Three titles by Michael Jackson — The Essential, Bad and Thriller — all appear on the U.K.’s Official Albums chart, making him one of the biggest acts this week. Elevated view of American R&B & Pop musician Michael Jackson (1958 – 2009) as he stands, arms outstretched, in the short film ‘Captain EO’ (directed by Francis Ford Coppola), Culver City, California, 1985. (Photo by Steve Slocomb/Getty Images).
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Most legacy musical acts, even those that count several major hits in their discographies, do not regularly appear on albums charts in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom. Those coveted spots are typically reserved for both the hottest stars in the music industry, as well as those singers and groups whose catalogs are so overstuffed with beloved singles that, once streaming became a factor in albums rankings, there was no way to keep them away.
Plays of sometimes a handful, sometimes dozens, of tunes by the same artist contribute to a greatest hits compilation remaining on tallies for years and sometimes decades. Michael Jackson regularly appears on the U.K.’s albums roster with one of a handful of compilations. Some weeks, several of those projects sit near one another, and this time around, Jackson claims one of the most-consumed albums in the nation as a blockbuster returns.
The Essential Leads Three Michael Jackson Albums
The late, great Jackson fills a trio of spots on the Official Albums chart, the 100-space rundown that looks at the most popular albums and EPs in the U.K. The tally is built using sales and streaming data, and the superstar succeeds when it comes to both metrics.
At present, Jackson claims a sole top 10 with The Essential, which dips two pegs to No. 9. At the same time, Bad climbs from No. 80 to No. 74. Jackson rounds out his three top performers with Thriller. That gargantuan title reenters the competitive roster at No. 85 after not finding space on the list at all last time around.
Michael Jackson’s Albums Include 10 U.K. No. 1 Titles
All three of his current successes — The Essential, Bad, and Thriller — have spent time at No. 1. Jackson claims a milestone 10 champions on the Official Albums chart, with both traditional LPs and multiple compilations represented.
LONDON – NOVEMBER 15: Singer Michael Jackson performs on stage during the 2006 World Music Awards at Earls Court on November 15, 2006 in London. (Photo by Dave Hogan/Getty Images)
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Here are all of Michael Jackson’s number ones on the Official Albums chart.
- Thriller
- 18 Greatest Hits with The Jackson 5
- Bad
- Dangerous
- HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I
- Blood on the Dance Floor
- Invincible
- Number Ones
- The Essential
- Xscape
Michael Jackson Rises on the U.K.’s Albums Chart
Both The Essential and Bad only take up space on two tallies across the Atlantic. In addition to the Official Albums chart, they both climb on the Official Albums Streaming list. The Essential returns to its all-time high of No. 3, while Bad improves from No. 81 to No. 72, though that’s a far cry from its No. 41 high.
Michael Jackson’s Thriller Surges on the Sales Lists
Thriller does not join The Essential and Bad on the Official Albums Streaming chart, though it does manage to find space on twice as many rankings as either of those sets. Thriller may not be a streaming smash, but it is a bestseller in the U.K. once again. This frame, the Grammy winner for Album of the Year appears on the Official Albums Sales (No. 58), Official Physical Albums (No. 61), and the Official Album Downloads rundowns (No. 72). In each case, Thriller shoots dozens of spaces north.
Michael Jackson Charts Five Albums on U.K. Rankings
Five full-lengths by Jackson chart in the U.K. this week, but only The Essential, Bad, and Thriller are present on the Official Albums list. Number Ones, another hugely popular compilation, rises on four sales rankings, beating Thriller in every instance, while also settling on the Official Vinyl Albums chart. Off the Wall rocks its way back onto the Official Album Downloads tally, where it breaks back in at No. 86.
Justin Bieber Beats Michael Jackson on the Albums Chart
Jackson claims the second-most appearances on the Official Albums chart at the moment, and he’s not alone in his sweep. Harry Styles, Oasis, Linkin Park, and Taylor Swift also score a trio of popular releases as well.
Only Justin Bieber, whose star is on the rise once more after his headlining set at Coachella, manages an even more impressive feat, as he owns four slots on the ranking.
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