Michael Jackson to get lifetime achievement Grammy

Michael Jackson is to be posthumously awarded a lifetime achievement Grammy, the US Recording Academy has announced.

The lifetime achievement awards will also be handed out to Leonard Cohen, Bobby Darin, Loretta Lynn, Clark Terry, Dave Edwards and Andre Previn on January 30, a day before the main awards ceremony.

"This year's honorees are a prestigious group of diverse and prominent creators who have contributed some of the most distinguished and influential recordings," Recording Academy President and Chief Executive Officer, Neil Portnow, said on Thursday in a statement.

"Their outstanding accomplishments and passion for their craft have created a timeless legacy that has positively affected multiple generations, and will continue to influence generations to come. It is an honour and privilege to recognize such talented individuals who have had and will continue to have such an influence in both our culture and the music industry."

Jackson, whose Thriller album is considered the best-selling record of all time, died on June 25 from an accidental overdose of the anaesthetic Propofal that he was using as a sleep aid in the days before embarking on a comeback tour.