Long live the king

Michael Jackson will be the biggest selling artist on the planet again this week with album sales in the USA alone topping 1.2 million since his death.


At the close of sales for this chart week (July 5), Jackson albums sold more than 800,000 units, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Last week, after his death was announced, Michael Jackson albums sold 422,000 units in a few days.

Of the 422,000 sales, 55% where downloads but this week with time for stores to stock up, 82% of sales were physical albums, reports Keith Caulfield of Billboard.

‘Number Ones’ was the biggest seller this past week. It moved 339.000 units.

The second biggest seller was ‘Thriller’ with 187,000 units.

On the digital sales chart, Jackson will hold down 5 of the Top 10 spots this his biggest seller ‘Man In The Mirror’.

2.2 million downloads of Jackson song were recorded this past week, compared to 2.6 million in the previous week not including songs by The Jacksons or the Jackson 5.

http://www.undercover.com.au/News-S...s_Sold_1.2m_Albums_in_the_USA_Since_His_Death
 
Michael Jackson will be the biggest selling artist on the planet again this week with album sales in the USA alone topping 1.2 million since his death.

Amazing! and thats only in the USA! I wish he contious to sell and break records.
 
Michael Jackson achieves unique pan-European sales domination this week with the top four titles on European Top 100 Albums, and five of the top six. "When Love Takes Over" (Positiva/EMI) by French DJ David Guetta featuring Kelly Rowland climbs 3-1 on European Hot 100 Singles.

Epic/Sony Music Entertainment's Jackson catalog dominates the sales picture via a variety of compilations. "King of Pop" comes out on top, climbing 24-1 on the new composite survey, after re-entering the German chart at No. 1 and re-emerging at No. 4 in Italy.

"The Essential Michael Jackson" climbs 69-2 overall, fuelled by a 20-1 climb in the United Kingdom on sales of 69,000. "The Collection" makes a composite 49-3 climb, moving 22-1 in France, 29-1 in Flanders, 40-1 in neighboring Wallony and 3-1 in Denmark. 1982's classic "Thriller" is up 31-4 overall and his "Number Ones" anthology 10-6.

Elsewhere on the pan-European top ten, Black Eyed Peas' "The E.N.D. (The Energy Never Dies)" (Interscope/Universal) falls 2-5, Green Day's "21st Century Breakdown" (Reprise/Warner Music) 4-7, Lady Gaga's "The Fame" (Interscope/Universal) 5-8 and Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band's "Greatest Hits" (Columbia/Sony Music Entertainment) 3-9.

Last week's No. 1 on European Too 100 Albums, Dream Theater's "Black Clouds and Silver Linings" (Roadrunner), tumbles to No. 10.


http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/michael-jackson-dominates-euro-chart-1003992627.story
 
Michael Jackson has held on at the top of the UK album chart for the third straight week, according to the Official Charts Company.

Lungs by Florence and the Machine claimed the number two slot, with the biggest debut album so far this year.

It is the only album in the top five not featuring Jackson.

The 22-year-old newcomer picked up this year's prestigious Critics Choice BRIT Award.

The remainder of the top five is made up by Jackson's albums, Off The Wall, Thriller and The Motown Years.

In the last week, Jackson releases have accounted for almost another 600,000 sales, which brings the total number of Jackson singles and albums sold since his death to around 1.5 million.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8146723.stm
 
SUNRISE - A traditional 10-bell count, reserved for fallen heroes, sounded for Michael Jackson at ringside.

The King of Pop's hits filled the BankAtlantic arena -- "Beat It,'' "Wanna Be Starting Somethin','' and "Bad." The tunes seemed to go with the air of braggadocio at the match.

Yes, this was a fight before thousands of die-hard boxing fans, but for a few minutes, Michael Jackson took center stage.

Boxing promoter Don King paid tribute to Jackson at the fight between Joseph "King Kong" Agbeko and Vic "Raging Bull" Darchinyan, in Sunrise on Saturday.

King said the boxing arena was the perfect place to honor Jackson.

"He threw blows all the time. He taught us to check ourselves and judge not.''

Many of the fans who showed up for Saturday's event said they were glad Jackson was remembered in a sport many probably wouldn't associate with the music icon.

"He deserves the respect,'' said Steve Daise, 30, of Oakland Park. "He opened a lot of doors for black people.''

Although it was the boxing that attracted Shane Leabu, 14, of Orlando to Saturday's main event, he felt the venue was the appropriate place to celebrate Jackson's life.

"The two go hand in hand,'' said Leabu, adding that "Billy Jean" is one of his favorite songs. "Just look at how many countries he touched."

