Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall, which changed the trajectory of his career and ensure his solo superstardom, climb to new peaks on several Billboard charts. VARIOUS, VARIOUS – JUNE 25: Michael Jackson performs at the 12th Annual MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on September 7, 1995. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
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Several weeks into a renaissance on the charts, many of Michael Jackson’s albums continue to perform extremely well. Titles like Thriller and compilations such as Number Ones and The Essential Michael Jackson remain major winners, but at this point, long after his namesake biopic Michael first debuted in movie theaters all around the world, almost none of his full-lengths are close to reaching new peaks. That is, except for one.
Off the Wall rises on nearly every tally where it carves out space this period and establishes a new high on several of them simultaneously.
Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall Rises to New Peaks
Off the Wall can be found on five rosters published by Billboard, and it steps up on all but one. Jackson’s fifth solo album surges from No. 9 to No. 7 on the Vinyl Albums tally and from No. 13 to No. 11 on the Top Album Sales list. Off the Wall has never reached those spaces before, and the decades-old project establishes exciting new highs four weeks into its time on the vinyl-only rundown, and 32 weeks into its tenure on Billboard‘s look at the bestselling EPs and full-lengths in the country.
Off the Wall Climbs on Several Billboard Charts
In addition to the aforementioned rankings, where Off the Wall sits higher than ever before, Jackson’s masterpiece also leaps up both the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and the Billboard 200. Last time around, Off the Wall sat at No. 32 on the genre-specific ranking and at No. 107 on the most competitive albums tally in the country, and now it appears at Nos. 29 and 93, respectively. Off the Wall has already conquered the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums list, but it stalled in third place on the Billboard 200, despite producing some of Jackson’s most memorable tunes like “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough” and “Rock With You,” among others.
Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall Only Slips on One Tally
Last week, Off the Wall launched on the Top R&B Albums chart, which is composed in almost exactly the same manner as the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums list, although only R&B music is eligible. The beloved studio effort opened at No. 15, and in its second frame, the set only dips one space, falling to No. 16. The arrival of Brown by Chris Brown at No. 3 pushes multiple R&B favorites down, including Off the Wall.
Thriller Continues to Sit at No. 1 on Multiple Lists
No other Jackson projects establish new peaks this week, although several hold at their most impressive positions. Thriller continues to rule the Vinyl Albums, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top R&B Albums charts. A compilation titled Number Ones is blocked from the summit on those two styles-focused rosters by Thriller, and it has yet to rule either of them. Number Ones also keeps at No. 6, its best showing, on the Billboard 200, while returning to No. 4, the loftiest rung it’s ever appeared in, on the Vinyl Albums register.
Michael Jackson Charts Eight Albums in America
Eight albums by Jackson make space on at least one Billboard chart this week, and most can be located on several tallies at the same time. That roundup includes Number Ones, The Essential Michael Jackson, Off the Wall, Dangerous, Bad, Michael: Songs From the Motion Picture soundtrack and Xscape, which returns to the Billboard 200 at No. 193.