The German BRAVO is the biggest teen magazine in Europe. Alex Gernandt of BRAVO magazine told German fan club Jam that Thriller 25 will be a topic in the BRAVO hip-hop special, on newsstands March 7, 2008.

The magazine will include a major story on Thriller 25 and also a large poster of Michael in the Thriller look.

Source: Alex Gernandt (BRAVO), JAM-FC, MJFC-USA

According to Global Track Chart, the official global hitlist compiled and provided by Media Traffic, Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller 25th Anniversary Edition’ debuts at the top of the Global Album Chart with sales of 381,000 copies.

Source: Global Track Chart

Fans in Germany can win a limited fan package including an iPod in Thriller 25 design and with a Michael Jackson signature. Worldwide only 300 of these treasures are available.

Option 1:

All you have to do is upload a video that you created and which is of course related to Michael Jackson. The competition ends on March 10, 2008.

For further details, click here.

Option 2:

Just answer an easy question at http://www.michaeljackson.de/ (click on “Gewinnspiel”). This competition is open to residents in Germany only. The question:” What’s the name of the legendary dance that Michael Jackson is known for?”

Source: www.michaeljackson.de, MJFC-USA

In Germany, Thriller 25 has been released in another format - the musicbon.

The musicbon is a new credit card sized format. When purchasing the item youl receive the cardsleeve (which looks like a regular CD cardsleeve), the card, and a 12 digits long individual code. With this code you are able to download the 16 tracks - without any further registration - to your computer from the Musicbon web site.

The tracks are savable and usable on all mp3-players. You can also burn the tracks legally on a disc and put it in the cardsleeve cover.

In Germany, musicbons are available at Saturn shops. They are sold in 2 price categories: €9.99 or €12.99.

Source: musicbon

In response to many inquiries we’ve received through MJJSHOP.COM from fans around the world: According to the SonyBMG headquarter, the ‘MJ T25 ‘Bad Tour’ Poster’ has not been commissioned and/or produced by SonyBMG.

Source: SonyBMG, MJJMAGAZINE.COM

By Paul Sexton, London

Michael Jackson’s augmented 25th anniversary reissue of “Thriller” (Legacy/Epic) enters in pole position on Billboard’s European Top 100 Albums chart.

The album makes one No. 1 start, in France, but also climbs 21-1 and 14-1 in the Belgian regions of Flanders and Wallony respectively. It’s in at No. 2 in Germany, Switzerland, Holland and Norway; No. 3 in the United Kingdom (on sales of 41,000), Portugal and Denmark; No. 4 in Spain; No. 5 in Austria and Ireland and No. 6 in Italy.

Source: Billboard

As we reported earlier, ‘Thriller 25th Anniversary Edition’ will be absent from Billboard’s Album Chart although its the second best selling album in the USA selling 166,000 units this week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Reason is that the album is considered a “catalogue’ album by Billboard. Therefore, T25 has been designated to the Top Pop Catalogue chart instead of the Billboard 200 because it is not considered a new release.

Geoff Mayfield, Billboard’s Sr. Director of Charts, says there was much debate between Sony-BMG and Billboard over the listing but in the end Billboard would not change its policy for T25.

“Sony-BMG stated a strong case and we did consider it. I took to heart their comments and then I took it to retail. The response I got overwhelmingly is that it is a catalogue album and belongs on the catalogue chart.

It is being worked in Sony through Legacy which is their catalogue division. The core of the album is a 25 year old recording. The addition of new material doesn’t make it different.”

Over the years, hundreds, if not thousands of albums have been reissued with additional material just like ‘Thriller’.

“U2’s recent ‘The Joshua Tree’ reissue and Beck’s ‘Odelay’ fall into the same category,” he states. “In fact, Beck’s album has new tracks just like ‘Thriller’ and it did not qualify.”

Other albums such as The Who’s ‘Live At Leeds’ and Wings ‘Band On The Run’ were reissued like ‘Thriller’ with extra tracks.

“I wasn’t interested in what Sony-BMG thought,” Geoff said. “We always rethink our rules. We did so in November. Sometimes there is a change, sometimes there is not. To change the rules for ‘Thriller’ would have signalled a change for all other albums moving forward.”

So why is the reissue of ‘Thriller’ different to the reissue of ‘Traveling Wilburys’ which did qualify for the chart?

“Wilburys was the entire Wilburys output in one package,” he says. “It was never done before. If ‘Thriller’ and ‘Off The Wall’ were combined into one package then that would qualify and would have been charted”.

Source: Undercover, MJFC-USA

Global response to the release of Thriller 25, the newly expanded deluxe 25th anniversary edition of Michael Jackson’s Thriller, the world’s top-selling album of all-time, reached a fever pitch across the world today, as first-week sales numbers poured in. The Thriller 25th Anniversary release is America’s #2 Top-Selling Album this week, more than a quarter century after the album’s original release. Already shaping up as one of the hottest albums of 2008, Thriller 25 has rocketed into the Top 5 (or better) in a variety of territories across the planet following its worldwide release.

Outside of the US, the new edition of Michael Jackson’s classic collection has hit #1 in France; #1 in Belgium; #2 in Germany; #2 in Australia; #2 in the Netherlands; #2 in Norway (Thriller’s highest position ever in that country); #2 in Sweden; #2 in Switzerland; #3 in the UK; #3 in Denmark; #3 in New Zealand; #4 in Spain; #5 in Austria; #5 in Ireland; #6 in the Czech Republic; and #6 in Italy.

Thanks to all of you, the fans, for your support of Michael, and of this very special release.

Source: www.michaeljackson.com

The EPK video for Thriller25 is now available on Sony BMG’s Musicbox video network.

Watch it, rate it and leave comments here.

Source: www.michaeljackson.com

Watch Quincy Jones talk about “Beat It” along with interviews with Rick James, Little Richard, Chuck D and more only on Vh1classic.com.

Source: www.michaeljackson.com