King, who has a close relationship with the Jackson family, said the short tribute was not done to generate publicity, but to honor the entire Jackson family.

"This tribute is just an acknowledgment,'' said King, who was among the attendees at Jackson's West Coast memorial service at the Staples Center.

Tickets for Saturday's boxing match ranged between $10 to $75, but some were given away to police officers, veterans and community organizations.

Jameel Smith, 28, of Miami Gardens, managed to score a free ticket through the Boys and Girls Club. He was interested in the boxing and the tribute, he said.

"I didn't even know that Don King knew Michael,'' said Smith. "It's still a shock to me that he died so early in life.''

More than 20 years ago, King promoted the Jacksons' 1984 Victory Tour, which reunited Michael, then a solo artist, with his famous brothers.

The last time he saw Jackson, he said, was a few months ago, when Jackson visited South Florida.

"The song is over,'' said King. "But the memories linger on.''


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/pa...xing-tribute-071109,0,2940145.story?track=rss
 
WASHINGTON - Below is a comment from RIAA Chairman and CEO Mitch Bainwol on the death of Michael Jackson:
"There is no measure of the loss of one of the greatest recording artists, cultural icons and significant figures in all of human history. There is only one Michael Jackson, and there will forever be only one Michael Jackson. Our hearts and prayers go out to his family and his legions and generations of fans."

http://www.riaa.org/newsitem.php?ne...page=&id=CB8707F0-0454-2B8C-31C4-3ED0C4B24691
 
The King of Pop dominates the Nielsen SoundScan and Billboard charts yet again.

Based on preliminary sales numbers from Nielsen SoundScan, Michael Jackson's catalog of solo albums sold a mighty 1.1 million copies in the U.S. in the tracking week that ended at the close of business on Sunday (July 12).

That's a jump of 37% stacked next to the previous week, when his combined albums sold just shy of 800,000. In just the past two and a half weeks, American consumers have purchased more than 2.3 million Jackson albums.

Record label sources have suggested that sales of Jackson's albums were particularly strong last week because of publicity surrounding his memorial service on Tuesday July 7. Additionally, a wider selection of his albums were re-stocked by key retailers, in addition to key hits compilations like "Number Ones" and "The Essential Michael Jackson" and of course, "Thriller."

When Nielsen SoundScan's charts are released in the morning on Wednesday, July 15, Jackson's "Number Ones" collection will be the top selling album in the United States for the third week in a row, with 349,000 copies sold (an increase of 3%).

His "Thriller" moved 264,000 (up 41%) while "Essential" powered through another 149,000 (up 18%). Some older Jackson titles also saw great gains, likely owed to the one-two punch of re-stocking by brick-and-mortar retailers and the publicity generated by the memorial service.

"Off the Wall" sold 107,000 (up 108%), "Bad" did 97,000 (up 332%) and "Dangerous" blew through 67,000 (up 157%).

In turn, Jackson is still the King of the Top Pop Catalog Albums chart. It tallies albums that are more than 18 months old, have fallen below No. 100 on the Billboard 200 and don't have a current radio single. Catalog albums are ineligible to appear on the Billboard 200 chart though they can chart on the Top Comprehensive Albums chart.

This week, the entire top 12 albums are all Jackson-related. The singer specifically has the titles at Nos. 1-6 and 9-12, while two Jackson 5 compilations hold down the fort at Nos. 7 and 8.

Top Pop Catalog Albums Chart (Week Ending 7/12/2009)
1) Michael Jackson "Number Ones"
2) Michael Jackson "The Essential Michael Jackson"
3) Michael Jackson "Thriller"
4) Michael Jackson "Off The Wall"
5) Michael Jackson "Bad"
6) Michael Jackson "Dangerous"
7) Jackson 5 "The Ultimate Collection"
8) Jackson 5 "The Best of Jackson 5: 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection"
9) Michael Jackson "Greatest Hits: HIStory -- Volume 1"
10) Michael Jackson "HIStory: Past, Present and Future Book 1"
11) Michael Jackson "Invincible"
12) Michael Jackson "The Ultimate Collection"




Jackson's digital track sales have leveled off in the past tracking week, but still totaled 2.5 million in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, according to Nielsen SoundScan.


http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/michael-jackson-sells-1-1-million-albums-1003993589.story
 
The surge in sales of Michael Jackson's music catalog continued Wednesday with the announcement that his recordings dominated the pop charts for the third consecutive week, and a source told The Times that more than 9 million of Jackson's albums have been sold worldwide since his death June 25.

Nielsen SoundScan said Jackson's albums sold 1.1 million copies over the last seven days and had combined to sell an impressive 2.3 million in the U.S. in the nearly three weeks since he died.

