When Michael, the biographical film about Michael Jackson’s life, hit theaters around the world, it did what biopics about iconic artists tend to do. It sent people back to the music. Jackson’s catalog has always had a persistent presence on the Billboard charts, but the wave of renewed interest that followed the film’s release has pushed several of his most beloved songs to places they have not been before, and in one case to a chart they have never appeared on at all.
This week, two of Jackson’s most recognizable singles are making noise across multiple Billboard tallies simultaneously, with both Beat It and Billie Jean reaching new personal bests and adding entries to rosters they have only recently joined.
Beat It makes its Billboard debut
The biggest chart story of the week belongs to Beat It, which has debuted on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales chart for the first time. The tally ranks the top-selling tracks across hip-hop, R&B and rap, and Beat It enters at number 12. The only thing keeping it from climbing higher is Billie Jean, which sits just one spot above it at number 11 after jumping from number 15. Jackson holds both positions back to back, making him one of only two acts currently occupying multiple slots on the chart.
The other act filling multiple spaces on that same tally is Eddie Dalton, an artificial intelligence-generated project, which claims four of the top ten spots including numbers 2, 5, 9 and 10.
Beyond its debut appearance, Beat It is also making moves across other charts this week. It returns to the R&B Digital Song Sales chart at number 10, matching its all-time high on that tally. On the Billboard Global 200 it climbs to number 127, a new peak in just its second appearance on the worldwide ranking. It also improves on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart, rising to number 111, which now stands as the song’s highest position on that tally as well.
Billie Jean extends its own run
While Beat It is generating the most first-time chart news this week, Billie Jean is quietly having a strong moment of its own. In addition to its movement on the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales chart, the Thriller era classic lands one position ahead of Beat It on the R&B Digital Song Sales ranking and returns to the R&B Streaming Songs chart at number 13.
Globally, Billie Jean pushes forward on both the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart, where it reaches number 64, and the Billboard Global 200, where it settles at number 65. Those positions do not represent all-time peaks for the song on those two international tallies, but the upward movement reflects the same wave of renewed interest that is lifting Beat It to new territory.
Jackson’s catalog keeps its footing
The chart activity surrounding individual songs is matched by continued movement from Jackson’s compilation releases. His Number Ones album climbs to a new high of number 21 on the Top Streaming Albums chart this week, reflecting sustained listener engagement with his broader catalog rather than just individual tracks.
Jackson and his Thriller album both appear on the Top Album Sales chart, though both titles are trending downward on that tally. The overall picture across all of these charts is one of a catalog that never fully disappears and, when given the right cultural moment, surges back with remarkable consistency. A major theatrical release turned out to be exactly that kind of moment, and the Billboard numbers this week are the clearest evidence yet of just how much it moved the needle.
