Michael Jackson manages to defy Drake’s chart domination as two of his songs — “Billie Jean” and “Chicago” — climb while more than a dozen others fall. NEW YORK, NY – CIRCA 1984: Michael Jackson performing circa 1984 in New York City. (Photo by Robin Platzer/Images/Getty Images)
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It’s a tough week for every artist on the Billboard charts not named Drake. The rapper recently released three albums, Iceman, Habibti and Maid of Honour, and dozens of songs featured on those full-lengths become hits across a variety of tallies. The hip-hop superstar breaks several records thanks to his surge of new music, and those cuts that don’t have his moniker attached that manage to hold on drop from where they sat last week, with only a very small number of hits either keeping steady, or, in the case of Michael Jackson, rising.
The King of Pop – whom Drake references on the Iceman cover artwork, which features only a studded glove – sees not one, but two singles beat the odds. They not only rise on one of the Billboard’s two worldwide tallies, but establish new peaks.
Michael Jackson Pushes Two Singles to New Peaks
15 tunes by Jackson appear on this week’s Billboard Global Excl. U.S., which ranks the most popular songs all around the planet, except for the United States. Sales and streams from every other nation determine where a composition lands, while the Billboard Global 200, a companion roster, does take into account what Americans are listening to.
Jackson nearly conquers the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. for the first time, but he stops just short from doing so. “Billie Jean” dances from No. 3 to No. 2, blocked from the summit by “Swim” from South Korean boy band BTS.
At the same time, Jackson’s “Chicago” also establishes a new high. That cut, which sat at No. 100 only a few days ago, advances 14 spaces and settles at No. 86.
“Billie Jean” and “Chicago” Both Climb
While both “Billie Jean” and “Chicago” climb to new peak positions on the current edition of the Billboard Global Excl. U.S., they do so after significantly different stretches of time on the tally. “Billie Jean” has lived on the ranking for 132 weeks. That’s longer than all of the superstar’s 16 other hits combined.
“Chicago” debuted on the roster earlier in May, along with many other songs by the powerhouse entertainer during a surge inspired by the release of his biopic, Michael. As of this period, “Chicago” has only made space on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. three times.
Michael Jackson’s Other 13 Hit Songs Fall
As both “Billie Jean” and “Chicago” push to exciting peaks, Jackson’s 13 other tracks that can be found on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. fall from where they sat last week. Some, like “Beat It,” only dip one space, as that track slips from No. 5 – its all-time high – to No. 6. Others decline by a dozen or more slots.
Here is where all of Michael Jackson’s songs rank on this week’s Billboard Global Excl. U.S.
- No. 2 – “Billie Jean”
- No. 6 – “Beat It”
- No. 18 – “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough”
- No. 20 – “Human Nature”
- No. 40 – “Smooth Criminal”
- No. 50 – “Bad”
- No. 59 – “Thriller”
- No. 61 – “Dirty Diana”
- No. 62 – “They Don’t Care About Us”
- No. 86 – “Chicago”
- No. 93 – “The Way You Make Me Feel”
- No. 105 – “You Rock My World”
- No. 125 – “Rock With You”
- No. 154 – “I Want You Back” with The Jackson 5
- No. 175 – “Man in the Mirror”
Drake Debuts 22 Songs at Once
Drake debuts 22 tunes on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. this week. His highest-ranking arrival is “Janice STFU,” which launches at No. 5. He claims half of the entire top 10 – a relatively rare showing – as “National Treasures,” “Ran to Atlanta” with Future and Molly Santana, “Whisper My Name” and “Make Them Cry” open at Nos. 7, 8, 9 and 10, respectively. The rapper now claims 11 appearances between Nos. 1 and 10, and he has sent 125 total songs to the roster throughout his career.
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