Sony Music, which controls the catalog of his solo adult recordings, declines as a policy to comment on sales issues, but a spokeswoman for the label did not dispute the accuracy of the 9-million figure provided by the source, who has knowledge of Jackson's global album sales but is not authorized to speak on the matter. Jackson's music has also topped the pop charts in countries including France, Germany, Australia and the U.K. during the same period.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/busin...m-sales16-2009jul16,0,3870198.story?track=rss
 
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Michael Jackson's memorial proved to be good for business, sparking another nostalgic frenzy for his music that continues to put the King of Pop atop music charts since his sudden death three weeks ago.

Jackson's catalog of solo albums sold 1.1 million U.S. copies in the week ended July 12, and his greatest-hits set "Number Ones" ranked as the top-selling album for a third straight week, Nielsen SoundScan reported on Wednesday.

Physical CDs, rather than Internet downloads, accounted for 90 percent of the business as music stores rushed to restock their Jackson inventory. Downloads had dominated sales immediately after his death.

The bulk of last week's sales came in the days following a two-hour-plus memorial salute to Jackson, which was televised live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles last Tuesday and featured numerous recording stars performing musical tributes.

The 1.1 million tally marked a 37 percent increase from the week before, when 800,000 Jackson albums sold, which in turn almost doubled the previous sales week, 422,000 units, ending just three days after his June 25 death.

By comparison, Jackson's entire catalog sold fewer than 10,000 albums the week before he died, and the last time he had a top-selling album while alive was his last studio release, "Invincible," which debuted at No. 1 with 366,000 copies sold in 2001.

Jackson's post-mortem sales total has now reached 2.3 million copies, led by "Number Ones," the first catalog album in SoundScan history to best a newly debuting album, a feat achieved for three weeks in a row.

"We never thought that could happen, and it turns out that the only person who could ever do it was Michael Jackson,' said Billboard magazine chart editor Keith Caulfield.

Ironically, "Number Ones" climbed no higher in the charts than No. 13 when it first came out in 2003.

This past week, it sold 349,000 copies to eclipse R&B star Maxwell's "BLACKsummer's Night," the No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart of new releases with 316,000 units sold.

In fact, Jackson had six of the top 10 bestsellers last week, including his 1982 blockbuster "Thriller," "The Essential Michael Jackson," "Off the Wall," "Bad" and "Dangerous." All saw sharp increases over the previous week.

Five of Jackson's solo albums reached No. 1 in the charts during his lifetime -- "Thriller," "Bad," "Dangerous," "HIStory" and "Invincible."

All-time sales for "Number Ones" now stand at 2.6 million copies, and it also ranks as the eighth-best-selling album so far this year. If sales remain robust through the year, it could eventually even surpass the reigning No. 1 album, Taylor Swift's "Fearless."


http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090715/music_nm/us_jackson_charts_3
 
TMZ received a song Thursday that Michael Jackson recorded but never released... and you can hear some of the song now.

The song -- "A Place with No Name" -- sounds similar to the song "A Horse with No Name" released by the group America back in 1971. We're told several years ago America's manager gave his group's permission for Jackson to record the song, "A Place with No Name" -- despite the similarity. Click the image below to hear some of it.


America's current manager, Jim Morey, who was also Michael's manager in the late 80's and early 90's, tells us, "The band was honored that Michael chose to do their song and they hope it becomes available for all Michael's fans to hear."

It's unclear when Michael recorded the song.


http://www.kdvr.com/news/kdvr-mjackson-song-071609,0,5758985.story?track=rss

http://www.aolcdn.com/tmz_audio/071609_michael.mp3
 
VIENNA (AFP) – Michael Jackson is to be honoured with a special musical tribute event in Austria by the World Awards Association, the organisation said on Wednesday.

Jackson's brother Jermaine Jackson would be present at the organisation's first Save the World Awards to recognise individuals working towards a "sustainable and liveable future for our planet" to be held on July 24 at the Nuclear Power Plant Zwentendorf in Austria, it said in a statement.

"The goals of the Save the World Awards are similar to those Michael Jackson has strongly advocated throughout his life: peace, tolerance and saving our fragile Earth," it said.

"This memorable evening will not only pay tribute to Michael?s many social and humanitarian engagements, but also to his incredible musical legacy as well," the statement said, adding that the event would include performances of some of the star's biggest hits.

Jackson died on June 25 aged 50 after suffering an apparent cardiac arrest at his home in Los Angeles.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090715/ts_alt_afp/entertainmentusmusicjacksonaustria_20090715170716
 
Thanks for all the updates, I want to see the special musical tribute event in Austria I hope it'll be recorded
 
Kenyans of different walks of life have not been left behind in the ongoing celebrations on the life of the fallen pop-icon Michael Jackson also referred to as MJ.

