Michael Jackson was more than a superstar, he was world culture. But that brilliant career would end in tragedy, and the events leading up to his demise would reveal the darker side of Hollywood. The This Is It tour was sold as Jackson’s final comeback tour in 2009, it became a nightmare of pressure and greed for a $400 million payday that would take his life.
A Comeback Worth $400 Million: The Beginning of the End
Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” continues to be the biggest music documentary ever made 🔥pic.twitter.com/Nfi70cBBQl
— JR (@jamster83) January 8, 2024
Michael Jackson’s This Is It tour was about to become the biggest show in the history of music. This included 50 sold out performances at London’s O2 Arena, with over a million tickets selling within two hours. The revenue was expected to exceed $400 million, and industry insiders were abuzz with unprecedented demand.
According to Billboard, Michael Jackson’s last tour sold 1+ Million in tickets in a 2 hour span in 2009. 50 sold-out shows. $400+ Million in revenue. It was going to be the biggest comeback in music history”, the promoters, AEG Live, did not want just London. Their Big Idea? A world tour and a Las Vegas residency that could take in as much as $1.5 billion.
The company’s CEO, Randy Phillips, revealed their ambitious plans, stating,
“We could have done 200 plus shows based on demand… Major stars like Coldplay, Akon, Black Eyed Peas, etc., want to support. We so underestimated the demand.”
Behind the Scenes of Michael Jackson’s This Is It
Michael Jackson – Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough (This Is It, 2009) pic.twitter.com/cOYGfrBIGF
— Moonlight’s Media ♡ Fan (@moonlightsmedia) August 21, 2023
Despite the staggering financial reward, Jackson, already a perfectionist, was driven past his physical and emotional breaking point. Rehearsals were brutal, with the performers spending long hours perfecting choreography, vocals and elaborate effects of the stage. By May 2009, Michael Jackson’s crew members said he was obviously struggling. “He was running on fumes,” said one person familiar with the campaign, capturing the strain that the punishing preparation was having on him.
Rather than scale back, the management urged Jackson to maintain the punishing schedule. The revenue was the only thing that mattered, and they paid little attention to the effect it was having on Jackson’s health.
Greed Overshadowing Warnings
Michael Jackson was murdered, he did not kill himself nor was it an accident. Dr. Murray was charged with manslaughter and went to jail, BUT the real truth has not been told yet. The people who killed #MJ are walking free with millions of dollars & nobody is trying to stop them. pic.twitter.com/CLwehcRx8p
— Keya Morgan (@KeyaMorgan) February 14, 2022
Michael Jackson was made to be in an impossible situation, due to the promoters’ unrelenting greed. Every card seemed stamped with the words, “You’re the only one,” exulting in overwhelming demand, unbothered about his well being. AEG Live had ambitions of raising ticket prices — double the average — and increasing the number of shows to cash in on Jackson’s worldwide popularity. But Jackson wasn’t a machine; he was a man weighed down by the pressures of his own mythic career.
A Tragic Collapse of Michael Jackson
I would love for us to stop spreading the false narrative that Michael Jackson bleached his skin because he didn’t want to be black. It has been proven multiple times that he had the skin condition universalis vitiligo, through not only multiple pictures of his melanin spots, but… pic.twitter.com/WVwDIgUdHT
— PIKL (@ATTACHNUDES) July 24, 2023
Just as the tour began, Jackson’s health quickly worsened, leading to his late and tragic death. His death exposed the exploitative nature of an industry in which profit was put ahead of the humanity of the artist. Instead of a triumphant comeback, the This Is It tour was an object lesson in the destructive power of unrestrained greed.
Remembering the King of Pop
Remembering The King of pop on this day 👑😢🕊️ fly high Michael we all love you and miss you so much every single day Rest in Peace My love ❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/VwqhGqKCvJ
— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐂 𝐌𝐉 (𝑲𝑶𝑷)👑 (@Mj_kingg) July 7, 2024
Jackson’s status as the King of Pop is beyond doubt, but the circumstances of his last days offer a cautionary tale. His artistry, passion, and influence were unmatched, but even legends have limited bandwidth. Behind the moonwalks and the chart-topping hits, Jackson was a man driven to the brink by an industry that cared more about his money-making potential than his well-being.
While his death ended an era, it also revealed a need for a kinder, gentler entertainment business — one that remembers to take care of the people in it, rather than use them up until there’s nothing left.
Michael Jackson was more than a superstar, he was world culture. But that brilliant career would end in tragedy, and the events leading up to his demise would reveal the darker side of Hollywood. The This Is It tour was sold as Jackson’s final comeback tour in 2009, it became a nightmare of pressure and greed for a $400 million payday that would take his life.
