Why didn't Michael Jackson have a million debut week during Soundscan era?

[ARTPOP GAGA 884]

HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995) - 391,000 copies

Invincible (2001) - 363,000 copies

Taylor Swift - Reputation (2017) - 1,216,000 pure copies ,  1989 (2014) - 1,287,000 copies, Red (2012) - 1,208,000 copies, Speak Now (2010) - 1,047,000

Is Taylor Swift much bigger than Michael in the US or what? I thought for someone as famous as MJ, he would sell 4 million first week easily.

[iCpro 14,846]

His peak was way before then, in the 80s mostly. He would have had 1M back then, but by the late 90’s he wasn’t nearly as popular as he was.

[IAmNotHere1997 25,824]

First week sales weren't a thing back then...your album could debut at like #40 and then spend several weeks at #1.

[rumours 45,521]

9 minutes ago, gabrielflorin01 said:

First week sales weren't a thing back then...your album could debut at like #40 and then spend several weeks at #1.

Yeah, this is true. There are many examples of this...

For example, the Bodyguard soundtrack only sold 144,500 copies in its first week and went on to be certified 18x platinum.

Another example would be Jagged Little Pill. It debuted at #117 on the BB200 but went on to be certified 16x platinum in the USA.

14 minutes ago, iCpro said:

His peak was way before then, in the 80s mostly. He would have had 1M back then, but by the late 90’s he wasn’t nearly as popular as he was.

^^ this also

[ARTPOP GAGA 884]

But why in the 90s album didn't have big opening weeks? In March 2000, NSync sold 2.4 million first week.

[tomsches 17,398]

I think back then, music releases weren't nearly as anticipated as they are now. I suppose most people weren't following these kinds of releases or weren't even aware of them since the internet didn't exist. When I was a child and nobody was using the internet, I only found out about a new album because a new song was on the radio or because I saw the CD in stores. Nowadays, everybody is informed on every exact date on which new music is released because of social media. Hence, everybody is hyped and buys the album/song on the day it is released.

[Dunk96 2,526]

Michael Jackson releases were massive multimedia events and the 1990s was no exception. I mean who else would create an entire four minute short film to announce the release of an album?

It's quite comical how you all are so quick to jump to the conclusion that Michael's highest peak was the 1980s when he was doing just fine in the 1990s as well. That's why he's the second biggest selling male artist of all time behind Elvis Presley and he wasn't just a one trick pony. But it seems that you're also all quick to dismiss him as an "overrated musician".

[Bio 23,538]

2 hours ago, Dunk96 said:

Michael Jackson releases were massive multimedia events and the 1990s was no exception. I mean who else would create an entire four minute short film to announce the release of an album?

It's quite comical how you all are so quick to jump to the conclusion that Michael's highest peak was the 1980s when he was doing just fine in the 1990s as well. That's why he's the second biggest selling male artist of all time behind Elvis Presley and he wasn't just a one trick pony. But it seems that you're also all quick to dismiss him as an "overrated musician".

His highest peak was in the 80s tho. No one here is dismissing his talent or success but go off I guess.

[FATCAT 60,076]

2 hours ago, Dunk96 said:

It's quite comical how you all are so quick to jump to the conclusion

I don't think anyone here was dismissing MJ or his popularity, it's gonna be okay. Da da du du just dance.

[RAMROD 109,592]

His superstardom have been big, but he also started to get backlash by media, especially he was heavily accused as pedophile that time, which was started in 1993, a couple of years before HIStory released. Still, he was still quite alright during HIStory. 

But by the time Invicible came out, his superstardom is not the same anymore. Most people that know of him only talked about his scandals, such as when he dangles out his baby outside of his hotel room's balcony, few floors up from the ground, which was heavily scrutinized.

Also, Tommy Motolla is not siding with him anymore. Aom the promo for Invicible are unheard of. 

And he was in huge debt that forced him to sell his estate, The Neverland, which was then acquitted by a firm in 2008. He died a poor man, as he got about $400 million in debt 

 

Read the rise and fall of MJ here

https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/268276/michael-jackson-died-deeply-in-debt

[Andreu 37,216]

3 hours ago, Dunk96 said:

Michael Jackson releases were massive multimedia events and the 1990s was no exception. I mean who else would create an entire four minute short film to announce the release of an album?

It's quite comical how you all are so quick to jump to the conclusion that Michael's highest peak was the 1980s when he was doing just fine in the 1990s as well. That's why he's the second biggest selling male artist of all time behind Elvis Presley and he wasn't just a one trick pony. But it seems that you're also all quick to dismiss him as an "overrated musician".

Wow I had never seen this and I'm shook

[Citrom 644]

45 minutes ago, Andreu said:

Wow I had never seen this and I'm shook

Yeah, and it was filmed in my town Budapest 

It's a pity i didnt live at that time yet 

[PartySick 160,353]

4 hours ago, Dunk96 said:

when he was doing just fine in the 1990s as well.

Let us not forget that Dangerous held the record for the fastest selling album ever (which was taken by someone, can't remember who), HIStory remains the best selling 2-disc album, and Blood on the Dance Floor remains the best selling remix album

We stan a king

His biggest commercial failure was Invincible and it went platinum like 14 times or something since its release.

[Andreu 37,216]

2 hours ago, Sistren said:

Yeah, and it was filmed in my town Budapest 

It's a pity i didnt live at that time yet 

Neither did I

I wish I could have experienced a release of his tbh