Michael Jackson's controversial rendition of Earth Song has been voted the top BRIT Awards performance of all time in a new poll.

The King of Pop performed his hit track at the U.K. awards show in 1996, dancing in front of a wind machine and hanging from a crane surrounded by dancers dressed in rags, and the set became headline news when it was gatecrashed by Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker.

The rocker jumped on stage and made a series of rude gestures as a protest against the music superstar before being removed by security guards.

The memorable moment has now been voted the Most Iconic BRIT Awards performance of all time in a poll by MasterCard, the show's sponsor.

Jackson's Earth Song came out on top, followed by Adele's performance of Someone Like You in 2011 in second place and the Spice Girls' rendition of Who Do You Think You Are in 1997 in third.

The late Bad hitmaker also topped the company's poll to find the album Brits would most like to see performed live, with Thriller ahead of Fleetwood Mac's Rumours and Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon in second and third respectively.