I wonder what makes Bad so popular these days.
Yes I too, it is on the BB200 since weeks or maybe month. On the time of Bad 25-release it hasn`t had this popularity. On the other hand Thriller is out now since a longer time.
No joke. I would think that current artists releasing new music would be gnashing their teeth in jealousy. Pretty amazing to me. Love it, though.Considering the poor general record sales, selling 231,000 copies of albums in half a year without any promotion is very good. Projecting that to a year that would be almost 500,000 copies. With no promotion, no anniversary, now new release. That's very good IMO.
1 | Billie Jean | 100 353 540 |
2 | Love Never Felt So Good (solo + JT duet) | 78 822 950 |
3 | Beat It | 63 650 939 |
4 | Man In The Mirror (Album Version + 2003 Edit) | 62 383 996 |
5 | Thriller (Album Version+Single Version+2003 Edit) | 50 955 017 |
6 | Smooth Criminal | 46 414 234 |
7 | Black or White (Album + Single Version) | 39 948 319 |
8 | Hold My Hand | 37 185 934 |
9 | The Way You Make Me Feel (Album Version + Single Version) | 35 210 610 |
10 | They Don't Care About Us | 29 738 091 |
11 | P.Y.T. | 29 245 166 |
12 | Dirty Diana | 25 397 664 |
13 | Bad | 25 066 605 |
14 | Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (Album version + Number Ones version) | 22 853 054 |
15 | Wanna Be Startin' Somethin (Album Version+Single Version) | 19 185 660 |
16 | Human Nature (Album Version + Essential) | 18 626 027 |
17 | Rock with You (Album+Single version) | 16 424 999 |
18 | Earth Song (Album Version + Radio Edit) | 15 290 022 |
19 | You Are Not Alone (Album Version + Single Version + Radio Edit) | 14 204 311 |
20 | You Rock My World (Album Version + Essential + Radio Edit) | 14 171 660 |
21 | Heal The World | 13 561 384 |
22 | I Just Can't Stop Loving You | 13 201 863 |
23 | Remember The Time | 11 265 961 |
24 | Will You Be There (Album Version + Single Version) | 10 222 218 |
25 | A Place with No Name | 9 702 319 |
26 | The Girl Is Mine | 8 891 668 |
27 | Slave to the Rhythm | 8 463 248 |
28 | This Is It | 7 102 041 |
29 | Leave Me Alone | 7 008 886 |
30 | Liberian Girl | 6 998 453 |
31 | Off The Wall (Album version + Essential version) | 6 290 904 |
32 | Chicago | 5 817 699 |
33 | Jam | 5 622 565 |
34 | Who Is It (Album Version + 7" Edit) | 5 580 930 |
35 | Loving You | 5 316 949 |
36 | Another Part of Me | 5 221 803 |
37 | She's Out of My Life | 5 074 966 |
38 | Give In To Me | 4 730 313 |
39 | Love Never Felt So Good original | 4 238 300 |
40 | In The Closet (Album Version + Single Version) | 4 087 225 |
41 | Hollywood Tonight | 3 870 194 |
42 | Xscape | 3 787 048 |
43 | Scream | 3 610 210 |
44 | Workin' Day and Night | 3 605 663 |
45 | Do You Know Where Your Children Are | 3 576 721 |
46 | Blue Gangsta | 3 485 277 |
47 | Blood on the Dance Floor | 3 469 741 |
48 | Stranger in Moscow | 3 364 830 |
49 | Speed Demon | 3 314 804 |
50 | Baby Be Mine | 3 171 725 |
51 | Butterflies | 2 729 871 |
52 | The Lady In My Life | 2 661 201 |
53 | Dangerous | 2 646 088 |
54 | A Place with No Name original | 2 585 479 |
55 | Just Good Friends | 2 501 319 |
56 | Come Together | 2 474 955 |
57 | Slave to the Rhythm original | 2 359 872 |
58 | Chicago original | 2 278 938 |
59 | Loving You original | 2 210 903 |
60 | Ghosts | 1 976 239 |
61 | (I Like) The Way You Love Me | 1 955 187 |
62 | Do You Know Where Your Children Are original | 1 846 519 |
63 | Xscape original | 1 830 543 |
64 | Blue Gangsta original | 1 758 070 |
65 | Behind the Mask | 1 691 249 |
66 | Speechless | 1 671 484 |
67 | This Is It - Orchestra Version | 1 666 971 |
68 | I Can't Help It | 1 656 646 |
69 | Break of Dawn | 1 607 622 |
70 | Get on the Floor | 1 487 529 |
71 | Unbreakable | 1 475 244 |
72 | Much Too Soon | 1 356 613 |
73 | She's Out of My Life demo | 1 356 388 |
