mimi07 said:

hey you got something over me i've been out of the mj loop for years lol

EmbattledWarrior said:

Actually, that 19 million is the number already doubled. I believe the White Album has sold about 9.5 million units.

The reason 'History' appears on this list,and the reason 'Invincible' is often labeled a flop is because....MJ's albums always have an outrageously high budget,and there's always ALOT of hype and grand expectations with each release.Then there's the "King of Pop" nonsense.No artist can live up to that kind of pressure and hype.

Come on...if you spend $30 million making an album,it would have to sell 50 million or more copies to be declared a success! Anything less than that is a flop.MJ sets himself up for failure.He constantly tries to out-do his 'Thriller' success and that's impossible.

MJ's US album sales as of 31 July 2006, according to the RIAA web site. Numbers rounded to the nearest million by them. The RIAA are the people who do the gold/platinum/etc. certifications...

Their site seems to be down, so I used Google cache to pull this up.

http://72.14.235.104/sear...=clnk&cd=7

Thriller: 27M (Now #2 after EAGLES/THEIR GREATEST HITS 1971 - 1975 which has sold 29M)

Bad: 8M

Off the Wall: 7M

History: 7M (7M sets or discs? They report The Wall with sales of 23M and I presume they're consistent on how multi-disc albums are handled...)

Dangerous: 7M

This is from the RIAA's Top 100 Albums list. The last title on the list is ZZ Top's Afterburner, with sales of 5M. So since Invincible doesn't appear on the list, it sold 5M or less.

REMEMBER, these are only US sales, not worldwide totals!
[Edited 5/31/07 5:34am]

This is a list, not made up by MJ fans:

In the ukmix.org-forum there is a thread about worldwide sales. Here is a list of (almost) every album that sold 20 million copies or more worldwide (66 albums):

GLOBAL LIST OF THE BEST SELLING ALBUMS OF ALL-TIME 2006
(according to official statements from record companies + certified shipped units in millions: North America - RIAA + CRIA, Europe - IFPI (if * - only UK with VH1 sales figures if they are higher than certificated ones, Germany, France and Spain), Japan - RIAJ or ORICON sales figures, Brazil - ABPD, Australia - ARIA (if * - Australia and New Zealand)

60 million
1. THRILLER - MICHAEL JACKSON
NORTH AMERICA - 29, EUROPE* - 6.7, JAPAN - 2.5, BRAZIL - 1.85, AUSTRALIA* - 0.99

42 million
2. THEIR GREATEST HITS 1971 - 1975 – THE EAGLES
NORTH AMERICA - 31, EUROPE* - 0.3, AUSTRALIA* - 0.61

3. BACK IN BLACK - AC/DC
NORTH AMERICA - 22, EUROPE* - 1.6, AUSTRALIA* -

40 million
4. THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON - PINK FLOYD
NORTH AMERICA - 17, EUROPE* - 5.2, AUSTRALIA* - 1

5. SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER - SOUNDTRACK
NORTH AMERICA - 16, EUROPE* - 3.75, JAPAN - 0.5, AUSTRALIA - 0.77

39 million
6. COME ON OVER - SHANIA TWAIN
NORTH AMERICA - 22, EUROPE - 7, JAPAN - 0.1, BRAZIL - 0.1, AUSTRALIA* - 1.3

37 million
7. THE BODYGUARD - SOUNDTRACK
NORTH AMERICA - 18, EUROPE* - 5.4, JAPAN - 2.8, BRAZIL - 0.75, AUSTRALIA* - 0.36

32 million
8. SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND - THE BEATLES
NORTH AMERICA - 11.8, EUROPE (UK) - 4.8

