\n\tHistorically speaking, Michael Jackson<\/a> storming the Billboard<\/em> charts is the least surprising thing in the world: Jackson spent virtually his entire career making Billboard<\/em> history with the astronomical success of his album, singles and tours. But few likely expected going into 2026, nearly 17 years since his 2009 passing, that he would once again be one of the most impactful pop stars on the Billboard Hot 100<\/a> and Billboard 200<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tExplore\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n \t\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n See latest videos, charts and news<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \n\tOn the former chart (dated May 16), Jackson notches four entries in the top 50 this week \u2014\u00a0led by \u201cBillie Jean\u201d at No. 17 \u2014 thanks to revived streaming interest in his catalog following the popularity of the box office-topping Michael<\/em> biopic. Meanwhile, he also notches two sets in the 200\u2019s top 10, with his game-changing Thriller<\/em> album ranking at No. 5 and his hits compilation Number Ones<\/em> at No. 6. <\/p>\n \n\tHow surprising is it to see MJ taking over the charts again? And who could be the next pop legend to receive such a catalog-boosting biopic? Billboard<\/em> staffers discuss these questions and more below. <\/p>\n \n\t1. Michael Jackson charts four songs on the Hot 100 this week, as well as two albums in the top 10 of the Billboard 200. On a scale from 1-10, how surprised are you at the chart presence he\u2019s having following the debut of the\u00a0Michael\u00a0<\/em>movie?<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tChristopher Claxton<\/strong>: I\u2019d say a 2; I\u2019m not surprised at all. Michael Jackson is called the King of Pop for a reason, and a big part of that is how timeless his music is. The songs are so infectious that it\u2019d honestly be hard to watch the movie, or even just the trailer and not immediately revisit the classics afterward.<\/p>\n \n\tAngel Diaz<\/strong>: A 1,\u00a0because\u00a0Michael Jackson\u00a0remains\u00a0a pop culture phenomenon, and\u00a0one of the most famous people on the planet.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0one of the\u00a0least\u00a0surprising things ever.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tLyndsey Havens<\/strong>: 3 \u2014 I\u2019m not terribly surprised. The movie provided an opportunity for two things: to bring MJ\u2019s hits-fits catalog top of mind\u00a0and\u00a0<\/em>give permission for it to be celebrated. And it accomplished both, which is what we\u2019re seeing on the charts this week.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tCarl Lamarre<\/strong>: A 3. Michael was universally beloved. From the moonwalk to\u00a0Thriller<\/em>, Michael\u2019s musical abilities were majestic and generational. That\u2019s why his continued success and longevity continue to rain down on pop culture. I mean, there are still Michael Jackson copycats running around Vegas. Fabio Jackson was just in Ye\u2019s \u201cFATHER\u201d video. From a cultural standpoint, the King of Pop never vacated his throne, even after his untimely demise 17 years ago.<\/p>\n \n\tAndrew Unterberger<\/strong>: I\u2019ll say a 6. I mean, now that we know that the movie is as big as it is it\u2019s certainly not as surprising \u2014 though the fact that his numbers are still growing two and a half weeks into the movie being out is pretty wow<\/em>. But if you had asked me before the movie\u2019s release if it was likely to have this kind of impact, I probably would\u2019ve bet against it. <\/p>\n \n\t2. What do you think is the bigger factor behind MJ\u2019s new streaming bump \u2014 old fans rediscovering his catalog, or new fans coming to his music for the first time?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tChristopher Claxton<\/strong>: The Michael movie definitely reminded longtime fans of what they\u2019d been missing, pushing many people back toward his catalog. But I think the biggest factor behind MJ\u2019s streaming surge is actually new fans discovering his music for the first time, more than older fans revisiting it.