Michael Jackson Album Sales After Death: An In-Depth Look

YEAR END charts (with the next week estimated) from mediatraffic.de

01 Susan Boyle - I Dreamed A Dream
Syco Music / Columbia - 6,2 million copies *
02 Lady GaGa - The Fame (Monster)
Interscope - 5,8 million copies
03 Black Eyed Peas - The E.N.D.
Interscope - 4,6 million copies
04 Taylor Swift - Fearless
Big Machine - 4,2 million copies
05 Michael Jackson - Thriller (25th Anniversary Reissue)
Epic - 4,0 million copies
06 Michael Jackson - Number Ones
Epic - 3,6 million copies
07 U2 - No Line On The Horizon
Island - 3,5 million copies
08 Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night
RCA - 3,5 million copies
09 Michael Bublé - Crazy Love
Reprise - 3,3 million copies
10 Beyoncé - I Am... Sasha Fierce
Columbia - 3,2 million copies
11 Michael Jackson - This Is It
Epic - 3,1 million copies
12 Andrea Bocelli - My Christmas
Decca - 3,0 million copies
13 Michael Jackson - The Essential
Epic - 2,9 million copies
14 Soundtrack - Hannah Montana: The Movie
Walt Disney - 2,9 million copies
15 Eminem - Relapse
Aftermath / Interscope - 2,9 million copies
16 Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown
Reprise - 2,6 million copies
17 Pink - Funhouse
Laface / Zomba - 2,6 million copies
18 Soundtrack - Twilight
Chop Shop / Atlantic - 2,4 million copies
19 Michael Jackson - King Of Pop
Epic - 2,0 million copies
20 Michael Jackson - Bad
Epic - 2,0 million copies
21 Jay-Z - Blueprint 3
Roc Nation / Live Nation - 1,9 million copies
22 Nickelback - Dark Horse
Roadrunner - 1,9 million copies
23 Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You
Regal Recordings / Capitol - 1,7 million copies
24 Michael Jackson - Dangerous
Epic - 1,7 million copies
25 Michael Jackson - Off The Wall
Epic - 1,7 million copies

With only those BIG ALBUMS the total is at 21,300,000 albums sold. We have to add nearly 1,000,000 for invincible and for HIStory + all the others albums for a total of 2,000,000. And we dont count the jacksons/jackson 5 albums.

25,300,000 albums sold is a great estimations and 30,000,000 shipped.

And dont forget that this was done in the worst time for the music industry and in an economical recession
 
Wait, for example, Number Ones... how many albums have been sold only in the USA of this album?

so... the worldwide... is only 3,6 mil. copies? Only 1 million in the world?

Something is wrong...

(Michael Jackson Thriller (25th Anniversary Reissue) *since July 2009 counted together at "Thriller" 5,898,060)
 
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BTW

39 - Beatles - Abbey Road
Apple - 1,3 million copies

.. and rest of the 13 albums?

Well... another example how extremely the Beatles sales numbers have always been overrated...
 
BTW

39 - Beatles - Abbey Road
Apple - 1,3 million copies

.. and rest of the 13 albums?

Well... another example how extremely the Beatles sales numbers have always been overrated...

Are you kidding me? 1,3 million is fantastic considering it's age. I REALLY don't think they outsold MJ, but it's not out of this world if that turned out to be true. The beatles are grand. Their record sales this year prove that as well.
 
Are you kidding me? 1,3 million is fantastic considering it's age. I REALLY don't think they outsold MJ, but it's not out of this world if that turned out to be true. The beatles are grand. Their record sales this year prove that as well.


well, if you think that this is "fantastic"... ok, its your opinion, I dont have the same... just counting the numbers... (if this album has 1,3 mill. as the highest sales)
 
well, if you think that this is "fantastic"... ok, its your opinion, I dont have the same... just counting the numbers... (if this album has 1,3 mill. as the highest sales)

They are the second most successful act this year AND the second most successful US act this DECADE. If that's not fantastic, i don't know what is.
 
104135-top_50.jpg



2
R.I.P. King of Pop
(June 25, 2009)
Michael Jackson's death impacted the world in ways that both his fans and his critics are still trying to comprehend. Once news of his passing began to spread, the personal dramas that follow him throughout his adult life -- the Jesus Juice, the numerous noses, the decision to wear pajamas in court -- all faded into the background (though new drama about the circumstances of his death began filling the tabloids almost immediately). As sales of Jackson's old albums soared over the summer, it became clear that his rich contribution to American pop culture was all that anyone wanted to remember.

