Michael Jackson tops album chart

Michael Jackson has topped the album chart and made six new entries in the singles top 40, six years after his last number one, as fan rushed to buy material following his death.

Michael Jackson tops album chart

Michael Jackson has topped the album chart and made six new entries in the singles top 40, six years after his last number one, as fan rushed to buy material following his death.

His Number Ones album, that features his biggest hits, raced up the charts from 121 to reach number one.

The same album earned Jackson his last number one hit when it was released in 2003.

Four of his other albums also made a reappearance in the top 20.

Eleven Michael Jackson or Jackson Five albums are in this week's Top 200 and 43 out of the Top 200 singles feature the singer.

Thriller, still the biggest selling album of all time, surged from 179 to seven, King of Pop reached 14, Off The Wall got to 17 and The Essential Michael Jackson came in at number 20.

Retailers said that although demand for Jackson's singles had been overwhelming, his extensive back catalogue meant no one song stood out in sales and he was narrowly denied an entry in the singles top 10.

Man in the Mirror re-entered at number 11, nearly 20 years after its original release and Jackson hits accounted for all but one of the new entries in the top 40 singles.

Billie Jean got to 25, Smooth Criminal to 28, Beat It reached 30 and Earth Song reached 38.

Jackson's chart return overshadowed newcomer La Roux's surge straight into the number one spot in the singles chart with Bulletproof.

Michael Jackson: reactions around the world: India

(Image ©AP Photo/ Biswaranjan Rout)

A sand sculpture made by Sudarshan Pattnaik of Michael Jackson, replete with a guitar and his trademark fedora hat, is pictured at the golden sea beach in Puri, India. The sculpture formed a focal point for fans in the town, who laid floral tributes next to it.

Michael Jackson: reactions around the world: Glastonbury

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Entrepreneurs at the Glastonbury Festival in Pilton, Somerset, attempted to cash in immediately by selling t-shirts relating to Michael Jackson’s death.

Michael Jackson: reactions around the world: London

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A Michael Jackson fan lays flowers outside the Lyric Theatre in London, which is showing the Michael Jackson musical Thriller.

Michael Jackson: reactions around the world: New York

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New Yorker’s Eleanor Lewis and Ralph Evans dance to a Michael Jackson song as fans pay tribute to the pop superstar outside the Apollo Theatre in Harlem.

Michael Jackson: reactions around the world: Hollywood, Los Angeles

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Michael Jackson fans sit amongst flowers and candles on Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.

Michael Jackson: reactions around the world: UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles

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Fans outside the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles hold up a sea of single gloved hands in an impromptu celebration of the life of Michael Jackson after the singer was pronounced dead at the facility on June 25 2009.

Michael Jackson: reactions around the world: Jackson family home

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Mourners gather outside the gates of the Jackson family home in Encino, California.

Michael Jackson: reactions around the world: Macedonia

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Fans of the late pop star Michael Jackson, with his pictures printed on their shirts, light candles and pay tribute in Christian Orthodox church St. Petka in Macedonia's capital Skopje, on Saturday, June, 27.

Michael Jackson: reactions around the world: India

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Fans of Michael Jackson in Bangalore, India, hold candles and his photographs to pay their tribute to the 'King of Pop'.

Michael Jackson: reactions around the world

Music fans from all over the world have mourned the sudden death of pop superstar Michael Jackson. The iconic singer, known universally as the King of Pop, was pronounced dead at the Ronald Reagan UCLA medical centre in Los Angeles on June 25 after falling ill at his Holmby Hills home.
From the man in Colombia who was named after the King of Pop, to Malaysians who named a soya drink for him, to a generation of people around the world who have tried to moonwalk, the news of Jackson’s death stunned the world.
Celebrities also paid tribute to Jackson. Sir Paul McCartney said of Michael Jackson's death: "It's so sad and shocking. He was a massively talented man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever and my memories of our time together will be happy ones."
Madonna said: "The world has lost one of its greats but his music will live on forever."
Michael Jackson’s death was felt most acutely by his legions of fans around the world. Grief for the star crossed all borders, races and creeds.

