6 Michael Jackson’s Memorial Service – 2009
Estimated Number of Viewers: 500,000,000
On July 7, 2009, which marked 12 days after legendary pop star Michael Jackson passed away, a public memorial service was held in his honor at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. Jackson’s concert promoter, AEG Live, gave away 17,500 free service tickets to fans all over the world. Within 24 hours, more than 1.6 million people applied for the passes online.
In addition to the thousands in attendance, millions more watched from their own homes. The memorial also featured performances by Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, and others. Estimates suggest more than 500 millionfans watched.