Michael, the biopic of pop legend Michael Jackson, has not just broken the bank at the box office, but also brought MJ’s music from the 70s and 80s into the spotlight once again. Since the release of the film last week, the King of Pop’s songs like Beat It, Billie Jean, Bad, and Thriller have started climbing the streaming charts again. Interestingly, the interest in Michael’s songs is so high that the late pop star has become the number 1 artist in the world yet again, 17 years after his death, beating active pop superstars by a staggering margin.
Michael Jackson is the #1 artist in the world
Data analytics agency Kworb prepares the Global Digital Artist Ranking each month, ranking singers and performers based on how many times their songs are streamed across major platforms. The latest edition of the rankings – for May 2026 – sees Michael Jackson at the top with a staggering 11157 points. Michael leads Justin Bieber, who is in the second spot, by almost 5000 points. K-pop group BTS, in the third spot, is further behind with just 4397 points. Michael’s dominance is such that he is the number one artist on all but one platform, leading comfortably on Apple Music, iTunes, YouTube, Shazam, and Deezer, while only narrowly trailing Bieber on Spotify.
The Global Digital Artist Ranking ranks artists from around the world based on the monthly plays their songs receive across major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, YouTube, Shazam, and Deezer. Their cumulative total gives each artist points, determining their ranking among peers.
Michael Jackson beats modern pop superstars
Michael Jackson’s top spot, 17 years after his death, is a testament to his enduring popularity, even as younger and newer stars have taken over the public. He not only leads Justin Bieber and BTS, but also the newest sensation, Bad Bunny, who sits in the 4th spot with 4085 points. Taylor Swift, widely regarded as MJ’s successor, is at number 5 with 3100 points. Of course, the points for any artist peak around the release of any new single or album. But even after accounting for peaks, Michael’s 11K points stack up well against the top performers of today.