NBC: Michael Jackson: 'Bigger than Elvis, the Beatles ?!

Would our resident chart and sales experts please answer this bold claim made about Michael Jackson? Overal assessments of impact are surely in Elvis' favor as well. Surely Elvis (or the Beatles?) outsold this sorry man.

Jackson’s lifetime record sales tally is believed to be around 750 million, making him the most successful entertainer of all time.

Jackson struggles to sing as sound cuts out
Singer passes on ‘Thriller’ at World Music Awards in London

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15738748/

Last edited by Gregory Nolan Jr. on Thu Nov 16, 2006 8:38 pm, edited 2 times in total.

This is already being discussed in the OFF TOPIC section.

That's good to know, but I was asking it with regard to Elvis Presley.

I'll check the thread out, but in this way, the topic is rightfully an Elvis-subject.

What's it got to do with Elvis?? If you are asking if MJ outsold Elvis the answer is NO.

It has plenty to do with Elvis.

Plenty of Elvis fans never go to FECC's "off-topic" and when the media is is talking about Elvis and his legacy (and they are if they're falling for some ploy to call Michael Jackson "the most successful ever"), then we want to hear about it here.

I hate to pollute the "All-Elvis" section with the freak's name, to be honest.

I'm just waiting for Youtube's clip of his failed London '06 "comeback."

Well, if he actually *is* the most successful entertainer of all time, then I guess he *is* the most successful entertainer of all time. You can't argue with success. You can only argue with the roots of that success. For example, I wouldn't disavow the historical record of tobacco companies and their insane profits, but I certainly would question the morality of their very being and the people who have been responsible for them. Ditto fast food companies. Michael Jackson is that elephant in the room of the music world. A white elephant who think he's more of an ele-infant, and likes the company of other ele-infants, but an elephant nonetheless.

I think it is an excessive number for Jackson. Even if they add the sales with the Jackson 5. But then it would be a shame, because they are different music acts. MJ is not trying to dethrone The Beatles here, he is only trying to dethrone Elvis as the biggest entertainer of all time. I understand that MJ and his label do this but I don't understand that the media give credit to this claim.

I found this on wikipedia, it's only speculation but it seems that the 750 million figure is only invented and released from MJ publicity manager.
Michael Jackson is an American R&B, pop and rock artist whose recording career has spanned from 1963 to the present. In 1982, Jackson recorded what is often claimed to be the best-selling album of all-time, Thriller, with claimed worldwide sales of over 50 million [2][3][4]. Jackson has been awarded numerous honors, including the World Music Awards' Best-selling pop male artist of the Millennium [5]and Jackson is often referred to as the 'King of Pop'. While their databases have hardly any information from the 1950s or 1960s, or sales of uncertified releases, Jackson's totals are not affected as all his solo records were released after 1971 (despite this, the WMA later reverted, claiming The Beatles had outsold Jackson).

Jackson's record company Sony BMG has never given an accumulative sales figure for Jackson, but estimates vary for Jackson's top 3 albums as selling between 90 and 120 million alone. [6]. It has been estimated by various fan sites, that Jackson's accumulative worldwide sales is about 300 million. Recently, as part of the publicity surrounding Jackon's World Music Award's - Diamond Award; Raymone K. Bain, Jackson's publicist announced that Jackson has sold over 750 million albums and singles worldwide.[7][8]. This reference to sales is not however mentioned by WMA. Guinness Book Of Records presented Jackson with an award for the most successful artist ever on November 14th 2006. [9]. The certificate states the award was given for 125 million sales by Jackson, which is considerably lower than the figures known to have been sold by other artists. It does not say whether these were in fact US or global sales.

From 1963 to 1984, Jackson was also a member of The Jackson 5 (later called "The Jacksons"). Their accumulative worldwide sales are reported to be approximately 150 million [citation needed]. Sometimes their sales total is added to Jackson's solo sales total because he was their lead singer from 1968 to 1984 and chief songwriter from 1978 to 1984.

Loads of bogus awards are handed out all the time. You can give someone an award for anything, so it seems. It's all part of the publicity machine.

Surely that honour goes to the "great" Garth Brooks!!!???!! A man who has never had a major UK hit yet what has happened to this one hit wonder today??!!

Elvis and MJ have the same label: Sony/BMG. It's terrible, I don't think that Sony/BMG is going to do anything to put Elvis over MJ.

Is he "The King Of Pop"? I don't think so.

Last edited by Johanesson on Thu Nov 16, 2006 2:22 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Boy is he scary!!!!!

