Salon.com has page collecting reactions to the death of the King of Pop from around the world. Here are a few that hit me especially hard:
- Madonna: “I can’t stop crying over the sad news. . . I have always admired Michael Jackson‚ĶThe world has lost one of the greats, but his music will live on forever! My heart goes out to his three children and other members of his family. . . God bless.”
- Usher: “May God cover you Michael. We all lift your name up in prayer. I pray for the entire Jackson family particularly Michael’s mother, children and all his fans that loved him so much. I would not be the artist, performer, and philanthropist I am today without the influence of Michael.”
- Justin Timberlake: “We have lost a genius and a true ambassador of not only Pop music but of all music…He has been an inspiration to multiple generations, and I will always cherish the moments I shared with him on stage and all of the things I learned about music from him and the time we spent together. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones.”
- Steven Spielberg: “Just as there will never be another Fred Astaire or Chuck Berry or Elvis Presley, there will never be anyone comparable to Michael Jackson. His talent, his wonderment and his mystery make him legend.”
- Lisa Marie Presley: “I am so very sad and confused with every emotion possible. I am heartbroken for his children, who I know were everything to him, and for his family. This is such a massive loss on so many levels, words fail me.”
- Cher:¬†”I am having a million reactions…When I think of him, I think of this young boy, this teenager I first met ‚Ķ He was a great teenager, optimistic and adorable.”
- Paul McCartney: ‚ÄúIt‚Äôs so sad and shocking…I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy-man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever and my memories of our time together will be happy ones.‚Äù
- Steven Spielberg: “Just as there will never be another Fred Astaire or Chuck Berry or Elvis Presley, there will never be anyone comparable to Michael Jackson. His talent, his wonderment and his mystery make him legend.”
- Lisa Marie Presley: “I am so very sad and confused with every emotion possible. I am heartbroken for his children, who I know were everything to him, and for his family. This is such a massive loss on so many levels, words fail me.”
- Beyonce:¬†”He was magic…He was what we all strive to be. He will always be the King of Pop!”
- Whitney Houston:¬†”I am full of grief.”
- Quincy Jones:¬†”I am absolutely devastated at this tragic and unexpected news…I‚Äôve lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him.‚Äù
- Jamie Foxx: “I hope he is remembered for the brilliance of his music and not for the circus sideshow his life had become.”
- Brooke Shields: “My heart is overcome with sadness for the devastating loss of my true friend Michael. He was an extraordinary friend, artist and contributor to the world. I join his family and his fans in celebrating his incredible life and mourning his untimely passing.”
- Martin Scorcese: “Michael Jackson was extraordinary. When we worked together on Bad, I was in awe of his absolute mastery of movement on the one hand, and of the music on the other. Every step he took was absolutely precise and fluid at the same time. It was like watching quicksilver in motion.”
- Imelda Marcos: ‚ÄúMichael Jackson enriched our lives, made us happy…The accusations, the persecution caused him so much financial and mental anguish. He was vindicated in court, but the battle took his life. There is probably a lesson here for all of us.‚Äù
- Jermaine Jackson:¬†”May our love be with you always.‚Äù
- John Legend: “As a child of the ’80s, I feel as though his music and his videos have been an inseparable part of my life and that of an entire generation,” he said. “And the powerful thing about great music is that it will always live on. He was and always will be an icon.”