HIStory
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^ You forget they're tied? lol
According to some people Thriller is right now above 29.4 million.
IMO Thriller is probably over 30 million now.
^ You forget they're tied? lol
According to some people Thriller is right now above 29.4 million.
This list is about as accurate as it can get. This is from RIAA, the official sales auditing company in the USA.
Let's face it, MJ's peak in the USA was only in that period between 83-85. After that his remaining albums though global superhits, had only decent sales numbers in the USA. There is NO CONSPIRACY to malign him. Arguments like Eagles Greatest Hits albums and Elvis' numbers were made up are just vain.
If you add up global certifications still Michael wouldn't be #1. He would be behind The Beatles and Elvis Presley. Here we are just talking about pure record sales, nothing more.
This list is about as accurate as it can get. This is from RIAA, the official sales auditing company in the USA.
Let's face it, MJ's peak in the USA was only in that period between 83-85. After that his remaining albums though global superhits, had only decent sales numbers in the USA. There is NO CONSPIRACY to malign him. Arguments like Eagles Greatest Hits albums and Elvis' numbers were made up are just vain.
If you add up global certifications still Michael wouldn't be #1. He would be behind The Beatles and Elvis Presley. Here we are just talking about pure record sales, nothing more.
This list is about as accurate as it can get. This is from RIAA, the official sales auditing company in the USA.
Let's face it, MJ's peak in the USA was only in that period between 83-85. After that his remaining albums though global superhits, had only decent sales numbers in the USA. There is NO CONSPIRACY to malign him. Arguments like Eagles Greatest Hits albums and Elvis' numbers were made up are just vain.
If you add up global certifications still Michael wouldn't be #1. He would be behind The Beatles and Elvis Presley. Here we are just talking about pure record sales, nothing more.
I see no reason to find fault or place blame on Michael for anything here. There was no wrong done on his part to find fault or blame. Why does he have to be lazy or not have it in himself to do more or be ridiculous for having less Albums. Maybe he just didn't want to do more. He was an ARTIST he was all about quality, not quantity. He spent a lot of time on each Album and song to perfect them as you can see by the the amazing numbers he did reach compared to those who had released far more albums than him.Well, well either he was lazy or didn't have it in himself to do more albums. Only he is to be blamed for doing just 7 solo albums over a period of 30 years. Ridiculously low number if you think about it.
Well, well either he was lazy or didn't have it in himself to do more albums. Only he is to be blamed for doing just 7 solo albums over a period of 30 years. Ridiculously low number if you think about it.
I see no reason to find fault or place blame on Michael for anything here. There was no wrong done on his part to find fault or blame. Why does he have to be lazy or not have it in himself to do more or be ridiculous for having less Albums. Maybe he just didn't want to do more. He was an ARTIST he was all about quality, not quantity. He spent a lot of time on each Album and song to perfect them as you can see by the the amazing numbers he did reach compared to those who had released far more albums than him.
He may not have sold more albums over all for the fact he didn't mass produce albums. But he still holds the BEST selling Album in the world... We should be very proud of all he did accomplish in his lifetime and for the fact he didn't sell out to the industry by mass releasing or saturating the market with subpar albums just for the sake of making more money. He could have easily reached those numbers by doing that, but that was not his goal. He wanted to be noted for the quality of his music and for being the BEST in performing his craft (WHich he is ) regardless of the RIAA sales numbers.
To put the numbers in perspective compare Elvis sales numbers for over 100 Albums released compared to the less than 10 Michael Albums Michael released. Average sales Per album He blows them all out of the water
Easy math with apples = Albums
Elvis released 100 albums / 134 mil units
MJ released only 10 albums / 75 mil units
Elvis sells 150 apples / made 134 Mil
MJ sells only 10 Apples / made 75 Mil
Although we will never know with certainty, observing the overall worldwide sales, IMO, Beatles are #1, MJ is probably #2, Elvis is ahead of MJ in the US, UK and probably Canada but in the rest of the world MJ is way above Elvis. These other markets in Elvis time were too small, and later outside US & UK Elvis never had a great back-catalog sales. In MJ's case, despite his great sales numbers in the US and UK, the majority of his sales actually come from the rest of the world. He was the true Global icon.I think world wide the Beatles would #1 but I'm not sure about Elvis. Elvis' sales, especially world wide sales are virtually impossible to track, so they could claim any number they want to. But then he had a lot of albums, so maybe he could be second just based on that. On the other hand on a sales/album basis Michael's albums sold better on average than either the Beatles or Elvis.
