Michael Jackson Takes on World, Wins

Mon., Oct. 30, 2006 11:51 AM PST by Gina Serpe

The King of Pop is about to be crowned King of the World.

Michael Jackson is set to receive the Diamond Award at the World Music Awards in London next month, honoring his career album sales in excess of 100 million.

Jackson, who now calls Ireland home, will make a rare public appearance at the Nov. 15 ceremony to collect his hardware.

Upping the spectacle ante: Lindsay Lohan has been tapped to host the to-do, taking place in the U.K. for the first time in its 18-year history.

According to the organizers, Jackson was chosen to receive the Diamond Award due solely to his impressive sales, despite the fact that he hit the 100 million milestone years ago. He joins of select list of winners that includes Rod Stewart, Mariah Carey, Bon Jovi and Celine Dion.

The World Music Awards does not dole out the prestigious honor every year, and not only because of a dearth of qualified recipients. According to the awards show, the honor is presented only when there is "a very special reason for it, and there can be no doubt that Michael Jackson is the most special reason."

Jackson, of course, has been attempting to raise his musical profile—while keeping his personal travails on the down-low—as he strives toward a comeback.

The timing of the award also happens to coincide with the 25th anniversary of Thriller, Jackson's ground- and record-breaking album that has sold more than 40 million copies since its 1982 release.

The choice of venue for Jackson's U.K. coming-out party—he hasn't publicly appeared in Britain since 1997—is something of an odd one.

The last time he appeared at the World Music Awards was in 1993, when he was accompanied by June Chandler and her 12-year-old son, Jordan. Jackson was frequently pictured throughout the ceremony with Jordan sitting on his knee, eventually leading to a police investigation of an inappropriate relationship. Jackson eventually paid out a reported $20 million to the boy and his family, effectively ending the first molestation case against the singer.

In any event, Jackson and Lohan aren't the only VIP RSVPs. Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige and Andrea Bocelli will all perform at the ceremony.

Aside from preparing his acceptance speech, Jackson is also said to be working on his long-coming follow-up album to the critically panned 2001 release, Invincible, despite having recently split with the Bahrain-based record label Two Seas.

Earlier this month, the Los Angeles Times reported that Jackson had enlisted the help of several prominent hip-hop producers and was working his way to a more urban sound.

Ron "Neff U" Feemster, who has worked with Eminem, 50 Cent and Ne-Yo, reportedly traveled to Britain in September to collaborate with Jackson, as have the Black Eyed Peas' Will.I.Am, Jackson's Dangerous producer Teddy Riley, 50 Cent's turntablist DJ Whoo Kid and Charles "Big Chuck" Stanton.

"He's ready to take over the world," Stanton told the Times of Jackson's musical strides. "We're giving Michael a lot of edgy street records. He's putting melodies to some hard party records."

When Jackson was partnered with Two Seas, his camp proclaimed that a new album would be out in 2007.

Of course, deadlines don't mean much when it comes to the Gloved One. We're still waiting for that ballyhooed Hurricane Katrina benefit single, "From the Bottom of My Heart."

In lieu of any new music, fans will have to be content with more of the oldies. Yet another Jackson anthology, this time a box set deemed Visionary: The Video Singles, is due for release Nov. 17.