FIRST MOONWALK!! 🎵 Michael Jackson - Billie Jean REACTION

[@Morrigan71]

Oh, it was DEFINITELY a big deal in the moment! The next day at school, everyone was talking about it. Even my mom was trying to learn how to do it. MJ and Thriller took over the world in ‘83/‘84. I’ve still never seen anyone come close to being able to move like him. He looked like he was walking on air.

[@melaniesweeten5401]

Absolutely. MJ was the topic of conversation everywhere after that. Thriller was already out, along with the music videos, but that really kicked it up a notch.

[@MrRezRising]

Didn't you hear ppl scream when he did it! We always suspected he could walk on air...then he proved it. MJ was what a lot of ppl on stage today forget to be: Entertaining.

[@slikmik7779]

The Beatles , Elvis comeback special and then this performance.

[@YolandaAnneBrown95726]

God. I'm So old...People at school the next day were losing their shit...

[@melaniesweeten5401]

@@YolandaAnneBrown95726 I'd rather be old, than to have missed all those great events growing up.

[@Braktooth]

No, this was huge. Literally all people talked about the next day at school. MJ blew up after this performance.

[@jabulanifontenot5305]

Michael had blown up when he first got with motown as a7 year old

[@KtotheG]

Thriller was released in '82, but his sales skyrocketed after this performance in '84. Michael Jackson mania began in full force.

[@erichill4926]

Yes, the next day at school was a whirlwind, I was in the third grade, and I was in the portable so you know a lot of classes are connected, I'm trying to remember when everybody stopped talking about it because, when the principal, came on the PA, he did not make the situation any better, he talked about Michael, so to the younger generation that missed it, that was a moment in time, That I never forgotten😢

[@John_Locke_108]

If an event like this occurred today the internet would melt from overload.

[@j.jennings1722]

Oh, the Moonwalk was a big deal the moment it happened. I remember watching it, as it happened, and being astounded. Everyone was talking about it the next day. The old movie star and dancer, Fred Astaire, whom Jackson idolized, called him the next day to complement him on the performance. The Moonwalk was an instant legend.

[@daniellastuart3145]

you do know the moonwalk goes back to the 1930s and a British artist in 1982 did the same thing on a BBC music show Top of the Pops before MJ performed this show also most of MJ moves are Bob Fosse moves

[@loristone9242]

This was SO major at the time!!! I was like 14 and we were GLUED to the TV. All the kids in my peer group liked him, whether they liked rock or whatever. Eddie Van Halen playing the solo on Beat It brought listeners he might not have had otherwise, as well. He was such a stellar artist. He was eccentric, but no one will EVER convince me that he hurt children in any way shape or form. I think he was sadly very misunderstood, and this is the way I like to remember him. Excellent reaction as always. R.I.P. MJ 💖

[@hamiter2045]

I was ten! This performance blew everyone's brains.

[@jhawk1912]

It was HUGE!

[@bongobongo985]

But he bought the elephant's mans bones. That was a little weird. Right?

[@loristone9242]

@@bongobongo985 yep. Definitely eccentric. Plus, money to burn. MJ may have related to him in some way.

[@kingcassius2586]

@@bongobongo985 that was post-burn MJ after he was on that highest plateau for a few years. This performance was the ascend to that highest plateau.

[@stevenblock9712]

That clip is from a Motown 25th anniversary special. You can hear the crowd reaction and the country responded the same way. I can tell you the excitement came right through the screen. By the time this clip ended, he had gone from being a pop singer to a SUPERSTAR. For him and us, it was like a whole new world of music excitement. There had been nothing like it since the Beatles exploded on the scene twenty years earlier.

[@angiesuarez773]

He completely owned the early 80's.. We were mesmerized by him. The king of pop for sure!!!

[@scousenotenglish2819]

Phil Collins OWNED the 80s by himself and with Genesis.

[@jamesway]

@@scousenotenglish2819 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆

[@scousenotenglish2819]

@x look at hits and record sales. He wiped the floor with Jackson who had one massive album

[@clientesenora9745]

@@scousenotenglish2819 you got to be kidding lol

[@jsm-tac2753]

@@scousenotenglish2819😂😂😂 give it up

[@diannaw3034]

NO NO NO... it became a huuuuuuge big deal in the moment and literally as soon as it was featured in the video and then in his live performances it amplified it even more!!! In fact all of Michael's own choreo was celebrated every time he featured new moves!!!!! His music and dance will go down in history as ground breaking for sure!!! What an icon!!!