9. LED ZEPPELIN IV - LED ZEPPELIN
NORTH AMERICA - 25, EUROPE* - 2.95, AUSTRALIA* - 0.58

10. DIRTY DANCING - SOUNDTRACK
NORTH AMERICA - 12, EUROPE* - 5.8, JAPAN - 0.01

11. FALLING INTO YOU - CELINE DION
NORTH AMERICA - 12, EUROPE - 7, JAPAN - 1, BRAZIL - 0.1, AUSTRALIA* - 1.02

31 million
12. LET'S TALK ABOUT LOVE - CELINE DION
NORTH AMERICA - 11, EUROPE - 9, JAPAN - 1.5, BRAZIL - 0.05, AUSTRALIA* - 0.55

30 million
13. DANGEROUS - MICHAEL JACKSON
NORTH AMERICA - 7.6, EUROPE* - 5.6, JAPAN - 0.9, BRAZIL - 2.34, AUSTRALIA* - 0.63

14. BAD - MICHAEL JACKSON
NORTH AMERICA - 8.7, EUROPE* - 7.4, JAPAN - 1, BRAZIL - 1.35, AUSTRALIA* - 0.47

15. BAT OUT OF HELL - MEAT LOAF
NORTH AMERICA - 16, EUROPE* - 3.3, AUSTRALIA - 1.54

16. RUMOURS - FLEETWOOD MAC
NORTH AMERICA - 21, EUROPE* - 4.85, JAPAN - 0.07, AUSTRALIA* - 0.99

17. JAGGED LITTLE PILL - ALANIS MORISSETTE
NORTH AMERICA - 17, EUROPE - 7, JAPAN - 0.1, BRAZIL - 0.1, AUSTRALIA* - 1.18

18. TITANIC - SOUNDTRACK
NORTH AMERICA - 12, EUROPE - 5, JAPAN - 1.4, AUSTRALIA - 0.35

19. 1 - THE BEATLES
NORTH AMERICA - 11, EUROPE - 8, JAPAN - 2.5, BRAZIL - 0.12, AUSTRALIA* - 0.81

29 million
20. ABBEY ROAD - THE BEATLES
NORTH AMERICA - 13, EUROPE (UK) - 1.9

28 million
21. GREASE - SOUNDTRACK
NORTH AMERICA - 9, EUROPE* - 3.25, JAPAN - 0.3, AUSTRALIA - 0.77

22. BORN IN THE U.S.A. - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
NORTH AMERICA - 16, EUROPE* - 2.3, JAPAN - 0.15

23. MUSIC BOX - MARIAH CAREY
NORTH AMERICA - 10.7, EUROPE* - 4.1, JAPAN - 2.3, BRAZIL - 0.1, AUSTRALIA* - 0.84

27 million
24. HOTEL CALIFORNIA – THE EAGLES
NORTH AMERICA - 17, EUROPE* - 3.4

26 million
25. BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER - SIMON & GARFUNKEL
NORTH AMERICA - 8.4, EUROPE* - 3.8, JAPAN - 0.44

26. THE WALL - PINK FLOYD
NORTH AMERICA - 13.5, EUROPE* - 3.4

27. BROTHERS IN ARMS - DIRE STRAITS
NORTH AMERICA - 10, EUROPE* - 5.7, JAPAN - 0.04, AUSTRALIA* - 1.28

28. APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION - GUNS N’ ROSES
NORTH AMERICA - 16, EUROPE* - 2.6, JAPAN - 0.05, AUSTRALIA* - 0.08

