Pop Icon's Death, New Star's Unexpected Success Among Events that Marked 2009 in Rock, Pop, R&B
The death of a 'king' and the birth of a star are just two events which shaped this year's pop music landscape.

Two months after welcoming Susan Boyle, the world bade farewell to one of the few acts worthy of the term "superstar." On June 25, Michael Jackson suffered cardiac arrest at his rented mansion in Los Angeles. The 50-year-old "King Of Pop" was declared dead at 2:26 P.M. local time. An unofficial global audience of one billion watched his July 7 memorial service. The Los Angeles County Coroner declared Michael Jackson's death a homicide, caused by a combination of powerful drugs in his system. At the center of the investigation is Michael Jackson's personal physician, Conrad Murray, who has yet to be charged with a crime.

He is dejend.