Born in 1958 in Gary, Indiana, Michael Jackson became the lead singer of his family’s popular Motown group, the Jackson 5. He went on to a solo career of astonishing success, delivering No. 1 hits from the albums Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad. The “King of Pop” was dogged by allegations of child molestation in his later years, and died just before launching a comeback tour in 2009. Sadly, Michael Jackson would never get to experience the anticipated success of his comeback tour. On June 25, 2009, Jackson suffered cardiac arrest at his Los Angeles home. He was rushed to the hospital after his heart stopped and CPR attempts failed and died later that morning. He was 50 years old.
Michael Jackson has been pulling in more money since his death than most musicians makes in a lifetime. The two Cirque du Soleil shows dedicated to him, his music, and his share in a music catalog keep the cash rolling in in astronomical amounts. I’m his lifetime, classic albums like Off The Wall and Thriller were huge hits when they were released. His drive to push the envelope, changing the face of the music video, and create unique and timeless music has kept him popular through his life and after his death. His video for Thriller will go down in history as the most influential music video ever. Unfortunately, his estate has been anything but stable since his death. Power struggles and debt have affected his fortune considerably.