Michael Jackson sells million tickets!

[Michael]

Tickets for Michael Jackson's 50 live dates at London's O2 arena have sold out, meaning that a staggering one million tickets to see the singer have been bought in a matter of hours.
Source (http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/mar/13/michael-jackson-o2-arena-residency-sells-out)

:eek:

A million people in UK are that desperate to see Michael Jackson perform? What's in the water over there?

Anyone had any idea that Michael "whacko-jacko" Jackson was still popular?

[SMadsen]

Only a million?

Why wouldn't he be popular?

[Michael]

Only a million?

Why wouldn't he be popular?
Um... because he's mentally ill or because he's turned himself into a freak? And he has produced nothing but garbage since 1986?

Gosh, I don't know... I'd be surprised if Jackson could sell that in North America - he seems to be really unpopular here (the butt of jokes).

[SMadsen]

Yes, I'd also be surprised if he could sell that in North America. But that doesn't answer the question why he wouldn't be popular. Elsewhere, that is ;)

[Michael]

Yes, I'd also be surprised if he could sell that in North America. But that doesn't answer the question why he wouldn't be popular. Elsewhere, that is ;)
Yes, I suppose not. I recall hearing that he actually still has a fan club in Japan.

I suppose my reaction was colored by my North American perspective - his career is beyond dead over here. He's strickly a 3rd rank 'freak' celebrity now only of interest to the tabloids (and even then, not much at all).

[partofme]

Probably the same reason people still pay hundreds of dollars to see The Rolling Stones even though they don't really release new music that anybody cares to buy. So they can say they saw them and heard their old hits.

[Michael]

Probably the same reason people still pay hundreds of dollars to see The Rolling Stones even though they don't really release new music that anybody cares to buy. So they can say they saw them and heard their old hits.
I think there is a categorical difference between Jackson and other 'old' bands that are still popular.

For example, the Stones haven't spent the last 20 years using plastic surgery to turn themselves into freaks and haven't spent the last 20 years defending themselves from child molestation charges and haven't spent the last 20 years putting out music that doesn't sell. Jackson has done all of the above.

And Rolling Stones songs are still popular on radio play lists. Jackson's music seems to have fallen off the planet with zero radio play (here in North America).

And the people who are most likely to go to some concerts just to say they have seen the performer are most likely 40 plus in age and thus have spent the last 20 years witnessing the primetime meltdown of the Michael Jackson freakshow (and thus most likely to be embarrassed by such an association - where does one get 'bragging rights' to say you've supported Michael Jackson's career? I'm thinking that's a way to look foolish).