Jackson ripped off on the charts
I was actually shocked to hear that Michael Jackson had died. When the news first broke, I thought it was some kind of “fake out” or he was ill and the story got blown out of proportion. It’s a sad end to the life of a talented guy who had a rather tragic life.
In the aftermath of his death, people have been flocking to stores to buy his music - as fans have done in the wake of other deaths like Lennon and Presley. No surprise that the sales have been brisk, but the big story is that he got ripped off by the rules of the Billboard charts.
While he broke chart records, he’s been denied the top spot. Here’s what happened:
The main album chart is called the Billboard 200, but they have a rule that when an album is older than 18 months and falls below #100, it gets listed instead on the “Top Pop Catalog Album” chart - never to return to the Billboard 200 again. For seasonal albums, they get the one season, rather than the full 18 months.
So in Billboard’s own words:
Catalog albums are ineligible to appear on the Billboard 200 albums chart, though they can chart on the all-encompassing Top Comprehensive Albums list. On the latter chart, Jackson's "Number Ones," "Essential" and "Thriller" are at Nos. 1-3, followed by the Black Eyed Peas' "The E.N.D." at No. 4
The King of Pop's "Number Ones" will fittingly lead the pack at No. 1 with 108,000 (an increase of 2,340%) while "The Essential Michael Jackson" and "Thriller" are in the Nos. 2 and 3 slots with 102,000 and 101,000, respectively.
Jackson himself has a record eight out of the top 10, while a Jackson 5 compilation also finds its way into the upper tier. The lone non-Jackson-related set in the top 10 is a reissue of the "Woodstock" movie soundtrack, which bows at No. 10 with 8,000.
Collectively, Jackson's solo albums sold 422,000 this past week. That's extraordinary, since his titles sold a combined 10,000 in the week that ended June 21. Of the 422,000 total, 57% were digital downloads.
Okay, so he gets the record for Catalog chart and it looks impressive, but the real Top 3 on the Billboard 200 should be Jackson. It just isn’t fair that Black Eyed Peas get the mantel. The “Top Comprehensive Albums” chart is not the “definitive” chart, and Billboard doesn’t even publish it in the print version, only online.
Yes the rule has been around forever, but I never agreed with it when they put it in - partly to get “Dark Side of the Moon” off the chart after 700+ weeks. If the old rule still applied, “Dark Side” would have 30+ continuous years on the chart. This Christmas I will bet that Josh Groban’s album will storm back, and instead of being Top 10 will be relegated to the Catalog chart. The rule is wrong - and not even because of Michael’s situation.
I don’t see why it can’t be a straight-up sales chart. Yes, there will be anomalies, but shouldn’t we be seeing what actually sold best rather than trying to smooth things out to help other artists achieve higher positions.
With sales like he did last week … he was and forever will be “The King of Pop”.
Rest in Peace Michael … the chart may not show it, but we all know you were #1
[EDIT] Forgot to add that the same thing applies to singles... when older songs get massive downloads these days, they aren't eligible for the Hot 100 even if they out sell current "hits". WTF?!
In the aftermath of his death, people have been flocking to stores to buy his music - as fans have done in the wake of other deaths like Lennon and Presley. No surprise that the sales have been brisk, but the big story is that he got ripped off by the rules of the Billboard charts.
While he broke chart records, he’s been denied the top spot. Here’s what happened:
The main album chart is called the Billboard 200, but they have a rule that when an album is older than 18 months and falls below #100, it gets listed instead on the “Top Pop Catalog Album” chart - never to return to the Billboard 200 again. For seasonal albums, they get the one season, rather than the full 18 months.
So in Billboard’s own words:
Catalog albums are ineligible to appear on the Billboard 200 albums chart, though they can chart on the all-encompassing Top Comprehensive Albums list. On the latter chart, Jackson's "Number Ones," "Essential" and "Thriller" are at Nos. 1-3, followed by the Black Eyed Peas' "The E.N.D." at No. 4
The King of Pop's "Number Ones" will fittingly lead the pack at No. 1 with 108,000 (an increase of 2,340%) while "The Essential Michael Jackson" and "Thriller" are in the Nos. 2 and 3 slots with 102,000 and 101,000, respectively.
Jackson himself has a record eight out of the top 10, while a Jackson 5 compilation also finds its way into the upper tier. The lone non-Jackson-related set in the top 10 is a reissue of the "Woodstock" movie soundtrack, which bows at No. 10 with 8,000.
Collectively, Jackson's solo albums sold 422,000 this past week. That's extraordinary, since his titles sold a combined 10,000 in the week that ended June 21. Of the 422,000 total, 57% were digital downloads.
Okay, so he gets the record for Catalog chart and it looks impressive, but the real Top 3 on the Billboard 200 should be Jackson. It just isn’t fair that Black Eyed Peas get the mantel. The “Top Comprehensive Albums” chart is not the “definitive” chart, and Billboard doesn’t even publish it in the print version, only online.
Yes the rule has been around forever, but I never agreed with it when they put it in - partly to get “Dark Side of the Moon” off the chart after 700+ weeks. If the old rule still applied, “Dark Side” would have 30+ continuous years on the chart. This Christmas I will bet that Josh Groban’s album will storm back, and instead of being Top 10 will be relegated to the Catalog chart. The rule is wrong - and not even because of Michael’s situation.
I don’t see why it can’t be a straight-up sales chart. Yes, there will be anomalies, but shouldn’t we be seeing what actually sold best rather than trying to smooth things out to help other artists achieve higher positions.
With sales like he did last week … he was and forever will be “The King of Pop”.
Rest in Peace Michael … the chart may not show it, but we all know you were #1
[EDIT] Forgot to add that the same thing applies to singles... when older songs get massive downloads these days, they aren't eligible for the Hot 100 even if they out sell current "hits". WTF?!