Michael Jackson Makes Billboard History Across Six Decades

Michael Jackson is the only artist to have had songs in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 in every one of the last five decades. With this achievement, Michael Jackson has once again made Billboard history. When "Love Never Felt So Good," the first single from the new Xscape album, entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 9, Michael Jackson became the only artist to have top-ten hits in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. He surpassed five artists who had top-selling songs across four decades: Barbara Streisand, Cher, Aerosmith, Madonna, and Whitney Houston. Michael Jackson's first top-ten single was "Got to Be There," which reached number four in 1971. (When factoring in Michael's work with the Jackson 5, it can be said that his songs have occupied the upper reaches of the Billboard charts across all six decades.) The King of Pop has also set another record: his cumulative weeks in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 has reached a record-breaking 42 weeks — six months and one week. Xscape, the number-one album in countries around the world including the UK, reached number two in the United States and debuted at number two on the Billboard 200. Although the Black Keys claimed the top spot, the margin was razor-thin — the Black Keys album sold only 7,000 more copies. You may have previously read about the insulting remarks made by members of that group toward Michael here. Xscape is Michael Jackson's tenth album to place in the top ten of the Billboard 200. His first top-ten album was Ben, which reached number five in 1972. Source: eMJey.com / Billboard