Michael Jackson keeps himself from collecting a new No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart as Thriller blocks Number Ones from dominating. AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – NOVEMBER 10: Michael Jackson performs on stage during is “HIStory” world tour concert at Ericsson Stadium November 10, 1996 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
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More than 40 years after its release, Michael Jackson’s Thriller sits at No. 1 on multiple Billboard charts. The project climbs from second place to first on three of the half dozen tallies on which it appears, and it nearly conquers a fourth. On just one of those rundowns, the ascent of Thriller keeps Jackson from scoring a new champion with another one of his most popular collections.
Michael Jackson Sits at Nos. 1 and 2
This week, Jackson fills the highest two spaces on the Top R&B Albums chart. The ranking focuses on the most-consumed – not bestselling or most-streamed – full-lengths and EPs that Billboard classifies as R&B. Both purchases and activity on platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music dictate where a title lands. As Thriller returns to the summit, Jackson’s Number Ones compilation improves from No. 3 to No. 2.
Number Ones Returns to Its All-Time High
Number Ones finds its way back to its all-time high on the Top R&B Albums chart as it nearly leads the charge. The compilation, which features many of the singer’s most popular singles, reached No. 2 for the first time only a few months ago, in February. On the chart dated on Valentine’s Day, Number Ones lifted higher than ever and almost became yet another ruler. Number Ones joined The Essential Michael Jackson, another compilation, as his only two projects to stall in the runner-up slot on the Top R&B Albums list.
Michael Jackson Has Scored Two R&B Leaders
Jackson claims a pair of No. 1s on the Top R&B Albums chart. He first topped the tally in May 2014 – notably half a decade after his passing – when Xscape launched at the summit. That set would go on to spend four frames at No. 1.
Thriller, meanwhile, needed nearly a decade before it doubled his count of winners. The blockbuster first appeared on the Top R&B Albums chart in February 2017, and amazingly, it didn’t rise to the penthouse until less than a month ago, on the ranking dated May 16, 2026. Over 400 weeks into its time on the R&B list, Thriller finally soared as high as a project can climb. Since then, Thriller has led the way three times, including this period.
Nine Michael Jackson Albums Have Charted on the R&B List
Since first hitting the Top R&B Albums chart with Xscape in May 2014, nine of Jackson’s releases have made it to the tally. Seven of them have broken into the top 10. In addition to the aforementioned No. 1s and No. 2s, Scream and Michael: Songs From the Motion Picture (Soundtrack) both topped out at No. 7, and Dangerous reached No. 10 for a short while as well.
Thriller Rules Three Rankings This Week
At the moment, Thriller rules not only the Top R&B Albums chart, but also the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Vinyl Albums rankings. In each case, it steps up just one spot. Thriller also takes up space within the top 10 on the Billboard 200 (No. 5), as well as both the Top Album Sales (No. 2) and Top Streaming Albums rundowns (No. 7).
Number Ones lands inside the uppermost region on half a dozen rosters as well – the same ones as Thriller. It only sits in second place on the Top R&B Albums chart, but it comes close to the summit on the Vinyl Albums and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums registers, where it settles at No. 3. The collection can also be found in sixth place on the Top Album Sales and Top Streaming Albums charts, as well as on the Billboard 200.
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