No Surprise: MJ Tops Music Charts

Like the rest of the world, I pulled out my Michael Jackson CDs today... been playing the double-disc "Essential Michael Jackson" all day... "Thriller" tracks, "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," "Bad," "Ben," Farewell My Summer Love." I remarked to Ayhan, "Just watch the charts next week."

Sure enough, according to AP, Michael Jackson's death has led to skyrocketing sales of his music and videos, with major retailers like Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble selling out of products that have regained immense popularity overnight.

Amazon VP Bill Carr said the Web site sold out within minutes all CDs by Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5; 60% of Amazon's CD orders Thursday were for Michael Jackson music, which Carr called "stunning. (I've) never seen anything like this" before after the death of a pop culture icon. As of Friday afternoon, Jackson's albums accounted for all 10 of Amazon's "Bestsellers in Music" list, with the 25th anniversary edition of "Thriller" album taking the top spot.

Barnes and Noble's Web site and retail stores are sold out of most Jackson CDs, DVDs and books, Chief Merchandising Officer Jaime Carey said. Like Amazon, its 10 bestselling CDs were Jackson titles.

Not in the story, for some reason, is the iTunes singles chart, where 11 of the top 20 are MJ tracks, led by "Man In the Mirror" at No. 2, behind that ghastly Black Eyed Peas track "I Gotta Feeling."