJ Studies Today CI

14th May 2024

MJ Studies Today CI, May 2024, by Kerry Hennigan, looks at the collaboration of Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder, two musical geniuses who began their careers as child prodigies and who in 1987 recorded two duets – “Just Good Friends” and “Get It.” Continue reading →

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It is a little-known fact that academic, well-researched “books on Elvis Presley alone outnumber titles on Chuck Berry, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, andMichael Jackson combined”. (Vogel, Man in the Music). Whereas an artist like Michael Jackson is incredibly visible through the media and tabloid coverage, research on his art remains comparatively small. If this continues Michael Jackson’s contributions could be written out of history in just a few decades. Therefore, this journal nurtures, fosters, protects, preserves and grows the vital research and recognition of his work.

Podcasts are a fantastic way of getting academic ideas around Michael Jackson into the public sphere in a way that is easily accessible to listeners. Presented by the journal’s editors, it is the world’s first academic podcast which solely discusses the art of Michael Jackson as well as the broader contexts in which his music, performance and short films were created and received. Each podcast is filled to the brim with academic insights, a plethora of references from a range of academic disciplines, humor and a great deal of discussion, taking Michael Jackson’s work and the study of its reception to new heights.
MichaelJackson’s Dream Lives On: An Academic Conversation is our official, original monthly/fortnightly academic podcast which focuses on the life, art and creative work of Michael Jackson. Recently, featured on the iTunes ‘New and Noteworthy’ lists, Michael Jackson’s Dream Lives On: An Academic Conversation is the world’s foremost podcast on Michael Jackson in academic studies. It is available via iTunes, Android, Email, RSS, and Stitcher. Listen here.

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