The Michael Jackson Chart Watch

[Nite Line]

@Nite Line

It's weird because on my Spotify it still isn't in MJ's top 10 most streamed tracks. Heaven can wait still is nr 10 closing in on 20 million streams in a day or 2. So by that logic shouldn't that also be on the viral chart then?

I don’t know how Spotify works but is the top 10 about most overall streams or songs that are currently the most streamed?

 

[filmandmusic]

I don’t know how Spotify works but is the top 10 about most overall streams or songs that are currently the most streamed?

It is currently because the likes of thriller haven’t been in the top 10 the last 2 months. I think it updates weekly. The top 10 doesn’t change a lot, I think heaven can wait took over either thriller or remember the time’s top 10 spot in the last 2 months.

 

[filmandmusic]

I will post the current exact total of heaven can wait and Chicago here

For convenience sake I'll say it is Saturday 23 July (we're almost there), the total streams stand at 19 613 222.
Chicago is at 23 030 316
I will check again same time tomorrow.

 

[filmandmusic]

I will post the current exact total of heaven can wait and Chicago here

For convenience sake I'll say it is Saturday 23 July (we're almost there), the total streams stand at 19 613 222.
Chicago is at 23 030 316
I will check again same time tomorrow.

So naturally I forgot to check the numbers a day later.
I checked them now though 3 days later and Chicago is currently a top 10 MJ streamed track at nr 9. In 3 days it added about 1 020 000 stream to its total. Which means about 300 000 a day which seems in line with the earlier twitter post by @Nite Line

Heaven can wait dropped out of the top 10 and added about 260 000 streams in 3 days. It seems its resurgence is over. It will break the 20 million barrier in the next 3 days which is also a nice milestone.

 

[Nite Line]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1553908376924332033

 

[zinniabooklover]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1553908376924332033

Well, this is a nice way to start the day!

 

[filmandmusic]

Michael’s Chicago is now his 6th most streamed track per day. Breaking the top 5 should be hard as I haven’t seen a change here since halloween (thriller): billie jean, beat it, smooth criminal, don’t stop till you get enough, rock with you.

Either way it is doing better than heaven can wait in its peak

 

[staywild23]

Apple Music Pop Album Charts:

38 - Thriller
50 - Off the Wall
66 - The Essential Michael Jackson
72 - Invincible
74 - Xscape
83 - Bad
199 - Dangerous

Insane!

Billboard Top 200 -all genres

99 - The Essential Michael Jackson
100 - Thriller

 

[staywild23]

Just saw on Twitter that Michael now has 31 million monthly listeners on Spotify and that is roughly 5 million more than this time last year. Pretty awesome

 

[filmandmusic]

Just saw on Twitter that Michael now has 31 million monthly listeners on Spotify and that is roughly 5 million more than this time last year. Pretty awesome

yeah but I did listen a lot to MJ this month so the figure is a bit inflated

 

[staywild23]

yeah but I did listen a lot to MJ this month so the figure is a bit inflated

Unless I misunderstand this statistic, doesn't it mean individual monthly listeners? In which case even the most obsessed of us can only make so much of a difference!

 

[staywild23]

https://imgur.com/a/XyOslDl

Man, Chicago really HAS blown up!

 

[filmandmusic]

Unless I misunderstand this statistic, doesn't it mean individual monthly listeners? In which case even the most obsessed of us can only make so much of a difference!

Yes completely true. My own inflated number several dozens of songs only counts as one in this list.
I wish would be more statistics available!
For example how much streams each song has per day or how many people have loved a certain track etc

 

[Nite Line]

Top 10 most charted Michael's albums on the UK Top 100 Albums Charts:

1. Number Ones: 559 weeks. Still currently charting.
2. Thriller: 259 weeks. Last charted in August 2016.
3. Off The Wall: 225 weeks. Last charted in March 2016.
4. Bad: 180 weeks. Last charted in August 2015.
5. Dangerous: 102 weeks. Last charted in September 2009.
6. History: 95 weeks. Last charted in August 2009.
7. The Essential: 89 weeks. Last charted in March 2019.
8. 18 Greatest Hits: 55 weeks. Last charted in September 1984.
9. King of Pop: 39 weeks. Last charted in January 2012.
10. The Best Of: 31 weeks. Last charted in June 2014.

