Michael Jackson is back in the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 as “Thriller” lifts to No. 10 following the 2025 Halloween season.
The posthumous milestone cements Jackson’s musical legacy: the 1982 classic amassed 14 million streams and a radio airplay audience of 9.3 million, according to Luminate. Rising from No. 32, (its highest peak was No. 4 in 1982) “Thriller” makes Jackson the first artist ever to achieve top 10 hits in six different decades: the 1970s, ’80s, ’90s, 2000s, ’10s and now the ’20s. In doing so, he surpasses Andy Williams, who, until his death in 2012, held top 10 placements across five decades.
This resurgence follows the release of the trailer for the Antoine Fuqua-directed biopic “Michael,” set for theaters on April 24, 2026. The film promises: “‘Michael’ explores the global superstar’s journey to becoming the King of Pop, offering an intimate look at the life and enduring legacy of one of the most influential and trailblazing artists the world has ever known.”
Jackson first entered the Hot 100 top 10 as a solo artist in November 1971 with “Got to Be There.” Over his career, he has amassed 30 top 10 hits, including 13 No. 1s. Until this week, his last top 10 appearance was posthumously as a feature on Drake’s “Don’t Matter to Me” in 2018.
Meanwhile, Taylor Swift continues her Billboard dominance, holding No. 1 with “The Fate of Ophelia” for a fifth consecutive week, while her album “The Life of a Showgirl” simultaneously maintains the Billboard 200 top spot for a fifth week.
The single drew 27.4 million official streams, 59.2 million radio airplay audience impressions, and 29,000 in sales. Swift continued to propel the track’s momentum with a “Loud Luxury” remix (released Nov. 6) and the “Alone in My Tower Acoustic Version” (released digitally Oct. 28; streaming availability Oct. 31).