Decades after it was released as a single, Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature” reaches the U.K.’s top 10 foe the first time, earning the star another smash. VARIOUS, VARIOUS – JUNE 25: Michael Jackson performs in concert circa 1986. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
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In the United Kingdom, the weekly music rankings are compiled and published by the Official Charts Company, which acts similarly to Billboard in the United States. There are several comparable rosters, though there are also quite a number of differences that separate the organizations and how they operate.
One notable distinction in the U.K. is that when it comes to the Official Singles chart, the 100-space rundown of the most popular and most-consumed songs in the nation, each artist is only allowed to fill three spaces at a time. Any act can circumnavigate that rule if they are credited as a featured star on a tune fronted by another musician or group, but typically, even the most popular names appear in just a trio of slots. Sometimes that means that tracks that would otherwise become smashes never appear, or they have to wait their turn.
Michael Jackson scores three wins on the Official Singles chart this time around, and he once again displays his incredible popularity by placing the trio of hits not just near one another, but inside the top 10.
Michael Jackson Scores a Trio of Top 10 Hits
Jackson’s three allotted spots are all within the highest tier on the Official Singles chart. “Billie Jean” dances from No. 4 to No. 3, “Beat It” ascends from No. 10 to No. 5, and “Human Nature” reenters the tally in sixth place.
Michael Jackson Earns Another Career Top 10 Smash
“Human Nature” was released in the summer of 1983 as the fifth single from Jackson’s blockbuster album Thriller. By that point, smashes “The Girl Is Mine,” “Billie Jean,” “Beat It” and “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” had already become global successes, and after “Human Nature” enjoyed its run, “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)” and the title track would also soar up songs rankings everywhere.
Somewhat surprisingly, “Human Nature” didn’t make it to the Official Singles chart until decades after it was chosen as a Thriller promotional cut. The tune launched on the busy ranking in the summer of 2009 following Jackson’s unexpected and tragic passing. The song opened at No. 90, climbed to No. 62 the following week, and then disappeared. As “Human Nature” breaks back onto the Official Singles chart at No. 6, it becomes Jackson’s forty-fifth top 10 smash on the list.
“Human Nature” Reaches the Top 10 for the First Time
“Human Nature” cracks the top 10 for the first time on two of the five U.K.-based rosters on which it appears this week. In addition to the Official Singles chart, the Thriller cut also soars into the uppermost register on the Official Streaming tally, bolting from No. 25 to No. 8. On that list, Jackson has accrued just four top 10 wins, and “Human Nature” enters the coveted space in only its third turn on the rundown.
“Human Nature” Hits New Highs Everywhere
“Human Nature” climbs to never-before-seen highs on each and every roster on which it can currently be found. In addition to the aforementioned Official Singles and Official Streaming charts, Jackson’s fan favorite ascends on the Official Singles Downloads and Official Singles Sales rankings, landing at Nos. 12 and 14, respectively.
“Human Nature” also finally conquers the Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles chart, which looks only at tunes that the Official Charts Company classifies under those genre labels. Last frame, it was stuck in second place behind “Raindance,” the long-running champion by Dave and Tems. Now, it’s become yet another leader for Jackson and one of multiple current top 10s by the King of Pop on the roster.