Michael Jackson becomes world’s top streaming artist 17 years after his death

Michael Jackson becomes world’s top streaming artist 17 years after his death

By: EWN

Seventeen years after his death, Michael Jackson has surged back to the top of the global streaming charts, overtaking some of the biggest names in modern pop music.

According to monthly rankings released by analytics agency Kworb, Jackson became the world’s number one streaming artist in May 2026.

The late King of Pop reportedly scored 11,157 points in the Global Digital Artist Rankings, placing him ahead of Justin Bieber by nearly 5,000 points.

The achievement has stunned pop music fans, especially as Jackson beat current streaming giants including Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny and K-pop powerhouse BTS.

Michael Jackson streaming resurgence linked to biopic hype

The renewed streaming explosion appears to be linked to growing excitement around Jackson’s blockbuster biopic.

Anecdotal evidence suggests younger listeners who had never streamed Jackson’s music before are now discovering his catalogue on platforms such as Spotify and other major streaming services.

“All these years later, he’s managed to get to the top again,” explained Barbara Friedman of CapeTalk.

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