World mourns Michael Jackson, hails 'heir to Elvis'

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-06-26 18:02

LOS ANGELES/LONDON: Michael Jackson's death dominated news bulletins, radio airwaves and social networking sites all over the world on Friday as tributes poured in for a man called the "King of Pop" and "natural heir to Elvis".

The 50-year-old, whose towering musical legacy was tarnished by often bizarre behaviour and sex scandals, was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. PDT (2126 GMT) on Thursday after arriving at a Los Angeles hospital in full cardiac arrest.

World mourns Michael Jackson, hails 'heir to Elvis'

A visitor writes "Jackson bye bye" on a condolence book next to a wax figure of Michael Jackson at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in Shanghai June 26, 2009. [Agencies]

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"King of pop is dead. Black day for music," was the simple message on the Twitter messaging site left by johnyvergosa.

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Other contributors expressed disbelief at the suddenness of Jackson's death, which came less than three weeks before he was due to launch a series of comeback concerts in London.

The singer's lasting appeal, despite life as a virtual recluse since his acquittal of child abuse charges at a sensational 2005 trial, was underlined when 750,000 fans of all ages snapped up tickets for the sellout gigs.

From "Thriller" to "Billie Jean" and "Rock With You" to "The Way You Make Me Feel", Jackson's hits filled the airwaves.

Local politics and global affairs were bumped off the front pages of newspapers, trading rooms across Asia were abuzz with the news and entertainment websites saw a surge in traffic.

"The King of Pop is Dead" read the main headline of Britain's Independent newspaper, below a full-page portrait.

Rina Masaoka, a 21-year-old college student in Japan, said: "This will probably be as shocking as Princess Diana's death."

On Thursday, dozens of fans gathered near Jackson's modest boyhood home in Gary, to pay their respects to the entertainer who left the city long ago.

Flawed Genius

Commentators reflecting on Jackson's life focused on his flaws as well as his global fame and musical flare.

"For all his tragic flaws as a human being, Jackson could legitimately be seen as the greatest entertainer of his generation, the natural successor to Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley," Richard Williams wrote in the Guardian newspaper.

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