
Michael Jackson passed away on Thursday, June 25, 2009, at the age of 50. From his childhood days as a member of the Jackson 5 to his coronation as the King of Pop in the 1980s, Jackson was one of the most universally celebrated performers of his generation. He was a limitlessly talented and immeasurably influential singer, dancer and songwriter, and his string of great albums, beginning with 1979's
Off the Wall and continuing through 1983's
Thriller and 1987's
Bad, rank among the best pop records ever. Though his personal life took on a tragicomic tone in the '90s and '00s, he remained an icon to millions. More so than perhaps anyone, he embodied the age of the mega-star -
Thriller is still the best-selling album in pop music history - and his appeal crossed cultural, racial and national boundaries. For literally millions around the globe, MJ was our cultural common denominator.
Over the next few days, the Rhapsody editorial staff will be sharing its thoughts on and memories of Michael in the comments section of this post. We encourage our readers to do the same.
Recent Comments