Today, the world is in mourning.

Michael Joseph Jackson, the "King of Pop", died this afternoon of a heart attack. He was 50 years old.

Jackson first rose to fame with the Jackson 5, where he performed along side his older brothers. He evenually started a successful solo career, during which he became internationally famous for his sixth album "Thriller", released in 1982, which as of today remains the highest selling album of all time.

Jackson's life went into decline when, in 2003, he was accused, and later tried on mutiple accounts of child sex abuse. Although he was later aquitted of all charges, the trial left him in deep financial turmoil. Jackson had earlier been accused of the same crimes in 1993, but the charges were dropped when the accuser refused to testify.

He planned to return to life performances by doing a 50-concert trek in London, which would have helped clear his debts.

Jackson is survived by his three children, Prince Michael Joseph Jackson I, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, and Prince Michael Joseph Jackson II (a.k.a. "Blanket), as well as his parents and eight brothers and sisters.