He is still the Peter Pan of the pop world, still hits the high notes and still counts his takings in millions
But Michael Jackson turned 30 on Monday, working - he was to sing at a concert in Leeds, England, on his birthday - and refusing to let time catch up with him.
He may be the richest entertainer of the pop world - Forbes magazine estimated he would earn $31 million last year.
Jackson recently left his family home in Los Angeles and moved to a $17 million ranch he bought in the Santa Ynez mountains of Southern California. It will give him more room for his llama; his giraffe; his Arabian stallion, Thriller; and his chimpanzee, Bubbles, the pet closest to him.
It has been a long road for Jackson, who has been working for 25 of his 30 years, with his hit-making family and solo.
Considered one of pop's best "movers," or dancers, Michael Jackson began singing solo at age 12, piling up more hits, including singles from his record-breaking albums, "Thriller" and "Bad."