Michael Jackson Hits A Decade On The Albums Chart — Again

Most legacy musical acts are lucky to keep one album on the Billboard charts at a time, and typically, it’s a compilation packed with enough singles to keep fans happy and streaming. Michael Jackson is one of the rare stars whose catalog is so popular that multiple collections often live on the same rankings at the same time, sometimes for months or even years.

This week is particularly special for Jackson’s music on the Billboard 200, as one of his most popular releases hits a major milestone.

The Essential Michael Jackson Reaches a Decade

The Essential Michael Jackson has become a go-to for countless fans of the late superstar in the United States. It’s the title most listeners turn to on streaming platforms when they want to hear his biggest singles, and that continued attention keeps the title on the ranking week after week.

This frame, the compilation reaches 520 weeks on Billboard’s list of the most- consumed albums in America. That means it has spent exactly a decade as one of the most popular releases in the largest music market in the world.

The Essential Michael Jackson Joins Thriller

Jackson has now seen two titles spend at least a decade on the Billboard 200. The Essential Michael Jackson joins Thriller, which is still going strong to this day. That bestseller is up to 682 frames on the roster, and continues to rank as one of the most successful proper albums of all time.

Streams Vs. Sales for Michael Jackson

Continued streaming activity is largely to thank for The Essential Michael Jackson’s nonstop success. Last week in America, the title moved 12,600 equivalent units, according to Luminate. Fewer than 800 of those were actual purchases, while the songs featured on the compilation’s tracklist accrued well over 10 million plays.

The Essential Michael Jackson on the Billboard Charts

As it dips from No. 90 to No. 94 on the Billboard 200, The Essential Michael Jackson remains unmoved on both the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top R&B Albums charts. On those tallies, the compilation keeps at Nos. 23 and 10, respectively.