Well, Michael was more about quality than quantity, and personally I’m fine with that. Many of the artists who have released more albums have made some very good albums, but also some pretty bad ones. I’m not mad at Michael for not churning out subpar albums just to make money off fans or to have more impressive sales numbers on some list.Karthik;3851215 said:Well, well either he was lazy or didn't have it in himself to do more albums. Only he is to be blamed for doing just 7 solo albums over a period of 30 years. Ridiculously low number if you think about it.
I cannot imagine that they sold more records than the King of Pop whose music was so much more exciting.
Greetings people! Long time no see! :hi:
Just a few remarks regarding this subject. Although you have mention it, I would like to emphasize something about this RIAA TOP SELLING ARTISTS (albums) list. Quoted numbers on the first page represent certified units, not actual shipments, therefore actual sales figures are quite different. RIAA methodology favors the albums that spans over multiple disks. For example, record company shipped 7,5 million copies of the album THE BEATLES 1962-1966 (1973) in the US but RIAA count them as 15 million certified units because it is double album (contains 2 discs). It should be noted that length of this album is 63 minutes. On the other hand MJ's DANGEROUS (1991) lasts 77 minutes and sold approximately the same number of copies as the THE BEATLES 1962-1966 (1973) but RIAA count it as 7 million certified units because DANGEROUS is on single disc. Basically all the performers ahead of MJ's on the list largely profit because of this unfair way of counting (the United States is one of the few countries that uses this methodology).
Counting actual shipments (not certified units), first on the list are THE BEATLES but with only 134 million albums (they have 47 certified albums and 15 of them are multiple disk albums). Counting actual album shipments, Michael Jackson is #6 (above Billy Joel) with 69.75 million albums. Also it should be noted that Jackson's total should be increased by at least another 5 million (not counting Motown's albums).
Although we will never know with certainty, observing the overall worldwide sales, IMO, Beatles are #1, MJ is probably #2, Elvis is ahead of MJ in the US, UK and probably Canada but in the rest of the world MJ is way above Elvis. These other markets in Elvis time were too small, and later outside US & UK Elvis never had a great back-catalog sales. In MJ's case, despite his great sales numbers in the US and UK, the majority of his sales actually come from the rest of the world. He was the true Global icon.
^ You forget they're tied? lol
According to some people Thriller is right now above 29.4 million.
troubleman84;3851571 said:Hmm... they said units but I'm not too sure if that's actually correct. Because if it's sold as a unit, they wouldn't have to double it... RIAA's methodology is weird to me...
The "unit sales" are hard to categorize for the acts who are on the RIAA's top selling list (yes that goes for Elvis, Beatles, MJ, Billy Joel, etc.) unless you're going with "estimated unit sales"?
As a result of the RIAA's methodology of counting each disc in a multi-disc set as one unit toward certification, most double albums on the list—such as Pink Floyd's The Wall and Outkast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below—have been certified with a number double the number of copies sold.
Basically when Elvis and the Beatles were out, again I state this emphatically, they were different times. There weren't as many markets as there were when Michael finally came of age as an adult solo act.
Elvis RIAA history:
Studio
Elvis Presley (1956) - platinum
Elvis (1956) - platinum
Elvis' Christmas Album (1957) - 3x platinum
Elvis is Back! (1960) - gold
His Hand in Mine (1960) - platinum
Something for Everybody (1961) - gold
How Great Thou Art (1967) - 3x platinum
From Elvis in Memphis (1969) - gold
From Memphis to Vegas/From Vegas to Memphis (1969) - gold
Elvis Country (I'm 100,000 Years Old) (1971) - gold
Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas (1971) - 3x platinum
Elvis Now (1972) - gold
He Touched Me (1972) - platinum
Elvis (1973) - 5x platinum
From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee (1976) - gold
Moody Blue (1977) - 2x platinum
Total: 23.50 million studio shipments (16 of 22 Elvis studio albums certified)
Soundtracks
Loving You (1957) - gold
King Creole (1958) - gold
G.I. Blues (1960) - platinum
Blue Hawaii (1961) - 3x platinum
Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) - gold
Kissin' Cousins (1964) - gold
Girl Happy (1965) - gold
Frankie and Johnny (1966) - platinum
Elvis (1968 - TV soundtrack from variety "comeback" special) - platinum
That's the Way It Is (1970 - soundtrack from concert film) - gold
Total: 9.5 million shipments in all (of 20 soundtracks, 11 were certified)
Live albums
From Memphis to Vegas/From Vegas to Memphis (Elvis in Person at the International Hotel) (1969) - gold
On Stage (1970) - platinum
Elvis: As Recorded at Madison Square Garden (1972) - 3x platinum
Aloha from Hawaii: Via Satellite (1973) - 5x platinum
Elvis: As Recorded Live in Memphis (1974) - gold
Elvis in Concert (1977) - 3x platinum
Total: 13 million shipments in all.
