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 Jackson Five begin to perform in public.

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

1970: Their first album, Diana Ross Presents the Jackson Five, 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 Jackson Five, 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 above the ankles.

1984: During production of a Pepsi-Cola commercial, Jackson suffers burns to his scalp after 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 begin in July and quickly sold out. The performances were to be the beginning of Jackson's comeback, which was to include a new album, a world tour and possibly a Thriller-themed casino in Las Vegas.