Michael Jackson died last night at his home in Los Angeles, aged 50. It is being reported that he had a heart attack and couldn't be revived.

This is one of those moments people won't forget and is very sad for anyone who has ever enjoyed his music, his dance routines, and his cutting edge music videos. He was the greatest popular (pop) music artist of all time, and I don't think any other pop music artist will ever come close to matching his level.

Thriller is still the best selling album of all time, so far having sales of over 100 million copies, and it is reported that the album and its music videos have just been remastered and cleaned up for release on the album's 25th anniversary.

His Triller music videos were also instrumental in the early success of MTV, increasing viewing figures dramatically as each was released, especially the video for Triller itself.

He now joins Elvis, John Lennon, Hendrix and all the other greats as one of the greatest musicians the world has ever known, and will never be forgotten.

It must also be a huge shock to all those involved in, and for all those who purchased tickets for, his upcoming fair well tour, and you have to wonder if the preparations for the huge sell out 50 date concert put too much strain on the artist who had been in training and rehearsing ready for the shows.

The sad truth is that without the court case that cost him all of his money he probably wouldn't have needed to do this final series of concerts and might have been able to live a long life in retirement. I hope Gavin Arvizo is proud of himself!

It is however reported that this final concert was due to earn him around £250 million for the 50 dates (based on a report that the first 10 dates would earn him £50 million). A lot of money that I doubt he would have been able to turn down.

And even though he was forced to sell it, it would be fitting for the new owners of Neverland Ranch to convert it into a museum to celebrate Michael's life. Much as was done for Elvis's Graceland home. I doubt this will happen, but it would be the right thing to do.
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Finally

Heard about that this early morning.
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I liked his music. Can't say I was a fan of the man himself. Not that I think he did all those things they accused him of, he just was a weird character. Just out there, you know?

But he was a damn fine artist, got to give him that.
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The genius' of this world are always a little mad, eccentric and odd. It goes with the territory. For someone to be so amazingly good at something, you have to become obsessed with it to such an extent that it consumes you life. It is how come they are so great at what they do.

And his persona reflected this on stage. He was energetic, charismatic and full of energy. But off stage he was shy, reserved and quiet. Much like Freddie Mercury. They give so much to their performance that it is their life, and off stage they just don't fit in.
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Given that he's probably never had a normal childhood (being constantly pushed by his father, bullied about his appearance etc.), and being haunted by paparazzi looking to ruin him all his life, it's kind of understandable he went bonkers at some time.

It's a sad thing, for he was a great artist and performer, and there probably won't be another one quite like him.

R.I.P.
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children die of hunger every day...
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And you point is?

Children dying of hunger in third world countries isn't comparable. Their deaths are (as sad as it is) insignificant in a country that is probably dying itself as a whole. If a country and its climate can't sustain the people it has, then shrinking the size of the population until it can is natures way of fixing the problem.

The death of a musical genius like Michael Jackson is a completely different thing. You don't get many people in this world who can create something truely great and unique. Or that do something that touches so many lives.
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my point is... MJ dies... so? no need to make a point of it...

but that's just my 5 cents
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Well for someone who's trying to convince himself how little he cares, you certainly have a lot to say here, me friend
But instead, you have just proven to us how his much his death mattered - so what if people liked him or not, they KNEW him.

I for example was never a fan, my brother has some old vinyl of "Bad" somwhere, but aside from that I could name maybe 5 of some of his tunes from all of his discography.
I consider his Black and White clip as technically stunning for that time and loved to redo the morphing effect on me Amiga.

RIP Mike, whetever they say.
(And I don't believe he was a pedo, he's just a lonely kid in a grown up world who was lost...)



---=== EDITED ===---
James Rolfe AKA The Angry Video Game Nerd made a cool tribute movie that covers both sides of MJ
http://www.cinemassacre.com/new/?p=1654

PS: Anyone knows where I could get a hq HDTV version of his Black or White clip?
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I don't know where you could find the music video in HD. However it was on the recent No. 1s album release and there was probably a blu-ray video released for the album, so it is likely on that, and I'm sure someone has ripped that and stuck it on a torrent site by now.

For me, as reflected in the albums amazing sales, Triller was his best work, and the title track and Billie Jean have to be two of the best songs he ever made, and I bet even those who say they didnt like him would find it hard not to enjoy those two.
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