Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ Returns to No. 1 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart for First Time in 4 Decades
The late icon also completes a top two domination on the chart unseen since 1969.
Black News 
Michael Jackson recaptures the throne on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart as his landmark album Thriller returns to No. 1 on the list dated May 16.
The album rebounds in the wake of the Michael biopic’s massive streaming returns for the King of Pop’s catalog to earn its 38th total week in charge. Thriller, released in November 1982, is recognized as the world’s best-selling album by Guinness and as the highest-certified studio album in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America.
For its latest coronation — its first week atop the list since 1984 — Thriller earned 62,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. during the tracking week of May 1-7, according to Luminate. The album improved 36% from the prior week’s total of 45,000 units. Of its 62,000 units this week, streaming activity contributed 48,000 units, equaling 50.3 million official on-demand audio and video streams of its tracks. Traditional album sale purchases yielded 13,000 units, while the remaining 1,000 units derived from track-equivalent albums.
In its original era, Thriller dominated the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in an unprecedented manner. Powered by an onslaught of hits, including classic singles “Billie Jean,” “Beat It” and the title track, the album spent 37 weeks at No. 1 in 1983-84, shattering the record for most weeks atop the chart since the ranking launched in 1965. Jackson’s historic mark stood for 41 years, until SZA’s SOS, helped by its SOS Deluxe: LANA edition, surpassed it in June 2025.
With its 38th leading frame, Thriller extends its record among albums by a male artist and is second overall to SOS’ 46 weeks.
