Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” is back on the Billboard Hot 100, landing at No. 20 on the chart dated Nov. 7. The song’s return was fueled by increased Halloween-season activity across streaming, radio and sales.
During the Oct. 23–29 tracking week, “Thriller” generated 9.3 million chart-eligible streams in the United States, a 49% increase, according to Luminate. Its radio audience doubled to 4.2 million, while sales rose 61% to 3,000.
The title track from Jackson’s 1983 album originally reached No. 4 on the Hot 100 in March 1984. The album spent 37 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and became the first album to produce seven top-10 Hot 100 hits.
“Thriller” has returned to the Hot 100 during the Halloween season every year since 2018. It first reentered the top 20 in 2021 and reached No. 10 last year.
Two other Halloween-themed songs also returned to the chart. Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me,” which features backing vocals by Jackson, reentered at No. 39 after collecting 6.3 million streams, up 52%, a radio audience of 1.5 million and 1,000 sales. The song peaked at No. 2 in March 1984, sharing the top 10 with “Thriller” for three weeks.
Citizens of Halloween’s “This Is Halloween” reentered at No. 41, led by 6.1 million streams, a 68% increase. Written by Danny Elfman for the 1993 stop-motion film “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” the song first reached the Hot 100 in 2023 and peaked at No. 26 last year.
Halloween favorites also dominated the Streaming Songs chart’s biggest percentage gains. “This Is Halloween” led the group, followed by Bobby “Boris” Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers’ “Monster Mash,” Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters,” “Somebody’s Watching Me,” “Thriller” and Tame Impala and JENNIE’s “Dracula.”
Sources: Billboard.