Some of Michael's 2021 achievements on the charts and streaming world:
- Off The Wall was certified 9X platinum for units sold of 9 million in the US.
- Bad was certified 11X platinum for units sold of 11 million in the US.
- Thriller was certified 34X platinum for units sold of 34 million in the US.
- Number Ones went 5X platinum for units sold of 5 million in the US.
- The Essential Michael Jackson went 5X platinum for units sold of 2.5 million in the US. It's a two disc album so 2.5 X 2 = 5.
- In June, Billie Jean became Michael's first video to hit 1 billion views on youtube. It is currently has over 1.1b views, which means it has hit over 100m views since, and that is great.
- Billie Jean also became Michael's first song to surpass 1 billion streams on spotify.
- Number Ones became the first 21st century released album to spend 500 weeks on the UK albums chart.
- Number Ones also became the the album with most weeks spent on the UK albums chart by a solo artist, when it surpassed Meat Loaf's Bat Out Of Hell's record of 522 weeks.
- I Want You Back went 2X platinum in the UK for combined units sold of 1.2 million.
- Due to Halloween, Thriller (song) re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 at #19, which was the song's highest position on the chart since March 1984.
- As a result, Michael has had at least one top 20 hit on the main singles chart in the US in 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s and 2020s. That is SEVEN consecutive decades.
- Following its' 30th anniversary, Dangerous returned to Billboard 200 at #85, charting for the first time since 2010.
- Thriller (album) was certified 15X platinum for sales of 4.5 million in the UK.
- Bad (album) was certified 14X platinum for sales of 4.2 million in the UK.
- Earth Song was certified 2X platinum for sales of 1.2 million in the UK.
As a keen follower of the charts, 2021 was a great year for Michael. I hope for more of the same in 2022.