The iconic track surged from No. 65 just three weeks ago to claim the No. 1 spot on the latest global chart, fueled largely by renewed interest surrounding the upcoming Jackson biopic, Michael, which continues to attract audiences worldwide and recently dominated the box office during its fourth weekend in cinemas.
According to Billboard, “Billie Jean” recorded 51.5 million global streams between May 8 and May 14, alongside 3,000 digital sales worldwide. While sales dipped slightly, streaming numbers continued to rise, reflecting the song’s growing resurgence among both longtime fans and younger listeners discovering Jackson’s music for the first time.
The achievement marks another historic milestone for Jackson, who died in 2009. Despite his decades-long impact on global music culture, this is his first No. 1 appearance on the Billboard Global 200 chart since the ranking system was introduced in 2020.
Even more remarkable is the record-breaking journey to the summit. “Billie Jean” reached No. 1 in its 144th week on the chart, setting a new record for the longest climb to the top in Global 200 history. The previous record belonged to Djo’s End of Beginning, which topped the chart in its 94th week earlier this year following renewed attention from Netflix’s Stranger Things.
Originally released in 1982 as part of Jackson’s legendary album Thriller, “Billie Jean” remains one of the most influential songs ever recorded. The track famously spent seven weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983 and helped redefine pop music, music videos, and global entertainment culture.
The song now holds another distinction as the oldest recording ever to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200. Other classic songs to achieve similar success include Wham!’s Last Christmas, Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God), and Mariah Carey’s holiday classic All I Want for Christmas Is You, which still holds the record for the most weeks at No. 1 with 20.
Jackson’s resurgence did not stop there. Another “Thriller” classic, Beat It, also climbed into the Global 200 top five, rising from No. 7 to No. 5 after gaining nearly 40 million streams worldwide.
Elsewhere on the chart, BTS continued its dominance with Swim holding steady at No. 2 on the Global 200 while extending its reign atop the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart for a sixth consecutive week.
The song recorded 46.9 million streams outside the United States despite slight declines in both streaming and sales figures.
Also maintaining a strong chart presence was Tame Impala and JENNIE’s collaboration Dracula, which remained stable in the top five after previously peaking at No. 2.
Meanwhile, Justin Bieber’s Beauty and a Beat featuring Nicki Minaj continued to perform strongly globally after its recent chart-topping run. The renewed buzz around the song reportedly followed Bieber’s appearance at Coachella, where the track featured in his performance set earlier this month.
Music analysts say the resurgence of “Billie Jean” highlights the enduring commercial power of legacy artists in the streaming era, where viral moments, films, and social media trends can breathe new life into decades-old records.
More than 43 years after its release, the song’s return to the top of the charts reinforces Michael Jackson’s status as one of the most enduring and globally influential artists in music history.