by Michael Jackson’s untimely death in 2009 left the world in mourning.
[bg_collapse view=”button-orange” color=”#4a4949″ expand_text=”Show More” collapse_text=”Show Less” ]
However, more than a decade later, his music lives on and continues to find new listeners. This is a testament to not only Jackson’s artistry but also his incredible commercial success. Through blockbuster albums like Thriller, Bad, and Dangerous, Jackson transformed the landscape of pop music and became a true global icon. Perhaps his most enduring legacy is the immense commercial impact of his albums – sales that remain unmatched even today.
Early Success with Off the Wall
Jackson got his start young as the lead singer of The Jackson 5. However, it was his solo career in the late 1970s that first hinted at his potential for commercial dominance. In 1979, Jackson released his breakthrough solo album Off the Wall. Produced by legendary hitmaker Quincy Jones, the album blended disco, funk, rock, and pop into an infectious sound. Hits like “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”, “Rock with You”, and “She’s Out of My Life” became massive international successes.
Off the Wall was an immediate commercial blockbuster. In the US alone, it sold over 7 million copies and spent over a year on the Billboard album charts. Globally, sales surpassed the 20 million mark. This made Off the Wall one of the best-selling albums of all time at the time of its release. More importantly, it marked Jackson as a solo force with a unique artistic vision and commercial appeal all his own. The success of Off the Wall set the stage for Jackson’s later dominance and cemented his partnership with Quincy Jones.
The Thriller Era: The Biggest Selling Album of All Time
Building on the momentum of Off the Wall, Jackson and Jones teamed up again for Jackson’s next album – 1982’s Thriller. Released towards the end of that year, Thriller took the pop world by storm and completely redefined commercial success for albums. Bolstered by iconic music videos for hits like “Billie Jean”, “Beat It”, and the title track “Thriller”, the album became a cultural phenomenon.
Thriller’s commercial impact was unprecedented. In just over a year after its release, Thriller had sold over 65 million copies worldwide. This made it far and away the best-selling album of all time, a record it holds to this day over 35 years later. In the US alone, Thriller has sold over 33 million copies as certified by the RIAA, more than any other album in history. Its success elevated Jackson to new heights of fame and cemented his status as the “King of Pop”.
Thriller’s influence also stretched far beyond sales numbers. It popularized music videos as a promotional tool and was one of the first albums to blend pop, rock, and R&B into a cohesive sound. Most importantly, it showed the immense commercial potential of albums in the nascent era of MTV and mass media. Jackson had truly ushered in a new age for the music industry and pop culture at large with Thriller. Over three decades on, it remains the best-selling album of all time and one of the most influential albums in any genre.
Continued Global Success in the 1980s
Following Thriller, Jackson faced immense pressure to deliver another blockbuster album. However, he managed to meet and exceed expectations with his next two albums – 1987’s Bad and 1991’s Dangerous.
Bad, released in 1987, continued Jackson’s momentum. Bolstered by iconic videos for hits like the title track “Bad”, “The Way You Make Me Feel”, and “Man in the Mirror”, Bad sold over 35 million copies worldwide. In the US alone, it has sold over 10 million copies as certified by the RIAA. While it didn’t match Thriller’s unprecedented sales, Bad was still massively successful on a global scale and cemented Jackson as an unstoppable commercial force.
For Dangerous, released in 1991, Jackson took on more creative control as a producer. The album yielded international smashes like “Black or White”, “Remember the Time”, and “Heal the World” and sold over 32 million copies worldwide. In the US, Dangerous has sold over 7 million copies. Both Bad and Dangerous underscored Jackson’s continued dominance as he entered a new decade. Across the 80s, his albums sold over 150 million copies globally and cemented his status as the biggest pop star in the world.
Enduring Legacy in Sales and Influence
Even after Dangerous, Jackson continued finding commercial success with 1995’s HIStory and 2001’s Invincible, each selling over 20 million copies worldwide. In total, estimates suggest Jackson has sold over 500 million records globally over the course of his career, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time by a wide margin.
In the US specifically, the RIAA certifies Jackson as having sold 89 million albums. This makes him the highest-selling male artist in US history by their tally. Thriller, Bad, and HIStory have each sold over 10 million copies individually in the US. No other artist comes close to these kinds of sales numbers domestically.
More than a decade after his tragic death, Jackson’s music and influence show no signs of fading. New generations continue to discover his artistry, while his classic songs maintain popularity. His albums continue selling well, finding new listeners on streaming services. Jackson completely transformed the scope of commercial success for albums and the business model of the music industry. He pushed creative and technical boundaries to deliver groundbreaking work. Through it all, Jackson maintained an unparalleled level of commercial dominance that remains unbroken today. His immense album sales cement his status as a true legend in popular music.
In summary, Michael Jackson’s astronomical album sales across his career stand as a testament to his singular artistic talents and global cultural impact. From Off the Wall through Invincible, he consistently delivered blockbuster albums that broke records and shifted paradigms. Most of all, Thriller’s unprecedented success opened a new chapter in commercial potential for music. Jackson’s sales numbers are a true reflection of his influence on popular culture and why he remains rightly called the “King of Pop.” Over thirty years since Thriller, his legacy lives on as one of history’s most commercially successful and influential artists.
[/bg_collapse]
