Michael Jackson fans Karen Marcemy, left, and her cousin David Vilo from Paris pose for for photographs outside the Lyric Theatre in London, which is showing the musical Thriller on Friday. (Matt Dunham/Associated Press)

Shortly after news of Michael Jackson's death broke, sales of the pop legend's records and other memorabilia began going through the roof.

Jackson's albums accounted for nine of the top 10 albums sold on Amazon.ca on Friday. Jackson also claimed the top five spots on online retailer iTunes' bestseller list.

Jackson's debut album, Off the Wall, 1982's Thriller, and two compilation albums — The Essential Michael Jackson and Number Ones — featured prominently on both lists.

After the pop icon's death was announced Thursday, Amazon.com sold out within minutes all CDs by Jackson and the Jackson 5, said Bill Carr, Amazon's vice-president of music and video.

Sixty per cent of Amazon's total CD orders Thursday were for Michael Jackson music, he said.

And Barnes and Noble said that its website and brick-and mortar stores are currently sold out of most Jackson CDs, DVDs and books.

Both companies say they are working to get the products back in stock.

A sundry list of Jackson memorabilia appeared for sale on online auction site eBay, with several high-priced bids being placed on a number of items.

Memorabilia also hot sales

A poster of Jackson autographed by both the singer and his legendary producer Quincy Jones produced a highest bid of $1000.01 US. The minimum bid on a signed fedora stood at $4,995. And Friday's edition of the New York Times, featuring a report of Jackson's death on the front cover, received a top bid of $46.05.

Meanwhile, outside the Los Angeles hospital where Jackson died, entrepreneurs sold $10 T-shirts emblazoned with Jackson's silhouette and the words: "In loving memory of Michael Jackson."

Jackson died Thursday afternoon after apparently going into cardiac arrest at his Los Angeles home. He was 50.

He was said to be about $400 million in debt, and was set to begin a tour in London, England, that was billed as comeback of sorts.