Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” has returned to the Billboard Hot 100 top 10, jumping from No. 32 to No. 10 on the chart dated Nov. 15. Consequently, Jackson becomes the first artist to place top-10 hits in six different decades, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s. This milestone underscores both the song’s longevity and its seasonal pull.
Halloween Surge
During the Halloween tracking week (Oct. 31–Nov. 6), “Thriller” drew 14 million official streams, a 57% week-over-week increase. Additionally, radio audience rose to 9.3 million, up 124%, and U.S. sales ticked to 3,000 units, according to Luminate. Together, these gains show how Halloween listening directly boosts classic tracks, and they helped drive the song’s climb back into the top 10.
Moreover, the achievement reshapes chart history. Jackson now edges past Andy Williams, who previously held a five-decade top-10 span. Importantly, Jackson first reached the Hot 100 top 10 as a solo artist in November 1971 with “Got To Be There.” Earlier, as an 11-year-old with the Jackson 5, he broke into the top 10 on Dec. 27, 1969, with “I Want You Back.” Over his career he accumulated 30 top 10 hits and 13 No. 1s, and until this week his most recent top-10 appearance came in 2018 as a featured artist on Drake’s “Don’t Matter to Me.”
Longevity & Modern Mechanics
In addition, “Thriller” now stands as Jackson’s longest-charting Hot 100 hit at 26 weeks. It surpasses “Billie Jean” and “Beat It,” which each spent 25 weeks on the chart beginning in 1983. Therefore, the song’s renewed chart life highlights both its cultural staying power and the modern mechanics of streaming and radio.
In short, “Thriller” is more than a Halloween staple. Rather, it now anchors a six-decade chart legacy for Michael Jackson and demonstrates how seasonal listening, streaming spikes, and radio exposure can revive classic songs for new chart records.
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