Compilations (during his lifetime)
Elvis' Golden Records (1958) - 6x platinum
Elvis' Gold Records Volume 2: 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong (1959) - platinum
Elvis' Golden Records Volume 3 (1963) - platinum
Elvis' Gold Records Volume 4 (1968) - gold
Elvis: A Legendary Performer, Vol. 1 (1974) - 2x platinum
Elvis: A Legendary Performer, Vol. 2 (1976) - 2x platinum
Blue Christmas (1976) - platinum
Welcome to My World (1977) - platinum
Total: 14.50 million (of 12 albums released, 8 were certified)
Budget releases
Elvis Sings Flaming Star (1969) - platinum
Let's Be Friends (1970) - platinum
Worldwide 50 Gold Award Hits Vol. 1 (1970) - 2x platinum
Almost in Love (1970) - platinum
Elvis' Christmas Album (1970) - 10x platinum (diamond)
You'll Never Walk Alone (1971) - 3x platinum
C'mon Everybody (1971) - platinum
The Other Sides - Elvis Worldwide Gold Award Hits Vol. 2 (1971) - gold
I Got Lucky (1971) - platinum
Elvis Sings His Hits from His Movies, Vol. 1 (1972) - platinum
Burning Love and Hits from His Movies, Vol. 2 (1972) - platinum
Separate Ways (1973) - platinum
Pure Gold (1975) - 2x platinum
Double Dynamite (1975) - platinum
Frankie & Johnny (1976) - platinum
Total: 28 million in shipments.
Extended plays
Elvis Presley (1956) - platinum
Heartbreak Hotel (1956) - platinum
Elvis Presley (II) (1956) - platinum
The Real Elvis (1956) - platinum
Elvis Vol. 1 (1956) - 2x platinum
Love Me Tender (1956) - platinum
Elvis Vol. 2 (1956) - gold
Peace in the Valley (1957) - platinum
Loving You, Vol. 1 (1957) - gold
Loving You, Vol. 2 (1957) - platinum
Just for You (1957) - platinum
Elvis Sings Christmas Songs (1957) - platinum
Jailhouse Rock (1957) - 2x platinum
King Creole, Vol. 1 (1958) - platinum
King Creole, Vol. 2 (1958) - platinum
Follow That Dream (1962) - platinum
Kid Galahad (1962) - gold
Total: 17.50 million in total
Box sets
Elvis Aaron Presley (1980) - platinum
The King of Rock 'n' Roll: The Complete 1950s Masters (1992) - 2x platinum
From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential 1960s Masters (1993) - platinum
Walk a Mile in My Shoes: The Essential 1970s Masters (1995) - gold
Platinum: A Life in Music (1997) - gold
Total: 5 million shipments.
Posthumous compilations
He Walks Beside Me (1978) - gold
Mahalo from Elvis (1978) - gold
Elvis Sings for Kids and Grownups Too (1978) - gold
Our Memories of Elvis (1979) - gold
Elvis: A Legendary Performer, Vol. 3 (1979) - gold
This is Elvis (1981) - gold
Memories of Christmas (1982) - gold
Elvis' Gold Records Vol. 5 (1984) - gold
The Number One Hits (1987) - 3x platinum
The Top Ten Hits (1987) - 4x platinum
The Complete Sun Sessions (1987) - gold
Love Me Tender (1987) - gold
Blue Christmas (1992) - platinum
If Everyday Was Like Christmas (1994) - platinum
Amazing Grace: His Most Sacred Performances (1994) - 2x platinum
Heart and Soul (1995) - gold
It's Christmas Time (1999) - 3x platinum
ELV1S (2002) - 5x platinum
2nd to None (2003) - platinum
Ultimate Gospel (2004) - gold
Elvis Christmas (2006) - gold
The Essential Elvis Presley (2007) - gold
The Very Best of Love (2007) - gold
Total: 27.50 million shipments
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So actually, in total, you come up with 138.5 million shipments for Elvis, so he's actually above the 134 million number now.
If I counted it well it's 99 albums. So it means on average his albums sold 1.4 million/album. But he had so many of them that it added up to a big number.
There was also not as much competition for them, nor did they have to break through racial barriers like Michael had to.
Also when you are talking about Motown record sales: I read somewhere that Berry Gordy was notorious for not getting records certified, because he did not want to pay for it. So those numbers may be very much off.