Michael Jackson: reactions around the world: Philippines prison

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An inmate at the island province of Cebu in central Philippines impersonates the late Michael Jackson as he leads in the music icon's 'Thriller'. More than 1,500 inmates previously became a YouTube sensation - with over 23 million hits - after they performed Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'.

Michael Jackson: reactions around the world: Buenos Aires

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Michael Jackson fans attend a vigil in Buenos Aires on Friday, June 26.

Nanny tells of Jackson drug illness

Nanny tells of Jackson drug illness

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Michael Jackson had his stomach pumped "many times" having taken a mixture of prescription drugs, his children's nanny has said.

Grace Rwaramba, 42, said the singer had no idea about money and - towards the end of his life - was increasingly influenced by the Nation of Islam sect.

She told the Sunday Times: "I had to pump his stomach many times. He always mixed so much of it."

She said: "There was one period that was so bad that I didn't let the children see him. He always ate too little and mixed too much."

Mrs Rwaramba said Jackson had told her he thought he had only signed up to perform 10 concerts at London's O2 Arena, rather than the 50 announced by promoters.

She said the Nation of Islam had told Jackson it cost £60,000 a month to rent his home, which she believes was up to four times too much. She added: "Michael had no idea about money."

Meanwhile, a statement released by the singer's family described his death as "one of the darkest moments of our lives".

Part of the statement, attributed by the People Magazine in the US to the singer's father Joseph Jackson, read: "In one of the darkest moments of our lives we find it hard to find the words appropriate to this sudden tragedy we all had to encounter.

The family is understood to have requested a second independent post-mortem examination on Jackson's body, a coroners officer said on Saturday night. The first official examination was completed on Friday and the body released to the family.

Brian Elias, of the county coroner's office, said: "My understanding is that they have requested a second autopsy. But we have no way of confirming that. The body is in a mortuary and if they want to proceed with a separate autopsy, it is up to them."

King of pop Michael Jackson is dead

King of pop Michael Jackson is dead

Music fans across the world are paying tribute to Michael Jackson who has died, aged 50.

He was taken to the UCLA medical centre where he was pronounced dead at 2.26pm Pacific time (10.26pm BST).
It brings to an end a life which saw a child star turn into a global pop icon and arguably the most famous man in the world.

Grieving Jackson fans post messages

Michael Jackson's legions of fans have flooded websites to express their grief at the reported death of their hero.

Grieving Jackson fans post messages

Michael Jackson's legions of fans have flooded websites to express their grief at the reported death of their hero.

ElToroDiablo posted on gossip website TMZ.com: "God bless you Michael, heaven just got another beautiful angel."

Kimbers wrote: "What a sad day. I hope Michael Jackson finds the peace that eluded him in life."

Another fan, Sineen, wrote on website MJSite.com: "I never thought that one day would come and i'll have to write this down, Michael Jackson is no longer with us. May your warm soul rest in peace. I'll always love you Michael. Keep the faith!"

Rulintheroost posted on political website The Huffington Post: "RIP Michael. Your music was a joy to many people around the world."

Meanwhile, Matt Blank from the Michael Jackson World Network fanclub told BBC News 24 he was "a bit dumfounded and a bit shellshocked by it all".

He added: "I find it hard to believe this could be a reality.

"In the past, health issues of Michael Jackson have always been rumoured. I can only imagine this is down to the amount of stress he was under to come out and perform."

He added: "It's just unimaginable that Michael Jackson is no more, it's just unbelievable."

Michael Jackson: reactions around the world: Seoul

(Image © AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Stunned fans in learn of Michael Jackson’s death at a newspaper distribution station in Seoul, South Korea.

Michael Jackson: reactions around the world: Moscow

(Image © AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel)

Portraits, a toy and floral tributes to Michael Jackson are fixed to a fence surrounding the US Embassy in Moscow, Russia.

Michael Jackson: reactions around the world: Manila

(Image © AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
Filipino vendors watch the news broadcast on the death of Michael Jackson at a used television shop in Manila, Philippines.