The late Michael Jackson has achieved a unique longevity feat on the charts, becoming the first-ever musical artist to have a single debut on Billboard's Hot 100 in six separate decades. This milestone comes with the charting of his track Chicago, which landed at number 30 on the industry list, marking his first appearance in the 2020s decade.
The track was initially released on Xscape, Jackson's posthumous album that came out in May 2014. It entered the chart for the week of June 6, buoyed by an estimated 10.7 million streams in the U.S. for the week of May 22-28, according to Luminate data reported by Billboard.
Previous singles from the album that made the Billboard Hot 100 include Love Never Felt So Good, a collaboration with Justin Timberlake that reached number nine, and Slave to the Rhythm, which hit number 45. The 12-year-old track, produced by Timbaland and JRoc, became eligible for the chart due to strong streaming increases, enough to secure a spot in the top 50.
In total, Chicago has amassed 388 million streams, with gradual gains attributed to renewed interest in Jackson's catalogue following the release of the musical biopic Michael, which details parts of the King of Pop's career. While the song was not a commercial hit upon its debut and is not featured in the movie, it has benefited from frequent plays on TikTok.
Jackson began his chart dominance with 11 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 in the 1970s, followed by 20 in the 1980s, his career peak. The 1990s delivered 12 more appearances, while the 2000s saw four new songs hit the chart. After his death in June 2009, Jackson charted four more times from 2010-2019 amid a nostalgia boom.
This marks Jackson's 52nd overall career entry on the Hot 100, with his first coming over 50 years ago with 1972's Got to Be There. Prior to Chicago, his last chart entry was the Drake track Don't Matter to Me, which featured him. That song marked the 30th time a Jackson track reached the top 10.
Amid the resurgence of interest in his music, three other Jackson tracks re-entered the Hot 100: Billie Jean (19th), Human Nature (31st), and Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (43rd). Additionally, Beat It, Dirty Diana, and Rock with You also appeared on the May 23 chart, marking the first time he had six tracks on the chart simultaneously.
Last autumn, Jackson posthumously became the first performer to have top 10 hits on the chart in six distinct decades. Thriller, which previously reached number four in 1984, returned to number 10 in November, reflecting renewed popularity during Halloween festivities.