25 million
29. SLIPPERY WHEN WET - BON JOVI
NORTH AMERICA - 13, EUROPE* - 1.5

30. METALLICA - METALLICA
NORTH AMERICA - 15, EUROPE* - 1.1, JAPAN - 0.13

31. GOLD - GREATEST HITS - ABBA
NORTH AMERICA - 7, EUROPE* - 7.5, JAPAN - 0.12, BRAZIL - 0.1, AUSTRALIA* - 0.95

32. DAYDREAM - MARIAH CAREY
NORTH AMERICA - 10.7, EUROPE - 3, JAPAN - 2.5

33. ...BABY ONE MORE TIME - BRITNEY SPEARS
NORTH AMERICA - 15, EUROPE - 4, JAPAN - 0.5, AUSTRALIA - 0.28

34. SUPERNATURAL - SANTANA
NORTH AMERICA - 16, EUROPE - 6, AUSTRALIA - 0.28

24 million
35. NO JACKET REQUIRED - PHIL COLLINS
NORTH AMERICA - 13.8, EUROPE (UK) - 1.9, JAPAN - 0.2

36. SPICE - SPICE GIRLS
NORTH AMERICA - 8, EUROPE - 8, JAPAN - 1, BRAZIL - 0.5, AUSTRALIA* - 0.48

37. BACKSTREET BOYS - BACKSTREET BOYS
NORTH AMERICA - 15, EUROPE - 3, JAPAN - 0.06, AUSTRALIA - 0.07

38. MILLENIUM - BACKSTREET BOYS
NORTH AMERICA - 14, EUROPE - 2, JAPAN - 1, AUSTRALIA - 0.21

23 million
39. GREATEST HITS (+ GREATEST HITS I&II/THE PLATINUM COLLECTION) - QUEEN
NORTH AMERICA - 8.3 (+ 0.83), EUROPE* - 5.1 (+ 1.95), JAPAN - 0.15 (+ 0.03), AUSTRALIA 0.91 (+ 0.02)

40. CAN'T SLOW DOWN – LIONEL RICHIE
NORTH AMERICA - 11, EUROPE* - 2.35

41. WHITNEY HOUSTON - WHITNEY HOUSTON
NORTH AMERICA - 14, EUROPE* - 1.7, JAPAN - 0.56

42. THE IMMACULATE COLLECTION - MADONNA
NORTH AMERICA - 10.7, EUROPE* - 5, JAPAN - 1, BRAZIL - 0.5, AUSTRALIA* - 0.79

22 million
43. HISTORY + GREATEST HITS HISTORY VOLUME I – MICHAEL JACKSON
NORTH AMERICA - 4.5 (4 + 0.5), EUROPE - 6, JAPAN - 1, BRAZIL - 1.11, AUSTRALIA* - 0.61

44. THE SOUND OF MUSIC - SOUNDTRACK
NORTH AMERICA - 1, EUROPE (UK) - 2.4

45. TAPESTRY - CAROLE KING
NORTH AMERICA - 10

46. SIMON & GARFUNKEL'S GREATEST HITS - SIMON & GARFUNKEL
NORTH AMERICA - 14.5, EUROPE* - 3.8, JAPAN - 0.12

47. TRUE BLUE - MADONNA
NORTH AMERICA - 9, EUROPE* - 4.8, JAPAN - 0.72, BRAZIL - 0.1, AUSTRALIA* - 0.3

48. ...BUT SERIOUSLY - PHIL COLLINS
NORTH AMERICA - 4.8, EUROPE (UK) - 2.7, JAPAN - 0.1, AUSTRALIA* - 0.37

21 million
49. THE BEATLES 1967 - 1970 - THE BEATLES
NORTH AMERICA - 9

50. GREATEST HITS - ELTON JOHN
NORTH AMERICA - 17, EUROPE* - 0.1, JAPAN - 0.02

51. BOSTON - BOSTON
NORTH AMERICA - 18, EUROPE* - 1.6

52. SPIRITS HAVING FLOWN - THE BEE GEES
NORTH AMERICA - 1.5, EUROPE* - 0.4, JAPAN - 0.2

53. HAPPY NATION + THE SIGN - ACE OF BASE
NORTH AMERICA - 11, EUROPE* - 3.2, JAPAN - 1, AUSTRALIA - 0.07

20 million
54. OFF THE WALL - MICHAEL JACKSON
NORTH AMERICA - 7.1, EUROPE* - 2.4, JAPAN - 0.17, BRAZIL - 0.67, AUSTRALIA* - 0.35

