Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” tops Global 200

Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 dated May 23, 2026, more than 43 years after the song’s 1983 release. Billboard reported that the single rose two places to the top spot this week, extending a catalog-driven run that has pushed several older hits back into the global rankings in recent weeks. KTLA, citing Billboard data, reported the move came after renewed interest in Jackson’s catalog. Billboard said the chart ranks songs using streaming and sales data from more than 200 territories worldwide as tracked by Luminate. ### How unusual is it for a 1983 song to top this chart now? Billboard said “Billie Jean” is one of a small group of songs to reach No. 1 on the Global 200 at least a decade after release. In a separate list published this week, Billboard said only five songs have managed that feat since the chart launched in September 2020. The publication also said “Billie Jean” is the oldest song among those No. 1 titles by original release date. (billboard.com) Billboard reported that “Billie Jean” set the mark for the longest rise to the top, reaching No. 1 in its 144th week on the chart. That figure, published in Billboard’s chart coverage and echoed in syndicated pickups, gives the clearest measure of how long the song remained active on the tally before taking the top position. (billboard.com) ### What pushed “Billie Jean” back up the chart? Billboard said the song had climbed from No. 65 three weeks earlier before reaching No. 1 on the latest chart. Billboard attributed the surge to renewed attention around the biopic “Michael,” which it said continued to draw moviegoers during its fourth weekend of release. KHOU, citing the Associated Press, also reported that the biopic helped propel the track back to the top of Billboard’s global charts. (yahoo.com) KTLA reported that the renewed run reflected a broader resurgence in interest around Jackson’s catalog. Billboard’s chart methodology page says the Global 200 combines official subscription and ad-supported audio and video streams with download sales, which helps explain how a catalog song can move quickly when attention spikes across platforms and territories at once. (billboard.com) ### What exactly is the Billboard Global 200 measuring? Billboard says the Global 200 ranks the week’s most popular songs worldwide based on streaming and sales activity from more than 200 territories, including the United States. The chart uses a weighted formula that incorporates official-only streams on major audio and video services as well as download sales from major digital retailers, according to Billboard’s chart description. (ktla.com) That global structure matters here because “Billie Jean” did not need a new commercial release to compete. Billboard’s own chart coverage framed the song as “the biggest song in the world” for the week, a result driven by worldwide consumption rather than a single-country airplay gain. ### Which other older songs has Billboard grouped with it? (billboard.com) Billboard’s companion list said the most recent two Global 200 leaders were both catalog songs, with “Billie Jean” replacing Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj’s “Beauty and a Beat” at No. 1. Billboard also grouped Jackson’s single with a short list of older songs that have reached the summit long after release, underscoring how uncommon the run is on a chart that began less than six years ago. (billboard.com) Billboard’s May 23 chart pages and Chart Beat reports are the next reference points for how long the song stays at No. 1 and whether other Jackson tracks continue rising. The publication’s charts hub already lists the week of May 23, 2026, and its Global 200 pages carry the updated rankings and follow-up coverage. (billboard.com) (yahoo.com)