It's obvious looking at this list that Michael has too many greatest hits albums.

 

[staywild23]

Just checked some charts and thought I'd share my findings!!

Billboard Top 100 Artists
Michael is currently at #64, up from #81 last week

Billboard Top 200 Albums
#90 - Thriller
#91 - The Essential Michael Jackson

Billboard 25 Vinyl Charts
#11 - Thriller

Apple Music Pop Charts - Top 200 Albums
#35 - Thriller
#40 - Off the Wall
#70 - Invincible
#77 - The Essential Michael Jackson
#98 - Bad
#128 - Xscape

YouTube Subscribers
26 Million (he hit 25 Million earlier this summer, I believe, though I could be mistaken on that). In terms of numbers, this is higher than Beyonce, Harry Styles, and Lady Gaga, to name a few.

Also, I recently for the first time enjoyed browsing the numbers on ChartMasters.org and seeing just how ridiculously all of Michael's albums have sold. While obviously Thriller and Bad have sold the best, I didn't realize ALL of Michael's adult albums are in the top 500. I assumed Invincible wasn't, based on everything I've heard. So I was pretty impressed by that.

Here's the link for anyone interested!

#1 Thriller
#4 Bad
#21 Dangerous
#57 HIStory
#61 Off the Wall
#281 Jackson 5 - Diana Ross Presents
#473 Invincible

Also, can we take a minute to appreciate the fact that 5 of his 6 adult studio albums are in the top 100 albums of all time? I realize this may not be new information for most people here, but I still think we should all let that sink in.

Anyway, this was fun procrastination

 

[Nite Line]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1561469274027429888

This is really exciting. Hopefully sometime this year, Michael will have his first diamond singles certification in the US.

 

[zinniabooklover]

This is really exciting. Hopefully sometime this year, Michael will have his first diamond singles certification in the US.

It is exciting.

But. Ngl, I need a bit of help here. I don't really understand how any of this stuff works, lol. I just looked at the Top 15. You've got Katy Perry at no.10 with Roar. Lorde at no.11 with Royals. Meghan Trainor at no.12 with All About That Bass. All good songs. I love all of them. But they are already there and yet we're waiting for BJ to get there.

I realise it's all about digital numbers these days. I realise a lot of people already have BJ in one format or another. But I'm still confused. I don't even know what I'm expecting anyone to say to clear up my confusion!

@staywild23 - HELP! I'm getting into one of my classic muddles, lol.

 

[Nite Line]

It is exciting.

But. Ngl, I need a bit of help here. I don't really understand how any of this stuff works, lol. I just looked at the Top 15. You've got Katy Perry at no.10 with Roar. Lorde at no.11 with Royals. Meghan Trainor at no.12 with All About That Bass. All good songs. I love all of them. But they are already there and yet we're waiting for BJ to get there.

I realise it's all about digital numbers these days. I realise a lot of people already have BJ in one format or another. But I'm still confused. I don't even know what I'm expecting anyone to say to clear up my confusion!

@staywild23 - HELP! I'm getting into one of my classic muddles, lol.

Its different eras.

In Michael’s era, you had to go to record stores to buy physical copies of music albums and singles. Usually, the physical copies for singles produced by record labels were limited compared to physical copies produced for albums. As a result, if you liked a song from an album, you would usually have to buy the whole album.

However, after the rise of digital downloading with iTunes and now the rise of streaming, people don’t have to buy the whole album to listen to one song, that is why these modern artists have diamond certified singles compared to classic artists.

If songs like Billie Jean, Thriller, Beat It had been released in the last 15-20 years, they would already be diamond certified.

But if the Thriller album had been released in the last 15-20, it probably wouldn’t have sold as much.

 

[zinniabooklover]

Its different eras.

In Michael’s era,

This was my era, also. I'm the same age as Michael.

you had to go to record stores to buy physical copies of music albums and singles. Usually, the physical copies for singles produced by record labels were limited compared to physical copies produced for albums. As a result, if you liked a song from an album, you would usually have to buy the whole album.

