Michael Jackson Music Sales Surge Could Last For Months

Like Lennon, But Bigger

The Music Experience's Jones says he thinks heightened interest in Jackson's catalog will last for the rest of the year. "Christmas," he says, "is going to be about Michael Jackson."

Others aren't convinced that the sales gains will be sustained through the end of the year but agree that they'll last a while. "Usually when an artist dies, the sales surge is over within two weeks, but for John Lennon and Elvis Presley sales went on for a while," says the head of purchasing at a large music account. "I would put Jackson as bigger than Lennon."

Sue Bryan, the head of the music and video department at J&R Music in New York, also sees parallels with customer reaction to Lennon's murder in 1980. "The night it happened, we had a customer crying in the store," Bryan recalls. "It's a very emotional thing for a lot of people."

Newbury Comics' Mello says demand has been strong for all manner of Jackson product. "We cleared out some Jackson stuff that we thought we would never sell, like his old videos," Mello says. "Look at what's going on at eBay. Regular versions of Jackson's albums are going for $50 and $60, and these are titles that you couldn't have sold the day before his death for $3."

Amid all the ensuing hoopla, accounts tried to put Jackson's death in perspective. "Who else could die today and have this kind of impact in music?" one retail executive asks. "Dylan? I don't think so. Madonna, Sting or Bono would have some impact but not like this. Maybe Paul McCartney could have as much impact, But after that, if you think about it, who is left?"