January 31st is my birthday!  I found a few significant "firsts" for Michael Jackson on that same day:

Michael Jackson's debut song, "Big Boy", was released on January 31, 1968. 

The Jackson 5's song, "I Want You Back" became their first number one hit on January 31, 1970. (The Jackson 5 also began their first national tour and became the first group to have four consecutive #1 hits in 1970.)

The "Back to Indiana" concert was on the day I was born- January 31, 1971. I was destined to be fan!  The Jackson 5 performed at West Side High School in their hometown of Gary, Indiana. It was their first time home since moving to California. This is one of my favorite Jackson 5 performances.  

The Super Bowl XXVII (27th) Rose Bowl halftime show in Pasadena, California was on January 31, 1993. Michael Jackson performed, "Jam" (with the beginning of "Why You Wanna Trip On Me"), "Billie Jean", "Black or White", "We Are the World", and "Heal the World". He also gave the Heal the World, "It's all for L.O.V.E." speech. (I don't watch football, but I remember watching this half-time show because, at the time, nothing like it had ever been done before- I personally don't think anything as wonderful has been done since then either!).

The first ever 3-D broadcast of a major awards show was a tribute to Michael Jackson during the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on January 31, 2010. The tribute featured the never-before-seen 3-D mini-movie for “Earth Song” created by Michael Jackson for the "This Is It" tour. (Millions of free 3-D eyeglasses were available for the general public to pick up Target stores.)

Michael Jackson posthumously received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award on January 31, 2010. It was presented by Lionel Richie and his two oldest children, Prince and Paris, accepted the award on his behalf, along side them was Michael's nephews from the Jackson family group 3T, Taj, Taryll, and TJ.

One of the horrific trials also began on January 31, in 2005. I include this ONLY because I have become a life-long defender of Michael Jackson's innocence!

One last thing!
"Rock With You", the second release from the "Off the Wall" album, went to number one in the month of January in 1980 and stayed at the top of the charts for 4 weeks. It was the #1 song on my January 31, my 9th birthday. "Rock with You" was one the first "singles" that I bought (I usually bought, not albums!) and I remember listening to the song over and over on my record player! It is probably my all-time favorite song.

These are just a few things I found. Michael, with The Jackson 5, The Jacksons, and also as a solo artist, performed for several decades! I'm sure anyone could use their birthday and have fun finding out what was happening with him on their birthday, too!