Xscape is Jackson's second posthumous album. The first one titled "Michael" was released in 2010. It received mixed reviews from critics and did not do very well. However today the very definition of doing well is not the same as it was in the hey-day of Michael Jackson when it implied selling millions of CDs, says Russ Crupnick.
Russ Crupnick believes the demand for Jackson’s music will remain huge for years to come. The title track "Xscape" was recorded in 2001 for Jackson's Invincible album. The producers say they wanted to honor Jackson's legacy when naming the new album. The singer always chose a song from his new record to name his projects and always used one-word titles beginning with Thriller his breakthrough album of 1983. It's not unusual for more music to be released after an artist's death. And in Jackson's case it was almost inevitable says Russ Crupnick, senior vice president of Industry Analysis at NPD Group.
- I had the pleasure a couple of years ago, I was in Nashville and listened a speech from Michael Jackson’s manager just after he passed away. And what was really interesting was talking about the amount of content – the amount of songs, the amount of work, the amount of video that was in a vault.
- So, I don’t think it is unusual. People still have an appetite for things that the Beatles would put out or Elvis. From what I understand, the volume of what Michael Jackson has is just at an entirely different level.
- I think the real hardcore fans will go to Walmart and Target, and Best Buy and buy CDs. We’ll also have some people who will download a track or two, or maybe the entire album. And probably a lot of people, a lot of fans who will stream and add to their playlists things that didn’t exist in Michael Jackson’s final years or weren’t quite as popular.
- He is one of the worldwide sensations of the modern music industry. And you will still have millions, probably, tens of millions of fans for years to come.
