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Death of a Thriller

Michael Jackson was one of the most successful and influential entertainers of the 20th Century. He won 13 Grammys and sold 50 million copies of his 1982 masterpiece, Thriller. But his fame and reputation declined starting in the 1990s. When he died yesterday at age 50, Jackson was attempting a comeback with 50 sold-out concert dates in London. Today, we look back at Jackson's career. Guests include: music critic Jody Rosen of Slate.com; Los Angeles Times chief pop music critic Ann Powers; Marc Anthony Neal, professor of black popular culture at Duke University and contributor to TheRoot.com; Susan Blond, founder and president of Susan Blond Inc. and a former Jackson publicist; Details magazine editor at large Jeff Gordinier; and Bruce Swedien, the recording engineer behind Thriller among other Jackson albums.

Tell us: What's your reaction to the death of Michael Jackson? Share a memory of the man and his music.

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Cucu Diamantes

Cucu Diamantes went from a tough childhood in Havana, Cuba, to an art school in Rome to underground New York City, where she co-founded the Latin alternative band Yerba Buena. She joins us to talk about the release of her solo debut, ''CuCuLand,'' which mixes salsa, funk, hip-hop, mariachi, disco, flamenco and more.

Cuculand on Amazon.com
Cucu Diamantes Official Site
Cucu Diamantes MySpace Page

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