<\/p>\n \n\tAt this point, there are probably more potential new MJ listeners than older ones, simply because of how long ago his peak era was. According to Screen Engine and Comscore, 58% of opening-week moviegoers were under 35, with viewers ages 18\u201334 making up around 55% of the audience. A lot of younger people never grew up with these records in real time. Movies like this open the door to an entirely new world of music, introducing a new generation to the hits of the past.<\/p>\n \n\tAngel Diaz<\/strong>: I think\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0a mix of both. He still has\u00a0stans\u00a0out\u00a0there,\u00a0and\u00a0I think\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0as simple as\u00a0just folks\u00a0revisiting his music after getting hyped once they get home from the movies. Then\u00a0there\u2019s\u00a0the younger generation who get to tap in easier because of streaming and are\u00a0Christopher Columbusing\u00a0his catalog, so brace yourselves for social media deep dives about s\u2013t we know already.\u00a0I mean, these kids are trying to compare him to\u00a0various artists\u00a0in terms of popularity and talent.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tLyndsey Havens<\/strong>: Definitely older fans, but mostly because I can\u2019t imagine that this film would be an introduction for anyone. MJ\u2019s music is so seeped into music and cultural history that I guess I would think anybody who has stepped outside has encountered it to some degree.<\/p>\n \n\tCarl Lamarre<\/strong>: A combination of both. I went to the movies on Mother\u2019s Day to see\u00a0Michael<\/em>\u00a0with Mama Lamarre, and I must say, there were people of all ages in the theater vibing to MJ\u2019s classics. Nostalgia will always have a home for us Uncs and Aunties. As for the younger crowd, they love finding reasons to surf through the oldies. Michael\u2019s legacy is currently feeding everyone.<\/p>\n \n\tAndrew Unterberger<\/strong>: The longer the bump lasts, the more it feels like new audiences are coming into the fold. As crazy as it seems to imagine anyone not already being familiar with MJ\u2019s catalog, his death was nearly two decades ago, and the times his name has been in headlines in the years since haven\u2019t always been for positive reasons. Having this kind of heavy spotlight purely on his peak years and the timeless music from them is I\u2019m confident converting a lot of new fans. <\/p>\n 3. \u201cBillie Jean\u201d is currently the best-performing song of the revived bunch \u2014 does that make sense to you as his most actively revived hit, or do you think another song might eventually take it over?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tChristopher Claxton<\/strong>: I think \u201cBillie Jean\u201d being the best-performing song from his revived catalog makes perfect sense. It spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the\u00a0Billboard Hot 100\u00a0back in 1983 and is widely considered one of the greatest songs ever made. Right now, I feel like the only tracks that could really compete with it are \u201cBeat It\u201d or \u201cDon\u2019t Stop \u2019Til You Get Enough,\u201d all they\u2019d need is a viral dance challenge. But honestly, that\u2019s the thing with Michael Jackson\u2019s catalog: he has so many timeless hits that almost any song could take over again at any moment.<\/p>\n \n\tAngel Diaz<\/strong>: This is interesting because I have been seeing the famous clip of him doing to moonwalk for the first time during the Motown 25 show back in \u201883, so this explains it.\u00a0The kids are rediscovering things which\u00a0are\u00a0equal parts cool and\u00a0equal parts\u00a0annoying because they try to talk like they were there.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tLyndsey Havens<\/strong>: That one surprises me, as much as I love it. And without having seen the film, I\u2019m not sure in what context it plays, which could be contributing to it leading the way. But what surprises me most is that of the four songs that re-entered the chart, \u201cHuman Nature\u201d is the only one that never hit No. 1 (it peaked at No. 7) and yet, it\u2019s the one that\u2019s trailing \u201cBillie Jean\u201d as of now.<\/p>\n \n\tCarl Lamarre<\/strong>: Toss-up for me between \u201cBillie Jean\u201d and \u201cThriller.\u201d People are probably returning to \u201cBillie Jean\u201d mainly because of his legendary performance at Motown 25, where he birthed the moonwalk. Hate to play spoiler, but for those who saw the movie, that moment was special. I can see people running back to the song off that performance alone.