In late November 2001, the CBS television network aired a two-hour special in honor of Michael Jackson's thirtieth year as a solo entertainer (his first solo single, "Got to Be There", was recorded in 1971). The show was edited from footage of two separate concerts Michael had orchestrated in New York City's Madison Square Garden on September 7 and September 10 of 2001. The shows sold out in five hours. Ticket prices were pop's most expensive ever; the best seats cost $5,000 and included a dinner with Michael Jackson and a signed poster. Jackson reportedly earned $7.5 million for each of the two concerts, which is over $150,000 per minute. The show ranked first in black viewers over the decade ending 2008.

The concerts are mentioned in the VH1 biopic Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story, which notes that the last of the two concerts wrapped up just hours before two hijacked jet planes were crashed into the Twin Towers of Lower Manhattan's World Trade Center (see September 11th terrorist attacks). The concerts featured in the Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Special were his final performances. Jackson would have embarked on the This Is It tour, a 50-date residency at the O2 arena; however, he died less than three weeks prior to the first planned performance.

Marlon Brando appeared in the concert to speak about humanitarian work but it was not broadcast due to poor response from the audience. Raw footage can be found online.

First hour
Opening the show was Samuel L. Jackson's presentation of Usher, Whitney Houston & Mýa, performing a rendition of Michael's hit song "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", from his 1982 album, Thriller. Among other performers and guests were Liza Minnelli singing "You Are Not Alone"; young Billy Gilman's performance of Jackson's 1972 #1 U.S. hit "Ben"; and James Ingram with Gloria Estefan singing Jackson's 1987 ballad, "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" (another #1 U.S. hit). Marc Anthony also sang "She's out of My Life".

Second hour
The second hour of the show is by far the best remembered, featuring the exciting reunion of Michael and his brothers Jermaine, Jackie, Randy, Marlon, and Tito for a "greatest hits" medley, including their headlining songs "Can You Feel It", "ABC", "The Love You Save", "I Want You Back", "I'll Be There" and "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)". Following the reunion, Michael announced surprise guests for the Jackson 5 hit "Dancing Machine": *NSYNC.

Following a short intermission, Chris Tucker then appeared onstage, recalls a humorous conversation between him and Jackson (imitating his voice) before announcing a live performance of "Billie Jean" (The broadcast version is different showing The Way You Make Me Feel/Black Or White/Beat It and then Billie Jean). The superstar once again hit the stage, this time flanked by scores of dancers dressed as gang members for "Beat It". As Michael glided and danced his way across the floor, the crowd roared all the louder in appreciation. Immediately afterward, Slash was properly introduced for a rendition of "Black or White". Then, to wind things down, Jackson was joined by Britney Spears for a performance of "The Way You Make Me Feel". The broadcast version that aired featured a different dancer than Spears while Jackson sang the whole song due to contractual reasons, the removed clip can be found online. After, he performed his newest single, "You Rock My World", from the recently-released album Invincible. Michael was joined at the end of the song by Usher, who performed a smooth robotic dance routine.(The broadcast version ends after You Rock My World). Near the end of the final song, Jackson and Co. sang "We Are the World" onstage in an otherwise elaborate finale.