Michael Jackson’s ‘Chicago’ Hits Hot 100 for First Time After Biopic Boost

Michael Jackson’s posthumous track “Chicago” has made an unexpected return to the Billboard Hot 100, landing at No. 30 on the chart dated June 6. According to Billboard, this marks the first time the 2014 song has ever appeared on the chart, making its debut more than a decade after its original release.

The song is experiencing a significant streaming surge, garnering 10.7 million official U.S. streams during the tracking week of May 22–28. This figure is up 30% from the previous week, indicating a steady rise in listener interest. “Chicago” is part of the 2014 posthumous album ‘Xscape’, released five years after Michael Jackson’s passing. The track was produced by Timbaland and JRoc, with lyrics penned by Cory Rooney.

‘Xscape’ had already produced other charting hits. “Love Never Felt So Good,” featuring Justin Timberlake, reached No. 9 on the Hot 100, while “Slave to the Rhythm” peaked at No. 45. Now “Chicago” joins that list as another charting entry from the album.

With this new entry, Michael Jackson now boasts 52 solo songs on the Hot 100, according to Billboard. His first appearance on the chart was back in 1971 with “Got To Be There.” His most recent chart appearance prior to this was in 2018, when he was featured on Drake’s “Don’t Matter to Me,” which reached No. 9.

One of the most remarkable milestones from this new chart run is that Jackson has now had Hot 100 entries across six different decades, spanning from the 1970s through the 2020s. His total chart appearances are distributed throughout his extensive career, with 11 in the 1970s, 20 in the 1980s, 12 in the 1990s, four in the 2000s, four in the 2010s, and one so far in the 2020s.

Streaming trends illustrate how the song gradually gained traction. “Chicago” recorded 3.8 million streams on the May 9 chart, then climbed to 5.4 million, 6.9 million, and later 8.3 million in the following weeks before reaching its current peak. So far, the track has accumulated a total of 388 million streams.

Billboard also notes that the renewed interest in Jackson’s music is linked to the release of the biopic ‘Michael’, which premiered on April 24. Following the film’s release, several of his classic songs returned to the Hot 100 simultaneously, including “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” “Human Nature,” “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough,” “Dirty Diana,” and “Rock With You.” All of these were originally major hits during his peak years in the 1970s and 1980s.

Currently, “Chicago” sits behind “Billie Jean,” which is at No. 19, and ahead of “Human Nature” at No. 31. Other Jackson tracks also remain present on the chart, indicating a broader revival of his catalog.

Interestingly, “Chicago” was never released as a major single during his lifetime and is not featured in the biopic. Its rise has also been aided by social media platforms like TikTok, where users have been sharing clips featuring the song.

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