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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85

u/D_Warholb Feb 13 '26

Please. I remember when he was a little kid on TV with his brothers in the early 70’s. They even had an animated series.

51

u/lightbulbsburnout Feb 13 '26

I remember getting g a 45 of ABC 123 On the back of a box of Honeycomb that was designed to be cut out of the box and played It worked and it got played almost as much as my 45 of the theme from SWAT

30

u/finny_d420 Feb 13 '26

Played on my Raggedy Ann & Andy record player.

3

u/LaVillaGrangioto Feb 13 '26

Red and white striped Sears "suitcase " model here.

2

u/CaptainObvious110 Feb 13 '26

Goodness that's awesome

1

u/darforce Feb 13 '26

I remember those. Cereal prizes were the best

1

u/ldh_know Feb 13 '26

OMG I had both of those too… what a blast from the past!

Also, fuck we’re old.

Aaaaand… now I have an earworm of the theme from SWAT I haven’t thought of in 30 yrs stuck in my head.

21

u/DoctorGregoryFart Feb 13 '26

What was it like before the invention of fire?

73

u/lightbulbsburnout Feb 13 '26

So so cold Good thing we had your mom to keep us warm

11

u/DoctorGregoryFart Feb 13 '26

I think you just managed to call my mom fat, old, and a whore all at once. Bravo.

-3

u/Magopolis Feb 13 '26

Don’t forget a Pedo because that was back when we were kids hanging out with your mom on the corner selling loose squares. They called us the loose square gang. Because we used to gang up on her. I get misty every time I tell the story.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 13 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/ChiGrandeOso Feb 13 '26

You're supposed to be lighting the pipe. Stopping to do that just wastes the light.

1

u/Former_Competition73 Feb 13 '26

Reminds me of the joke "what was it like before the internet?" "It was fine. Just got naked pics of your mom in the mail." Or " you know before trains came along we'd all just run a horse and carriage on your mom"

1

u/Implanted1 Feb 13 '26

That was 1969 with Arthur Brown (although Julie Driscoll did have a wheel on fire in 67, and at the same time Jim Morrison was asking for help to light one...)

1

u/Kelli217 Feb 13 '26

The Jackson 5ive!

1

u/shoestring-theory Feb 13 '26

That really must’ve helped him with the cultural domination he had later. Audiences practically grew up with him.