Pop star Michael Jackson died Thursday afternoon in Los Angeles. He was 50.

Jackson, one of music's most successful and influential artists, began his career alongside his brothers in The Jackson 5, which released a string of Motown hits.

As a solo artist, he released "Thriller" in 1982 and watched it turn into the best-selling original collection ever released.

The success of that record, which included hits like "Billie Jean," "Beat It" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," led to "Bad," which sold roughly 30 million copies.

In the 1990s, Jackson's reputation took a huge hit when he was accused of child sex abuse. He stopped recording and touring, but had planned a series of dates in London that were to begin next month.

Earlier Thursday, actress Farah Fawcett, an original cast member of the 1970's megahit "Charlie's Angels," died of cancer.

For a time following news of Jackson's death, a rumor swirled on the Web that actor Jeff Goldblum had died, also. That turned out to be a hoax.