Since his demise weeks ago, several radio stations have been playing Jackson's songs and the local broadcasts and newspapers also have been on the lead with the news of his death.

Excerpts from a weekly show devoted to Michael Jackson and his family aired in the 1970's was a rebroadcast on Kenya's state-run television station, KBC.

More so, several entertainment joints have also taken the celebrations to the center stage, with some of them organizing shows in honor of the departed legendary king of pop music.

In Nairobi's Galileos Club, for instance, revelers were treated to two nights of uncompromisable partying in marking their love for MJ. The first show which attacked mostly young people was held a week ago and the other was on last Friday.

The cause of MJ's death has not yet been determined from autopsies carried out immediately after his death but according to a statement from the family read by his elder brother Randy Jackson, the initial cause of death was cardiac arrest at his home in Los Angeles .

According to media reports police in Los Angeles, the United States are still investigating the death and murder has not been ruled out in the probe with his father Joseph Jackson indicating a foul play in the whole issue.

And law enforcement sources are quoted as saying that they have "plenty of powerful evidence" which suggests that Dr Conrad Murray, his personal doctor administered MJ the drug.

Denis Ndavi, the commercial manager for Homeboyz Radio, a local station, told Xinhua that the station was interrupting its normal hip-hop programming to devote the weekend to Jackson's music. "Even though our audience is just in their 20's, there's a lot of shock, there's grief even from them," Ndavi said.

"For a black artist, no one had been that big ever. Everybody liked the fact that there was a black man running the pop charts. Bruce Springsteen was big too, but he didn't resonate as much with Africans."

Across the continent, reports indicate that there are Africans who have been devastated by the news of MJ's departure. In Nigeria a local radio anchor broke down when she heard the news and couldn't continue her program.

A spot check at most music shops within in the city center of Nairobi indicated that sales from music by the late king of pop MJ had increased drastically in the last two weeks.

Almin Gupta of Assanadas Music store along Nairobi's Moi avenue told Xinhua their stocks ran out just two days after the sad news of MJ's dismisses and they had to order more from their suppliers especially for the hit CD Dangerous which was a world wide hit in the early Eights

Michael Kendege, 37, a Kenyan financial consultant said that he feels, like many in the rest of the world, as though: "A section of my childhood is lost."

"Michael Jackson was a grate singer. In fact I can remember most of his songs because they were during my teenage hood and nobody wanted to be left out during the break dance moves" said Kendege.

Jackson's celebrity-studded video "We are the World" was made to raise funds in the wake of an Ethiopian famine in 1985, Jane Muinde who operates a Video theater in Kangundo, some 65 kilometers from Nairobi said business has being booming for the last two weeks.

"Over the weekends I am having seven shows in a day just for Micheal Jackson's videos which are very popular with young people," Muinde added.

Source: Xinhua

http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90855/6704079.html
 
NEW YORK (Billboard) – For nearly a decade, the Eagles' "Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975" has been the recording industry's ultimate evergreen release, certified by the RIAA as the all-time best-selling album in the United States. But thanks to continued robust demand for Michael Jackson's catalog since his June 25 death, "Thriller" appears on the verge of matching "Their Greatest Hits," at least in the eyes of the industry trade group.

In March, the Recording Industry Association of America certified "Thriller" as 28 times platinum, meaning that at least 28 million copies of the album have been shipped since its 1982 release. That's just a notch behind the Eagles' hits compilation, which was released in 1976 and was certified 29 times platinum in 2006.

Billboard estimates that the posthumous surge in Jackson's sales and Sony Music Entertainment's efforts to push Jackson CDs into the distribution pipeline have likely propelled shipments of Jackson product, if not yet sales, beyond the 29 million-unit mark in the United States.

Amid the recent explosion in Jackson sales, "Thriller" has enjoyed the second-biggest sales bump in his catalog, just behind the hits collection "Number Ones." During the three weeks that ended July 12, "Thriller" sold 552,000 U.S. copies, for year-to-date sales of 608,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

STRONG SALES TO CONTINUE

Most industry executives believe that the most recent SoundScan week -- which included the widely watched memorial service for Jackson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles -- will mark a posthumous weekly peak for Jackson sales. They also expect sales to wind down slowly in the next few months, which means sales will remain strong. In the week ended July 12, Jackson's album catalog sold a combined 1.1 million copies, up from nearly 800,000 in the preceding week and 422,000 in the week he died.