55. THE BEATLES 1962 - 1966 - THE BEATLES
NORTH AMERICA - 8.5

56. PARALLEL LINES – BLONDIE
NORTH AMERICA - 1.4, EUROPE* - 1.7

57. PRIVATE DANCER – TINA TURNER
NORTH AMERICA - 5.7, EUROPE* - 2.35, JAPAN - 0.02

58. PURPLE RAIN - PRINCE & THE REVOLUTIONS
NORTH AMERICA - 13.6, EUROPE* - 1.45, JAPAN - 0.2, AUSTRALIA* - 0.16

59. LIKE A VIRGIN – MADONNA
NORTH AMERICA - 11, EUROPE* - 2.8, JAPAN - 0.79

60. THE JOSHUA TREE - U2
NORTH AMERICA - 11, EUROPE* - 4.8, JAPAN - 0.06, AUSTRALIA* - 0.56

61. PLEASE HAMMER DON'T HURT 'EM - MC HAMMER
NORTH AMERICA - 10.8, EUROPE* - 0.95

62. THE COLOUR OF MY LOVE - CELINE DION
NORTH AMERICA - 7, EUROPE - 4, JAPAN - 1, AUSTRALIA - 0.56

63. RICKY MARTIN - RICKY MARTIN
NORTH AMERICA - 8, EUROPE - 2, JAPAN - 1, AUSTRALIA - 0.21

64. ALL THE WAY...A DECADE OF SONG - CELINE DION
NORTH AMERICA - 7.9, EUROPE - 5, JAPAN - 1.5, AUSTRALIA - 0.21

65. OOPS!... I DID IT AGAIN - BRITNEY SPEARS
NORTH AMERICA - 10.5, EUROPE - 4, JAPAN - 0.5, AUSTRALIA - 0.21

66. COME AWAY WITH ME - NORAH JONES
NORTH AMERICA - 10.8, EUROPE - 6, AUSTRALIA - 0.63

source: http://www.ukmix.org/foru...um.php?f=5

so,I see this has turned into yet another Michael Jackson thread

SoulAlive said:

They all do... eventually...

I really hate lists like this when they only list the American sales. Something could have flopped in the US but been a smash everywhere else and vice versa.

Invincible1958 said:

I always thought the US figures for Parallel Lines were way too small. There's no way that album has only sold 1.4 million in the US with worldwise sales of 20 million.

BTW, the whole HIStory thing is easy to sort out - it's the biggest selling Double CD, not the biggest selling double ALBUM. Grease & Saturday Night Fever and many more double LPs were on single CDs when re-released.

I believe it's only measured for albums released in the CD era aswell, so The Wall/The White Album/Songs In The Key of Life etc. don't apply. It was Pink Floyd's 'Pulse' just a few weeks before HIStory was released that became the fastest selling double-disc, and then HIStory smashed it.
[Edited 5/31/07 6:42am]

AlexdeParis said:

point taken stevie is a very respectful man
I'm a bit sensitive with judgements against bob in any kanaroo court.


But Prince is 1 charming bag of shit!

Although he was never a major sales giant, David Bowie 's Berlin Trilogy (Heroes, Lodger, Low) were considered major disappointments after Young Americans and Station to Station.

I remember his VH1 Legends documentary back in the day stating that he purposefully underpromoted Low at the time b/c he was having issues with Mainman Records and wanted to carry his music in a new direction.

The albums are now classics of course, but it is one of the rare instances where a major artists (outside of Dylan as mentioned earlier) tanked in promoting an album.

newpower99 said:

!!!!!

i wonder why when they do the comparisons some albums are compared to the artist's biggest album, while others are compared to the release prior to it.
???

Moonbeam said:

I work in the 'biz'...

I always view Soundscan as useless before 1995 because it hardly counted for a decent percentage of outlets for the first few yers.

wonder505 said:

That was the first album that came to my mind, too. That, and "Invincible."

