When news of Michael Jackson's untimely passing broke late last week, many fans' reaction — after the initial shock and sadness — was to celebrate the man by purchasing or re-purchasing some of his music. I personally stopped by not one but two brick-and-mortar CD retailers to fill some gaps in my MJ collection recently, only to find that each location was completely or nearly sold out.
Yet you'd have no idea of this mini-sales boom if you only looked at the new Billboard 200 albums chart. The Black Eyed Peas return to the top spot there after selling an okay-not-great 88,000 copies of The E.N.D. in its third week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Three Michael Jackson sets actually did substantially better business than the Peas this past week: Number Ones moved 108,000 units, The Essential Michael Jackson notched 102,000, and Thriller scored 101,000. But due to Billboard rules barring old albums from the main sales chart, what would have been this week's No. 1-3 by a healthy margin ended up getting relegated to the TopPop Catalog Albums chart instead — hence the Peas' misleading victory.
This is the first time that any catalog album (let alone three) has sold more than the Billboard 200's No. 1 in a given week. Chalk it up as one final chart record for a man who broke plenty of 'em over the decades. Jackson's overall sales this week totaled a whopping 415,000 copies, which is over 40 times the amount his catalog sold the previous week: Not a bad testament to how much he meant to so many.
What do you think of those numbers? And did you buy any of Michael Jackson's albums this week?
More from EW on Michael Jackson:
"Scream" director Mark Romanek on Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson: 18 key moments in the life of the King of Pop
Michael Jackson's music dominate on iTunes and Amazon
Michael Jackson's musical legacy: Tell us how you remember him
Michael Jackson dies at 50
Jackson on TV: A classic artist, a revolutionary
'Thriller' at 25: Still Can't Beat It
Comments (1-30) of 32 Add your comment
Though I’ve been listening to MJ for awhile now, I managed to pick up a new copy of his remix disc “Blood On the Dance Floor”.
I think it’s wonderful that people are now rediscovering his music. There was an entire generation that only knew him for his controversial public image, and I’m glad to see that start to change now. Damn, I miss you MJ.
“final chart record”??? Think again. He could break his own record next week after a full week of sales. Or if not whenever they release all his unreleased material.
Totally agree with you Gabe. Simon, you spoke too soon; I wouldn’t be at all surprised if there were more chart records for Michael to break yet! My boyfriend has my copy of Number Ones, and I have been longing for it all week!
I purchased Michael’s Essentials collection from Itunes. Could not find in the stores. I checked a couple music stores and they were completely sold out of MJ music.
Sounds like a dumb Billboard rule – banning old records from the main sales chart.
I’ve never understood the reaction people have to rush out and buy someone’s music after they die. It’s amazing how something that has been on the shelf for years goes flying off as if it won’t ever be produced again. I’m not knocking this- I just don’t understand what changes?
Unfortunately Michael had become nothing more than a punch-line for many years (deservedly?) and I for one am glad that people are remembering his music/videos. I just find it ironic that the radio stations that have ignored him for years have now played him for a weekend and now it’s back to ignoring him. I miss hearing music from him, Prince, Springsteen and Madonna, regularly on my radio and I’m not just talking about their old stuff, but they’ve had some pretty good new music as well. Too bad the radio stations don’t realize there is more to music than listening to “Boom Boom Pow”, “The Climb”, “Blame It” or “Poker Face” 800 times a day. *Sigh* Maybe our parents complained about the same thing.
I bought the Essential MJ from Itunes. It was so awesome to hear all of his music. Brought back lots of good memories….I may still buy the Thriller album, though. And that Blood on the dancefloor cd may end up on my iphone
I’m glad that a lot of people – perhaps a whole new generation – will get to discover MJ and what a musical genius he was. It s a shame that so many chose to believe the lies about him. He was a man who wasn’t capable of hurting a fly. RIP, Michael, you will be missed.
I find it sad that it takes him dying for people to go out and buy his albums. If you are such a big fan you should have already owned them.
Anyone suffering from MJ news fatigue yet? Well…still a LITTLE time left to vote in the poll. What is your favorite MJ song? Vote here:
http://movies-tv-entertainment.blogspot.com/
To Mike: You have to take into account that people buy and rebuy songs/albums as they went from vinyl to Cd to digital. Owned plenty of MJ music ( Jackson 5 through Dangerous) on vinyl and cassette, and digital. Now that I have upgraded to an ipod touch a couple of weeks ago, I had yet to add MJ to my mix. I am sure alot of others did the same.