74 | Beat It demo | 1 328 033 |
75 | Why You Wanna Trip On Me | 1 308 993 |
76 | (I Can't Make It) Another Day | 1 263 561 |
77 | Smile | 1 245 196 |
78 | Don't Be Messin' 'Round | 1 232 685 |
79 | Girlfriend | 1 219 558 |
80 | Wanna Be Somethin' Somethin' demo | 1 162 962 |
81 | Best of Joy | 1 153 609 |
82 | Whatever Happens | 1 144 686 |
83 | Todo Mi Amor Eres Tu | 1 089 027 |
84 | Al Capone | 1 073 065 |
85 | Childhood | 1 061 533 |
86 | Gone Too Soon | 1 058 469 |
87 | Heaven Can Wait | 1 033 653 |
88 | Abortion Papers | 1 000 068 |
89 | She Drives Me Wild | 943 107 |
90 | Burn This Disco Out | 941 951 |
91 | Someone In The Dark | 931 289 |
92 | It's The Falling in Love | 929 446 |
93 | Keep The Faith | 917 095 |
94 | Planet Earth (poem) | 875 106 |
95 | Price of Fame | 869 346 |
96 | Can't Let Her Get Away | 835 217 |
97 | History | 806 721 |
98 | One More Chance | 779 681 |
99 | Tabloid Junkie | 775 777 |
100 | 2 Bad | 767 745 |
101 | This Time Around | 750 724 |
102 | D.S. | 737 825 |
103 | Money | 727 744 |
104 | Invincible | 718 008 |
105 | Je Ne Veux Pas La Fin De Nous | 696 231 |
106 | Heartbreaker | 690 731 |
107 | Cry | 644 591 |
108 | Little Susie | 633 667 |
109 | Morphine | 597 815 |
110 | You Are My Life | 593 812 |
111 | Billie Jean Home Demo 1981 | 575 274 |
112 | 2000 Watts | 567 620 |
113 | The Lost Children | 550 939 |
114 | Is It Scary | 534 277 |
115 | Don't Walk Away | 476 984 |
116 | Privacy | 466 693 |
117 | Threatened | 453 525 |
118 | Carousel | 434 107 |
119 | Superfly Sister | 344 149 |
Billie Jean crossed the 100 million mark on Spotify in terms of spins which is a big number for an old song. Just to put it into context: such a viral relatively current hit like Happy has 354 million spins, Blurred Lines 245 million. So 100 million is very good for a 33-year-old song.
On this occasion I made an update on the Spotify stats of MJ's songs.
Some notes:
Love Never Felt So Good is solo and duet version counted together. Beat It has overtaken Man In The Mirror since the last time I checked it (around May).
1 Billie Jean 100 353 540 2 Love Never Felt So Good (solo + JT duet) 78 822 950 3 Beat It 63 650 939 4 Man In The Mirror (Album Version + 2003 Edit) 62 383 996 5 Thriller (Album Version+Single Version+2003 Edit) 50 955 017 6 Smooth Criminal 46 414 234 7 Black or White (Album + Single Version) 39 948 319 8 Hold My Hand 37 185 934 9 The Way You Make Me Feel (Album Version + Single Version) 35 210 610 10 They Don't Care About Us 29 738 091 11 P.Y.T. 29 245 166 12 Dirty Diana 25 397 664 13 Bad 25 066 605 14 Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (Album version + Number Ones version) 22 853 054 15 Wanna Be Startin' Somethin (Album Version+Single Version) 19 185 660 16 Human Nature (Album Version + Essential) 18 626 027 17 Rock with You (Album+Single version) 16 424 999 18 Earth Song (Album Version + Radio Edit) 15 290 022 19 You Are Not Alone (Album Version + Single Version + Radio Edit) 14 204 311 20 You Rock My World (Album Version + Essential + Radio Edit) 14 171 660 21 Heal The World 13 561 384 22 I Just Can't Stop Loving You 13 201 863 23 Remember The Time 11 265 961 24 Will You Be There (Album Version + Single Version) 10 222 218 25 A Place with No Name 9 702 319 26 The Girl Is Mine 8 891 668 27 Slave to the Rhythm 8 463 248 28 This Is It 7 102 041 29 Leave Me Alone 7 008 886 30 Liberian Girl 6 998 453 31 Off The Wall (Album version + Essential version) 6 290 904 32 Chicago 5 817 699 33 Jam 5 622 565 34 Who Is It (Album Version + 7" Edit) 5 580 930 35 Loving You 5 316 949 36 Another Part of Me 5 221 803 37 She's Out of My Life 5 074 966 38 Give In To Me 4 730 313 39 Love Never Felt So Good original 4 238 300 40 In The Closet (Album Version + Single Version) 4 087 225 41 Hollywood Tonight 3 870 194 42 Xscape 