<\/p>\n \n\tAndrew Unterberger<\/strong>: I might\u2019ve expected \u201cDon\u2019t Stop Til You Get Enough\u201d to be the song with the biggest bump, just from the showcase moment it got in the movie, where it\u2019s (understandably) presented as him just reaching a higher plane as a recording artist. But \u201cBillie Jean\u201d is \u201cBillie Jean,\u201d and often with these full-catalog artist bumps, it\u2019s the biggest song that benefits the most. <\/p>\n \n\t4. Two and a half weeks into the movie\u2019s release and MJ\u2019s songs are still climbing on streaming \u2014 how much longer can this last? Do you think the bump will die out in the next few weeks or could it possibly last into the summer?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tChristopher Claxton<\/strong>: Normally, I\u2019d say this kind of hype would fade over the next few weeks, but summer is right around the corner. When the weather gets warm, people naturally gravitate toward upbeat, feel-good music and songs they can dance to, and Michael Jackson\u2019s catalog embodies that energy perfectly. So while the tracks might not stay as high on the charts as they are right now, I don\u2019t see them falling off completely anytime soon.<\/p>\n \n\tAngel Diaz<\/strong>: I\u2019m going to expect this trend to last into the summer because there\u2019s people that aren\u2019t going to see it until it hits streaming, and once it hits streaming, it\u2019s going to hit the black market, and that\u2019s when everybody is\u00a0really going to see it, which then means everybody is going to revisit the catalogue\u00a0and that\u2019s when we\u2019re really going to start getting the hot takes. I already saw someone trying to say\u00a0Bad<\/em>\u00a0is\u00a0better than\u00a0Thriller<\/em>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tLyndsey Havens<\/strong>: I think it could last into summer, with the potential for more uptempo classics like \u201cBeat It\u201d (currently No. 32) to rise higher \u2014 especially once the film hits streamers.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tCarl Lamarre<\/strong>: I give it until mid-June. In the meantime, I love that the movie is giving people a reason to return to his discography while also serving as a welcome mat for newcomers. That\u2019s the beauty of music: bringing everyone together.<\/p>\n \n\tAndrew Unterberger<\/strong>: I think the bump might crest in the next week or two but I bet the songs hang around on (or at least near) the charts for at least another month or so. Hell, Coachella was three weeks ago now and Justin Bieber is still No. 1 on the Global 200<\/a>. Once these event-based bumps happen now \u2014\u00a0especially at this scale \u2014\u00a0they don\u2019t dissipate quickly. <\/p>\n 5. Who do you think could (or should) be the next musical legend to have their catalog exploded by a new feature biopic like this?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tChristopher Claxton<\/strong>: This is a tough question, but I\u2019d probably say Marvin Gaye. His impact on soul and Motown music is undeniable, and his influence still echoes through modern R&B today. Stevie Wonder is another strong choice. His influence stretches across pop, R&B, soul, funk, rock, jazz, and even reggae. Few artists have shaped as many genres as he has.<\/p>\n \n\tAngel Diaz<\/strong>: 2Pac and Biggie\u00a0deserve\u00a0better biopics and I hope they get one everyone will be happy with eventually, but\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0going left field with this one and say\u00a0the Queen of Grunge\u00a0Tina Bell\u00a0needs her story to be told and for her music to be more readily accessible.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tLyndsey Havens<\/strong>: Madonna! Never too late to revive that one. Let\u2019s also throw Stevie Nicks into the ring \u2014 who wouldn\u2019t love that?<\/p>\n \n\tCarl Lamarre<\/strong>: Snoop. Though one is reportedly already in the works, I\u2019m excited to see how it turns out. The younger generation knows Snoop for his various side quests and sometimes forgets about his Doggy Dogg magnificence on the mic. The same man cheffing with Martha Stewart was also a lethal MC holding down the entire West Coast through multiple eras. The Dogg needs his flowers.<\/p>\n\n
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