Yes, I understand all of this. I was there, lol.

It wasn't even a case of liking a song and therefore having to buy the whole album. Lots of singles were released that were never included on an album. And even if the single *was* on an album, very often - at least for rock bands - the B side would be unique, as in, it wouldn't appear on the album. You got value for money, that's for sure.

However, after the rise of digital downloading with iTunes and now the rise of streaming, people don’t have to buy the whole album to listen to one song,

Yes, I understand all of this.

If songs like Billie Jean, Thriller, Beat It had been released in the last 15-20 years, they would already be diamond certified.

That makes sense. I'm beginning to see the light.

But if the Thriller album had been released in the last 15-20, it probably wouldn’t have sold as much.

That also makes sense.

Thank you so much for this. Those last two points make complete sense. I don't even know why I got so confused but, anyway, you have reset my brain, lol. It's all good.

 

[staywild23]

Thriller is now at #69 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart. This is a 21 spot jump in the last week!

Also, Michael is now at #46 on the Billboard Hot 100, which is an 18 spot jump. This means in the last 2 weeks, he's jumped almost 40 spots.

What a guy

 

[katara]

Thriller is currently #11 on amazon's best selling vinyl/cds chart. yesterday it was #10

on itunes pop chart in usa as of 8-25-22 michael is
29. essential michael jackson
52. thriller
102. number ones
104. off the wall
189. history.

as of today on the itunes pop chart he is
18. essential michael jackson
42. thriller
88. number ones
103. bad
145. off the wall

on the all catagories chart on itunes as of today he is
119. essential michael jackson

 

[katara]

I think thriller 40 is going to do well if thriller's current sales/streams are any prediction.

 

[katara]

Not sure if this thread includes spotify streams but i will include them for his studio albums here and the sale equivalent because he has gained alot.

ben
74,972,336 - 79,897
got to be there
133,398,654 - 142,160
music and me
14,161,826 - 15,092
forever michael
27,661,548 - 29,478
off the wall
900,790,561 - 959,956
thriller (25)
3,107,001,902 - 3,311,074
bad 25
1,952,398,090 - 2,080,634
dangerous
791,296,646 - 843,270
HIStory (disc 2 only)
594,698,802 - 633,759
blood on the dancefloor
594,698,802 - 633,759
invincible
223,211,208 - 237,872
michael
144,158,329 - 153,627
xscape
633,643,657 - 675,262
number ones
403,026,760 - 429,498
essential michael jackson
174,124,904 185,562
features
543,075,618 - 578,746

all in all michael has 10,149,582,185 streams and 10,816,221 sales equivelents on spotify alone. amazing

 

[zinniabooklover]

Not sure if this thread includes spotify streams but i will include them for his studio albums here and the sale equivalent because he has gained alot.

ben
74,972,336 - 79,897
got to be there
133,398,654 - 142,160
music and me
14,161,826 - 15,092
forever michael
27,661,548 - 29,478
off the wall
900,790,561 - 959,956
thriller (25)
3,107,001,902 - 3,311,074
bad 25
1,952,398,090 - 2,080,634
dangerous
791,296,646 - 843,270
HIStory (disc 2 only)
594,698,802 - 633,759
blood on the dancefloor
594,698,802 - 633,759
invincible
223,211,208 - 237,872
michael
144,158,329 - 153,627
xscape
633,643,657 - 675,262
number ones
403,026,760 - 429,498
essential michael jackson
174,124,904 185,562
features
543,075,618 - 578,746

all in all michael has 10,149,582,185 streams and 10,816,221 sales equivelents on spotify alone. amazing

Thank you so much for including the sales figures.

Having the sales equivalent means I can make sense of the data. I'm better when I have a context for understanding the streaming figures otherwise it's just numbers that feel quite abstract to me. It's also good to see the data for his Motown solo albums. I don't know if I've seen data for those before. That was so interesting.

 

[katara]

Thank you so much for including the sales figures.

Having the sales equivalent means I can make sense of the data. I'm better when I have a context for understanding the streaming figures otherwise it's just numbers that feel quite abstract to me. It's also good to see the data for his Motown solo albums. I don't know if I've seen data for those before. That was so interesting.

