Michael Jackson blazed the trail on the global music scene, but also went down in history as one of the most controversial figures in his prime.
For a man who won multiple awards and was estimated to have sold over 400 million records worldwide, it still feels like the King of Pop didn’t hit his ceiling before his demise.
Jackson passed away at the age of 50, closing the chapter on a four-decade career that saw him start as a member of the Jackson 5 musical group – alongside his siblings Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon – before fledging into a solo global superstar.
When did Michael Jackson die?
The music and dance icon sadly passed away on June 25, 2009. Even sadder is the fact that his demise came just a few weeks to his concert in London, with tickets already sold out.
Michael Jackson cause of death: What happened to him?
Jackson died after suffering a cardiac arrest. His death is said to have been caused by an overdose of propofol and benzodiazepine.
The pop star was already on several medications, including propofol, lorazepam, and midazolam, which usually helped him to sleep soundly. On the day of his passing, paramedics in Los Angeles got a 911 call that the singer wasn’t breathing.
The paramedics arrived at the scene three minutes later and performed Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on him, but he barely regained consciousness and was pronounced dead a few hours later.
When was Michael Jackson funeral held?
Two weeks after his death, on July 7, 2009, a memorial service was held in honour of Jackson at Los Angeles’s Staples Center. His family also held a separate private service at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park’s Hall of Liberty.
More than a million fans were said to have applied for tickets to the funeral, of which only just over 8,000 were granted the opportunity to attend.
Meanwhile, the singer’s funeral garnered a watching audience of 31.1 million from the US alone and over 2.5 billion audience worldwide, making it one of the most-streamed events in history.
Where was Michael Jackson buried?
His mortal remains were subsequently flown to Glendale, California, where he was entombed at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park on September 3, 2009.
