Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” has returned to the top of the Billboard Global 200 more than four decades after its original release, fueled by renewed interest sparked by a new biographical film about the late pop icon.
The 1982 “Thriller” track has seen a sharp resurgence following the release of “Michael,” a big-budget biopic starring Jaafar Jackson as his uncle, chronicling Michael Jackson’s early career through the era of the “Bad” album. The film has remained a dominant force at the box office for several weeks since its debut.
“Billie Jean” climbed from No. 65 just three weeks ago before reaching No. 1, driven by more than 51 million global streams in a single week, according to music industry data. Its rise marks the longest journey to the top spot in the chart’s history, reaching No. 1 in its 144th week on the list.
The previous record was held by Djo’s “End of Beginning,” which reached No. 1 in its 94th week earlier this year after gaining momentum from renewed attention tied to “Stranger Things.”
When originally released, “Billie Jean” spent seven weeks atop the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and became one of Jackson’s signature hits.
The renewed interest in Jackson’s catalog has also boosted other songs from his career. “Beat It,” another standout from the “Thriller” album, has climbed into the top five on the Global 200 with 39.6 million weekly streams. The track originally spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 during its initial release.
Streaming data shows the broader impact of the biopic, with Michael Jackson’s catalog seeing a 95% jump in U.S. streams during the film’s opening weekend compared with the prior week, underscoring the renewed cultural attention surrounding his music.
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