Michael Jackson “King of Pop” Song Requests Soar Nearly 600% at Weddings and Parties since Death on June 25th
DJ Intelligence® is the service used by thousands of DJs worldwide to accept online song requests for their upcoming weddings and parties. Over 3 million song requests are submitted each year through this interactive system. DJ Intelligence® aggregates this data to generate unique statistics on the most widely requested songs at these events, including those requests for the King of Pop.
“The day Michael Jackson passed away we immediately noticed a spike in the number of requests for his songs,” said Scott Kartsounes, CEO of DJ Intelligence® parent company Intelligence, Inc. and former DJ. “It was incredible how many people immediately jumped online to alter the request lists for their upcoming weddings & parties, making sure the King of Pop would be memorialized and honored at their events.”
Since the King of Pop died on June 25th, there have been over 3,400 requests for his songs, up a nearly 600% weekly average from the 12 months preceding Jackson’s passing. “We were shocked to see such a significant and immediate jump,” Mr. Kartsounes continued, “But then again, the King of Pop never did cease to amaze anybody. This is yet another true testament to his legacy.”
Michael Jackson is no stranger to weddings and parties. Even before his death, Jackson continually dominated DJ Intelligence’s dynamically generated “Top 200 Most Requested Songs” chart with 5 of his hits, appearing more times on the global Top 200 than any other artist. Hit songs include Billie Jean (ranked #17), Thriller (ranked #42), Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough (ranked #55), Beat It (ranked #118), and P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) (ranked #160).
Not surprisingly, the King of Pop also dominates DJ Intelligence’s “Top 100 Most Requested Songs of the 1980s” chart, again appearing more times on this Top 100 than any other artist. Hits include Billie Jean (ranked #6), Thriller (ranked #11), Beat It (ranked #27), P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) (ranked #37), The Way You Make Me Feel (ranked #49), Rock With You (ranked #58), Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (ranked #66), and Smooth Criminal (ranked #94).
“Back when I was a DJ, Michael Jackson was always my ‘ace in the hole.’ Any time the dance floor looked a little bare I always knew I could put on one of his hits and quickly pack the floor. There was something magical about his songs that captivated guests, young and old…you just couldn’t help tapping your foot to the beat,” Mr. Kartsounes added. There is no question that Michael Jackson has shaped the playlists of disc jockeys around the world and will continue to do so well into the future. It's virtually a given that at any wedding or party you attend you'll hear at least one song from the King of Pop...probably more.