The Decade in Music: Top 50 Moments | Billboard.com
 
They are the second most successful act this year AND the second most successful US act this DECADE. If that's not fantastic, i don't know what is.

I was referring to the album(s) of this year (yeah, 1,3 mill. x 14 albums=...), not the decade...

:cheers:
 
FINAL UPDATE: ALBUM SALES FOR 2009, BOTH US AND GLOBALLY.

*Jackson Sells 24,800,000 albums in 2009 including Jackson 5 material, Motown, and Sony albums.

*Sony shipped 30,000,000 albums in 2009 while Motown shipped 1,500,000

*Jackson sold 9,000,000 albums in the US which makes him the best selling act this year.

*Jackson was the biggest selling musical act in the US, UK, Europe, Japan, and Globally.

*MJ's Global sales were huge and outpaced the nearest competition by over double. (#2 were The Beatles who sold 11 million albums this year vs Jackson's 24.8 million).

Sales are below, and the first post has been updated for the entire year of 2009. Congratulations Michael!

-------

OFF THE WALL
-500,000 (US)
-1,700,000 (Globally)

THRILLER
-1,300,000 (US)
-4,000,000 (Globally)

BAD
-550,000 (US)
-2,000,000 (Globally)

DANGEROUS
-390,000 (US)
-1,700,000 (Globally)

HISTORY
-160,000 (US)
-650,000 (Globally)

INVINCIBLE
-190,000 (US)
-900,000 (Globally)

ESSENTIAL
-1,100,000 (US)
-2,900,000 (Globally)

NUMBER ONES
-2,400,000 (US)
-3,600,000 (Globally)

KING OF POP
-2,000,000 (Globally)

THIS IS IT
-1,300,000 (US)
-3,100,000 (Globally)

JACKSON 5 ALBUMS
-500,000 (US)
-1,000,000 (Globally)

OTHER:
-600,000 (US)
-1,300,000 (Globally)

TOTAL US ALBUM SALES= 9.0 MILLION
TOTAL GLOBAL ALBUM SALES= 24.8 MILLION


---

Jackson's Positions On Global Top 40 Charts For 2009:

#5: Thriller (4,000,000)
#6: Number Ones (3,600,000)
#11: This Is It (3,100,000)
#13: The Essential (2,900,000)
#19: King Of Pop (2,000,000)
#20: Bad (2,000,000)
#24: Dangerous (1,700,000)
#25: Off The Wall (1,700,000)
 
Hmmm, that is COOL... I could criticize some things as for charts and the numbers, but... despite of that... Michael is the KING, as has always been.
 
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Wow..that's why MJ is the KING OF MUSIC!! That is just wonderful!! Also, I believe that they are lying about Elvis' and The Beatles' album sales..I think that MJ outsold both of them and that he is the best selling artist of all time.
 
104135-top_50.jpg



2
R.I.P. King of Pop
(June 25, 2009)
Michael Jackson's death impacted the world in ways that both his fans and his critics are still trying to comprehend. Once news of his passing began to spread, the personal dramas that follow him throughout his adult life -- the Jesus Juice, the numerous noses, the decision to wear pajamas in court -- all faded into the background (though new drama about the circumstances of his death began filling the tabloids almost immediately). As sales of Jackson's old albums soared over the summer, it became clear that his rich contribution to American pop culture was all that anyone wanted to remember.

The Decade in Music: Top 50 Moments | Billboard.com

Why would you even post such a disgusting, disrespectful reference? They deserve zero attention.

MJ's death was the biggest in music history, yet they are putting him at # 2 for the decade. They are pathetic.
 
Wow..that's why MJ is the KING OF MUSIC!! That is just wonderful!! Also, I believe that they are lying about Elvis' and The Beatles' album sales..I think that MJ outsold both of them and that he is the best selling artist of all time.
Yep, MJ sure is the KING! :happy:

I agree, its all PR and hype.

There is documented proof that Michael Jackson is the biggest selling solo artist of all time. There is NONE for Elvis. Elvis has not even got ONE album in the top 100 biggest selling albums of all time yet "they" want to claim he has sold a billion? lol What a joke.

If Elvis or the Beatles sold a "billion" of ANYTHING, it would be THEY who would hold the record for the biggest selling album of all time and not Michael! lol
 
Hey SmoothCriminal.

Will you be continuing these sales updates into 2010?

Because I don't think this sales surge is over yet. Especially with the This Is It DVD, and possible other MJ albums to come.
 
Bump.