Yeah, Invincible was a far bigger "flop" than HIStory, cos HIStory was actually mega successful overseas. Invincible was most successful in the US

Ellie said:

That´snot surprising. That´s quite logical when you look at the US charts and the European ones.

I don´t know what is "the most official" source for sales, but Beyonce said at 2006 World music awards that MJ sold over 750 million altogether.
Whatever the truth is, it is funny that ppl can call anything MJ ever did a flop.

dag said:

Hmmm....well I'd like to know how they arrived at that 750 million number. I don't believe that honestly. I think MJ has sold 350-400 million albums max but yeah I don't understand how anyone can call any MJ album a flop. Even his "Blood On The Dancefloor" album went on to sell 6-7 million copies WW and is the best selling remix album ever. Like I said before the people who put MJ on that list are full of s**t.

I just don't agree with mariah carey's glitter I am shocked that it flopped.

SoulAlive said:

he NEVER said once he wanted to out do thriller, instead when asked about he says he tries not to think about because that would like only drive someone crazy and etc., he loves to innovate he doesn't want to out do thriller.

chewwsey said:

It's one of her best albums!!! But look at all the circumstances it faced.

1- Released on 9/11
2- Street date pushed due to MC in therapy after her breakdown
3- The Mattolla/J-Lo stole 'Firecraker' sample from MC conspiracy
4- The Movie was destined to be one of the biggest flops ever.
5- This was MC on her own w/o her Sony/Columbia crew/ never got along w/ Virgin
6- At this stage, critics were ready to pan any project she had coming..they were just over her...sad that all this led to the dimise of her great album

peace

VANITYSprisonBYTCH said:

would it be too big of a pain in the arse to post all of her soundscan sales since 1991? I'm curious about GHV2, Erotica, Bedtime Stories, and Music esp. Thanks

badujunkie said:

Sure give me couple mins..I'll post...

VANITYSprisonBYTCH said:

Thanks!

badujunkie said:

These are Madonna's stats since the begining of Soundscan in 1991

Madonna - 423,152
Like A Virgin - 543,038
True Blue - 387,090
You Can Dance - 258,490
Like A Prayer - 543,038
Immaculate Collection - 5,546,712
I'm Breathless - 234,101
Erotica - 1,882,277
Bedtime Stories - 2,302,454
Something To Remember - 2,075,892
Ray of Light - 3,816,552
Music - 2,915,092
GVH2 - 1,361,172
American Life - 670,186
I'm Going to Tell You A Secret - 165,950
Confessions on a Dancefloor - 1,630,878
Confessions Tour - 199,034

Total Album sales Soundscan era: 21,111,175
Total Single Sales Soundscan era: 10,485,859
Total Video Sales Soundscan era: 1,221,739

peace

VANITYSprisonBYTCH said:

Damn, GHV2 was a straight up flop if you compare it to IC. A greatest hits package released back when CDs were still selling with all those big hits (Music, Ray of Light, Take a Bow, Secret, Frozen) should have at least managed 2 or 3 million.

Music, so close...yet so far.

It's hard to know how successful Confessions is compared to the others, since it came out once the record indsutry had already gone to hell.

Ray of Light was pretty huge, if you think about it, from a 40 year old pop star, closing in on 4 million after she couldn't break much past 2 million beforehand.

And her BEST album, "Erotica," still hasn't crossed 2 million? Wtf?

"American Life," what a turkey.

VANITYSprisonBYTCH said:

Are you sure Like a Virgin and Like a Prayer sold exactly the same amount? That would be weird!

You don't happen to have Prince's totals, do you?

badujunkie said:

Yup..there ya have it...

As for 'GVH2'..I remember there was no promotion on her part. I think she was fueding with Warner and did not want this released as she did no photoshoot for it nor provide new material. It was to coincide with the 'Drowned World'DVD release. So the label just put together this release and released it without much fanfare..it was very dissapointing.

peace