Idk I think that is major low balling! People can be hardcore fans without listening to that album at all, especially if all they associate with it is fake tracks. Like I'm a new hardcore fan and I have literally never streamed that album because I've exclusively heard terrible things about it. I'm sure a lot of people who became fans since the album's release havent felt terribly inclined to listen to it. You know?
Right now, MJ has 30 million monthly listeners, which certainly includes a lot of casual fans, but I would doubt they make up the VAST majority. On YouTube he has 25.5 million subscribers. Now YT subscribers don't necessarily mean a lot either, except that it does indicate anyone subscribed wants to be notified of releases as they happen, and given that he is gone we all know those releases won't happen often. So my point is that a strong chunk of those people don't want to passively find out about new Michael material. May not make then hardcore fans, but certainly more than casual fans!
None of this matters, of course, but I just can't accept his hardcore fan base is so small
I understand the points you are making.
But from a s. c. hardcore fan I‘d personally would expect at least one thing:
• buying & supporting the latest project/album release
And dare I say it, EVEN if it is not to the exact standard of each individual fan out there.
I fully understand the uproar & boycott of an album with fake songs on it.
But let’s all take a look at the numbers of the noteworthy projects that followed:
Bad25 & Xscape
Bad25 did so small numbers, that they didn’t bother to even release something for Dangerous25 & History25.
And I’m 100% sure, that if Bad25 was successful, they’d had at least SOMETHING for the other 2 albums.
Then Xscape album: It sold about 2 million world wide.
Which was a good success, but could have been wayyy better. And not to forget: The MICHAEL album did around the same numbers.
Where are the 4 or 5 million s. c. hardcore fans?
And don’t tell me that many are to poor to go out and buy a cd or album.
You can see it within MJJC itself. Everyone is loud & proud in here, until it comes to the support that would matter & mean something for this very site. It seems if you can count the supporting fans on one hand.
I‘m more than eager to see the numbers THRILLER40 will do. Fans clamoring for unreleased songs/demos for 8 long years.
Let’s see them react IF we‘ll finally get something in November.
I don’t expect high sales numbers.
Many fans just running their mouth, but are not supporting, even when there is every reason to support.
I also get that the artwork/font is again reason to criticize, but it’s not called for to protest & create shit storms.
If we get a good amount of unreleased/ unheard songs/demos & this won’t be supported, don’t be surprised if they won‘t bother releasing new music again in the future!