[@MidwesternCornbilly]

This was definitely a watershed moment. The reaction dead muted because both moonwalks were so brief and completely unexpected. No one had ever seen anything like that before. Both Lex and Brad were sitting in obvious anticipation knowing that it was coming up but the live audience and the folks watching it on television had to literally process what they had just seen. I remember thinking..."Wait...What the hell did he just do?" The next day it was the topic of conversation...everywhere.

[@angharaddenby3389]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2iUn52mea1mmdE proves your comment false. Bill Bailey did it on TV first - in1955.

[@marthafokker2071]

Yeah I was in Jr. High when this was broadcasted on TV. It was exactly like that. Everyone watching wasn't expecting that move and took a bit to process what they just saw. We were like "what was that!?" "Did he just glide backwards or something?" Next day in school, everyone was talking about it. Everyone was trying to figure out how to do that move and I mean everyone. Even me and I didn't even like that style of music at the time. I skateboarded a lot and we pretty much listened to heavy metal and punk rock while skating. It was just what ya did with that big ass "jam-box" or "ghetto-blaster" on the half-pipe. Even I was awe-struck by that and talking about it with my friends the next day. We were trying to do that move. It just looked cool.

[@carlmarks8170]

We should've put two and two together when he sang "But the kid is not my son"

[@MrBillyboyroge]

Saw Jeffrey Daniels do it one year prior to MJ on ‘Top of The Pops’ (weekly music tv program in the U.K.)

[@randyrodriguez1445]

Exactly how I remember it.

[@seansmith5826]

You can't even imagine the impact this performance had on the public at the time. This was a BIG DEAL. I was sitting on the floor in my living room when this aired and completely freaked out when he moon walked. It was all me and my classmates could focus on the next day in school. This was next level stuff back in the day.

[@thejoshman3843]

MJ completely owned 83 and 84. His jacket, his glove, his style was everywhere.

[@ayaanbretmitchell9830]

He owned the 80s and most of the 90s

[@acornsucks2111]

@@ayaanbretmitchell9830 please.

[@ayaanbretmitchell9830]

@@acornsucks2111 please what

[@Milkers777]

@@ayaanbretmitchell9830 He owned 70’s,80’s,90’s & 00’s respectfully!😮‍💨🙌🏽👑❤️‍🔥🌟💯

[@John_Locke_108]

He owned pop music.

[@mikehardesty98]

One of the greatest performances ever.remember it like yesterday ,everybody trying to moonwalk in high school parking lot next day!!!!

[@John_Locke_108]

Been trying and failing ever since.

[@garyzink1927]

100% agree about trying it the next day, yet failing lol. Peace from Northern Michigan

[@your_huge_ego_bores_me]

Greatest lip sync performance ever maybe. AIN'T NO WAY he's actually singing here.

[@jamesway]

@@your_huge_ego_bores_me Most fans know it was, he wasn't allowed to sing this song live cause it wasn't a motown song due to contract obligations. He sang the Jackson 5 songs live with his brothers earlier in the show, which are Motown owned songs.

[@your_huge_ego_bores_me]

@@jamesway Ok, which puts it squarely in the " nowhere near one of the greatest performances of all time" category.

[@icyd1amond]

This one performance is one of my favorites by Michael Jackson for so many different reasons. What's crazy is Michael himself didn't like the performance. He said he messed up the timing on the first moonwalk which resulted in him not doing it longer and the toe stand was quick and he wanted to hold it longer too. It's still a legendary performance nonetheless and I hope this is something that never gets lost in time even if Michael himself does.

[@Milkers777]

MJ is timeless it’s completely impossible for this extraordinary man to get lost throughout time he owned the universe and still does👑🌟

[@acornsucks2111]

@@Milkers777 please

[@pressurejawn]

@@acornsucks2111 shut it😑🤡

[@jamesway]

@@acornsucks2111 He is correct, never been a bigger WORLD artist. If you where of age at the time you would know.

[@HamedBoxing]

MJ absolutely destroyed that performance unbelievable live billie Jean performance

[@susanbotwinski5584]

Yes, everyone was into Michael Jackson and we couldn't watch the performance again until after the Awards was over. We just kept recording and recording on VHS tapes. LoL. No you tube, no notification, so we paid attention to everything, if it was on TV. Ours mouths gaped open! One thing I've always loved about MJ, that he never embellished a song. He would perform and sing it exactly like the radio or video. No extra antics to show off. I think MJ figured, don't mess with perfection. Glad you uploaded this. Thanks guys. ❤

[@GunsmithSid]

Well, this was a lip sync’d performance… His live shows were great though!