This is amazing news. Thank you so much smooth_criminal05. What's your estimate for total units sold of Michael's catalog for 2009? I think you had made a prediction of 50 million units.

How I wish that this amazing feat would be picked up by the media and give Michael some due credit going into the new year. Why do they hate Michael so much? :(
 
There is documented proof that Michael Jackson is the biggest selling solo artist of all time. There is NONE for Elvis. Elvis has not even got ONE album in the top 100 biggest selling albums of all time yet "they" want to claim he has sold a billion? lol What a joke.

If Elvis or the Beatles sold a "billion" of ANYTHING, it would be THEY who would hold the record for the biggest selling album of all time and not Michael! lol


:wub:

... but Elvis fans would crucify you... for that! They are so mad about questioning Elvis as the biggest seller of our galaxy... (maybe you know the famous heresy spreading by his fans that Elvis sold 20 mill. albums in first day after his death... :tease:), and all media believe that tooooooo :doh:

But nobody can doubt the year 2009 as the Michael Jackson year! :angel:
 
Global unit sales are as follows:

Album sales: 24.8 million
DVD sales: 4 million
Ringtone sales: 1.5 million
Single sales: 5.2 million
Digital Downloads: 17 million

Total unit sales for 2009= 52.5 million
 
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Global unit sales are as follows:

Album sales: 24.8 million
DVD sales: 4 million
Ringtone sales: 1.5 million
Single sales: 5.2 million
Digital Downloads: 17 million

Total unit sales for 2009= 52.5 million

LOL!!! You failed! It was 52,5 instead of 50 "only"

THIS IS AMAZING!!!!!!

I am so happy and proud of Michael. This is his work, his talent, his magic, his gift to us: his music. OMG.... what an artist, what a talent, what a man!

jump4joy2.gif
 
HEy, Smooth Criminal.

Why does media traffic place Elvis ahead of MJ on the all time albums list?

I can understand the singles, but I'm sure MJ sold more Albums than Elvis.

Whats up with that?
 
Question, I don't know if it's appropiate for here, but does anyone have a list of the highest selling global acts of 2000-2009? I heard that MJ made it #1 for the 3rd decade in a row while the Beatles are #2. I don't know about anyone else though.
 
Sales This Week In US:

-This Is It sold 110,000 copies, just narrowly missing the Top 10 coming in at #13.

-This Is It has now sold over 1.25 million copies in the US since its release

-Number Ones shifted another 48,000 copies this week good enough for #32 on the charts again this week.

-Sales of Number Ones since Jackson's death stand at 2.25 million in the US

-MJ's Essential moved from #81 to #65 on US charts, selling over 26,000 copies this week.

-Thriller moved from #86 to #78 selling 23,000 copies.

-Bad surged from #196 last week to #177 this week selling over 9,000 albums.

-Jackson's catalogue sold 250,000 albums this week
 
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GLOBAL SALES THIS WEEK

-This Is It remains at #8, selling 303,000 copies. This is the 9th week in a row the album has remained in the Top 10.

-Total sales of This Is It globally now stand at 3,116,000 since it's release. It has performed very well over the holiday season. Sales should continue to do well when the DVD is released.

-Jackson's catalogue sold 550,000 copies this week, (compare that to the 30,000 sold the week before MJ's death) another amazing performance by the King Of Pop
 
Happy 2010;

with Time's Michael Jackson Fond Farewell:

Michael Jackson kept his most stunning performance for the very end. Always able to command an audience, he knew how to bring whole arenas to fits of exultation with his moves and then silence them to the point of tears with his poetry. He was brilliant, excessive, maudlin, tacky and possibly criminal, but you could never ignore him. So it was fitting that in death, he momentarily silenced the largest arena humanity has ever known, the Internet.

News of this middle-aged man's sudden passing nearly broke the Web. Google's news section malfunctioned under the weight of "Michael Jackson" searches. The volume of Jackson-related tweets reached 5,000 per minute the day he died; Twitter was so overwhelmed that some users couldn't get into their accounts. Wikipedia buckled temporarily after hundreds of edits were made to Jackson's page. Across the Internet, more than 24,000 Jackson collectibles were offered for auction or sale. Jackson was crowned the King of Pop back before new media helped crack the monolith of radio pop into innumerable subgenres, from hip-hop and house to praise rock and adult contemporary. But the old-media monarch showed, one last time, that he still reigned: the world stopped for him for a few hours on June 25.


Read more:
http://www.time.com/time/specials/p...1946375_1946448_1946390,00.html#ixzz6iDdy2gSy
 
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