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Micheal Jackson’s “Thriller” Makes Surprise Return to Billboard Hot 100

BY Dora Abena Dzaka November 8, 2023 9:16 PM EDT
Photo Credit: Michael Jackson Dangerous World Tour 1993 cropped.png - Wikimedia Commons Images

Michael Jackson’s timeless hit “Thriller” has made a comeback in most recent Billboard Hot 100 chart coming in at No. 21.

The King of Pop’s Thriller also saw a whopping 14.5 million US streams, 10.9 million radio airplay audience impressions, and 5,000 downloads for the week ending November 2.

In the week after Halloween of 2022, Thriller made a comeback to the Hot 100, peaking at No. 26. It climbed even higher the year before, reaching No. 19.

However, according to what Billboard refers to as its recurrent rule, a song can only make a comeback to the Hot 100 if it is among the top 50 most-listened-to songs in America.

The John Landis-directed music video from 1983 is considered the most influential of its era because it combines music and film-making.

The nearly 14-minute clip, which also featured model Ola Ray, was listed among acknowledged works that are “culturally, historically, or esthetically” significant.

It was the first music video ever inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2009, with a reported production cost of $500,000—more than ten times the average cost of a video at the time.

The “Ghostbusters” theme song by Ray Parker Jr. debuted at No. 45 on the Hot 100 chart, while “This Is Halloween,” which was featured on the soundtrack of Tim Burton’s well-known 1993 stop-motion animated film “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” debuted at No. 41.

Another song with a Halloween theme is “Monster Mash” by the Crypt-Kickers and Bobby “Boris” Pickett, which peaked at No. 38 on the Hot 100 chart. The same song was the highlight of the viral video for the New York City West Village Halloween Parade in 2023.