My family had everything on vinyl, but last week served as a wake-up to buy them all on CD (finally!)
he is forever super star!
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Had the vinyls also but had to get the cds.
When any big artist passed there music sales sky rocket. Clearly the Jackson family will need the help of provate investors to buy his debt so his estate can be very profitable over time.
http://blog.entertainmenttodayandbeyond.com/
I’m gonna echo the commenter above me. I think it’s great that the teen/tween generation is being exposed to his best music right now. I did go and buy some Jackson music this week, songs that I’d always wanted but hadn’t gotten around to purchasing.
Nothing wrong with buying someone’s music after they’ve passed. It’s a huge testiment to Jackson’s heavy-weight music influnce and his relevence on the scene, even all these years after his pique. Only Elvis, Sinatra and the Beatles could transmit such a huge amount of charisma through something as simple as a voice. When one of his songs is playing, even now people don’t want to turn it off.
I bought Off The Wall, thought I should since it’s the only MJ album I’ve never owned.
I think the Pop Catalog chart idea is terrible.
If an artist has a top 100 album or single for the week, it should be listed there like everything else. Nobody looks or cares about the Pop Catalog chart, so neither chart is a reflection of what is really happening in sales.
For those curious about the real burst in MJ sales, go to the Aussie chart site (google aria charts) on Monday July 8th and you will see his sales mixed in with everything else as it should be.
It’s called regnition of past and present.
Go to Youtube and watch
LITTLE MONKEY BOY CLIMBING
hilarious video!
I bought a bunch of his music after he died
I had taken him for grantted over the years, especially since the allegations. Now I can’t believe how great his music was/is.
I already had all of MJ’s albums, but I did expand my Jackson catalog by getting some lesser known Jackson 5, as well as “Centipede” by Rebbie and “Let Me Tickle Your Fancy” by Jermaine. Oh, and “Why” by 3T (made up of 3 of Tito’s sons).
I downloaded 20 Michael Jackson’s songs from Itunes. I think that was a lot considering that it was my first music download from any online source.
I miss Michael Jackson, more thatn I thought I would. I grew up with his music and I hadn’t thought about him for years, now I won’t stop thinking about him and everything he went through.
God bless him.
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I acquired MJ’s studio efforts from 1982’s Thriller up to Invincible released in 2001 during my high school years, and made copies for my car, but decided over the past few years that I didn’t need the hard copies if I had CD-R copies. The only one I’ve held onto was my mom’s 1987 pressing of BAD, which is my favorite album by him! I guess you could say BAD is dear to me, same as DANGEROUS which I recieved as a gift for my 7th birthday in early 1992. I had the 25th anniversary edition of THRILLER, but hated the reworked tracks, so I sold it to a used CD store…Now I’m craving the real copies again…Damn me and my impulsive need for quick cash
I don’t like the title of this article, Simon. It misleadingly implies that Michael COULD have topped the album chart, which isn’t possible.
I bought one off iTunes that had all his hits. Not HisTory, but another, though I can’t remember off the top of my head.
Take the new Michael Jackson poll — who should get custody of his kids? Vote here:
http://movies-tv-entertainment.blogspot.com/
It’s unfortunate that the BEP’s appear to have the #1 selling album, when they indeed didn’t. (I had already read the full story on Billboard.com) It’s amazing the numbers MJ’s music pulled off this last week. I already own a full collection of MJ/Jackson 5 CD’s, but at some point lost the Thriller CD, although I do have the packaging…meh. I almost bought Thriller this last week, but chose instead to buy a Thriller shirt.
The title of the article is intentionally misleading and unprofessional. As a previous comment stated, the title implies that MJ could have been atop the chart, when in reality he could not of because of the rules regarding what is eligable for the Billboard 200.
Thank goodness the Peas are on the top of the charts. MJ hasn’t done anything for years. The kids (little boys) of the world can rest easy. Why have we forgotten that this was one “sick” man? Are we really that shallow, that music is more important than the welfare of children?
It is a shame that people are now reazlizing what a genius MJ was. (Jackson Retakes Throne: http://soul88.blogspot.com/2009/07/michael-jackson-reclaims-his-king-of.html