Will Thriller Ever Be Topped?

[Vici]

It sold 65 million.

Here is a market by market break-down:

USA : 28.200.000
Canada : 3.250.000
Brésil : 1.375.000
Mexique : 1.200.000
Argentine : 650.000

Japon : 2.700.000
Singapour : 50.000

Australie : 1.000.000
Nouvelle-Zélande : 165.000

Europe : 16.820.000
- UK : 4.280.000 (4.020.000)
- France : 3.200.000 (3.000.000)
- Allemagne : 1.900.000 (1.850.000)
- Espagne : 1.100.000
- Italie : 1.280.000 (1.240.000)
- Pays-Bas : 1.000.000 (950.000)
- Suède : 400.000
- Finlande : 92.000
- Autriche : 400.000
- Suisse : 360.000 (340.000)
- Belgique : 550.000
- Portugal : 81.000
- Danemark : 180.000
- Norvège : 150.000+

Turquie : 300.000

It sold 55.7 million in those 24 countries alone. Which are some of the biggest markets.

So it sold about 9.3 million in the rest o the world.

Thank you. Still, there are different numbers out there despite the information you gave here. For example, when he was given the Diamond award at the World Music Awards in London 2006.. Beyonce said in the introduction "Thriller is the biggest selling album of all time, over 104 million records worldwide" .. and the film/presentation at the award that was showed to honour him also says Thriller sold over 104 million records...However

... As long as it's the #1 album, Im happy! Its an excellent album with extraordinary and groundbreaking tracks. I don't think any other artist will break that record since the music industry has take another turn. Im more confident in this when I view the mainstream music industry today. Most of it is plain rubbish and the artist out today don't attract a global audience like MJ done. This is a must if you want to break his record.

 

[MJJChichi]

MMM not by any of these current Popular artists it won't... if it ever is topped, it will be by Mr Jackson himself.

It is a tall order but I think Mike could handle pull it off.

*if he keeps the trash away from his inner circle*

:innocent:

 

[KB50MJ]

Thank you. Still, there are different numbers out there despite the information you gave here. For example, when he was given the Diamond award at the World Music Awards in London 2006.. Beyonce said in the introduction "Thriller is the biggest selling album of all time, over 104 million records worldwide"

Oh anyway. As long as it's the #1 album, Im happy! Its an excellent album with extraordinary and groundbreaking tracks. I don't think any other artist will break that record since the music industry has take another turn. Im more confident in this when I view the mainstream music industry today. Its plain rubbish and the artist out today don't attract a global audience like MJ done. This is a must if you want to break his record.

Yea. I don't know where they got that 104 million figure, but more than likely its wrong.

But its still #1 by MILES.

 

[Kirsten]

Nah, nothing can top it.

Times are completely different nowadays. Albums just don't sell that way anymore, especially with the Internet downloading revolution. Plus, there simply aren't stars like Michael Jackson anymore. There's no one so original that they'll change recording history, no one who captivates the masses... I remember on a TV special once, they were saying Michael was the definition of a TRUE celebrity, and that no one like that really exists anymore. So true.

 

[Mystic]

Could a better album be made? Yes. Well, Michae's already made better. But other than him, yes.

Could an album sell better? No. Simple as that.

 

[troubleman84]

There certainly have been better albums artistically and some have sold FASTER than Thriller did initially but the reason the album has not gotten off its top spot is because it's a very ICONIC album, something about that album was an EVENT, that's something few albums could ever hold up to. There was something so magical about that time that has not been repeated since and was not done before. That album was a once-in-a-lifetime thing that changed pop culture. So I doubt it'll top it. It's stayed "the biggest-selling album worldwide" since 1984. That's an accomplishment that'll NEVER go away. Like I said, in a MILLION years.