Pop 'Genius' Michael Jackson Died At 50

Stars from the world of showbiz have joined devastated Michael Jackson fans in paying tribute to the pop legend, who has died after suffering from a suspected heart attack.

The King of Pop suffered a cardiac arrest at his home in Holmby Hills and was taken to the UCLA medical centre where he was pronounced dead.

His brother Jermaine Jackson confirmed the death of the "legendary" star at the age of 50 after doctors worked for more than an hour to try to revive him.

He said: "We believe he suffered a cardiac arrest at his home, however the cause of his death is unknown until the results of the autopsy are known.

"The personal physician who was with him at the time attempted to resuscitate him."

Police in LA are investigating Jackson's death because of its "high profile", but a spokesman said nothing else should be read into their involvement.

The star's body was flown by helicopter from the hospital to the LA coroner's office and a post-mortem examination is expected to take place later today.

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The first reports of Jackson's death emerged on the internet and sparked a huge surge in online traffic as people searched for the latest news.

Twitter has been flooded with tributes from fans and celebrities alike including Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher and Stephen Fry.

Moore also paid tribute to Charlie's Angels actress Farrah Fawcett, who died earlier on Thursday.

See how Jackson's famous fans reacted to his death.

A tweet from Emily Eavis, organiser of the Glastonbury music festival, said there would be tributes "all over the site all weekend".

TV channels around the world interrupted programmes to break the news of Jackson's death, while many radio stations are playing his hits back-to-back.

His first wife Lisa Marie Presley led the tributes saying: "I'm so very sad and confused with every emotion possible.

"This is such a massive loss on so many levels, words fail me."

Sir Howard Stringer, head of Jackson's record company Sony, added: "Michael Jackson was a brilliant troubadour for his generation, a genius whose music reflected the passion and creativity of an era."

And Justin Timberlake - who has been compared to a young Jackson - said: "We have lost a genius and a true ambassador of not only pop music, but of all music."

Fans gathered near Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Indiana, to pay their respects to the singer who left the city years ago.

In LA, people lined the streets outside the hospital and coroner's office while others laid flowers and candles on his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Read more about how fans are paying tribute.

Office worker Yoshiko Plair, who went to the hospital as soon as she heard reports of Jackson's heart attack, said: "He changed music, he's the reason all that black music is on MTV now.

"I followed him from that first song. I'm going to mourn him today and probably for the rest of my life."

On the other side of America, fans congregated at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, New York, where Jackson gave some of his earliest performances, to sing and dance in his memory.

Civil rights campaigner the Rev Al Sharpton was among crowds and told mourners: "I have known him at his high moments and his low moments and I know he would want us to pray for his family."

Rumours spread about the state of Jackson's health when four of his This Is It comeback concerts were postponed last month.

Close friend Uri Geller suggested it may have been the stress of preparing for the shows, which were due to be held at the O2 Arena in London, that killed him.

But organisers AEG Live insisted the concerts were moved because of huge scale of the 50-date tour and had "absolutely nothing to do with health".

Jackson lived most of his life in the public spotlight after first performing in public with his brothers at the age of just six.

He released his first solo album in 1972 and the worldwide smash-hit Thriller ten years later.

The album spawned seven singles which made the Top 10 and its global sales have been estimated at anywhere between 50 million and 100 million.

He unveiled his signature "moonwalk" dance move in 1983 while performing Billie Jean, gliding across the stage and instantly setting a trend which would be copied countless times.

But alongside his success, his personal life was frequently the subject of controversy and his eccentric behaviour saw him nicknamed Wacko Jacko.

In 1993, he was accused of sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy, but no charges were filed against him and the matter was settled out of court in 1994.

In the same year, he married Presley, the only child of Elvis, but the union ended in divorce in 1996.

He went on to marry Debbie Rowe, the mother of his two eldest children Prince Michael I and Paris Michael.

Jackson was widely criticised when he held his third child Prince Michael II - known as Blanket - over the rails of a hotel balcony in 2002.

After being accused in another child abuse case, he was acquitted in 2005 and spent much of his time since living outside the US.

Sky News showbiz correspondent Steve Hargrave said: "We can't underestimate the effect this will have on Michael Jackson fans who have loved his music and career.

"They would have been assuming that in about three weeks' time their idol would have been back on the stage performing his greatest hits. To suddenly find out this news will be devastating."