Hello:
As with so many times before, Michael Jackson’s artistry and genius is again at center stage.
The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of promotion for Michael’s new album, XSCAPE – starting with the premiere of the album’s first single “Love Never Felt So Good” on the iHeart Music Awards, and continuing to the performance on the Billboard Awards Sunday night. These performances were the highlights of both shows and netted Michael the #1 album on the planet, the #1 spot on iTunes and Spotify and the #1 single/video on iTunes!
Michael’s music is also part of two worldwide advertising campaigns – Sony Mobile using “Slave To The Rhythm” and Jeep using “Love Never Felt So Good.” This is an incredible testament to the King of Pop! Our goal is to reach as many people as possible and to expand the community to include as many new fans as possible. Given all that has happened in these last few weeks, that goal has been accomplished. Everyone around the world is talking about Michael’s music and his achievements!
Our other goal is to use new and innovative ways to create entertainment on a grand scale that allows the world to experience Michael’s magic – something that reflects Michael’s love of spectacle and grandeur and his own desire to be a step ahead of others. The best entertainment is that which evokes “suspended disbelief”; it’s about entertainment, not reality. When David Copperfield makes an airplane disappear, the illusion is no less compelling because it is not real. No one will ever replace Michael Jackson, the King of Pop. And certainly no one can dance like the greatest entertainer who ever lived – not even an illusion. Michael’s music and spirit are immortal, and that has been proven again these last few weeks. In bringing Michael’s spirit to the stage, the entire world was reminded of Michael’s genius as a singer, a dancer, and an innovator who pushed the envelope.
We want to thank the MJ fan community for their continued support for Michael and wanted to take this opportunity to share some of the things that we are seeing and reading. The incredible visibility over the last few weeks as the world has celebrated the release of XSCAPE is amazing. We hope the fans are as thrilled as we are to see all of this promotion call attention to Michael’s music. Here are some of the highlights of the reaction to the Billboard performance. You will soon see the reaction to the first week sales of XSCAPE.
Good Morning America described the “history making spectacle” like this: “The technology wowed the audience…it was a bit of Michael magic…well done, indeed.”
Jackie Jackson said “It was like he was right here with us. I got teary eyed to see my brother up there. I thought he was there for real.”
Ludacris chimed in: “It sent chills down my spine.” Watch here: http://gma.yahoo.com/video/michael-jackson-takes-center-stage-123231754.html
This is what Twitter looked like when Michael Jackson segment aired on the Billboard Music Awards: https://vine.co/v/MH1WehPAzFn
This was the biggest audience that the Billboard Music Awards has enjoyed in 13 years. ABC, the network that carried the broadcast, won the night for most viewers. The highest viewership occurred between 9-10 p.m. – when Michael’s segment occurred.
http://www.billboard.com/articles/events/bbma-2014/6092128/tv-ratings-billboard-music-awards-abc?utm_source=twitter
LA Times says “Michael Jackson Thrills In Hologram Performance”: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-billboard-music-awards-20140519-story.html
E! Online thought it was “Incredible”: http://www.eonline.com/news/542973/michael-jackson-s-hologram-takes-the-2014-billboard-music-awards-stage-see-the-pic?cmpid=tweol-manual
Euro Weekly News says “Jackson Thrills At Music Awards”: https://www.euroweeklynews.com/news/world-news/item/120630-michael-jackson-thrills-at-billboard-music-awards
German report describes the illusion like a “mirror of the real thing:” http://www.rtl.de/cms/news/rtl-aktuell.html
Robin Roberts of Good Morning America Tweeted:
Diddy loved the experience:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/michael-jackson-hologram-performance-why-it-almost-didnt-happen-at-billboard-music-awards/
Fox News: “He stole the show”
Mark Cuban, owner of Dallas Mavericks instagrammed: He’s Baaaccck!
And from fans:
And all of this is in addition to the fact that Xscape is #1 in 50 countries; “Slave To The Rhythm” shot from #311 to #39 on the iTunes charts, and the album is currently #1 worldwide on Spotify as well.
