Death of an icon...
Michael Jackson is dead. Four incredible words that never seemed possible have come true and rocked the world
Reports surfaced on Thursday that Michael Jackson was rushed to hospital in Los Angeles after suffering a massive heart attack.
At first there were unconfirmed reports from celebrity website TMZ.com that Jackson had died. These were later confirmed by the LA Times. He was 50 years old. The world is stunned.
Charismatic, oddball, shrewd, or naïve – whatever your opinion, nobody can deny that he captivated the entire world, for a variety of reasons.
He had more plastic surgery than hot dinners. He started black and ended up whiter than white. But for all his weirdness he was one of the greatest pop stars of all time.
His 1982 album Thriller sold a staggering 51 million copies, which had seven number one hits. And let’s not forget his close friendship with Bubbles the monkey, his hyperbolic chamber bed, his Neverland Ranch, his marriage to Elvis’s daughter, the llamas, and the infamous dangling-the-baby-out-of-the-hotel-window incident. These don’t even scratch the surface.
And there were the darker allegations of child abuse, his addiction to painkillers, his financial troubles, his weird obsession with childhood, his failing health… In the end, he became a tragic parody of his former self.
But beyond the freak show, he is, was, a real bona fide musical genius with feet quicker than lightning. This is the guy who invented the Moonwalk! And most importantly, his musical legacy will last for generations.
So by way of tribute, here are our favourite Michael Jackson moments. Enjoy them and remember him for an extraordinary pop star who gave us decades of entertainment, the Zombie dance, Billy Jean and sparkly gloves.
RIP Michael Jackson.
Jackson 5: ABC
The child star sings with his little heart out and shows the first promise of sheer raw talent with the Jackson 5 hit single ABC.
www.youtube.com
Thriller, the Prison version
If you’re twiddling your thumbs pondering a life behind bars, there are worse things you can do to pass the time.
www.youtube.com
Thriller, the Lego version
What can we say? We have Lego. We have a classic 80s hit single. What more could we want? Plus we’re sure that Michael would have appreciated the toys.
www.youtube.com
Indian Thriller
Possibly the best version ever. Less of a version, more of a loose interpretation. But brilliant nonetheless. Michael Jackson himself would have been proud.
www.youtube.com
Thriller, vanilla version
Here we have the plain old, fabulous original version in all its glory. *wipes tear from cheek*
www.youtube.com
Michael Jackson with Britney Spears Live
A great performance showing that he still had it. And despite his skin dropping off he managed not to lose face.
www.youtube.com
LISTEN TO OUR TRIBUTE PLAYLIST
We've put together a Spotify playlist of our favourite Michael Jackson tracks. Sit back, have a listen, and remember why he became a pop legend. Listen now
At first there were unconfirmed reports from celebrity website TMZ.com that Jackson had died. These were later confirmed by the LA Times. He was 50 years old. The world is stunned.
Charismatic, oddball, shrewd, or naïve – whatever your opinion, nobody can deny that he captivated the entire world, for a variety of reasons.
He had more plastic surgery than hot dinners. He started black and ended up whiter than white. But for all his weirdness he was one of the greatest pop stars of all time.
His 1982 album Thriller sold a staggering 51 million copies, which had seven number one hits. And let’s not forget his close friendship with Bubbles the monkey, his hyperbolic chamber bed, his Neverland Ranch, his marriage to Elvis’s daughter, the llamas, and the infamous dangling-the-baby-out-of-the-hotel-window incident. These don’t even scratch the surface.
And there were the darker allegations of child abuse, his addiction to painkillers, his financial troubles, his weird obsession with childhood, his failing health… In the end, he became a tragic parody of his former self.
But beyond the freak show, he is, was, a real bona fide musical genius with feet quicker than lightning. This is the guy who invented the Moonwalk! And most importantly, his musical legacy will last for generations.
So by way of tribute, here are our favourite Michael Jackson moments. Enjoy them and remember him for an extraordinary pop star who gave us decades of entertainment, the Zombie dance, Billy Jean and sparkly gloves.
RIP Michael Jackson.
Jackson 5: ABC
The child star sings with his little heart out and shows the first promise of sheer raw talent with the Jackson 5 hit single ABC.
www.youtube.com
Thriller, the Prison version
If you’re twiddling your thumbs pondering a life behind bars, there are worse things you can do to pass the time.
www.youtube.com
Thriller, the Lego version
What can we say? We have Lego. We have a classic 80s hit single. What more could we want? Plus we’re sure that Michael would have appreciated the toys.
www.youtube.com
Indian Thriller
Possibly the best version ever. Less of a version, more of a loose interpretation. But brilliant nonetheless. Michael Jackson himself would have been proud.
www.youtube.com
Thriller, vanilla version
Here we have the plain old, fabulous original version in all its glory. *wipes tear from cheek*
www.youtube.com
Michael Jackson with Britney Spears Live
A great performance showing that he still had it. And despite his skin dropping off he managed not to lose face.
www.youtube.com
LISTEN TO OUR TRIBUTE PLAYLIST
We've put together a Spotify playlist of our favourite Michael Jackson tracks. Sit back, have a listen, and remember why he became a pop legend. Listen now
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