[@melaniesweeten5401]

Even the Thriller video itself was like a mini movie, and had it's own behind the scenes special.

[@susanbotwinski5584]

Damn, it was lip-synced?! Figures!! I guess I could tell but didn't wanna believe it. Stupid networks. Lol

[@jamesrobertson2361]

I think this is from the Motown anniversary. The crowd was made up of many older generations that had never seen Michael perform . That's part of what made this performance legendary.

[@hollybeat6901]

It was the Motown anniversary show..he had not performed with his brothers in a long time..he was on fire that night

[@kingcassius2586]

They had seen him perform. It was the older generations who first saw him on Ed Sullivan 14 years earlier when he was 10. Trust me, this was the introduction to the NEW Michael Jackson. All generations were very familiar with him already at this point. But this performance DID make him the universally recognized top dog on the music scene. And everyone admired him. He had no haters until about 4-5 years later. Allegations didn't start until 10 years after this.

[@Rodzilla131]

No... they hadn't seen him perform since he was a little kid in Jackson 5 maybe. Maybe...

[@kingcassius2586]

@@Rodzilla131 No, he was on television with his brothers for the duration of the 70s. The J5 had their own Saturday morning cartoon around '71-'72. In the late 70s when Randy replaced Jermaine they were then called The Jacksons(instead of Jackson 5) and had a primetime network variety show. They were still making appearances on Soul Train, and several guest spots & cameos on Carol Burnett, Johnny Carson, Sonny&Cher, Cher(her own show), and various other appearances. They were still making albums in the late 70s. Michael starred in 1978's The Wiz with Diane Ross. At the end of '79 Michael's 1st mega solo was Off The Wall. He won at least a couple of Grammys for it. It was so big that everyone just took for granted that it was the biggest he'd get. By that time(especially considering the general demographics of 70s variety show audiences and the 60s Ed Sullivan audience) it's safe to say that everyone of all ages knew who Michael Jackson was in 1983. The only things new were the nose, the glove, the new moves, and the jheri curl. MJ, Muhammad Ali, Sammy Davis Jr, Johnny Carson, Bob Hope, and Elvis were faces who were strangers to *NO ONE* during those years.

[@phoenixxking4156]

How lucky you older generations are to be able to say you lived in the time of people like Michael Jackson, Elvis, Prince, Freddie Mercury, etc. You don't get pure starpower like this anymore.

[@alohawg]

I'm class of '81 and would not trade with any era. We had the best of the best times imo.

[@redwing471]

‘82 here…. 😅

[@pistonburner6448]

Don't forget Bananarama.

[@stonecutter205]

Thank you !

[@VirginiaFilipRMT]

1972 here and the other day a client in her 20s told me I was so lucky to have grown up in the 80s and that she wishes that was her time. I had to hold back tears when I said, "Oh, I know honey. I wish I could go back."

[@imhere4thecheese539]

You could feel the electricity and magic through the tv. It was unbelievable and mesmerizing!

[@MySherry10]

We waited for this , we were so excited and everyone was talking about this when it happened, it was a big deal , it was talked about everywhere, we were all trying do it LOL and I cant tell you how MJ was so loved then , I had his posters on wall along with all my rock bands and he just gave you goosebumps to watch him dance. I remember was so excited to see my grandparents watch him perform. MJ was a major talent there is no denying that

[@jamericanceo]

Listen as a street historian I got to set the record straight. In Brooklyn, Bronx and Uptown Manhattan there were dance crews popping and moonwalking years before Michael Jackson. Even he said he originally saw a moonwalk while on a trip to NYC and asked the street dancer how to do the walk. So this first moonwalk on TV for sure. But I was seeing homies and Puerto Ricans from the Floor Master Dancers crew moonwalking way before MJ

[@Ednerd]

I remember seeing this live on TV and being absolutely blown away! not just by the moonwalk, but the whole performance

[@christinewaide5249]

I watched this live, and literally cried.

[@heatherdale5571]

I remember watching this in real time as a kid when it aired. My whole house stood up, jaws open, yowling at the magic that was Jackson in that moment. He became MICHAEL JACKSON at that moment. It was a revelation and blew the world's minds!! Inspiring and mesmerizing. Michael was everything back then!! ❤️

[@singluna888]

I was in my 20's. What a show! He was the king of Pop. The man had it all. No one hit music lovers like this since Elvis Presley started swiveling his hips. Michael Jackson was awesome that night.