No problem. The new way of calculating streams to sales is quite complicated to figure out. I use a tool on chartmasters website that calculates the numbers for you instead of doing it manually. Usually a billion streams = a million in sales. Sometimes the number rounds up like it did on bad 25 because he is so close to 2billion streams. His page is a lot longer actually but i didn't include every release or i'd be typing all day. This also doesn't include his j5/the jacksons figures at all. Just everything credited under Michael Jackson. Some of the songs (such as black or white) split streams between albums unfourtantely. Due to different versions being released. Single version, radio edits, etc. That's why the totals for number ones and essential count to those albums and not the album where the original song was released. I hope that makes sense for you.

total streams/sales equiviant
jackson 5
1,816,616,549 - 1,935,935
the jacksons
518,336,712 - 552,382

 

[staywild23]

Not sure if this thread includes spotify streams but i will include them for his studio albums here and the sale equivalent because he has gained alot.

ben
74,972,336 - 79,897
got to be there
133,398,654 - 142,160
music and me
14,161,826 - 15,092
forever michael
27,661,548 - 29,478
off the wall
900,790,561 - 959,956
thriller (25)
3,107,001,902 - 3,311,074
bad 25
1,952,398,090 - 2,080,634
dangerous
791,296,646 - 843,270
HIStory (disc 2 only)
594,698,802 - 633,759
blood on the dancefloor
594,698,802 - 633,759
invincible
223,211,208 - 237,872
michael
144,158,329 - 153,627
xscape
633,643,657 - 675,262
number ones
403,026,760 - 429,498
essential michael jackson
174,124,904 185,562
features
543,075,618 - 578,746

all in all michael has 10,149,582,185 streams and 10,816,221 sales equivelents on spotify alone. amazing

wow this is amazing data!! Thank you for sharing

I do have a quick question. What is the time frame for this growth? Perhaps you said this somewhere and I missed it.

 

[katara]

wow this is amazing data!! Thank you for sharing

I do have a quick question. What is the time frame for this growth? Perhaps you said this somewhere and I missed it.

In jan 2020 Michael had 6,001,689,587 on spotify. So he has gained 4,147,892,598 in the past 3 years.

 

[zinniabooklover]

No problem. The new way of calculating streams to sales is quite complicated to figure out.

Tell me about it, lol. I wouldn't know where to start.

I use a tool on chartmasters website that calculates the numbers for you instead of doing it manually. Usually a billion streams = a million in sales.

Aha! And here we have it. The absolute key nugget of info that I needed to get my head around all of this. As I've said before on this thread, I'm not massively invested in chart data. And, quite frankly, it bends my brain out of shape. But I am getting more and more interested in following Michael's sales data but I do need translations, lol. Otherwise my brain explodes!

Sometimes the number rounds up like it did on bad 25 because he is so close to 2billion streams. His page is a lot longer actually but i didn't include every release or i'd be typing all day.

The picture you've given us here is so detailed and interesting. I don't think we need every last little data point. Just a detailed and yet fairly broad picture so we can understand what's happening. I think you did a great job.

This also doesn't include his j5/the jacksons figures at all. Just everything credited under Michael Jackson.

That seems fair. Keeps it streamlined and focused.

Some of the songs (such as black or white) split streams between albums unfourtantely. Due to different versions being released. Single version, radio edits, etc. That's why the totals for number ones and essential count to those albums and not the album where the original song was released. I hope that makes sense for you.

I hadn't even considered all of those shenanigans. This is why I can't engage with this stuff. I can only consume the data / info that other people provide.

total streams/sales equiviant
jackson 5
1,816,616,549 - 1,935,935
the jacksons
518,336,712 - 552,382

Interesting to note. Thanks for this.

 

[katara]

The Jackson 5 and the jacksons are counted as seperate acts on spotify. So while Michael's motown solo albums count for his streams his j5/jacksons albums don't.

 

[staywild23]

In jan 2020 Michael had 6,001,689,587 on spotify. So he has gained 4,147,892,598 in the past 3 years.

Wow! That is INSANE. Thank you so much for the clarification. My mind is blown by this.