Michael Jackson Charts A New Hit, A Decade And A Half After His Death

Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” debuts at No. 23 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs chart, earning the late superstar a seventh career appearance on the list. AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 01: Photo of Michael JACKSON; Portrait of Michael Jackson, wearing hat and sunglasses (Photo by Bob King/Redferns)

Redferns

Michael Jackson’s catalog is filled with songs that have stood the test of time and which countless millions of people know every word to. Tunes like “I Want You Back,” “Beat It,” “Thriller” and “Man in the Mirror,” among so many others, are still counted among the most successful pop and R&B tunes of all time.

One Jackson classic is on the rise again in America. The decades-old cut even manages to reach one Billboard tally for the first time more than a decade after the singer’s passing.

“Billie Jean” Debuts as a Streaming Smash

“Billie Jean” launches on the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs chart this week. The tune opens at No. 23 on the 25-spot ranking, which looks only at the most successful cuts on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music and others, and that Billboard classifies specifically as R&B, hip-hop or rap throughout the United States.

Seven Career Hits for Michael Jackson

Throughout his lifetime, and in the years following, Jackson has reached the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs ranking with seven different tracks, now including “Billie Jean.” Only two of those tunes landed on the tally during Jackson’s lifetime, according to Billboard, though technically streaming music didn’t exist in the ’90s when both “They Don’t Care About Us” and “Why,” a collaboration with 3T, reached the roster.

“Thriller” Remains His Biggest Streaming Win

Jackson’s four other modern appearances on the tally have all brought him to the top 10. He’s climbed highest with “Thriller,” which peaked at No. 3 and has spent 12 frames on the roster, the most among all Jackson cuts.

The late talent has also cracked the top 10 posthumously with “Love Never Felt So Good” with Justin Timberlake, “Slave to the Rhythm” and “Don’t Matter to Me,” fronted by Drake, as those cuts climbed to Nos. 5, 6 and 8, respectively.

“Billie Jean” Also Returns to Another Roster

As “Billie Jean” opens on the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs roster, the track returns to one other U.S.-based Billboard list, the R&B Streaming Songs chart. Jackson’s tune reenters the list at No. 12.

The famous composition can also be found on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S., where “Billie Jean” climbs to Nos. 87 and 98, respectively, after sitting inside the lower half of both 200-spot rosters just days ago.

Thriller and “Billie Jean”

“Billie Jean” was promoted as the second official single from Jackson’s blockbuster album Thriller. The tune was pushed in early 1983, only a few months after Thriller arrived in full. “Billie Jean” followed “The Girl Is Mine” and preceded career-dominating smashes like “Beat It,” “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” and the title track.