Est. 1998
The release of the biopic “Michael” sparked the biggest catalog revival ever seen for a legacy artist, but the film alone doesn’t explain all the success. While it introduced Michael’s music to millions of new listeners, the sustained success that followed showed that audiences weren’t simply watching the movie, they were embracing the music itself, going viral across social media.
In the United States, Michael climbed to No. 2 on Billboard’s Artist 100, his highest position of 2026. He also became the first solo artist to score a new Billboard Hot 100 entry in six different decades, thanks to the chart debut of “Chicago.” During the same period, he placed six songs on the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously, Thriller re-entered the Billboard 200 top 10, and he set a new personal weekly streaming record in the U.S., surpassing 137 million on demand streams. Rather than fading after opening weekend, his catalog continued attracting listeners week after week.
The United Kingdom experienced an equally remarkable resurgence. The Essential Michael Jackson returned to No. 1 on the Official Albums Chart, more than two decades after its original release. “Billie Jean” climbed back into the Top 5, reaching No. 4 for its highest position since 1983, while “Beat It” and “Human Nature” also returned to the Top 10 (creating a new peak for “Human Nature”). Meanwhile, Michael: Songs From the Motion Picture reached No. 1 on the Official Soundtrack Albums Chart, highlighting renewed interest in both the film and Michael’s original recordings.
Streaming platforms told an even bigger story. On Spotify, Michael reached a career high of 113.1 million monthly listeners, making him the fourth most-listened-to artist in the world. At his peak, he ranked ahead of many of today’s biggest artists, including Taylor Swift, Drake, Ed Sheeran, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Ariana Grande, and Sabrina Carpenter. Even months later, he has remained above 100 million monthly listeners, demonstrating that the renewed interest extended well beyond the film’s theatrical release.
Digital sales mirrored that momentum. Worldwide iTunes charts were dominated by the King of Pop, with four albums simultaneously in the global Top 10 and eight albums in the Top 25. Michael: Songs From the Motion Picture peaked at No. 2 worldwide, while Thriller, Bad, Dangerous, HIStory, Off the Wall, Number Ones, and The Essential Michael Jackson all surged back up the rankings. Apple Music reflected a similar trend, with the soundtrack reaching No. 2 globally while multiple Michael albums charted simultaneously across its worldwide rankings.
Taken together, the performances across Billboard, the UK, Spotify, iTunes, and Apple Music show that this was about far more than a successful movie. The film provided the spark, but the enduring success has come from the strength of Michael’s catalog itself. New generations have discovered one of popular music’s greatest collections of songs, while longtime fans have returned in record numbers, proving once again that timeless music continues to resonate across generations.
