18 of Michael Jackson’s biggest hits appear on the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts, and 11 reach new peaks on both of them. PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 31: Michael Jackson performs at the Super Bowl XXVII Halftime show at the Rose Bowl on January 31, 1993 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage)
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Michael Jackson’s namesake biopic Michael was released to theaters in the United States just over a month ago, and it has remained a box office smash ever since. Audiences are still pouring in to see the singer-songwriter’s nephew Jaafar portray the King of Pop and to hear many of his most celebrated tunes.
Before Michael arrived in cinemas, Jackson’s music began to climb on the Billboard charts, and amazingly, that ascent has largely continued in the weeks since. Several of the superstar’s albums have started to decline, but many of the singles that remain favorites decades after their release not only surge on Billboard‘s global rankings, they establish new peaks.
Michael Jackson Sends 11 Songs to New Peaks
11 tunes by Jackson, including one credited to the Jackson 5, soar to never-before-seen highs on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. simultaneously. The first ranking details the most popular songs all around the planet, using both sales and streaming data. The Billboard Global Excl. U.S. is almost identical, except no purchases nor plays on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music and others from American consumers are included in its ranking.
The highest-rising of Jackson’s cuts that establish new peaks on the two tallies at the same time is “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough,” which misses out on becoming yet another top 10 smash by just one space. “Human Nature” trails by only one or two pegs, depending on the list.
Here are all 11 of Jackson’s songs that establish new peak positions on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. this week.
“Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough”
Billboard Global 200 – No. 11
Billboard Global Excl. U.S. – No. 11
“Human Nature”
Billboard Global 200 – No. 12
Billboard Global Excl. U.S. – No. 13
“Smooth Criminal”
Billboard Global 200 – No. 25
Billboard Global Excl. U.S. – No. 26
“Bad”
Billboard Global 200 – No. 37
Billboard Global Excl. U.S. – No. 36
“Dirty Diana”
Billboard Global 200 – No. 34
Billboard Global Excl. U.S. – No. 43
“They Don’t Care About Us”
Billboard Global 200 – No. 57
Billboard Global Excl. U.S. – No. 40
“The Way You Make Me Feel”
Billboard Global 200 – No. 56
Billboard Global Excl. U.S. – No. 64
“You Rock My World”
Billboard Global 200 – No. 62
Billboard Global Excl. U.S. – No. 78
“Chicago”
Billboard Global 200 – No. 61
Billboard Global Excl. U.S. – No. 100
“I Want You Back”
Billboard Global 200 – No. 107
Billboard Global Excl. U.S. – No. 118
“Man In The Mirror”
Billboard Global 200 – No. 108
Billboard Global Excl. U.S. – No. 139
“Billie Jean” Becomes the Biggest Song in the World
Another four smashes by Jackson reach previously unknown positions on only the Billboard Global 200. That roundup includes “Billie Jean,” which rockets from No. 3 to No. 1. Amazingly, more than a decade after his passing, and more than 40 years since “Billie Jean” was pressed as a single, it becomes the biggest song in the world.
“Beat It” ascends from No. 7 to No. 5, “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)” is up 10 spaces to No. 97, while “Remember the Time” improves just two rungs and settles at No. 104.
“Thriller” Climbs to a New All-Time High
Only “Thriller” manages a new peak on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S., but not the Billboard Global 200. Last frame, the creepy cut sat at No. 46 on the nearly worldwide tally, and now it sits just beneath the top 40, landing at No. 41.
“Billie Jean” and “Beat It” Hold at Their Peaks
A handful of Jackson classics do not improve to new peaks, but instead remain at their all-time highs on just one tally. “Billie Jean” and “Beat It” are comfortable at Nos. 3 and 5, respectively, on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. Those slots are as high as those smashes have ever risen. “Rock With You,” which slips on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S., keeps at No. 60, the most impressive space it’s seen so far.
Michael Jackson Charts 18 Smashes in Total
18 tracks by Jackson live on the global charts this week, and shockingly, only one fails to either push to a new peak or remain in its all-time peak on at least one of them. “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” declines on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S., sliding to Nos. 117 and 151, respectively.