Sony boss recalls Jackson's brilliance

NEW YORK, June 26 (UPI) -- Sony, which released five of Michael Jackson's wildly popular albums, said Friday the late U.S. pop star left an indelible imprint on popular music and culture.

The 13-time Grammy Award-winning recording artist died in Los Angeles Thursday after going into cardiac arrest. He was 50. The circumstances of his death are under investigation and an autopsy was expected to be conducted Friday.

"Off the Wall," "Thriller," "Bad," "Dangerous" and "HIStory" were released by Epic Records, a Sony Music label, and are among the top-sellers of all time.

Jackson sold an estimated 750 million records worldwide, released 13 No. 1 singles and was twice inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame -- for his solo career and work with The Jackson 5.

The Guinness Book of World Records recognized Jackson as the most successful entertainer of all time and "Thriller" as the biggest selling album of all time.

"Michael Jackson was a brilliant troubadour for his generation, a genius whose music reflected the passion and creativity of an era," Howard Stringer -- chairman, chief executive officer and president of Sony Corp. -- said in a statement. "His artistry and magnetism changed the music landscape forever. We have been profoundly affected by his originality, creativity and amazing body of work."

"Michael Jackson's unsurpassed artistry and beloved music brought joy to every corner of the world," added Rolf Schmidt-Holtz, chief executive officer of Sony Music Entertainment. "It was a true privilege for all of us in the Sony Music family to work with one of the most talented superstars in the history of music. We will miss him greatly."