"Thriller" and "Their Greatest Hits" were instant hits. The RIAA first certified "Thriller" platinum in January 1983, just two months after its release, while "Their Greatest Hits" was certified platinum in February 1976, mere days after it arrived.

Propelled by groundbreaking videos for the singles "Billie Jean," "Beat It" and the title track, "Thriller" reached the 20 million certification milestone in October 1984, becoming the RIAA's top-selling album of all time. The album's next RIAA certification, at 21 times platinum, came in May 1990. The RIAA's certification of "Thriller" as 28 times platinum in March came 13 months after Sony's release of a deluxe 25th-anniversary edition of the album.

The RIAA's second certification of shipments of the Eagles' "Their Greatest Hits" didn't occur until August 1990, when it certified the release as 12 times platinum. The RIAA couldn't immediately explain why the album wasn't certified at earlier platinum milestones, or why it was next certified at 14 times platinum in December 1993, and for 22 times in June 1995, despite U.S. sales of only 919,000 during that period. When the RIAA certified "Their Greatest Hits" as 26 times platinum in November 1999, it unseated "Thriller" at the top of the RIAA's all-time ranking.

Since being certified as 29 times platinum in January 2006, "Their Greatest Hits" has sold 404,000 copies, including 33,000 this year and 115,000 in 2008.

Representatives at Sony and Warner Music Group, which distributes "Their Greatest Hits," declined to comment.

(Editing by SheriLinden at Reuters)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090719/en_nm/us_jackson_billboard_2
 
You know I don't understand this at all. The Eagles might have been popular but I think in no way can it still beat Thriller. I had the LP, then I bought the cassette, then another hologram/3d type of LP and then the CD when it came out.
 
1 2 20 "Thriller (25th Anniversary Reissue)" Michael Jackson

2 - 1 "" ( mp3
Real Audio
3 - 1 "531.000" Epic

4 - 1 "" Week 15

5 - 1 "513.000" Epic

6 - 1 "" Week 13

7 - 1 "400.000" Epic

8 - 1 "321.000" Columbia

9 5 9 "King Of Pop" Michael Jackson

10 14 3 "Bad" Michael Jackson

11 - 1 "Triangle" Perfume

12 11 3 "Off The Wall" Michael Jackson

13 - 1 "185.000" Epic

14 - 1 "" Week 3

15 - 1 "" 15

16 - 1 "Hannah Montana 3" Soundtrack

17 - 1 "Ring" Miliyah Kato

18 6 6 "The E.n.d." Black Eyed Peas

19 10 28 "The Fame" Lady Gaga

20 12 9 "21st Century Breakdown" Green Day


Copyright © Media Traffic.

http://allcharts.org/music/world/albums.htm
 
this thread is awesome! Dang, i really do wonder how much of MJ's new album would sell now? I hope they release it this year, I really do!
 
Michael Jackson was honoured in Austria on Friday, a month after his death devastated fans across the world.

His brother Jermaine Jackson accepted the '2009 Save the World Award' for the King of Pop's efforts to reach out to the less fortunate and give a voice to the vulnerable.

'I'm very proud that Michael enriched the lives of so many people, not only with his music but with his immense generosity,' Jackson said as he accepted the posthumous prize at a gala west of Vienna.

'Michael's message has always been 'heal the world' but he alone could never have accomplished that so it is left up to every one of us to ensure that we do.'

With his two sons on stage behind him, Jackson sang Smile in honour of his late sibling, ending with a soft: 'I love you, Michael.'

The outdoor event was held at a nuclear power plant that was mothballed decades ago due to public resistance before it was ever put into operation.

Others honoured during the roughly two-hour show included sprinter Carl Lewis, whose foundation supports underprivileged children, and Thomas Henningsen, climate policy coordinator at Greenpeace.

'Michael Jackson inspired all of us through his music and through his message - and that's what's going to last for years and years to come,' Lewis said when he accepted his award. 'We all know the wonderful things he did for so many people and it's just great that we can continue to honour that.'

The gala, which took place despite driving rain, featured live performances of a slew of Jackson songs, such as Man in the Mirror, and Heal the World. It ended with an emotional rendition of We Are The World.

At a news conference in the Austrian capital earlier on Friday, Jermaine Jackson called his brother a 'wonderful humanitarian' who considered it important to help others.

Jackson said his brother's 'whole existence' was to find the good in everyone and described his passing on June 25 at age 50 as a 'tragic loss'.

http://bigpondnews.com/articles/Ent...chael_Jackson_honoured_in_Austria_356002.html
 
Panchkula, Jul 25 : A mega dance competition, 'Dance War-09 the heat is on -- A Tribute to Michael Jackson' was held at the open-air theatre of Yavnika here today.

