Michael Jackson died at age 50 on Thursday.
As if you hadn't heard.
You heard it through the TV, the radio, through Facebook status updates, through Twitter, through text messages, through newspaper web sites, through message boards -- basically through anything where words can be conveyed. It ranks among the most shocking celebrity deaths in the past 50 years, right alongside Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, John F. Kennedy Jr., John Lennon, and Princess Diana. All of those people were known worldwide, extremely popular, and fairly young when they died. JFK Jr., Lennon, and Princess Diana died from tragic events (plane crash, murder, car crash), while Presley and Monroe died due to drug addictions.
Michael Jackson died of cardiac arrest. The cause is being determined by an autopsy today.
While that takes place, I'll use this space to rank my Top 10 Michael Jackson songs. This isn't where I debate greatness, influence, or any of that. This is just my favorites, in order.
1) Thriller
2) Beat It
3) Billie Jean
4) P.Y.T.
5) Bad
6) Smooth Criminal
7) The Way You Make Me Feel
8) Man in the Mirror
9) Say Say Say
10) Black or White
And a couple more from one of my favorites, "Weird" Al Yankovic: "Eat It," and "Fat."