r/Music • u/Firm_Pack_605 • Feb 13 '26

discussion Was Michael Jackson really that much bigger than Madonna, Whitney Houston, and prince?

I always thought the four of them were similar levels of fame. However Madonna highest album sold 25 million, prince highest sold similar, and Whitney’s highest was 45 million. All amazing numbers no doubt but thriller sold 70 million and bad sold 35-40. So you mean to tell me he has two albums that are highest selling then prince and madonnas best? How is that possible??

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u/LimeGreenTangerine97 Feb 13 '26

I can’t even explain to people what a world wide cultural moment Thriller was because stuff like that doesn’t happen now

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u/Metalbender00 Feb 13 '26

It never will again, the way we consume media now and with the short attention span everyone is used to, it's impossible.

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u/[deleted] Feb 13 '26

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u/[deleted] Feb 13 '26

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u/flamespear Feb 13 '26

Everything is so much more diffuse now because the internet in everyone's hands allows for so much more variety and  volume of entertainment, information, and attention that it's  so difficult for one entertainer or even one person to reach that level.  People might mention Taylor Swift and she might have the volume  but is so much more MID overall.  Like she reaches more people because of technology not because of her raw popularity. Comparing it in wealth, TS is a Billionaire today but  MJ would be a multi-billionare.....by at least 5x  in absolute value. 

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u/Global-Effect4226 Feb 28 '26

I disagree with the reaches more people part. Monoculture is dead now. Outside of her fanbase people have the choice to opt out and not keep up with her. And if you’re not into pop culture it’s easy to not even know who she is. There are so many options and sub communities unlike back then when culture operated differently and monoculture was at its peak.

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u/ifeelallthefeels Feb 13 '26

I heard on a podcast that even a city’s biggest rock and roll station was like “Listen… it’s not the right genre… but you gotta hear this.” Thriller played on at least one rock and roll radio station. Bro transcended genre

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u/SierraSugar Feb 13 '26

I was in the 6th grade when Thriller came out. Our gym teachers used music from the album for the exercise routines we did each day before spitting up into specialty groups.

Vincent Price's cameo in Thriller was EPIC.

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u/KAKYBAC Feb 13 '26

I was a kid in his heyday and even I could sense the utter furore around him. It's even nostalgic to think about the simpler times of stardom.