Pop star Michael Jackson turned 50 on August 29, 2008. In celebration of his birthday, the singer released a hits compilation with songs chosen by his fans. The tracklisting differed from location to location, though some songs were featured on all editions. Releases in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Germany and Belgium all included "Billie Jean]," "Beat It" and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." The compilation was titled King of Pop.The Sun: Jacko pop picked by you (August 12, 2008) Tube: Best Of Celebrating Michael Jackson's 50th Birthday (August 6, 2008) Weltbild.de: King of Pop Belrtl.be: King of Pop: The Belgian Edition
King of Pop was not released in the United States. Instead, a previous compilation called The Essential Michael Jackson was re-released with bonus tracks.MJJCommunity: The Essential MJ 3.0 (July 29, 2008)
In an telephone interview with Good Morning America, Jackson said he was celebrating by watching cartoons and eating cake with his children. He also stated he felt "very young" at 50, and that he was "looking forward to doing a lot of great things."ABC News: Michael Jackson: 'I Feel ... Very Young' at 50 (August 29, 2008)