NEW YORK — The King of Pop’s music catalog experienced a dramatic surge in popularity following the debut of the new biographical film about his life. Data shows Michael Jackson’s streaming numbers jumped nearly 95% across the United States during the movie’s opening weekend compared to the week before.
Industry analytics firm Luminate tracked the significant increase in listening activity tied directly to the release of the big-budget biographical picture.
The film “Michael” exceeded all expectations at theaters, bringing in $97 million across U.S. and Canadian box offices during its first weekend. Industry projections had initially estimated around $50 million in ticket sales, later revised to $70 million before the actual numbers came in much higher.
The movie’s success translated directly into music consumption. Jackson’s songs were streamed 31.7 million times on Friday and Saturday, April 24-25, compared to just 16.3 million plays during the same days the previous week. This represents the 95% spike in listening activity.
The Jackson 5, where the future superstar began his career as the youngest member, also benefited from renewed interest. The legendary group saw their streaming numbers climb 85%, going from 1.3 million plays to 2.4 million during the same weekend comparison period.
Apple Music reported that Jackson dominated their charts following the film’s release. By Monday, eight of his songs appeared on the platform’s Daily Top 100 Global Chart, with “Billie Jean” reaching the 11th position.
Music identification app Shazam recorded an even larger increase, with Jackson-related searches climbing 140% when comparing the April 24-26 weekend to the previous week. Seven Jackson tracks currently appear on Shazam’s worldwide top 200 list.
Despite the commercial success, “Michael” received poor reviews from film critics. The Associated Press reviewer Jake Coyle gave the movie just one-and-a-half stars out of four, calling it “a kind of fantasy film, one that relives the extraordinary highs of Michael Jackson while turning a blind eye to the lows.”
