The sudden death of Michael Jackson has created mourning among millions of people who recognised him as one of the greatest figures in the history of popular music. Even those who did not appreciate Jackson as an entertainer will acknowledge the often over-used term “shock” is appropriate in this instance.

Michael Jackson was a comparatively young man who died at the age of 50, when most people of his age can look forward to another significant period in their lives. Jackson also died relatively quickly.

There was no long illness or a general expectancy of death, as in the case of Pope John Paul II, so Michael Jackson’s departure is indeed poignant.

Different generations remember what they were doing when a famous person dies. Doubtless this applied to the death of Abraham Lincoln, and there are still many people who recall vividly the assassination of President John F Kennedy.

Michael Jackson belonged to the very different world of popular music, in which other icons of this

genre also died suddenly. They include, among many, such artists as Jim Reeves and John Lennon who meant so much, in different ways, to other generations.

However, it would be unfair to generalise the death of Michael Jackson as merely an historic landmark in the history of entertainment.

Jackson was not just a remarkable performer, but also a unique human being with his own strengths and weaknesses.

His achievements were, quite literally, legendary.

He made an impact with his breakthrough solo

album ‘Off The Wall’, but his inimitable ‘Thriller’ was the best-selling collection of all time. He lived the charmed life of a superstar, but remarkably quickly that apparent ‘charm’ fell apart.

His earlier artistic success was not sustained by notably greater achievements and his personal life was, to say the least, bizarre.

He was accused of the sexual abuse of young boys, which he always denied, but he paid out a large settlement to one of his accusers. Jackson also made the wrong kind of headlines by briefly dangling one of his tiny children from a hotel balcony. He was

indeed a major celebrity, but he also lacked judgment in some of the most basic situations in life.

Despite his enormous earlier success there were dark shadows. He claimed he had been badly treated by his father who had virtually forced his talented off-spring to become “successful”, and his extraordinary behaviour may have underlined the sadness of a man who did not have a childhood.

Michael Jackson’s fame and success came at a high personal price and towards the end he looked careworn as he attempted to resurrect his career and to recoup some financial reward after his earlier follies. In a sense he lived and died in the public gaze and it is no surprise that his sudden death has created shockwaves among his fans around the world.

However, the world will move on. The real sadness remains of a talented young life cut short and of a family in mourning, including his children.

Nevertheless, Michael Jackson will be remembered in death as in life as one of a select group who could truly claim to be a global superstar.