Over 52 contestants, including small kids, participated in the event, first of its kind in tricity, based on the themes of Western, Folk and Classical Dances.

While 35 contestants gave Solo performances, while 7 presented Duet and 10 contested in a group dance category.

The performances were judged by Rohini, a Classical Dance instructor in Pracheen Kala Kendra, Elena Litvinova, a Russian Dance Expert and Urmila Sethi, Director-Principal, The British School, which organised the show.

Mr Sanjay Sethi, Director, The British School said that USP of the competition was a slide show on the life history of late pop star Michael Jackson.


http://www.newkerala.com/nkfullnews-1-80305.html
 
Michael Jackson's Bangalore fans participate in musical night in tribute

Bangalore, July 26 : The death of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, has created a big void in the music world, and his fans in India offered a musical tribute to him in Bangalore on Saturday.

Jackson's fans converged here and danced to his popular tunes, played on the 20 X 15 feet large screen.

The organisers of the event said that they did not have to pay a single penny to the orchestra and disc jockey.

'Everyone has come free of cost. They are just saying it for Michael, we are there, no charges. Including the artistes, all the DJs are not taking a single ... they are coming to pay their tribute to Michael Jackson,' said J.Devanand Balaji, one of the organisers.

Michael Jackson, who introduced the concept of 'Moonwalk', died on June 25 in Los Angeles. He was 50.

The pop star's death is shrouded in controversy.

One of the most commercially successful entertainers of all time, Jackson's unique contribution to music and dance, along with his highly publicized personal life, made him a cult figure for over four decades.

A double-inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, his other achievements feature multiple Guinness World Records - including the 'Most Successful Entertainer of All Time' - 13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles, and estimated sales of over 750 million records. He was also a notable philanthropist and humanitarian who donated millions of dollars to a record 39 charities, plus what he raised by way of his own Heal the World Foundation.

http://www.newkerala.com/nkfullnews-1-80754.html
 
LOS ANGELES — A judge on Thursday cleared the way for Michael Jackson's autobiography, Moonwalk, to return to store shelves in the United States, Canada and Europe.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff approved a request by the temporary administrators of the pop icon's estate to enter into new publishing deals.

Details of the agreements were filed under seal. But the deals will allow the 1988 book to be reprinted in the United States, Canada, England, Germany and France.

Publishing rights in the United States and Canada will be given to Shaye Areheart, who was the original editor of Moonwalk. Her company is a part of Random House Inc.

Moonwalk has been out of print for more than a decade. It was originally published by Doubleday and was acquired by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Other publishers will handle the overseas releases.

The Moonwalk rights are the first deal that the temporary administrators of Jackson's estate have brought to Beckloff for approval. The estate is being handled by attorney John Branca and music executive and Jackson family friend John McClain.

Court records state Moonwalk could hit store shelves in France by August. The records don't indicate when sales in other countries would begin.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2009-07-23-jackson-moonwalk_N.htm?csp=34
 
JACKSON STILL A THRILLER IN EUROPEMICHAEL JACKSON continues to rule over the European albums chart, dominating the top 10 with six entries as the aptly-titled compilation CD KING OF POP sits at number one.
Sales of the late superstar's back catalogue have surged in the weeks since his death on 25 June (09) and his hits are still proving popular across the world.
Four other Jackson compilations feature in the continent's top 10 - The Essential is in second place, The Collection climbs to number four, The Motown Years is at seven and Number Ones is at nine on the new countdown.
The biggest selling album of all time, Thriller, claims the third spot.
Meanwhile, in the European singles chart, rapper Pitbull replaces DJ David Guetta's collaboration with Kelly Rowland at the top - the duo's When Love Takes Over slips to two to make way for I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho).
The Black Eyed Peas score a double whammy in third and fourth place with I Gotta Feeling and Boom Boom Pow respectively, and dance act Cascada rounds out the top five with Evacuate The Dancefloor.


http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/jackson-still-a-thriller-in-europe_1110783
 
Late superstar MICHAEL JACKSON has become the longest-serving artist at the top of the British charts this year (09) - with his THE ESSENTIAL collection holding onto number one for another week.
The King of Pop's greatest hits CD has topped the U.K. album chart for the fourth week, equalling Lady Gaga's The Fame for time spent at the top.
But Jackson's Number Ones hits package also topped the countdown after the star's tragic death last month (Jun09) giving him a total of five weeks at number one - the most for any artist this year (09) so far.
Jackson now has 10 albums in the top 50 - five of which are in this week's (beg20Jul09) top 20.
Florence & The MAChine's debut Lungs sits at number two, followed by Lady Gaga's The Fame at three and Sunny Side Up by Scottish singer Paolo Nutini at four. The top five is rounded out by La Roux's self-titled debut album.
In the singles chart British boyband JLS hang on to the number one slot for a second week with their first single Beat Again, narrowly keeping Kanye West's protege Mr Hudson from the top with his track Supernova.
The Black Eyed Peas are a new entry at three with I Gotta Feeling, followed by Cascada's Evacuate the Dancefloor at four and Bulletproof by La Roux at five.