[@honda86tb]

Greatest performer of all time. Definitely the most loved of the 80”s

[@Jules-um4yy]

Wow this takes me back. Michael was sooo talented!! It is such a shame that he is gone💔 Thanks so much guys for posting and reacting to this great artist!🧡

[@drogusmaxwell6640]

I was 15 and watched this live on TV. When I first saw the moonwalk, I was like, "WTF DID HE JUST DO?!". Then I practiced for the next few weeks until I got it down. Pulling that out on my first day as a HS freshman was a pretty cool moment. Thanks, MJ!

[@angharaddenby3389]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2iUn52mea1mmdE

[@surlechapeau]

Brad & Lex, you'll love the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There" and "Never Can Say Goodbye". Recorded when Michael was 11 years old, it was easy to see he was bound to be a star.

[@cleavejones7753]

It was HUGE back then, You got to remember we haven't seen him or his Brothers perform live in eight yrs, This Show was a big deal. Michael killed the sh with this Performance, Little did we knew at the time he didn't want to do the show but gotten permission to do a solo spot, And then Blessed the World with an Incredible performance of the Ages. Then the World Tours his solidified himself as an ICON OF MUSIC

[@paulamoya7956]

I can remember watching this live sitting inches in front of the TV mesmerized by the entire performance. At this time I was a very young teen (13) but I was already obsessed with him and his performing like most everyone else. He was a star with his brothers since he was a child with their own shows and cartoons he branches out as a solo artist on the album before Billie Jean ( off the wall) I k we every word to this album at 10 years old and played it daily til this album came out . This was his veryfirst live performance in support of the Billie Jean Jean album . We had never seen his new Dance style . It’s always been basically the same but the moonwalk was new and several other moves Michael feels the music and hates making any mistakes . I’m this video after he did the moonwalk he deeeEs on his toes but the camera in this video cuts away . On the live performance he didn’t hold it for as long as he wanted and spoke about this decades later . How he’d obsess over any mistakes cause he was such a perfectionist . He never got over the fact he didn’t hold the pose long enough and never rewatched this performance . Actually befirw he sang Billie Jean he and his Bros sang another song that wasn’t shown in this video u played cause it was just a Mj vid. He Rarely made mistakes and when he did he obsessed about it forever. This looks amazing to us but was a nightmare for him the ready of his life

[@randymccloud5743]

He had solo albums as a teen, even before "Off the Wall". I actually own a couple. I think his first SOLO hit was "Got To Be There".

[@kimlevy3174]

This was a big deal we were all glued to the tv to watch MJ it was absolutely magical, he was magnificent and the audience was standing up cheering and clapping, we were all elated, we saw history in the making that night. 😊

[@erichill4926]

I am a family of seven and when I tell you, this was a spiritual Awakening for the world, because he became a worldwide phenomenon after this.

[@joelenethomas5926]

That walk was his own, but Jackson absorbed some of his other moves from his forebears. He didn't invent the moonwalk, for instance - tap dancers stretching back at least to the 1940s thrilled audiences with what was called the backslide - but he perfected it.

[@bkm2797]

Michael was also a big fan of James Brown and it shows. Michael is an icon where ever he picked up some of his moves, it's how we all learn.

[@catherinelw9365]

Fred Astaire was a major influence on MJ.

[@Mugthraka]

@@catherinelw9365 Astaire, le Mime Marceau, Gene Kelly, i mean... Basically any good or amazing dancer from when he was a kid and that he's seen on screen or perform was an influence on him. Thats why having good influences when you grow up IS important.

[@OldLadyReacts]

Yes, Bob Fosse did the basic step of the moonwalk and the little toe stand in The Little Prince in 1974. MJ said that Fosse was a huge inspiration and you can definitely see Fosse in a lot of his moves, postures, tricks, etc.

[@geoffos42]

Jeffrey Daniel taught it to him and in fact, performed it to Shalamar's "Night To Remember" in the UK in 1982 on Top Of The Pops. So we saw it in the UK the previous year to this performance.

[@marvinpetty731]

My cousin n me loved his album "off the wall" they always played it during the rides at the fair, but when thriller came out, we lost our minds, I still remember us doing the moonwalk in my moms kitchen every weekend that summer !!!

