Michael Jackson Dies at Age 50

Updated:

July 7, 2009 9:49 pm

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Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, is dead at age 50. Jackson died of a heart attack on June 25 in his home in Los Angeles.

Jackson was one of music’s true mega-stars; his 1982 album, Thriller, went on to sell more than 40 million copies. The album spawned 7 top 10 hits, including “Thriller,” “Billie Jean,” and “Beat It.”

Alan Light, former editor of Vibe and Spin magazines, said, “It’s almost impossible to overstate the impact he had on popular music and popular culture. . . . He really defined what the music video could be. He was the ultimate crossover figure, bringing black music and rock-and-roll together.”

A Los Angeles Fire Department captain told USA Today that paramedics responded to a call at 12:26 PDT. When they arrived at his L.A. home, the pop star had gone into cardiac arrest and was not breathing. He was given CPR and rushed to the UCLA Medical Center.

Jackson was set to begin a 50-show schedule at the O2 Arena in London on July 13.