Michael Jackson, the "King of Pop," is enjoying a renewed surge in popularity on the UK Official Singles and Albums charts following the release of the biographical film "Michael." Music industry observers are split, with some interpreting the trend as a longing for Jackson's "pure talent," while others see it as the revival of a "glorified myth" deliberately crafted by the film.
According to the Official Charts on Wednesday, Jackson placed a total of four songs, including tracks from the Jackson 5, on the singles "Top 100" this week, and five albums on the albums "Top 100." On the singles "Top 100," his signature song "Billie Jean" ranked third, "Beat It" 10th, "Human Nature" 11th, and the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" 31st. On the albums "Top 100," the greatest hits compilation "The Essential" remained at second, the same as the previous week, while "Thriller" was fifth, "Bad" eighth, "Off The Wall" 45th, and "Dangerous" 91st.
Analysts say the contemporary appeal of Jackson's music is directly linked to the visual assets he built in the 1980s. In 1983, the "Billie Jean" music video became the first by a Black artist to break through the racial barrier on MTV, the U.S. music cable channel. That May, the Moonwalk was unveiled for the first time on the Motown 25th Anniversary stage, watched by approximately 47 million viewers. In December of the same year, the 14-minute short-film music video for "Thriller" elevated MTV from an ordinary cable channel into a global cultural powerhouse. However, some critics argue that the chart resurgence is artificial. Lionsgate, which produced and distributed the film, poured roughly $60 million into marketing, while Sony Music acquired half of the Jackson family's music catalog rights for about $600 million in February 2024.
Meanwhile, the production company has begun work on a sequel, "Michael 2." Adam Fogelson, head of the film division, told U.S. outlet Variety, "There are so many really, really fascinating stories left in the Michael Jackson story," adding, "We can make an incredibly entertaining movie that will appeal to audiences around the world."
