In what has turned out to be one of the more depressing days in entertainment, the “King of Pop,” Michael Jackson, has died at the age of 50. The news came mere hours after the report that actress Farrah Fawcett had lost her long battle with cancer.

The Michael Jackson news was surreal, as while it was unfolding, many thought it was simply inaccurate news. When word first broke, it was said that Jackson was found in cardiac arrest and not breathing; this news quickly took a turn for the worst when rumors started flying out that he had passed away; this shock was followed up by suggestions that he was actually in a coma, and the reports began alternating, leaving everyone confused as to what was actually going on. Sadly, as time moved forward, this news — first reported by TMZ — was confirmed by the LA Times to be true.

Many have been worried about the health of Jackson for a while now, but with a hopeful three-year world tour set to kick off with 50 sold out shows in London, it appeared that the star was feeling well and prepped for an attempted comeback of epic proportions.

While the reports are not confirmed, there was a rumor in the chaos today that he had gone into cardiac arrest after taking too many sleeping pills. While this is currently unknown, the L.A. police department’s robbery and homicide unit is investigating and a coroner is performing an immediate autopsy to find out what exactly happened here. There are no signs of foul play at the moment.

Michael Jackson is of course known as one of the most popular and most successful singers of ever to live. His album Thriller is the top-selling album of all-time, and it is only one among many other hugely popular albums. On top of music, Jackson appeared in a few movies and TV shows as well; most notably: The Wiz, Men in Black II, and a small voice appearance as Leon Kompowsky on The Simpsons in 1991.

His immense success and monumental talents have unfortunately been over-shadowed by years of controversy and court trials over child molestation charges. But even with all of these issues, no one can deny the importance of this man in the entertainment world, and the amount of great music he has created that will live on forever. A truly remarkable icon with an overwhelmingly sad, troubled life.

Michael Jackson 1958 — 2009