The release of a documentary detailing allegations of child sexual abuse by Michael Jackson has prompted a backlash — as well as questions over whether we should still be listening to the late singer's music.

Key points: Michael Jackson's family have criticised the documentary as an untrue smear

Michael Jackson's family have criticised the documentary as an untrue smear The late singer's estate has filed a lawsuit against HBO for airing the allegations

The late singer's estate has filed a lawsuit against HBO for airing the allegations Fans of the entertainer have raised money to pay for posters defending him

Leaving Neverland, in which two adult men claim Jackson befriended and abused them as children in the early 1990s, was met with a mixture of horror and disbelief after it was aired on United States cable channel HBO.

Oprah Winfrey interviewed Jackson's accusers in front of an audience of sexual abuse survivors. ( News Video )

It prompted some radio stations in Canada and the Netherlands to stop playing Jackson's music, while Oprah Winfrey was bombarded with hateful messages from Jackson's fans after she interviewed his accusers in a special television broadcast.

Winfrey, herself a sexual assault survivor, was aware of the attacks the men, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, might face.

"All the anger — you guys are going to get it," she said during the interview. "You're going to get it. I'm going to get it. We're all going to get it."

Mr Robson told Winfrey he had already received death threats.

Jackson's family called the documentary and news coverage of the accusations a "public lynching" and said the entertainer was "100 per cent innocent".

His estate filed a lawsuit against HBO in February, saying the documentary was a "rehash of dated and discredited allegations" and breached a 1992 agreement that the cable channel would not disparage Jackson.

Jackson, who died in June 2009, was acquitted at a 2005 trial in California on charges of molesting a different 13-year-old boy at his Neverland ranch in California.

Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed (centre) with documentary participants Wade Robson (left) and James Safechuck. ( AP: Taylor Jewell/Invision )

In 1994, he settled a sexual abuse lawsuit concerning another 13-year-old boy.

Canada's Cogeco Media, which owns several radio stations in Montreal, said it had temporarily pulled Jackson's songs from airplay because of the documentary.

"We are attentive to the comments of our listeners, and the documentary released on Sunday evening created reactions," spokeswoman Christine Dicaire said in a statement.

A small group of Jackson's fan protested against the documentary during the Sundance Film Festival. ( AP: Danny Moloshok )

Dutch station NH radio said it would also stop playing Jackson's music for a few weeks.

"I don't think people can listen to the songs the same way anymore. They are supposed to make you happy, make you sing and dance," NH radio editor Arjan Snijders said in a broadcast on Tuesday.

Jackson's fans worldwide rallied around the singer using the Twitter hashtag #MJInnocent.



Some of them even raised funds to pay for posters on London buses with the slogan: "Facts Don't Lie. People do. MJInnocent."

Jackson faced multiple allegations that he abused children, but was never convicted. ( Reuters: Leonhard Foeger )

ABC/Reuters