There is one Beatle or ex ..that probably has more real gold than Elvis in the sales department.... But EP #1 to me always and forever...

There is one Beatle or ex ..that probably has more real gold than Elvis in the sales department.... But EP #1 to me always and forever...

Ringo ?

Ringo ?

Narrated:

They lie in boot hills all through the west.
The outlaws, the gunslingers, the Billy the Kidds and worse.
Say a fella like the coward that shot Bill Hickok in the back.
Theres always one like that in every time of history.
Most of them were varmets, but every once in a while, in one of them,
there may have lived a man...

Spoken lyrics:

He lay face down in the desert sand
clutching a six gun in his hand
Shot from behind I though he was dead
for under his heart was an once of lead
But a spark still burned so I used my knife
and late that night I saved the life of Ringo

I nursed him 'til the danger passed
the days went by he mended fast
and then from dawn 'til setting sun
he practiced with that deadly gun
and hour and hour I watched in awe
No human being could match the draw
of Ringo

One day we rode the mountain crest
and I went east and he went west
I took to law and wore a star
while he spread terror near and far
with lead and blood he gained such fame
all through the west they feared the name
of Ringo

I knew someday I'd face the test
which one of us would be the best
and sure enough the word came down
that he was holed up in the town
I left the posse out on the street
and I went in alone to meet
Ringo

They said my speed was next to none
but my lightning draw had just begun
when I heard a blast that stunned my wrist
The gun went flying from my fist
and I was looking down the bore
of the deadly 44
of Ringo

They say that was the only time
that anyone had seen him smile
He slowly lowered his gun and then
he said to me "We're even, friend."
And so at last I understood
that there was still a spark of good
in Ringo

I blocked the path of his retreat
he turned and stepped into the street
a dozen guns spit fire and lead-

A moment later
he lay dead

The town began to shout and cheer
Nowhere was there shed a tear
for Ringo

The story spread throughout the land
that I had beated Ringo's hand
and it was just the years they say
that made me put my guns away
but on his grave they can't explain
the tarnished star above the name
of Ringo

Everytime this freak goes on TV, some bogus claim is being made. Why doesn't he crawl back under his rock and stay there.

Boy is he scary!!!!!

Yeah!



And to think, he used to look like this...

I think he is turning into one of his characters from Thriller

Nice One

What's it got to do with Elvis?? If you are asking if MJ outsold Elvis the answer is NO.

But that reporter doesn't know that, and some fools may know think that this Jackson is most succesful entertainer ever.

Well, if he actually *is* the most successful entertainer of all time, then I guess he *is* the most successful entertainer of all time...

With all due respect, Cryo, don't cave so easily. Just because some PR flack handed MSNBC and other outlets the latest tag line about their troubled (and increasingly bankrupt) super-star, doesn't make it true, as others pointed out.

Likewise, most of us watched as he (and his flacks) hand-fed media outlets like "Entertainment Tonight" and "MTV" the title "the King of Pop" and insisted that he be called that or else he wouldn't be interviewed. It's the same thing all over again.

When they chauk up the massive cultural upheaval that came out of the rock'n'roll of the '50s and '60's, it's always going to be Elvis and the Beatles who had (and continue to have) the most profound impact.

This is not to downplay his '80s era reign with Madonna and the like, but by then the door had been blown open, nevermind probably still superior record sales, to say nothing of successful movie careers.

I also wonder if Jackson's reputation in black music's impact will outdo, say, James Brown in the long run in terms of impact.

I found this on wikipedia, it's only speculation but it seems that the 750 million figure is only invented and released from MJ publicity manager.
Michael Jackson is an American R&B, pop and rock artist whose recording career has spanned from 1963 to the present.

And it can't be right that Jackson started recording in '63. My parents taped me in '69 as an infant, but it doesn't make it my first "rack , record.."

Here's the entry I saw on Wikipedia:

Michael Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana, the second-youngest brother of seven and the eighth of ten children of Joseph and Katherine Jackson. In 1966, after taking co-lead singing duties with brother Jermaine, the group's name was changed to The Jackson 5. The group played local clubs and bars, building up a following and eventually signing a contract with Motown Records in 1968.[13]

Saw his 'performance' last night on t.v and what a travesty, a complete disaster from start to finish,it was so sad I couldnt even laugh.

Sorry Greg.
If I had seen your original post, I never would have posted mine in the Off Topic section.

Anyhow, I agree with Colin: One of the most successful, NOT THE most successful of all time.

On Elvis' figures, wouldn't 2007 be an oppurtune time for BMG to come out and substantiate his total sales once and for all? Just a thought.