Michael Jackson Stops Himself From Charting A New No. 1 Smash

BusinessHollywood & EntertainmentMichael Jackson Stops Himself From Charting A New No. 1 SmashByHugh McIntyre,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Hugh McIntyre covers music, with a focus on the global charts.Follow AuthorJun 08, 2026, 08:00am EDTMichael Jackson's "Chicago" reaches a new peak of No. 2 on Billboard's R&B Streaming Songs chart as only his "Billie Jean" stops it from running the show. VARIOUS, VARIOUS - JUNE 25: Michael Jackson performs at the 12th Annual MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on September 7, 1995. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)WireImageFor well over a month now, Michael Jackson has reigned supreme on a number of Billboard's R&B charts. He's known as the King of Pop, but in reality, many of the superstar's most famous tracks perform very well, even to this day, on R&B-focused tallies. Thanks to the continued massive success of the film Michael, which details his rise to the top of the charts decades ago, and which features many of his most memorable smashes, Jackson's catalog has continued to perform shockingly well. His recent showing on the charts is especially astounding, considering the fact that most of the tunes and albums that have been rising and falling throughout the spring have been available for decades. Jackson once again controls the R&B Streaming Songs chart, and just as he did last frame, he blocks a musical powerhouse from scoring a new No. 1. This time, though, it is himself.Michael Jackson's "Chicago" Reaches a New PeakJackson's track "Chicago" reaches a new peak position on the R&B Streaming Songs chart this time around. The tune, which is included on his posthumously released compilation Xscape, was never chosen as an official single, but in only the past few weeks, millions of people around the world have fallen in love with the cut....