Michael Jackson’s ‘Chicago’ Matches ‘Thriller’ on Global Chart

Michael Jackson’s posthumously released song “Chicago” continues to gain momentum on Billboard’s global rankings, fueled by renewed interest in the singer’s catalog following the success of the biographical film Michael. The track, originally featured on the 2014 album Xscape, has now reached a major milestone by matching one of Jackson’s most iconic songs on a key worldwide chart.

This week, “Chicago” climbed from No. 19 to a new peak of No. 18 on the Billboard Global 200, which measures worldwide song consumption through streaming and sales activity. The achievement places the track alongside “Thriller” as Jackson’s fifth-highest-charting song on the global ranking.

The resurgence of Jackson’s music began ahead of the theatrical release of Michael in mid-April. The film quickly became a box office success, driving renewed attention to the late artist’s extensive catalog. While many of Jackson’s most recognizable hits initially benefited from the renewed interest, “Chicago” has emerged as an unexpected standout despite never being promoted as a single during the Xscape album campaign.

The song’s recent chart performance is particularly notable because it only began appearing on several Billboard rankings in 2026. As its popularity has continued to grow, “Chicago” has established itself among Jackson’s strongest-performing songs on modern global charts that were introduced years after his death.

Jackson’s highest peaks on the Billboard Global 200 have all occurred in 2026. Earlier this year, “Billie Jean” became his first No. 1 hit on the chart, which launched in 2020. “Beat It” reached No. 5 during the same period, while “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough” and “Human Nature” climbed to Nos. 11 and 12, respectively. Both songs remain slightly ahead of “Chicago” and “Thriller” on the all-time list of Jackson’s top-performing tracks on the chart.

The song is performing especially well in the United States, helping drive its worldwide success. On the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart, which excludes American sales and streaming activity, “Chicago” also reached a new high, improving from No. 35 to No. 32. On that ranking, it stands as Jackson’s sixth-highest-charting song, behind “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough,” “Human Nature,” and “Smooth Criminal.”

“Chicago” is currently present on eight Billboard charts and achieved new peaks on five of them this week. In addition to its gains on the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S., the track rose to No. 7 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs chart, No. 9 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and No. 16 on Streaming Songs. It also maintained its previous best positions on the R&B Streaming Songs and Hot R&B Songs charts, where it remains at Nos. 2 and 4, respectively.

The continued rise of “Chicago” highlights the enduring appeal of Jackson’s music and demonstrates how renewed interest from a new generation of listeners can elevate even lesser-known tracks to major chart success years after their original release.