[@Kari_B61ex]

For me personally my Michael Jackson WOW moment was a few years before the moonwalk in 1985. It was in 1982 and Thriller, the video and dance moves were something we'd never seen before. "Darkness Falls across the land... " MJ was the ultimate performer.

[@samwell2386]

The first moonwalk was 1983 and the Thriller video was december 1983

[@a-man2530]

@@samwell2386 this

[@richardperry1421]

He copied the moonwalk off shalamar

[@acornsucks2111]

@@richardperry1421 its long forgotten now.

[@coreyortiz9913]

@@richardperry1421 who???

[@rickhawk22]

Those of us that watched it live were blown away at what just happened. We had never seen anything like it before so we were stunned. Back then the music awards were must see TV to see the artists perform music we loved.

[@kellifranklin4432]

I remember when this happened. It was at a Motown Anniversary Special on TV. It was huge! The next day the whole country was talking about it. That's the power of MJ! I still have my first copy of the Thriller album. I will never part with it!

[@19HuskyWolf70]

I miss those 80's days, MJ was and will always be KING, even us metal heads liked MJ

[@LizJasonHEA]

I'm going to try to express what it felt like to be watching this live. I had come home from work and was winding down after dinner. This was before cable television. I hadn't had my VHS recorder very long but I did set it to record this award show. There was no way to stop the show and watch what was happening instantaneously. You had to wait for the show to finish and then watch your recording. When I saw those dance moves for the first time I came up off the sofa. I was yelling at my TV please do it again I need to see what that was. I just turned 30 years old I promise this was not something we were used to seeing. I knew enough about Michael Jackson to know that he was influenced very heavily by dancers from the 40s from the old Hollywood musical movies. He likes Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire and borrowed a lot of their moves and made them fresh and new the way he did them. Fred Astaire actually use these moves or something very close to it in a couple of old movies. I used to watch a lot of those movies with my parents when I was a preteen. That may not actually be where he first got it from but I know someone else was influenced by them as well Of course we didn't have internet then either so it wasn't until the next day that we heard every local news channel talking about it, along with newspapers and radio stations. Patience really was a virtue. You had to wait for things to come to you. I'm old enough now to have seen a lot of firsts. I'm so thankful I was watching that night. Oh and by the way it didn't have a name until reporters started asking Michael Jackson what he called it.

[@JosephHuntelvisnspiders]

He once asked the great Fred Astaire "how do I make the audience watch my feet" Fred replied "White socks". Genius!

[@videoinformer]

I remember the excitement of watching this live. We were stunned. We didn't know what he did to move that way, like he was on a backward moving conveyor belt. Oh, it was big. The reaction of the crowd wasn't longer lasting (they basically gasped) because they were shocked too. It wasn't something they were anticipating, waiting for, like you were. It was a big topic of conversation around the country -- probably around the world, wherever it was broadcast via satellite simulcast -- in offices and in schools.

[@gabgarcia5446]

Michael at the top of his game. He was the complete package then. We all were rooting for his success and him personally at this moment. This was magic of the night

[@BallisticStigmata]

Dude your girl is a whole vibe. She feels the music. And you are SUPER analytical. Perfect group. MJ is legendary. Nobody will EVER be a smooth IDGAF who we're talkin' about.

[@nathans3241]

This performance at the Motown 25th Anniversary show was in my opinion the presentation that introduced Michael Jackson as the new and improved performer he became. The day after this show the buzz in the media and word of mouth was that Michael Jackson became a mega star in entertainment and people just wanted to see and hear more of him. MTV had only begun a few years before earlier and it was the perfect platform for people to see Jackson's videos. Michael Jackson had a big hand in the success of MTV.

[@cheryllaurro3259]

I was home sick in bed watching on a little black-and-white TV. I was into modern dance at the time and when he did that moonwalk I flew out of bed... It was so magical and unreal

[@smcthatisme]

I grew up LOVING Michael Jackson. I will always consider him the King of Pop and his dance moves are consistently integrated into most modern pop and hip-hop dancing choreography. I challenge anyone to watch pop/hip-hop choreography and not see moves first performed by MJ. Regardless of his personal life, MJ's music and dancing will continue to be loved by young and old alike.

[@randymccloud5743]

NO...in "real time" this was HUGE! EVERYBODY was talking about it the next day. Mike was already big on the strength of the "Billie Jean" single from the LP Thriller, but THIS was the night he blew up. From that moment on, he was on a whole other level.

