Michael Jackson Dead

The news of Michael Jackson's death brings to a close the story of arguably
the greatest entertainer of the last 30 years.
Michael died after reportedly suffering cardiac arrest at his home in Los
Angeles. An emergency 911 call was made at 12.30pm from
Michael's home, and he is believed to have been in a coma when he arrived at
hospital.
Although the musician had a turbulent life, he was unrivalled not only in
record sales for a solo artist, but in terms of his constant innovation,
dedication, and mastery of the pop single.
Born the seventh of eight children into a performing family in 1958, Michael
sang with his brothers from the age of seven in the group the Jackson Five,
masterminded by his father Joe Jackson.
The group quickly became established as a major force in soul music with
songs such as 'I Want You Back', 'ABC' and 'I'll Be There' and Michael was
fronting the band by the age of 11. His juvenile charm, signature dance
moves and huge voice quickly set Michael apart from his brothers and by 1971
he had signed a solo record deal.
Four successful albums followed, but it was after a stint acting in musical
film 'The Wiz' that Michael was spotted by producer Quincy Jones.
Michael and Quincy formed a formidable duo and between them created a
trilogy of albums which established Michael as the biggest star on the
planet and greatest pop musician of his generation.
Their first album together, in 1978, 'Off The Wall' mixed disco with pop,
resulting in huge hits including 'Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough' and 'Wanna
Be Starting Something'.
It was on 1982's 'Thriller', however, that Michael - after recording demos
of hundreds of songs - created what has been described as the perfect pop
album, mixing together, soul, disco, rock and a myriad of other genres. It
eventually went on to become the biggest selling album of all time, with
sales to date of over 100 million copies worldwide.
Opening with dancefloor classic 'Billie Jean' and including the classic lead
single 'Thriller', seven of the album's nine tracks were eventually released
as singles in Michael's native US, which all reached the top ten of the
singles chart.
Importantly 'Thriller' also established Michael - through its music videos -
as a staple on the newly created MTV station, which over the next decade
would prove to become a huge cultural influence and force across the world.
Michael also enjoyed huge success with his 1987 'Bad' album, again with
Quincy producing, which is also regarded as a landmark in pop history.
Huge budget pop videos and tours followed, ensuring Michael's place as the
biggest pop star of his generation.
The singer managed to live up to his albums' success with his spectacular
live shows, which saw him pull off incredible dance moves, including the
'moonwalk' in which he appeared to slide backwards across the surface of the
stage.
Although controversy grew around the star's seemingly changing appearance,
including his skin appearing whiter - an issue he blamed on a skin disease
and treatment for burns suffered after his hair caught on fire while filming
a TV commercial - Michael's next album, 1991's 'Dangerous', was also well
received. It enjoyed a number one single around the world in 'Black Or
White' and earned rave reviews.
However, the world tour in support of the album didn't go well and was
abandoned before its conclusion. This marked a turning point in the star's
career, as his erratic behaviour attracted more headlines than his music.
In 1993, Michael was accused of sexual abuse by 13-year-old Jordan Chandler.
Michael's relationship with children had already sparked media scrutiny when
it was revealed he allowed youngsters to stay overnight as his Neverland
ranch, in California - the mansion complete with a zoo and theme park.
Michael eventually settled out of court with the Chandler family in January
1994 for $22 million.
The rumours about his sexual behavior wouldn't go away and in 2003 he was
once again accused of child molestation, although this time the case did
make it to court. The singer faced a total of 10 charges all of which he
vehemently denied. He was later acquitted of all charges.
Michael's 1995 album 'HIStory' and the long-delayed 'Invincible' in 2001
were strong sellers, but with no tour support faded from the public's
attention quicker than others in Jackson's career.
At the time of his death Michael was preparing for a phenomenal 50-date
comeback residency at London's O2 arena - dubbed 'This Is It'.
Tickets for the dates - rumoured to be his last - sold out within hours and
the shows were tipped to be of a scale never previously seen from the star.