It's unclear what exactly was included, sales-wise, when calculating the "750 million units" figure. However, if that total includes all album, record, video, download, ringtone, and merchandise sales from the 40 years of Michael's career, then I can certainly believe that number.
The so-called "official records" published by the recording industry are highly questionable in and of themselves, even more-so since it costs money to have albums and singles formally recertified and audited, and it is up to the record label(s) to pay to have this done. That's why none of Michael's albums have been recertified in the U.S. since 2005, though I have a feeling they will again be certified either late this year or by spring of next year, after the Thriller 25 run has come to an end.
Speaking of the RIAA and questionable statistics, they claim that Thriller sold 20 million copies in less than two years after its release, but then claim that it only sold a measly 1 million copies in six years between 1984 and 1990!! I can't fathom how that's even possible considering Thriller and Michael were EVERYWHERE throughout the 1980s and he put on sell-out tours and everything. I posted the message below some time ago in another thread regarding RIAA sales, which further highlights the issue:
Quote:
Michael Jackson's "Thriller" album was last audited and certified by the RIAA (
27x) on
04/25/2005.
The Eagles' "Their Greatest Hits: 1971-1975" album was last audited and certified by the RIAA (
29x) on
01/30/2006.
Thus, none of the Thriller album sales since
April 2005 have been accounted for. These are just estimates, but based on some Soundscan figures from that point onwards, Thriller (including Thriller 2001 SE) has sold at least 315,000 in the U.S. and may have sold more like 400-500,000. That, combined with the total sales of Thriller 25, means that it's already quickly approaching (or perhaps even past) one million copies of Thriller sold since the last certification. If Sony/Epic waits until next spring to have Thriller reaudited by the RIAA, and if Thriller 25 continues to sell well like it has been, I imagine Thriller will probably be recertified for 29-30x next year.
There is one thing that
does seem really mind-boggling to me. Eagles' Greatest Hits came out on vinyl in
1976 and on CD in
1990.
14 years after its release (on
08/21/1990), the album was certified
12x platinum for selling
12 million copies in the United States. More than
3 years later on
12/14/1993, it had sold an additional
2 million copies and was up to
14x platinum. Now, according to RIAA certifications, this then
17-year-old Eagles album miraculously sold
8 million more copies in the United States between
12/14/1993 and
06/05/1995 raising its platinum status from
14x to
22x--in
less than 18 months time.
Meanwhile, Thriller went
20x platinum less than
2 years after its release, but then according to the RIAA certifications sales of Thriller
completely died and the album only sold
1 million more copies from
10/30/1984 to
05/24/1990; despite Michael's record-breaking tour and all of the other events and buzz that continued to surround Thriller throughout the 80s. So, Eagles' Greatest Hits sold
8 million more copies in
18 months some
17 years after it came out, while Thriller apparently only sold
1 million more copies in nearly
6 years even though it was still a fresh album. I just find that amazing...
You see after MJ bought the beatles catalogue in 1985, his record sales miraculously shrunk.
this is fishy.....
I too noticed how fast the Eagles came from nowhere to become "#1" in the US. I have always suppected that this is BS! What I see is not a coencidence nor they just were not certified by the RIAA. This is part of the whole to destroy Michael Jackson.
Think about every "official" MJ anything and you see this trend.
He earns nothing yet owns 50% of Sony/Atv publishing. His so called debt is always said to be higher and higher. Sony/Atv has doubled in size since 1999; Yet MJ's share of the CAT is always said to be around 500 million a figure which is from the early 90s.
He is never on any list of powerful, wealthy, biggest celebs yet he is written about (usually negative) almost everyday. Every one copies & borrows his moves and his vids. Yet he is still mobbed almost everywhere he goes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-EbSKGfgm8&feature=related
I have not seen anyone with the exception of an awards show such as Cannes or the Oscars get this kind of attention; this includes Madonna, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Tom Cruise. Yet he is a fallen star?
He is the only one who is compared to Thriller sales(no one else ever is)
I will end there although there are many more things that are only done to this man. Yes I believe there is an organized and sustained effort by a very powerful group to erase MJ's success and leave him with nothing. His music sales is one part of this.
