Nearly 13 years after its debut on Billboard’s R&B Digital Song Sales chart—and decades after its original release—Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” reaches No. 1. American pop star Michael Jackson (1958‑2009) performs onstage at Madison Square Garden during the ‘Bad Tour,’ New York, March 5, 1988. (Photo by Gary Gershoff/Getty Images)
For years, the singles from Michael Jackson’s landmark album Thriller have been celebrated as his biggest hits, top sellers, and most beloved tracks. While many fans gravitate toward the title song, ‘Billie Jean’ often stands out as the most iconic. Beyond being a chart staple, it has become a defining anthem of its era, regularly appearing on Billboard listings even during periods when Jackson’s newer releases are less prominent.
The recent surge in interest driven by the biopic Michael—which performed strongly at the box office—has propelled ‘Billie Jean’ to the forefront. It joins 15 other Jackson singles that regularly appear on U.S. charts. After dominating the Billboard Hot 100 for years, the track finally reaches No. 1 on this particular chart, having come close on several previous occasions without ever securing the top spot.
‘Billie Jean’ Claims the Top Spot on the R&B Digital Song Sales Chart
This marks the first time ‘Billie Jean’ has reached No. 1 on the R&B Digital Song Sales chart, which measures U.S. purchases of R&B tracks on services such as iTunes and Amazon. After 57 weeks on the list, the song advances from No. 2 to the top position.
Michael Jackson Secures a Third No. 1 on the R&B Digital Song Sales Chart
Jackson now boasts three No. 1 entries on the R&B Digital Song Sales chart. The first was ‘Thriller,’ which entered the chart in November 2012 and reached the top five years later. In summer 2018, he added a second chart‑topper with the posthumous Drake collaboration ‘Don’t Matter to Me,’ which debuted at No. 1 and remained there for just one week.
‘Billie Jean’ Logs Over a Year as a Top‑Selling R&B Track
‘Billie Jean’ ranks among Jackson’s most enduring entries on the R&B Digital Song Sales chart, second only to ‘Thriller,’ which has logged 88 chart weeks. The song first appeared on the chart in July 2013 and, after almost 13 years, has finally claimed the top spot as the best‑selling R&B track in the United States.
Michael Jackson Pushes Three Tracks to New Highs on the R&B Digital Song Sales Chart
This week, three of Jackson’s signature songs achieve new personal bests on the chart. With ‘Billie Jean’ occupying No. 1, ‘Beat It’ holds steady at No. 2—its highest position ever—while ‘Human Nature’ climbs to a fresh peak at No. 4.
Michael Jackson Occupies Seven of the Chart’s Ten Slots
The R&B Digital Song Sales chart contains ten positions, and Jackson currently claims seven of them. Besides ‘Billie Jean,’ ‘Beat It,’ and ‘Human Nature,’ the tracks ‘Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough,’ ‘Thriller,’ ‘Smooth Criminal,’ and ‘Bad’ sit at Nos. 7, 8, 9, and 10.
‘Billie Jean’ Comes Close to Leading Other Charts
While ‘Billie Jean’ tops the R&B Digital Song Sales chart, it also posts strong showings elsewhere. It falls just short of No. 1 on the R&B/Hip‑Hop Digital Song Sales chart, sitting at No. 2. The track holds its all‑time high of No. 2 on the R&B Streaming Songs chart and remains at No. 3 on the Hot R&B Songs tally.
