Michael Jackson was a towering figure in entertainment . He had the biggest voice and most famous dance moves of all time, but he also suffered from depression for years before his death at age 50 on June 25, 2009. With `` Billie Jean '' and `` Beat It '' -- the latter with Eddie Van Halen 's scorching guitar solo -- he was almost single-handedly responsible for getting videos by African-American artists on MTV and helped revitalize the moribund Top 40 format in the early 1980s . Songs , including `` I Want You Back '' and `` Billie Jean , '' are part of enduring legacy .
Michael Jackson was a towering figure in entertainment . He had the biggest voice and most famous dance moves of all time, but he also suffered from depression for years before his death at age 50 on June 25, 2009. Songs , including `` I Want You Back '' and `` Billie Jean , '' are part of enduring legacy .