[@seenthroughblackeyes3232]

I was a freshman in college when this came on TV. Like many people have already said, the next day everyone was talking about this. I tell youngsters of today, try and view this with 1983 eyes. Meaning, there are many dancers today that can do these moves and many more. But not back in 1983. And while MJJ was not the first to do the Moonwalk, he was the first to do the Moonwalk to a global audience. Fred Astaire, one of the greatest dancers of the 1940s and 50s said he was blown away when he saw this video clip of Michael Jackson. This is how revolutionary this overall dance routine was...back in 1983.

[@andrewft31]

Cab Calloway invented it in 1932, Bill Bailey was the first to do it on film in 1943, it was also apart of James Browns routine starting in the late 1950s.

[@joelenethomas5926]

Thanks I couldn't remember cab calloways name

[@dancarter482]

EXACTLY! Can't believe the hype around this one trick pony when James Brown and Prince could both burn the white socks off this junk and NEVER insult their audience with a MIME act!

[@dominiquejacob8602]

Michael Jackson said he was inspired by Marcel Marceau, a french mime.

[@AugieDoggyDoo]

The Man... The Legend... I grew up with him. I used to watch Saturday cartoons of the Jackson Five. The music industry and many people did terrible things to this beautiful soul. I will be thankful for the rest of my years for this Man. He was amazing and has been a giant piece of my musical loves. Thriller came out and mesmerized the world. We waited for that video to premier all day and when it debuted, we went crazy.

[@helenmalina799]

The night history was made....we will never forget the incredible,phenomenal moonwalk 👏💖

[@kingcassius2586]

Dude, it WAAAAS very MUCH a big deal in real time! I was 8½ and there wasn't a schoolyard in the entire nation that didn't have kids falling on our asses trying to do the Moonwalk on Monday morning. It was absolutely huge and it was this performance that made it a fad.

[@spackle9999]

At the time Micheal was a mystery. He never did interviews so this was the most we ever heard from him. Then he goes out with this performance...the moonwalk. It just made him magic in our eyes.

[@Moviefan2k4]

The Motown 25 TV special was a cornerstone moment for Michael, at that time in his career. The Thriller album had been released in November of 1982, and the Motown special was taped the following spring. None of the Jackson family members even worked for Motown anymore at that point, but the studio's head Berry Gordy wanted them all back to help showcase his company's influence in the history of music. Of them all, Michael was the one hold-out, and only agreed after Gordy allowed him to have a solo spot, which he chose to perform "Billie Jean". That performance quickly became the one piece of the entire Motown 25 program that people talked about for years, and its popularity only exploded further with the birth of the Internet.

[@sooner4now]

It was a MASSIVE deal. The next day at school literally EVERYONE was talking about it. It was sooooo much fun. People were all trying to do it . Totally set MJ on fire.🎉

[@Katrina2446]

It was HUGE!!!! For the people watching on television. I remember. It was never seen before and back then you waited all day to catch it on MTV back in the day. So cool.

[@beltonite2243]

I've always been a rocker, but MJ is legend and always will be.

[@Mugthraka]

MJ was a Rock fan , so... I mean he had his teen years in the end of the 60's/70's. Do you think he did everything he could to have Van Halen in Beat it and had Slash from Gunz 'n Roses working with him on nearly 2/3 albums for no reason?

[@purpleelephantdebh]

this was electrifying when it happened. it was huge. i think the crowd was in shock when he did it. even Fred Astaire, who was a really big deal dancer for decades, called up Michael and told him he was a hell of a dancer. the impact changed pop culture.

[@1939lb]

This was epic at the time..the quiet was called shock and awe..he was the talk the next day..everyone was trying to Moonwalk. I was 21 at the time..Mike cornered the market..

[@ContonCity_]

You can just tell he pours everything he had into his music props to man May the legend rest in peace

[@mario9249]

Michael Jackson is definitely the pinnacle of the pop star in the music industry. He made a hugh impact in the youth of the 80's and even afterwards. Many impersonators still make a living out of his dancing moves everywhere in the world. His music is just fantastic.

[@bobbyscott8024]

He was a truly amazing performer! So sad he's gone! Great y'all!

[@Ted35577]

Michale was a pure entertainer & crazy talent. He was aware of every move he made and vocals are fantastic.

[@wgdavis5353]

Who is Mic•Hale ?? ♠W.G.

[@Chyrnobyl66]

wow, you forget how actually fucking amazing a singer and performer he really was. With all the crazy plastic surgery, family drama, and courtroom/legal issues and pedo allegations, you tend to forget, and then you see this kinda footage, and you realize there was a reason he was called the King of Pop.

