Michael hosts a family day at Hayvenhurst to open the « Memory Room » with family pictures and history.
Janet, Latoya & Rebbie attend the Princess Grace Foundation Gala + a party hosted by Essence Magazine in honour of her mother Katherine Jackson.
Michael, Katherine & LaToya visits the set of US prime time soap opera “Dynasty” and meet the actress Joan Collins.
Michael becomes close friend to actress Elizabeth Taylor.
January : Janet presents an award with sister Rebbie at the Black Gold Awards at the Cocoanut Grove, Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.
January 22 : Michael, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder & Quincy Jones record a demo version of the song “We Are The World” at Kenny Rogers ‘Lion’s Share Recording Studio in L.A (Michael takes Emmanuel Lewis to the studio) and later they send the demo cassettes to all artistes involved in the recording.
January 26 : In Fame’s new episode “The Heart Of Rock N Roll II”, Janet/Cleo performs a rendition of Jackson 5 hit “I Want You Back”.
January 28 : Janet attends the American Music Awards with James & LaToya. She and LaToya presents an award to Kenny Rogers. Rebbie also attends and she presents an award.
Two hours after the ceremony, Michael and 44 other artists (including Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, LaToya, Jackie, Marlon & Randy) gather secretly for 10 hours at the A&M Recording Studios in L.A to record “We Are The World”.
February 2 : Janet is a guest star on a two part episode of ABS series “Love Boat”. She plays the character Della. The episodes were shot on location in Scandinavia & Russia.
February 13 : Latoya guest stars as herself in an episode of “The Fall Guy” where she performs her single “Hot Potato”.
February 14 : At Hayvenhurst, Michael helps with the delivery of a baby deer born to his pet deers Prince & Princess. The birth of Valentino is videotaped.
February 23 : Michael appears on the cover of TV Guide for the first time.
February 26 : Michael wins in the category Best Video Album for “The Making Of Thriller” at the Grammy Awards but he does not attend the presentation.
March : Michael is on the cover of Rock & Soul, Beatbox, Look In and Right On! magazines.
At Hayvenhurst, Michael starts recording song demos for his upcoming album with sound engineers John Barnes, Bill Bottrell & Matt Forger. They also work on songs “Another Part Of Me ” and “We Are Here To Change The World” for the upcoming Captain Eo short film. The preproduction starts for Captain Eo.
March 7 : “We Are The World” is released and soon becomes a worldwide anthem.
March 26 : Michael arrives in London.
March 27 : Michael attends the futuristic musical “Starlight Express” in London and meets the cast backstage.
March 28 : Janet attends the premiere of “The Last Dragon” with James.
Michael attends the unveiling of his wax statue at Madame Tussaud’s wax museum in London. 8000 fans gather to get a glimpse of their hero.
March 29 : Michael leaves the Montcalm Hotel in London to visit the Marylebone Police Station to thank them for their service where he is treated to a police drill and presented with a police badge and helmet.
Michael attends an evening reception and party in his honour in London where CBS Records present him with an 8X Platinum wall-mounted plaque.
“We Are The World: The Video Event” is released on VHS.
March 30 : Michael spends the weekend with Paul McCartney and family at their farmhouse near Rye, Sussex.
April : Michael and seven members of USA For Africa are on the cover of Life Magazine.
Janet leaves Fame & she decides to annul her marriage to James DeBarge because of his drug addiction among other things. She goes back to Hayvenhurst and suffers from depression.
April 1 : Michael flies back home.
April 3 : Rebbie Jackson accepts an award for Best Home Video in 1984, at the Third Annual American Video Awards in Santa Monica, California. The award was won by the documentary ‘The Making of Michael Jackson’s Thriller’.
April 8 : Michael and Lionel Richie are on the cover of Jet Magazine.
May 11 : Michael visits Brandywine River Museum’s exhibit of paintings by N.C Wyeth in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania.
May 14 : Michael receives a royalty cheque from Epic Records for $53 million for sales of the Thriller Album.
May 25 : In Fame’s season 4th finale, Janet/Cleo performs “Dream Street”. This is Janet first ever promotional music video and also her last appearance on the show.
May 27 : Rebbie is on the cover of Jet Magazine.
June : Michael starts rehearsing for an upcoming 3D science fiction musical short film named Captain EO to be shown exclusively at Disneyland and Disney World. Francis Ford Coppola will direct and George Lucas will produce the film.
June 28 : Michael and Elizabeth Taylor attend Liza Minelli’s “Comeback” concert tour at the Pacific Amphitheater in Costa Mesa.
July : Janet leaves the Jeovah’s Witnesses. Pushed by John Mac Lain, she makes a diet and takes singing and dancing classes. Mac Lain asks producers Terry Lewis & Jimmy Jam to produce Janet next album and they accept.
July 4 : Michael attends the annual 4th of July picnic & barbecue at the Skywalker Ranch, George Lucas’s Estate, located in a secluded, yet open area near Nicasio, California, in Marin County.
July 15 : Michael starts shooting the Captain Eo short film with Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas. Elizabeth Taylor, Emmanuel Lewis Taj Jackson & Jonathan Spence visit him on the set. He meets Dennis Tomkins and Michael Bush who will become his costume designers until the end of his life.
July 30 : Michael severely sprains his right hand during the filming of Captain EO. He is treated at the Brotman Memorial Hospital.
August : Janet is on the cover of Essence magazine.
“Eaten Alive” by Diana Ross is released. The single is co-written by Michael and Barry and Maurice Gibb from the Bee Gees.
August 10 : After 10 months of negociations, Michael purchases the ATV Music catalogue from Australian multi millionnaire Robert Holmes for 47.5 million dollars.
For their help in negociating, Michael rewards attorney John Branca and manager Frank Dileo each with a Rolls Royce.
August-October : Janet goes to Minneapolis with her friend Melanie to record her new album with Terry Lewis & Jimmy Jam at the Flyte Tyme Studio.
October 18 : Michael arrives in Perth, Australia with Bill Bray.
October 19 : Michael visits Princess Margaret’s Children Hospital in Perth. Later he is presented with the City’s Keys by Mayor Michael Agapitos.
At night Michael appears live on Australian TV Telethon with Peter Waltham & Molly Meldrum.
October 20 : Michael attends a “Téléthon garden party”, hosted Robert Holmes’s Estate (the business man who sold ATV catalogue to Michael).
Michael makes a second appearance on the Telethon.
October 21 : Michael visits the Cohunu Koala Wildfire Sanctuary in Perth, Australia.
October 22 : Michael flies back home.
October 27 : Janet supports LaToya by performing background vocals on her song “Baby Sister” during a live performance at the 16th annual World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo, Japan. “Baby Sister is the 1st single from LaToya’s ‘s 4th studio album “Imagination” released in 1986.
November : Janet goes to Canyon Ranch with Paula Abdul to study dance and slim down.
November 22 : Rebbie gives birth to her son named Austin Brown (“Auggie”).
December : Janet shoots the video for her upcoming single “What Have You Done For Me Lately” directed by Brian Jones and Piers Ashworth and choreographed by Paula Abdul. The video also features Tina Landon who will eventually becomes Janet’s best friend and choreographer for years.
Jackson Dynasty 