"Monday was supposed to be the triumphant kickoff of Michael Jackson’s 50-date This Is It concert series at the O2 Arena in London. Instead, a few hundred fans gathered outside the venue to honor Jackson, who died suddenly on June 25, leaving 750,000 fans with tickets to a comeback that is not to be."
Posted Wed Jul 8, 2009 11:47am PDT by Paul Grein in Chart Watch
Michael Jackson has three of the five best-selling albums in the U.S. for the second week in a row. Number Ones sold 339,000 copies this week and would have held at #1 on The Billboard 200 if catalog albums were eligible to compete on that chart. (The 2003 compilation sold a little more than twice as many copies this week as NOW 31, the album that holds the #1 spot.)
Thriller sold 187,000 copies and would have jumped from #3 to #2 if catalog albums were invited to the party. The Essential Michael Jackson sold 125,000 copies and would have dropped from #2 to #5. (Billboard excludes catalog albums from the big chart on the theory that new albums need the spotlight the chart provides more than past hits do.)
As Mariners slugger Ken Griffey Jr.(notes) strolled to the plate for his first at-bat Tuesday night, the sound system at Safeco Field grooved to Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean."
I watched Michael Jackson's Memorial and there are no words that I can express how I felt viewing his ceremony.
I was very moved by the out-pouring of love that was expressed on such a sad occassion. I had a variety of emotions from tears, to joy when I was singing along with some of the songs that has touched my heart over the years!
"Smile Though Your Heart is Aching"
Even though I never knew him personally, I felt as though I had lost a close friend. It brought back special memories at different times or events in my life that I can recall what I was doing when "Beat It" came out or when "Thriller" came on the seen.
I just want to say thank you Michael for all the memories!
