PARIS, France - Michael Jackson fans have gathered around the world to pay tribute to the late singer a year after his death. From Tokyo to London, New York and Paris, Jackson fans have come together to celebrate and remember his iconic music, which inspired the next generation of musicians and captivated the hearts of millions. Since his sudden death on 25th June 2009, his estate has reportedly earned over a billion dollars in royalties according to Billboard magazine. A Jackson tribute event "Forever Michael" will take place in Los Angles, Beverly Hills hotel this Saturday, where members of Jackson's family are expected to attend. Other events will be held around the world, and well into the weekend including a tribute in Paris at the Djoon club.
Fans stayed over night in a Tokyo museum paying over $1000 dollars to get a space for a commemorative exhibition dedicated to the late singer's career and today in London a statue has been dedicated to Michael at the Lyric Theatre.
Earlier this week Latoya Jackson claimed that her brother had been murdered for money in a TV interview. Since Michael's death, countless conspiracies, accusations and a subsequent media frenzy have speculated who was responsible for his death. Michael Jackson sold an estimated 750 million records worldwide and won 13 Grammys. His first album Thriller is the biggest selling record of all time, with more than 110 million copies sold to date. His musical legacy was also notable in the music video world. Scream , which came out in 1995 cost a whopping $7 million dollars and is the most expensive production in history. His other videos often included famous actors and comedians such as Chris Tucker and Eddie Murphy in You Rock My World and Remember the Time. The music industry has inevitably changed forever due to new technologies, the decline of CD sales, rampant piracy and online file sharing. Artists today can only dream of having the success Michael did, and it is more than likely that no other artist in the 21st century will ever be as successful and as well known as Michael Jackson.