[@floorticket]

Yep, he sure was. He's not singing here, but the dancing looks good.

[@Chyrnobyl66]

@@floorticket well it may not be "live" but it is him singing lol

[@jamesway]

@@floorticket Record company didn't want him singing it live So this was next best thing.

[@mr.talbot3368]

I saw him once, Dangerous Tour, September 1992. Great show, great day. I was, I am and I will be a fan forever and ever.

[@Dr3amtime]

The first time we saw this, it was stunning. It seemed like magic.

[@johnmaynardable]

I remember watching this the night it aired. The entire performance was amazing, but the moonwalk was mind-blowing. Brad everyone was amazed.

[@Milkers777]

“Motown 25 Yesterday,Today,Forever” ~ The program was taped in front of a live audience at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena,California on March 25th,1983 and aired on May 16th,1983 This Was The Night MJ Became The Greatest Music Artist To Ever Live The King Of Music Forever If You Ever Had To Pin Point The Night It Was This Night🙌🏽👑💖🌟🔥💯(From adolescent to adulthood he was and forever will be The King! One of the things you probably didn’t know was this performance was so legendary & great it was nominated for an Emmy which is incredible this is truly an historical piece not just for history but in life for eternal and “The Moonwalk” became synonymous after this event then MJ started performing it on Tour etc. also this was a huge event not just for MJ but Music in general especially black music)

[@fishboy91]

It was a huge deal at the time. I remember watching it as a kid with my father. After he did it, we both looked at each other like we just saw him disappear. Every kid was talking about it the next day and for weeks. It became a big deal immediately

[@STEELCITYBERMA]

One of the most legendary performances on television ever!

[@daddyguerrero]

I watched Motown 25 when it originally aired. The next day at school and work everyone, I mean EVERYONE, was talking about MJ’s performance. And we all were asking about ‘the move.” It was labeled the Moonwalk later on. But initially we were all trying to figure out how to do that move. It’s not easy. But MJ made it look effortless. In the 80’s no one could touch him. His popularity rivaled that of the Beatles in the 60’s or Elvis in the 50’s. It’s the last time a musical artist or band ever dominated the international scene.

[@markburnham7512]

A great moment. Like so many greats in differing fields, MJ practiced relentlessly in order to appear effortless in performance.

[@angharaddenby3389]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2iUn52mea1mmdE proves your comment false. Bill Bailey did it on TV first - in 1955.

[@Wonderwoman79G]

It was a huge deal and people did have it on their VCR! I am not even from the US and MJ was everything in the 80s. Every performance and video was huge. His Thriller video was a worldwide premiere.

[@Zippy-I-O]

Thanks Guys...Been a good, long while since seeing Michael on stage or to hear any of his music. Had forgot how FANTASTICLY TALENTED the man was. UTTERLY COOL! What a Showman...Right Up There With Elvis in 'Stage Presence' and with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly as a Dancer; GROUND BREAKING. That show was 'Live' and done in one take...No edits and Auto-Tune. EVERYBODY KNOWS MICHAEL JACKSON.

[@raveouscarlias4479]

I'm a 40 year old white dude with ABSOLUTELY no moves and yet whenever Billie Jean comes on I start dancing. Also, Lex had me laughing out loud. "He's got slippery feet!" HAHAHA. Man I love you guys.

[@williamturner3856]

I was a freshman in high school, everyone was talking about it the next day, I remember watching it and saying damn, ain't never seen that before - mike made it look so effortlessly

[@imfromthecity]

I cant help but tear up listening to him. Legit legend/idol

[@frankpentangeli7945]

It was a HUGE deal in the moment. We had never seen anything like that before. It was a heartstopping performance.

[@calebclunie4001]

The back slide existed, and he popularized it. He's the king of pop. It was a culturally significant moment. The man was a magnificent dancer, and artist. He put more work in, than anybody. That jacket was his mom's, he got kinda last minute.

[@jeffb407]

This was viral moment pre-internet. Everybody was talking about it the next day. If you'd never heard of Michael, you surely knew of him at that moment.

[@grendelz]

Man I remember watching this live, on the phone with my next door neighbor. It was a cultural phenomenon.

[@nonenone7250]

makes us old 40 yrs ago..!! what a moment in life... we all got along muzik was all good...

[@Sissysuez]

Wow so happy to see this video it's been so long since I saw this performance he is just everything Michael could do it all in my opinion he could do no wrong I just love everything about him everything he did was gold he's just amazing and gone way too soon!!!

