Comments on: Michael Jackson’s Label Not All That Thrilled With “Billboard” Chart Rules http://idolator.com/359042/michael-jacksons-label-not-all-that-thrilled-with-billboard-chart-rules Music News, Reviews, and Gossip on Idolator.com Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:52:22 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: rrnate http://idolator.com/359042/michael-jacksons-label-not-all-that-thrilled-with-billboard-chart-rules/comment-page-1#comment-469432 rrnate Thu, 28 Feb 2008 05:55:06 +0000 bac8e3adbcb18c3afdeea7bb5db0443c#comment-469432 <p>I'm a little late on this one guys, but "Take It Easy" is definitely a signature Eagles song, lame as it may be.</p> I’m a little late on this one guys, but “Take It Easy” is definitely a signature Eagles song, lame as it may be.

]]> By: Charles A. Hohman http://idolator.com/359042/michael-jacksons-label-not-all-that-thrilled-with-billboard-chart-rules/comment-page-1#comment-469442 Charles A. Hohman Thu, 21 Feb 2008 08:59:16 +0000 bac8e3adbcb18c3afdeea7bb5db0443c#comment-469442 <P>That Eagles album doesn't even have "Hotel California" or "Life in the Fast Lane" (arguably the band's two signature songs) on it. Whereas "Thriller" contains much of Jackson's best known stuff. When I cite that Eagles album as the best-selling of all-time, many casual music fans can't even name a single one of its tracks (with the occasional exception of "Desperado").</P> That Eagles album doesn’t even have “Hotel California” or “Life in the Fast Lane” (arguably the band’s two signature songs) on it. Whereas “Thriller” contains much of Jackson’s best known stuff. When I cite that Eagles album as the best-selling of all-time, many casual music fans can’t even name a single one of its tracks (with the occasional exception of “Desperado”).

]]> By: Chris Molanphy http://idolator.com/359042/michael-jacksons-label-not-all-that-thrilled-with-billboard-chart-rules/comment-page-1#comment-469452 Chris Molanphy Thu, 21 Feb 2008 04:11:10 +0000 bac8e3adbcb18c3afdeea7bb5db0443c#comment-469452 <p>Wait wait wait...<i>Sony</i> is pissed?! <i>Michael</i> is pissed?!! No, no, no - they should be quietly thrilled. (No pun intended.)</p> <p>If the new disc is charting on Catalog, that means sales of the new <i>Thriller</i> are officially being combined with sales of the original, which means they stand an excellent of retaking the U.S. sales crown from the Eagles. Isn't that the whole point of rereleasing <i>Thriller</i> in the first place? (I mean, besides the money.)</p> <p>If the RIAA rules separately from Billboard/SoundScan and determines that the 25th anniversary version must be tracked and certified as a separate release, then okay, the Sony people have an argument about the album charting on Catalog. But if the RIAA follows Billboard's lead, and <i>Thriller</i> is allowed to move from 27 million to 29 million total U.S. sales over the next year or two, that's nothing but good.</p> <p>Between His Freakishness and the Henley-Frey Axis, I know who I'm rooting for. The day <i>Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975</i> officially overtook <i>Thriller</i> a few years back as the top U.S. album of all time was one of the saddest in pop-chart fandom. I could live with, say, <i>Led Zeppelin IV</i> taking the crown; or, if it had to be a compilation, the Beatles' <i>1</i> would be tolerable. But an Eagles album that only covers half their career? And it's the Eagles?! Ugh. Anything that redresses this historic chart wrong -- even if it denies Michael some temporary Billboard 200 chart ink -- is clearly a good thing.</p> Wait wait wait…Sony is pissed?! Michael is pissed?!! No, no, no – they should be quietly thrilled. (No pun intended.)

If the new disc is charting on Catalog, that means sales of the new Thriller are officially being combined with sales of the original, which means they stand an excellent of retaking the U.S. sales crown from the Eagles. Isn’t that the whole point of rereleasing Thriller in the first place? (I mean, besides the money.)

If the RIAA rules separately from Billboard/SoundScan and determines that the 25th anniversary version must be tracked and certified as a separate release, then okay, the Sony people have an argument about the album charting on Catalog. But if the RIAA follows Billboard’s lead, and Thriller is allowed to move from 27 million to 29 million total U.S. sales over the next year or two, that’s nothing but good.

Between His Freakishness and the Henley-Frey Axis, I know who I’m rooting for. The day Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 officially overtook Thriller a few years back as the top U.S. album of all time was one of the saddest in pop-chart fandom. I could live with, say, Led Zeppelin IV taking the crown; or, if it had to be a compilation, the Beatles’ 1 would be tolerable. But an Eagles album that only covers half their career? And it’s the Eagles?! Ugh. Anything that redresses this historic chart wrong — even if it denies Michael some temporary Billboard 200 chart ink — is clearly a good thing.

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