And before we get to the Top 15 most viewed Michael Jackson short films on YouTube, let’s talk about the fan campaign to put the HIStory album back on the charts.
We’ve been here before, haven’t we? Fans mass-streaming a song or album doesn’t make much difference to the charts—we learned this from past campaigns. Oh, and I say “campaign” deliberately, not “event,” because as an Event Manager, I get so offended when people use “event” to mean pushing a hashtag on social media. It’s a marketing campaign. The right terminology matters to me here! LOL.
Anyway, yes—without support from the general public, without genuine interest in Michael’s music, getting him back at the top of the charts is pretty much impossible. As much as I wish all the fans could unite behind a common goal (in this case, Michael), the reality is more complicated. The vanity of some fans unfortunately gets in the way. BUT—and that’s a bold “but”—this campaign was really nice. Seeing HIStory-era graphics, people promoting Michael’s most personal album and facts, and helping new listeners discover it was amazing to see. I always say: if even one person discovers Michael and enjoys the music, it’s a win!
But the reality is, this campaign hasn’t put HIStory back on the charts, even digitally. Looking at different countries, it varies so much that it’s hard to see any real impact. Yes, the #HIStory30 hashtag did peak from time to time in some countries. But to be honest—and as a Marketing Director once told me—hashtags aren’t really valued anymore in the social media and influencer worlds.
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