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"The Largest Selling Artist of the 1980's Award"

Date confirmed in “Associated Press” (archived) (“Tuesday [February 20, 1990]”); award name confirmed on award’s front engraving

Michael Jackson, speech transcript

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. I’m sure it won’t surprise you that I’m gonna make this one short again, but I have to say, however, that no album sells itself. It’s up to the people out there to buy it, and so, I not only want to thank CBS Records and Epic Records, but I especially want to thank everyone everywhere who helped make this award what it is, first a possibility, and now a reality. Thank you, Quincy Jones, thank you, Dave Glew, thank you, Bruce Swedien, John Branca, Mother and Joseph, Walter Yetnikoff and Hank Caldwell. And all of the children of the world. I love you. Goodbye.

Unknown newspaper/magazine snippet

Michael Jackson sold more albums in the Eighties then any other artist, and the reclusive superstar even turned up at a Los Angeles party to celebrate his success. The party was thrown by his record company CBS to honor his topping the 100 million record sales--over 110 million.

Record industry heavyweights were present at the bash, which was held in the grand ballroom of the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

The president of CBS, Tommy Mottola, and Walter Yetnikoff of Epic Records presented the singer with his special award--a statue of Michael from his film "Moonwalker" in front of a solid gold record inscribed with the words "100 million".

...But missing from the guest list was jazz arranger Quincy Jones, who worked with Michael for 12 years and collaborated on both "Off the Wall" and "Thriller.

“Associated Press” (February 21, 1990) (archived)

CBS Records honored singer Michael Jackson as the label's biggest money-maker of the 1980s, when fans bought more than 110 million of his records. "I have to say now, no album , sells itself," the 31-year-old singer said at a Tuesday news conference. "It is up to the people to buy it." In a typically truncated speech, the gloved one thanked "all the children of the world," several record industry executives and his parents. Jackson's output in the decade included the era's two largest-selling albums, "Bad" and "Thriller." Tommy Mottolo, president of CBS Records, said, "If I stood here 10 years ago and told you any artist would accomplish what Michael Jackson accomplished, you would probably have laughed me off the stage." "Thriller" was the first album to generate seven Top 10 singles, including the title cut and "Beat It."