Michael Joseph Jackson - August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009
Michael Jackson was the biggest pop star of the modern age, his global reach outstripping that of any of his contemporaries. When he died on June 25, his worldwide album sales had long surpassed a staggering 130 million and his masterpiece of pop, funk and soul, Thriller, stood as the biggest selling album of all time, with 57 million copies sold.
Born on 29 August,1958 in Gary, Indiana, Jackson first performed as the lead singer of the Jackson Five at the age of four. By the time was 12, the group had scored consecutive US Number 1s with their first four singles for Motown. A burgeoning solo career set a course for stratospheric success when, as part of the cast of 1978 movie musical The Wiz, Jackson met producer Quincy Jones, who was working on the film’s score. The pair agreed to collaborate on Jackson’s 1979 album Off The Wall, which sold 20 million copies worldwide. Thriller arrived in 1982, and was followed by BAD (1987) and Dangerous (1991), which both shipped 23 million copies.
Jackson, though, always struggled with the spotlight and, dogged by poor health, he often retreated into reclusive existence at his Neverland ranch in California amid myriad tabloid stories about an eccentric lifestyle. His reputation was severely bruised by allegations – never proven – of sexual abuse in 1995 and 2004. In 2005, he was cleared of seven counts of child sex abuse after a five-month trial in California, and relocated to Bahrain and Dublin with reports suggesting he’d run up debts exceeding $300million while indulging a lavish spending habit despite receding record sales.
In March, this year Jackson announced a 50-gig run at London’s 02 centre. The This Is It! shows were due to begin on July 8 and would be, he declared, “his final curtain call”. Sadly, he never made it that far: the first four performances were postponed – Jackson’s camp citing lack of preparation time but newspapers reporting he‘d been diagnosed with skin cancer – and, on June 25, paramedics were called to his rented mansion in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles. The singer had apparently suffered a severe cardiac arrest and was declared dead at UCLA hospital later that day.
Michael Jackson - Tributes
Michael Jackson on QTheMusic.com >>
2:44 PM | 26/06/2009
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michael jackson was a good singer on he songs bad and thrller and the soundtrack freewilly2 and scream with he sisher janet jackson . and jackson five with he brother in la ant the world u.k and u.s.a
Posted by Keith ANdrew BILLINGS at 12:06 PM | 27/06/2009 | Report Abuse
I´ve never been a big fan, but it´s undeniable that Michael Jackson was one of the greatest and most important artists of popular culture. He was a very talented singer and performer and his unique dance style inspired so many younger artists. It´s truly sad when people have to die so young and far too early. Whatever stories and scandals we heard about him, he was a human being whose main ambition was to deliver great music. And his music will never be forgotten.
Rest In Peace.
Posted by Pam at 8:40 PM | 27/06/2009 | Report Abuse
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