Sophia Loren and Laura Pausini were among the Italian stars who mourned Michael Jackson Friday.
''I'm devastated. There'll never be another Michael Jackson,'' said Loren, who was a friend of the late singer and had a house next to his in Los Angeles.
''The world has lost an icon, he gave the world a treasure with his songs,'' the screen beauty said in a statement.
Pausini, who worked with Jackson on a fundraising album for the September 11 victims in 2001, said: ''It was one of the most thrilling moments of my career and I'll never stop thanking him for the opportunity he gave me''.
Jackson wrote a song for Pausini, What More Can I Give - Todo Para Ti, which helped get her the break that has turned her into a global chart-topper.
Pausini said Jackson had ''revolutionised'' every aspect of music, ''from songwriting to spectacle''.
David Zard, the concert promoter who brought Jackson to Italy in 1988, said: ''Maybe in 300 years we'll have someone else like him''.
''I've never seen anyone who could write and sing like him,'' said Zard, who also brought the Rolling Stones, David Bowie and Madonna to Italy.
Italian designer Roberto Cavalli, who styled some of Jackson's last suits, said: ''We had a friendship that was sweet and spontaneous, just like him...I was always struck by they way he lived and looked at life like a child''.
Italian fansite mjj.it said it was ''going crazy'' dealing with tributes and outpourings of grief.
''We've had hundreds of thousands of hits since last night,'' said Gabriele Prandini, who set up the site in 2000.
The fan club is organising two tribute events, outside Milan cathedral at noon Saturday and in Rome's Piazza del Popolo on Monday evening.
''Thank you for teaching us to dream and believe in our dreams,'' the site said Friday.
Another Italian fansite, Michaelmania.com, said it would stage events to coincide with Jackson's funeral.
''Please moonwalk for us in paradise,'' said the site, which was founded in 1985.
Facebook's dedicated page, RIP Michael Jackson (we miss you), was inundated by Italian fans arranging their own events.