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/jackson-breaks-2009-chart-record_1110874
 
The Eagles will be landing — in second place. That's how industry observers are calling the race between the band's Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 and Michael Jackson's resurgent Thriller.
Already the world's top-selling album, 1982's Thriller has been trailing the Eagles' 1976 compilation in U.S. sales for the past decade. The recent rush for Jackson records seems to be tipping the scales, though a final accounting won't be available until the Recording Industry Association of America updates its rankings, which is usually done at the request of labels.


The record industry trade group measures sales based on shipments of albums. Thriller stands at 28 million, the Eagles at 29 million. Since Jackson's death June 25, Thriller has sold 666,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Surpassing the Eagles is "inevitable," says Keith Caulfield, Billboard's senior chart manager. "You figure a million units were just shipped. Add another million in the pipeline in the next month, and he could overtake the Eagles before the end of the year.

"I think his album sales will stay substantial for quite a while. This kind of sales impact in the wake of an artist passing is unprecedented. Only Michael could make this happen."

Jackson has dominated record sales for the past month. In the week ending Sunday, he sold a combined 674,000 albums, more than any other artist, for a total of 3 million since his death. Fans downloaded 684,000 tracks, 7 million since he died.

Though overall sales dipped, Jackson-related releases hold the top 12 slots on Billboard's catalog chart, and Jackson has six of the nation's top 10 best sellers, including Number Ones (192,000 this week), The Essential Michael Jackson (125,000), Thriller (114,000), Off the Wall (68,000), Bad (61,000) and Dangerous (55,000).

Number Ones remains the most popular title, with 988,000 copies sold in four weeks. It could end up among 2009's best sellers.

With more than 1 million copies sold so far this year, "it's already in an elite club," Caulfield says. "Even with tougher competition in the fourth quarter from superstars, he may end up in the top 10 with an album that's 6 years old, which is unique."
Releases by Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Usher and 50 Cent are expected to be big sellers in coming months. Jackson sales should rebound during the holidays, though he may square off against himself.

"I assume by Christmas there will be a new Jackson album," Caulfield says, predicting either a fresh compilation or a "lost recordings" set from Sony. "That could shear away sales from the older albums."



http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2009-07-22-jackson-vs-eagles_N.htm?csp=34
 
LOS ANGELES -- Sony Corp.'s movie studio has bid $50 million to acquire the worldwide distribution rights to a film based on rehearsal footage for Michael Jackson's "This Is It" comeback concert series, according to a person familiar with the bid.

The person said Monday that the bid came after several studios, including Paramount, Universal and 20th Century Fox, were shown footage starting early last week. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the bidding had not been completed. None of the studios would comment on the record.

The winning studio would produce the film with Jackson's concert promoter, AEG Live, and his estate. It would go a long way to helping AEG Live recoup some of the $30 million to $32 million it spent producing the concert before Jackson died June 25.

The bidding was reported earlier by the Los Angeles Times and industry blogger Nikki Finke.

Sony Pictures has a leg up on other bidders because Sony Music distributes Jackson's music and is in a 50-50 partnership with his estate in Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Sony's bid is on par with the cost of making a mid-range budget movie, and is offset by the fact that the Sony group of companies would benefit from the music licensing rights attached to the film.

There is also massive interest in Jackson material worldwide. An estimated 31 million viewers in the U.S. alone watched the Jackson memorial service live earlier this month, according to Nielsen Media Research. That's just shy of the 33 million U.S. viewers who watched Princess Diana's funeral.

"This type of a story, if put together right, could be very compelling and draw a very, very wide audience," said Mark Fleischer, an entertainment attorney with Venable LLP and former executive at MGM Studios.

The estate and AEG Live are also negotiating with several television networks and pay-per-view outlets on a TV special that would be a stage show featuring Jackson's music and dancing. It would be directed by "This Is It" director Kenny Ortega.

The selling price being discussed for the rights to show the TV special is also in the tens of millions of dollars.

General Electric Co.'s NBC has been in talks on the TV show, but the concept, air date and cost for the rights has not been finalized, said NBC spokeswoman Rebecca Marks.

