Timeline of a pop superstar

A look at the career of pop star Michael Jackson, who died after going into cardiac arrest at his Los Angeles home on Thursday:

Aug. 29, 1958: Michael Joseph Jackson is born in Gary, Ind., the seventh of nine children.

1963: After several years of training, The JacksonFive begin to perform in public.

Dec. 14, 1969: The JacksonFive appear on the The Ed Sullivan Show.

1970: Their first album, Diana Ross Presents the JacksonFive, includes the hit singles I Want You Back and I'll Be There, which go to No. 1 on the pop charts.

1972: While still singing with the JacksonFive, Michael Jackson puts out his first solo album, Got to Be There.

1979: Jackson's first solo album as an adult, Off the Wall, is released. He becomes the first solo artist to place four singles from the same record in the Top 10.

1982: His album Thriller wins a record eight Grammy Awards and becomes the world's bestselling record of all time. Along with the title track, it includes the songs Billie Jean and Beat It.

1983: Jackson electrifies the 50 million viewers of the Motown 25 television special by singing and dancing to Billie Jean while wearing a black fedora, one white glove and pants cropped abovethe ankles.

1984: During production of a Pepsi-Cola commercial, Jackson suffers burns to hisscalpafter an explosion sets his hair on fire.

1985: Jackson and Lionel Richie write We Are the World, which becomes one of the fastest-selling singles ever. The song was produced to raise money for victims of famine in Ethiopia.

1987: His album Bad produces five No. 1 singles and sells at least 22 million copies worldwide.

1995: Releases the album HIStory: Past, Present, and Future Book I. In August, the song You Are Not Alone becomes the first single in pop music history to enter the Billboard chart at No. 1.

1997: The album, Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, sells hundreds of thousands copies worldwide, disappointing numbers for Jackson.

2001: Jackson releases sixth solo album, Invincible, which is not well received by critics.

2003: Releases Number Ones on same day as he is accused of multiple counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14.

2009: Jackson announces a series of concerts at London's O2 arena, which were set to beginin July and quickly sold out. The performances were to be the beginning ofJackson's comeback, which was to include a new album, a world tour and possibly a Thriller-themed casino in Las Vegas.