Nearly two decades after his death, Michael Jackson is the biggest artist in the United States. The late superstar, who died in 2009, tops the Billboard Artist 100 chart for the first time, powered by the continued success of the Michael biopic and a massive resurgence across streaming, radio and sales.
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The Artist 100, which Billboard launched in 2014, ranks the top artists in the U.S. based on artists’ activity across streaming, radio airplay, album sales and track sales. The chart combines those metrics into a weekly multidimensional ranking of artist popularity.
Here’s a closer look at the numbers behind Jackson’s historic week.
Streaming Is Soaring
Jackson’s solo catalog generated 161.2 million chart-inclusive on-demand official U.S. streams during the May 8-14 tracking week, according to Luminate (up 6% week to week). That’s the third highest total of the week among all artists, after only Drake (248.6 million) and Morgan Wallen (201.4 million).
Radio Airplay Continues to Thrive
Jackson’s music has continued to thrive on radio, drawing a combined 93.4 million radio airplay audience impressions in the U.S. during the tracking week (up 2%). That’s the eighth-most among all artists, after Bruno Mars (197.1 million), Wallen (172.3 million), Taylor Swift (143.7 million), Olivia Dean (139.6 million), Ella Langley (129.5 million), Luke Combs (128.3 million) and Justin Bieber (98.3 million), all of whom are fueled by current releases.
Album Sales Are Spiking
Jackson’s solo catalog sold a combined 46,000 albums in the U.S. during the week (up 8%) — the second-highest total among all acts. Only CORTIS sold more (86,000), largely driven by its new EP GREENGREEN, which sold 81,000 alone.
Digital Song Sales Are Booming
Jackson’s songs sold 20,000 digital downloads combined during the tracking week, placing him narrowly behind Langley (also roughly 20,000) for the second highest total among all acts.
Together, those metrics make Jackson the biggest artist in the U.S. this week, a feat sparked by the major cultural and commercial impact of Michael. The film has become second-highest grossing film of the year and has reignited interest in Jackson’s catalog, which in turn has sent many of his songs and albums back onto Billboard’s charts.
On the latest Billboard Hot 100, Jackson places six songs — the most he’s ever charted simultaneously: “Billie Jean” (up 17-15), “Human Nature” (29-21), “Beat It” (32-29), “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” (42-36), “Dirty Diana” (No. 44 reentry) and “Rock With You” (No. 47 reentry). Five of those classics topped the chart between 1979 and 1988, while “Human Nature” hit the top 10 in 1983.
“Billie Jean” also rises to No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart for the first time, becoming the biggest song in the world this week.
Jackson additionally places six albums on the Billboard 200: Thriller (No. 5), Number Ones (No. 6), The Essential Michael Jackson (No. 83), Off the Wall (No. 93), Dangerous (No. 135) and Xscape (No. 192 reentry).
Jackson becomes the sixth artist to top the Artist 100 posthumously. He joins David Bowie, who led the week after his death in January 2016; Prince, who spent two weeks at No. 1 following his death the same year; XXXTentacion, who led twice following his death in 2018; Juice WRLD, who returned to No. 1 after he died in December 2019; and Pop Smoke, who was No. 1 in July 2020 after the posthumous release of Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon.
Notably, the Jacksons are also benefiting from the Michael resurgence, as the group reenters the latest Artist 100 at No. 98.
