And the pop music artist Michael Jackson died at the age of fifty. Jackson was one of the most influential musical artists of the twentieth century and a pivotal figure in opening the door for African American artists in popular music. He co-wrote the 1985 song “We Are the World,” which raised millions for famine relief in Africa. His later years became best known for an eccentric personal life that included multiple allegations of child molestation and a series of plastic surgeries that seemed intended to make him appear more white.