"We have no deal for the rights to the Michael Jackson special," Marks said.

The special administrators of Jackson's estate, attorney John Branca and former music executive John McClain, have been moving quickly to secure Jackson's assets and cut deals to capitalize on the surge in interest in the pop star since he died.

Last week, Branca and McClain received signed court papers authorizing them to act on his estate's behalf until another hearing Aug. 3. McClain has been sorting through unreleased Jackson recordings, while Sony Music is interested in releasing a commemorative album. Music sales have soared.

Jackson's 2002 will named Branca and McClain as executors and directs all of his assets to be placed in a trust that will benefit his mother Katherine Jackson, his three children, and unnamed children's charities. The estate is estimated to be worth more than $500 million.

But Katherine Jackson's lawyers on Friday sought a judge's ruling on whether she can challenge the authority of the men without triggering a "no contest" clause in the trust that would cause her to be disinherited.

http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/michael_jackson_rehearsal_film.html
 
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week 29 / 2009 - July 25


2 / 3
week 20 Michael Jackson - Thriller (25th Anniversary Reissue) 32 ()
Epic - 610.000 - 3 weeks at No.1 - Largest Sales Increase
1 / 2
week 15 Michael Jackson - Number Ones
Epic - 533.000
4 / 4
week 13 Michael Jackson - The Essential
Epic - 417.000
Maxwell - Blacksummers'night
Columbia - 321.000 - Hot Shot Debut
5 / 28
week 9 Michael Jackson - King Of Pop
Epic - 299.000
12 / 19
week 3 Michael Jackson - Bad 16
Epic - 262.000
10 / 16
week 3 Michael Jackson - Off The Wall 9
Epic - 223.000
Perfume - Triangle
Tokuma Japan Communications Japan - 211.000
13 / 21
week 3 Michael Jackson - Dangerous 15
Epic - 196.000
Soundtrack - Hannah Montana 3
Walt Disney - 157.000
Miliyah Kato - Ring
Sony Music Entertainment Japan - 151.000
6 / 1
week 6 Black Eyed Peas - The E.N.D.
Interscope - 145.000
11 / 11
week 28 Lady GaGa - The Fame
Interscope - 99.000
23 / -
week 2 Michael Jackson - HIStory: Past, Present & Future Book 1 9
Epic - 92.000
14 / 12
week 9 Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown
Reprise - 77.000
18 / 13
week 16 Soundtrack - Hannah Montana: The Movie
Walt Disney - 75.000
15 / 10
week 8 Eminem - Relapse
Aftermath / Interscope - 74.000
27 / -
week 2 Michael Jackson - Invincible 2
Epic - 74.000
Florence & The Machine - Lungs
Island - 65.000
All Time Low - Nothing Personal
Hopeless - 64.000
16 / 5
week 4 Jonas Brothers - Lines, Vines And Trying Times
Hollywood - 64.000
3 / -
week 2 Masaharu Fukuyama - Zankyo
Universal Music Japan - 63.000
8 / -
week 2 Rob Thomas - Cradlesong
Atlantic - 61.000
Soundtrack - Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (Complete Best)
Sony Music Entertainment Japan - 59.000
22 / 15
week 42 Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night 2
RCA - 58.000
25 / 17
week 35 Taylor Swift - Fearless 2
Big Machine - 55.000
Michael Jackson & The Jackson Five - The Motown Years
Motown - 52.000
7 / -
week 2 Brad Paisley - American Saturday Night
Arista Nashville - 47.000
9 / -
week 2 Wilco - Wilco
Nonesuch / Warner Bros. - 45.000
The Jackson Five - The Ultimate Collection
Motown - 40.000
20 / 7
week 5 Greeeen - Shio, Koshou
Universal Music Japan - 39.000
30 / 23
week 37 Pink - Funhouse 2
Laface / Zomba - 38.000
31 / 25
week 35 Beyonc� - I Am... Sasha Fierce 2
Columbia - 36.000
21 / -
week 2 La Roux - La Roux
Polydor - 36.000
29 / 20
week 3 Soundtrack - Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
Reprise - 33.000
28 / 8
week 3 Dream Theater - Black Clouds & Silver Linings
Roadrunner - 33.000
Tube - Blue Splash
Sony Music Entertainment Japan - 31.000
17 / -
week 2 Killswitch Engage - Killswitch Engage
Roadrunner - 30.000
39 / 22
week 5 Placebo - Battle For The Sun
Dreambrother - 30.000
- / 33
week 20 U2 - No Line On The Horizon
Island - 30.000

http://www.mediatraffic.de/albums-week29-2009.htm
 
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