Michael Jackson tops global streaming charts 17 years after death
Nearly two decades after his death, Michael Jackson has returned to the top of the global music streaming charts following the release of the biographical film “Michael”.
According to data analytics platform Kworb, Jackson secured the No 1 position in the Global Digital Artiste Ranking for May 2026. The ranking measures artistes based on cumulative streaming performance across major digital platforms.
The renewed success comes after the release of “Michael” on April 24, 2026. Since the film’s debut, several of Jackson’s classic songs, including “Beat It”, “Billie Jean”, “Bad”, and “Thriller”, have seen a sharp rise in streams worldwide.
As reported by Hindustan Times, Jackson earned 11,157 points in the latest rankings. He is nearly 5,000 points ahead of Justin Bieber, who holds the second spot. K-pop group BTS is ranked third with 4,397 points.
The report also stated that Jackson currently leads on Apple Music, iTunes, YouTube, Shazam and Deezer, while narrowly trailing Bieber on Spotify.Artistes such as Bad Bunny and Taylor Swift are also featured in the top five rankings.
Industry observers believe the resurgence has been driven by nostalgia as well as growing interest from younger listeners discovering Jackson’s music for the first time.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan, “Michael” stars Jaafar Jackson in the lead role. The film has reportedly earned $423 million worldwide and continues to perform strongly at the global box office.
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