Michael Jackson Dies at Age 50
It is the passing of a pop music icon. Michael Jackson died today at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. The exact circumstances of his passing are not yet clear. This tragedy brought an end to his life just as he was making preparations for a concert comeback.
Michael Jackson's career in music began as part of an act called the Jackson 5 with four of his brothers. At the age of 11 he became a pop superstar as the Jackson 5 released four consecutive #1 hit singles. The group's fortunes would decline in the 1970's, but just as he was turning 21 Michael Jackson returned to the pop music spotlight with the landmark Off the Wall album in 1979.
Off the Wall was followed by 1982's landmark Thriller, the bestselling album of all time. It included an unprecedented seven top 10 pop singles. The album sold 28 million copies in the US alone. Success continued throughout the 1980's and into the early 1990's. 1987's Bad included five #1 pop singles, and 1991's Dangerous spent over two years on the album chart.
An inevitable decline began in the early 1990's and was unfortunately accompanied by sometimes bizarre tabloid headlines and personal appearances. Michael Jackson's final studio album, 2001's Invincible, was a commercial failure by his lofty standards. It only sold two million copies and included no #1 hit singles. An announcement in March 2009 of a new series of concerts to begin in London in July created ticket buying hysteria among fans selling out enormous numbers of tickets in just hours.
Unfortunately, those concerts will never take place. However, Michael Jackson has left us with a catalog of groundbreaking pop music that will excite and influence pop music fans and musicians for generations to come.
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Photo by Dave Hogan / Getty Images
Comments
Very Sad day for Jackson and Fawcett fans. There is a related post at http://iamsoannoyed.com/?p=1949
i’m 41 and i can remember my childhood when i hear his songs. he’s like the background of a picture: you take him for granted. i can’t put into words how heavy my heart is right now. he’s been around and on top for four decades. he was of a different age, when studios groomed artists. now, all we have are baggy pants and booty crooners. the magic is gone. his music will live forever. i’m stunned. i won’t get much sleep tonight.
It just feels like he was too young to now be gone. He was the bud of many jokes, but one thing that’s undeniable was his talent – it’s a real pity about the concerts that were coming up and how things ended on a real low for him overall.
Micheal Jackson was my brother but until he left the truth (Jehovah Witness). He could hav came back only if he wouldnt left the truth. Because if he wouldn made Thiller he would have lived. Why you think Prince stop Making those nasty video because he’s a Jehovah Witness too. And I notice that everyone saying that our parents would just let their child just die but thats not true. Their just trying to take the risk of getting AIDS, Hepatitis, and Malaria. Instead we’ll be living in the paradise. Now if a Jevhovah Witness come to your door then dont close it just hear them out. Im a Jehovah Witness in case you didnt know and im only 14 need more information akeysminvaughn@yahoo.com
I agree Mahogany. MJ is too young to die however he has left a 46-year musical catalog spanning five decades. In his 50 years, he made every day count. Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, will be missed and never have a successor!
I can’t believe in it. Very sadly. Sleep easily, we’ll always remember you.
Майкл всегда останется в нашей памяти. Его музыка будет жить в нас вечно!