Key Takeaways
- Boosted by the hit biopic Michael, Michael Jackson now controls the top three spots on Billboard's R&B Streaming Songs chart, with “Billie Jean” at No. 1, “Chicago” at No. 2, and “Beat It” at No. 3.
- Posthumous track “Chicago” has become a surprise streaming smash in 2026, returning to its No. 2 peak, blocking Beyoncé’s “Morning Dew (Donk),” and helping Jackson extend his record of Hot 100 entries across every decade since the 1970s.
- The film’s success has reignited Jackson’s entire catalog, pushing albums like Off the Wall, Thriller, Bad, Number Ones, The Essential Michael Jackson, and Xscape up the charts and contributing to a reported 22% jump in Sony Music’s recorded music revenue.
Michael Jackson is officially competing against himself, even in death.
Weeks after the Michael biopic reignited interest in the King of Pop's catalog, the late superstar now occupies the top three spots on Billboard's R&B Streaming Songs chart. But in an unusual twist, it's Jackson's own classic "Billie Jean" that's preventing another one of his songs—2014's "Chicago"—from reaching No. 1.
According to Forbes, "Chicago" climbs from No. 4 back to its peak of No. 2 this week, swapping places with Beyoncé's "Morning Dew (Donk)." The song has now spent 13 weeks on the R&B Streaming Songs chart, but for the second time this summer, it has been denied the top spot by "Billie Jean," which extends its reign to a 12th consecutive week at No. 1.
"Chicago" wasn't one of Jackson's signature hits during his lifetime. Released posthumously on 2014's Xscape, the Timbaland- and J-Roc-produced track has found an entirely new audience in 2026 thanks to streaming and social media.
Earlier this summer, the song also cracked the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time, becoming Jackson's 52nd solo Hot 100 entry and making him the first artist to debut new Hot 100 entries in every decade since the 1970s.
Now, Jackson isn't just dominating the R&B Streaming Songs chart—he's monopolizing it.
Alongside "Billie Jean" at No. 1 and "Chicago" at No. 2, "Beat It" climbs back to No. 3, giving Jackson complete control of the chart's top three. "Human Nature" remains at No. 7, while "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" holds another spot in the Top 15, meaning Jackson occupies one-third of the entire chart by himself.
The resurgence is the latest ripple effect from Michael, the Antoine Fuqua-directed biopic starring Jaafar Jackson that has become one of the year's biggest entertainment stories. After opening atop the domestic box office, the film went on to surpass $1 billion globally, becoming Lionsgate's biggest hit ever and sparking renewed interest across Jackson's entire catalog.
That renewed attention has translated into record-breaking chart success. Off the Wall recently reached its 200th week on the Billboard 200, while Thriller, Bad, Number Ones, The Essential Michael Jackson, and Xscape have all enjoyed significant gains.
