BEIJING, Aug. 1 -- Michael Jackson's new album sold just 8,000 copies in its first week in the United States.

    

Pop star Michael Jackson leaves the Santa Barbara County Courthouse after being found not guilty on all ten counts of child molestation in Santa Maria, California, in this June 13, 2005 file photo. Jackson went to hospital suffering from dehydration and weight loss after jurors acquitted the singer of child molestation last month, his lawyer said on July 26, 2005.(Reuters photo/file)

The singer's sixth greatest hits album, The Essential Michael Jackson, limped into the charts at number 128 as fans appeared to snub the star.

    The figures will come as a huge blow to the one-time King of Pop, who had hoped to make a comeback after being acquitted of child sex abuse last month.

    The Jackson album was beaten by the likes of 1970s star Carly Simon, whose new CD Moonlight Serenade entered the chart at number seven, and the Dukes of Hazzard soundtrack.

    A spokeswoman for Nielsen Soundscan, which monitors US record sales, said: "Michael Jackson is quite a way down there. Carly Simon sold 50,000 albums more than him.

    Singer Guy Penrod even sold 11,000 copies of his new record.

    Jackson, 46, has sold more than 300 million albums since he first hit the charts as a child with the Jackson 5. His new album was launched by Sony BMG last week.

    The two-disc set includes songs spanning his entire career, from 1970's I Want You Back to 2001's You Rock My World.

(Source: CRIENGLISH.com)