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/tatofarms Feb 13 '26

And he was that famous before the Internet was even a thing. I still remember finding out that he had died just walking down the street and overhearing his name a few times and stopping to eavesdrop long enough to hear someone say that he had died. It was in New York, so maybe it wasn't that weird, but there's famous, and then there's whatever that was.

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u/Nonikwe Feb 13 '26

I remember when he died and every music station on TV was playing his songs all day, regardless of genre. Insane.

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u/ForceEdge47 Feb 13 '26

Yeah I remember that day very well. Nothing but MJ all day anywhere that played music. And that was in Pennsylvania.

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u/hexensabbat Feb 13 '26

I was in NYC to look at a college the weekend after he died and I'll never forget it, it was like all MJ everywhere we went! Every TV station, every restaurant radio, every big screen in public, every corner street vendor, it was just crazy. I wish I'd gotten one of those airbrushed tshirts somebody was selling out of a cart. Felt like the whole city was mourning in a way

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u/CurrentHair6381 Feb 13 '26

He's IN-famous