Here is just a small taste of the worldwide press:
Xscape is #1: http://teleobs.nouvelobs.com/actualites/20140519.OBS7681/le-nouvel-album-de-michael-jackson-n-1-des-ventes-sur-itunes-france.html
Xscape debuts #1: http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/michael-jacksons-posthumous-album-xscape-set-to-debut-at-number-1-3011/
http://www.elremix.com/2014/05/michael-jackson-primer-1-postumo-en-el-reino-unido.html
India gives Xscape The Bombay Flip Project Treatment: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/michael-jacksons-love-never-felt-705543
Xscape in Italy: http://www.sorrisi.com/2014/05/15/michael-jackson-xscape/
Xscape in Macedonia: http://www.antenna5.com.mk/Charts/TopListi.aspx?mp2=9&lm=4&vt=f&mp=1
Belgium: http://www.lalibre.be/culture/musique/michael-jackson-eternel-revenant-536ce5f03570102383c31d66 http://nl.ptg.be/statics/michael_jackson_Xscape
http://www.skynet.be/muziek/nieuws/artikel/44141/win-xscape-van-michael-jackson-een-sony-xperia-m2-of-een-authentieke-platinum-award
http://focus.levif.be/culture/musique/michael-jackson-presque-ressuscite-a-la-gare-bruxelles-midi/article-normal-14169.html http://www.rtbf.be/classic21/article_un-labyrinthe-surprise-a-bruxelles?id=8264391
http://blog.lesoir.be/frontstage/2014/05/09/remportez-votre-exemplaire-de-xscape-le-nouveau-michael-jackson/
http://www.7sur7.be/7s7/fr/3844/Belgique/video/detail/1881845/Xscape-fait-revivre-le-roi-de-la-pop.dhtml http://www.cinetelerevue.be/fr/rencontrez-michael-jackson-le-10-mai-a-bruxelles.html?cmp_id=7&news_id=27676
Switzerland: http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/kultur/pop-und-jazz/Jackson-wuerde-nicht-so-klingen/story/16816726
Netherlands: http://www.3fm.nl/nieuws/detail/358822/Michael-Jacksons-Xscape-nu-te-beluisteren http://www.nrc.nl/muziek/2014/05/09/xscape-het-nieuwe-album-van-michael-jackson-is-nu-te-beluisteren/
http://www.jackson-source.com/news/1559-dutch-fans-michael-jackson-kritisch-over-xscape http://www.radio6.nl/nieuws/detail/2787/Win-deze-week-Xscape%3B-het-nieuwe-album-van-Michael-Jackson
http://www.radio6.nl/nieuws/detail/2765/nieuwe-track-michael-jackson
http://www.parool.nl/parool/nl/23/MUZIEK/article/detail/3651739/2014/05/08/Fans-Michael-Jackson-kritisch-over-Xscape.dhtml
http://nl.tilllate.com/nl/news/michael-jackson-album-mit-acht-neuen-songs-erscheint-am-13-mai
http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/5602/Muziek/article/detail/3651739/2014/05/08/Fans-Michael-Jackson-kritisch-over-Xscape.dhtml
The press was delighted with Usher’s performance to “Love Never Felt So Good” at the iHeartMusic Awards at the beginning of the month:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/iheartradio-music-awards-top-6-3486308
http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6077181/iheartradio-music-awards-michael-jackson-love-never-felt-so-good-usher
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/01/new-michael-jackson-song_n_5250500.html
http://www.justjared.com/2014/05/01/michael-jacksons-new-song-gets-premiere-at-iheartradio-music-awards-2014-video/
The Jeep Commercial featuring “Love Never Felt So Good” is set to be the song of the summer:
“This is a unique collaboration with Epic Records and L.A. Reid, and the USA Basketball Team — together we are creating a new definition of summer,” said Olivier Francois, Chief Marketing Officer, Chrysler Group LLC. “‘Love Never Felt So Good’ makes you want to dance, to move, to play, to get up off the couch…” – See more at: http://madamenoire.com/429656/jeeps-jackson-michael-jacksons-new-music-1-50-countries-new-car-campaign/#sthash.NdO9cm7D.dpuf
“Jeep Ads Bop To Michael Jackson Track”: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2014/05/11/michael-jackson-jeep/8969697/
“Michael Jackson Unreleased Song in Jeep Ads”: http://money.cnn.com/2014/05/08/autos/michael-jackson-jeep/
SiriusXM debuted an all-Michael Jackson channel: http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20140512-910108.html
And of course, you are all familiar with the worldwide campaign with Sony Mobile that launched promotions for the album:
http://www.phonesreview.co.uk/2014/05/08/sony-xperia-z2-india-launch-includes-free-michael-jackson-album/
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1405/S00156/auckland-michael-jackson-tribute-event-before-xscape-release.htm
http://gulfbusiness.com/2014/05/sony-xperia-z2-launches-uae-saudi/
http://www.t-online.de/unterhaltung/musik/id_69286134/-xscape-von-michael-jackson-bei-der-telekom-vorab-hoeren.html
And, then there have been, of course, the incredible events produced by you, the fan clubs. Those celebrations have been invaluable, and we love seeing reports, photos, videos, and updates from those activities.
Let’s continue to celebrate Michael’s music.
MJOnline
The Official Online Team of The Michael Jackson Estate™
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Updated Note from the Estate distributed by the Official MJ Online Team
May 21, 2014, 5:33pm PDT:
Hi MJ Fam:
The Estate has asked us to send you the following note:
"By now, we know that many of you have seen all
of the charts around the world. We are so proud of the way that the MJ
fan community has rallied to support Michael and his legacy by buying Xscape. The
events that you organized were outstanding, and the posts, tweets,
Instagrams, blogs, and other messages encouraging friends and family to
buy, along with your purchases of multiple copies of the album were
instrumental in selling as many units as we did. While we were
disappointed that the record fell just short of claiming Michael's 7th
#1 on the Billboard chart, the
album is number one in many territories and is the #1 album in overall
worldwide sales, a feat we are extremely proud of. It's a new world out
there, and the fact that Xscape remains #1 on Spotify and Rhapsody and that the "Love Never Felt So Good" video is #1 on iTunes and in the Top 20 at YouTube cannot
be ignored. The world has rallied again behind Michael's music, and we,
as a community, should be proud of the album's performance this week. We’re only just getting started!"
Best,
MJOnline
The Official Online Team of The Michael Jackson Estate™
The Official Online Team of The Michael Jackson Estate™