3 787 048 43 Scream 3 610 210 44 Workin' Day and Night 3 605 663 45 Do You Know Where Your Children Are 3 576 721 46 Blue Gangsta 3 485 277 47 Blood on the Dance Floor 3 469 741 48 Stranger in Moscow 3 364 830 49 Speed Demon 3 314 804 50 Baby Be Mine 3 171 725 51 Butterflies 2 729 871 52 The Lady In My Life 2 661 201 53 Dangerous 2 646 088 54 A Place with No Name original 2 585 479 55 Just Good Friends 2 501 319 56 Come Together 2 474 955 57 Slave to the Rhythm original 2 359 872 58 Chicago original 2 278 938 59 Loving You original 2 210 903 60 Ghosts 1 976 239 61 (I Like) The Way You Love Me 1 955 187 62 Do You Know Where Your Children Are original 1 846 519 63 Xscape original 1 830 543 64 Blue Gangsta original 1 758 070 65 Behind the Mask 1 691 249 66 Speechless 1 671 484 67 This Is It - Orchestra Version 1 666 971 68 I Can't Help It 1 656 646 69 Break of Dawn 1 607 622 70 Get on the Floor 1 487 529 71 Unbreakable 1 475 244 72 Much Too Soon 1 356 613 73 She's Out of My Life demo 1 356 388 74 Beat It demo 1 328 033 75 Why You Wanna Trip On Me 1 308 993 76 (I Can't Make It) Another Day 1 263 561 77 Smile 1 245 196 78 Don't Be Messin' 'Round 1 232 685 79 Girlfriend 1 219 558 80 Wanna Be Somethin' Somethin' demo 1 162 962 81 Best of Joy 1 153 609 82 Whatever Happens 1 144 686 83 Todo Mi Amor Eres Tu 1 089 027 84 Al Capone 1 073 065 85 Childhood 1 061 533 86 Gone Too Soon 1 058 469 87 Heaven Can Wait 1 033 653 88 Abortion Papers 1 000 068 89 She Drives Me Wild 943 107 90 Burn This Disco Out 941 951 91 Someone In The Dark 931 289 92 It's The Falling in Love 929 446 93 Keep The Faith 917 095 94 Planet Earth (poem) 875 106 95 Price of Fame 869 346 96 Can't Let Her Get Away 835 217 97 History 806 721 98 One More Chance 779 681 99 Tabloid Junkie 775 777 100 2 Bad 767 745 101 This Time Around 750 724 102 D.S. 737 825 103 Money 727 744 104 Invincible 718 008 105 Je Ne Veux Pas La Fin De Nous 696 231 106 Heartbreaker 690 731 107 Cry 644 591 108 Little Susie 633 667 109 Morphine 597 815 110 You Are My Life 593 812 111 Billie Jean Home Demo 1981 575 274 112 2000 Watts 567 620 113 The Lost Children 550 939 114 Is It Scary 534 277 115 Don't Walk Away 476 984 116 Privacy 466 693 117 Threatened 453 525 118 Carousel 434 107 119 Superfly Sister 344 149
In terms of albums:
1. Thriller 296,740,943
2. Bad 232,720,237
3. Dangerous 102,727,884
4. HIStory 76,189,351
5. Off The Wall 60,484,716
6. Invincible 28,997,123
Blood on the Dance Floor (I only counted the 5 original songs): 6,922,221
The posthumus albums, especially Xscape have an adventage since they were released while Spotify already existed and new releases always get more attention naturally.
Xscape 138,080,835
Michael album (without the Cascio songs) 48,476,347
No childhood songs, no Jackson 5 or Jacksons songs were counted, only MJ's adult career. I also did not count remixes, eg. the Immortal album versions (except for the new versions on Xscape).
Michael's catalog is doing very strongly on streaming services, including Spotify. On Spotify you will rarely, if ever, find a non-current artist with 14 songs over 20 million spins and 24 songs over 10 million. Actually I haven't seen any other than Michael.
So roughly 87,000 sold in 2015 and 1,167,000 since the last RIAA certification (Mid-August 2009)
Soundscan sales stand at 6,560,000.
I'm glad Michael has a definitive greatest hits album with Number Ones. Before he died there had been so many GH collections released it was getting ridiculous (The Essential MJ, KOP, Number Ones, HIStory Book 1). Whilst I have some issues with Number Ones (I hate radio edits on GH albums), I can see in future the album becoming one of those rare GH releases like Madonna's Immaculate Collection, Bob Marley's Legend or Queens GH that racks up an obscene amount of weeks on the chart.