[@franksbtka1624]

If you didn't grow up in the 80s, it's hard to picture just how huge Michael Jackson was. Everyone wanted to dance like him and dress like him lol. Still one of the greatest entertainers of all time. R.I.P.

[@heatherdale5571]

Simply put, the world stopped for that brief moonwalk moment...for just a moment. Then he was catapulted into the stratosphere.

[@tomandrews2887]

I can’t stress enough how huge this was then. I was in 5th grade. The next day at school it was all anyone could talk about. I’m not kidding. It was all Michael all the time. The moonwalk and when went up on the tips of his toes like that. You should’ve seen us at recess. Wearing out our sneakers on the concrete.

[@donaldgilbreath4200]

I remember watching this live on TV. When you see it for the first time it looked like magic. It was unbelievable. People my age had never seen it before. However, my dad remembered it from seeing tap dancers do it in the popular musicals in the 40's. It was a huge moment back then.

[@yrualeg1]

We didn’t know what we were watching when the Moonwalk happened. He stunned us.

[@davidbentley145]

One would have to be dead not to respond to this music and performance...it is electrifying!Thank you guys for this!

[@jefftucker9225]

MJ was such a showman and proformer, having been in the music industry from such a young age and doing so many shows and practicing, he could do this in his sleep it was second nature, and his choreography was always on point and timed to the lyrics perfectly

[@debrabeck9630]

Saw this live, too, but I was probably about your age. My husband and I just about fell out. We had no idea that he was going to moonwalk, we’d never seen the moonwalk! Oh my! It was fabulous!

[@farmerbill6855]

Ah MJ, little guy had the world by the tail, and rightly so. RIP Michael.

[@augmentedjester7659]

I watched a documentary where he was trying to explain timing to the orchestra....they weren't coming in at just the right moment. Between watching how he performs and listening to him explaining these type things to other professionals it makes you realize just how much of a perfectionist he was. Can't begin to imagine the amount of time he spent just practicing every little thing. Insane level of commitment.

[@augmentedjester7659]

Additional note, there's another version of this song with the cleanest moonwalk I have ever seen. Cant remember which performance it was. It was much longer

[@QnRyche]

Um no one is playing or singing this song Mike's much is only live when hes talks at the start

[@jamesway]

@@QnRyche I think most people are aware it was lipsinked. His contract said he couldn't sing that song live at a Motown event where only Motown songs where allowed. He sang the Jackson 5 songs live with his brothers earlier in the show. Record companies don't mess around when it comes to their owned songs.

[@mikenebeker]

The Moonwalk wasn't even known to most people when this aired and the very next day EVERYBODY was talking about it. If you were under 30-35 years old, you were attempting to do it. It blew up so big and so fast and the rest is history.

[@kimking6036]

It was huge the first time he did this! That's all people were talking about the next day

[@terrypeckham4744]

Painting the ceiling of a condo in northern Calif. in '82 listening to the radio and this came on. I remember thinking he's got a huge hit with that song

[@kens32052]

I remember watching this live on tv. Michael was kinda mad at himself because he wanted to hold the part where he was on his toes longer. Nobody noticed it but he was a perfectionist.

[@socialmediadelinquent5781]

It was absolutely a huge deal when he did it. The next day in school everybody was talking about it and trying to figure out what he did and how he did it. I think dancing like that has become so common place today that some may not be able to appreciate how big this was when he did it. But watching it live on TV and going to school the next morning I promise you it was a big deal.

[@angharaddenby3389]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2iUn52mea1mmdE

[@oldeskoolnana7543]

Watched this live. It was the Motown 25 anniversary. That performance made him King of Pop. Loved him all my life. Hs was born the same year as me. He would be 65. RIP MICHAEL 😢 Gone too soon. 🕊🙏✌🌻🌻

[@pernblue]

I saw this show. It was mesmerizing. Totally blown away by the moon walk. Even my boss asked me the next day if I had seen him😂. He had been off the radar for a while. This was the beginning of a huge come back. Thriller is one of those perfect albums, where everything is just right.

[@looneygardener]

Oh my god Thriller album was a frigging phenomenon! There were crowds around tvs in Kmart watching the Thriller video. It was sooo innovative. Everyone was freaking out. Haha

[@karenbliss8719]

No, it was definitely a huge deal in the moment!! I’ll never forget it being a teenager!

[@msmith5121]

Greatest entertainer who ever lived ...and who ever will live. And it's not even close...