Pop star Michael Jackson was pronounced dead Thursday after being rushed to a Los Angeles hospital after a heart attack left him in a coma, according to published reports. He was 50.
According to the Los Angeles Times:
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Website TMZ reported that "Jackson was dead when paramedics arrived. A cardiologist at UCLA tells TMZ Jackson died of cardiac arrest."
Jackson, a singing and dancing star who found fame at an early age as a member of The Jackson 5, went on to become the "King of Pop," a sort of Elvis for the MTV and internet generations.
Like "the King of Rock 'n' Roll" before him, Jackson became an entertainer beloved around the world for a body of work produced in the distant past but whose musical output had long since been eclipsed by strange behavior and a larger-than-life persona.
For instance, 2001's Invincible, Jackson's final recording, paled in comparison to 1982's Thriller, the best-selling album of all time.
How could it not? Thriller sold more than 100 million copies worldwide and spawned hit singles like "Billie Jean" and "Beat It," which featured a fiery guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen. Jackson starred in the music video for the title track, a 14-minute mini-movie filled with heavily choreographed dancing zombies and other horror staples. The record and video cemented Jackson's place in international pop culture.
Jackson's lasting musical legacy thrived despite legal trouble in recent years, and a comeback tour of 50 London dates scheduled to commence in July quickly sold out.
As news of Jackson's passing spread online, legions of fans used Twitter to express condolences and share fond memories of the entertainer, whose international fame was accompanied by bizarre behavior.
In death, Jackson remained a fascinating figure capable of capturing the world's attention.
"Getting choked up watching classic MJ music videos with a gate full of people at JFK," tweeted Waxy.org blogger Andy Baio.
Jackson's untimely death quickly became one of those "where were you when?" moments that will likely live on in our collective consciousness. Late Thursday afternoon, terms related to Jackson and his death occupied eight of 10 of the trending topics on Twitter (see image at right).
"My Twitter search script sees roughly 15% of all posts on Twitter mentioning Michael Jackson," tweeted Ethan Zuckerman. "Never saw Iran or swine flu reach over 5%."
Photo: Joel Ryan/Associated Press
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