Michael Jackson's Top 50 Billboard Hit Songs on Hot 100 Chart | Billboard "Lookin' Through The Windows" The Jackson 5 Hot 100 Peak Position: 16 Peak Date: August 26, 1972 Weeks On Chart: 10 Jackson's Billboard chart history began with a streak of extraordinary success, as the Jackson 5's first 20 entries on what's now known as R&B/Hip-Hop Songs all reached the top 10. This song marked the 10th top 10 in-a-row for the act on R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, reaching No. 5 in 1972. On the Billboard Hot 100, the track peaked at No. 16. The title cut from the group's fifth studio album illustrated the maturation of Michael, then 13, from boy soprano to the tenor who would subsequently reign as the King of Pop.

49 Hot 100 Peak Position: 28 Peak Date: October 6, 1973 Weeks On Chart: 13 The Jacksons' 1984 "Victory" album spawned multiple hits, including this funky rock number, which peaked at No. 17 on the Hot 100. While it was the second single from "Victory," it yielded the first music video produced for the album. Ironically, though Michael and Jermaine Jackson share lead on the song, neither appears in the clip, which was choreographed by Paula Abdul. 48 "Get It Together" The Jackson 5 Hot 100 Peak Position: 28 Peak Date: October 6, 1973 Weeks On Chart: 13 In 1973, Michael and his brothers weren't begging girls to stick around just yet. In fact, the Jackson 5's funk-flavored pop single "Get It Together" featured sweet vocals delivering a not-so-sweet message: "Get up off your high horse, girl." The band wasn't messing around in its lyrics or on the charts. Although the song peaked at No.

28 on the Hot 100, it was a No. 2 smash for the group on Billboard's R&B songs chart. 47 "You Rock My World" Michael Jackson Hot 100 Peak Position: 10 Peak Date: September 22, 2001 Weeks On Chart: 20 The lead single from Jackson's 2001 studio album "Invincible" peaked at No. 10 on the Hot 100, marking the King of Pop's final top 10 hit on the tally to-date. Co-produced by Jackson and Rodney Jerkins, the song was ushered in by an unsurprisingly lavish music video directed by Paul Hunter. The clip features Chris Tucker as Jackson's comic foil, along with turns from Michael Madsen and Marlon Brando. 46 Hot 100 Peak Position: 22 Peak Date: February 14, 1981 Weeks On Chart: 16 "Heartbreak Hotel" was released June 17, 1980, and was the second single off the Jacksons' "Triumph" album. It peaked at No. 22 on the Hot 100.

"One time Michael called me into a Hollywood studio to play a solo on a song that turned out to be 'Heartbreak Hotel,' " says Paul Jackson Jr., his longtime guitarist. "I asked him what kind of solo he wanted. The solo I played on the record is what he sang to me note for note." 45 "Corner Of The Sky" The Jackson 5 Hot 100 Peak Position: 18 Peak Date: December 16, 1972 Weeks On Chart: 12 The Jackson 5 lent its soulful pop to the 1970s musical "Pippin" in the form of the track "Corner Of The Sky." In line with the musical's plot, "Corner Of The Sky" is about seeking out happiness in life ("But I won't rest/ 'Til I know I have it all"). The song, which also appeared on the Jackson 5's 1973 album "Skywriter," hit No. 18 on the Hot 100 and No. 9 on Billboard's R&B songs chart.

44 "Little Bitty Pretty One" The Jackson 5 Hot 100 Peak Position: 13 Peak Date: May 27, 1972 Weeks On Chart: 9 Few songs show off artists' vocal chops as well as this one, and the Jackson 5 reinforced their timeless family harmonies on this well-loved doo-wop classic. Thurston Harris introduced the song to pop audiences in 1957 and it has since been recorded by a wide range of acts, including the Allman Brothers, Huey Lewis & the News and Aaron Carter. The Jackson 5's version of the song reached No. 8 on R&B songs chart and No. 13 on the Hot 100 in 1972.

43 "I Want To Be Where You Are" Michael Jackson Hot 100 Peak Position: 16 Peak Date: July 15, 1972 Weeks On Chart: 11 "I Want to Be Where You Are" was released May 2, 1972, and appears on the album "Got to Be There." It was Jackson's third consecutive top 40 pop hit in the beginning of his solo career with Motown. The single peaked at No. 16 on the Hot 100 and would become one of Jackson's most covered songs, with Marvin Gaye, the Fugees and Jason Weaver doing their own renditions. 42 Hot 100 Peak Position: 14 Peak Date: January 26, 2002 Weeks On Chart: 20 In what remains his last studio album, "Invincible" in 2001 served as the long-awaited follow-up to 1991's "Dangerous." The former set featured three neo-soul-styled tracks, including "Butterflies." With the help of British duo Floetry on backing vocals, the single peaked at No.

14 on the Hot 100. 41 "I Am Love (Parts I & II)" The Jackson 5 Hot 100 Peak Position: 15 Peak Date: March 22, 1975 Weeks On Chart: 14 1975's "I Am Love" by the Jackson 5 was part soulful ballad (led by Jermaine) and part Michael-fronted, danceable funk/rock. But no matter the musical style, the message was the same: the brothers weren't letting their loves get away. The song was the Jackson 5's last top 20 hit with Motown, reaching No. 15 on the Hot 100 in 1975. It also went to No. 5 on Billboard's R&B songs chart. Hot 100 Peak Position: 12 Peak Date: November 15, 1980 Weeks On Chart: 18 Once the Jackson 5 grew up and parted ways with Motown, they became the Jacksons -- and they knew all about the growing pains that come with young romance.

The 1980 funk song "Lovely One" sees Michael, backed by brothers Jackie, Tito, Randy and Marlon, confronting a skeptical lover and trying to prove his dedication. The track peaked at No. 12 on the Hot 100 but hit No. 2 on Billboard's R&B songs chart and No. 1 on the Dance Club Songs chart. 39 "Another Part Of Me" Michael Jackson Hot 100 Peak Position: 11 Peak Date: September 10, 1988 Weeks On Chart: 13 Released as the sixth single from Jackson's "Bad" album in summer 1988, the synthy uptempo hit was actually first heard nearly two years earlier, in the most unlikely of places. On Sept. 12, 1986, visitors at the Epcot theme park at the Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, Fla. got the first public taste of the song, one of two new compositions recorded for Jackson's star turn in the 3D film "Captain EO," which premiered that day in the park. The song ultimately reached No. 11 on the Hot 100.

By 1998, all of the "Captain EO" attractions had ended their runs at the assorted Disney Parks throughout the world. The company was moved, however, to return the show to its parks in 2010, starting with Disneyland's version. 38 "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" Michael Jackson Hot 100 Peak Position: 10 Peak Date: November 26, 1983 Weeks On Chart: 16 "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" was released Sept. 19, 1983, as the sixth single from the "Thriller" album and featured Janet Jackson and LaToya Jackson on backup vocals. The single peaked at No. 10 on the Hot 100, becoming the sixth consecutive top 10 song from the album.

"P.Y.T." has been sampled by many artists, including Monica on "All Eyez on Me" and Kanye West on "Good Life." 37 "Sugar Daddy" The Jackson 5 Hot 100 Peak Position: 10 Peak Date: January 22, 1972 Weeks On Chart: 10 Written and produced by The Corporation, a Motown collective assembled specifically for cranking out Jackson hits, "Sugar Daddy" peaked at No. 3 on Billboard's R&B songs chart. Older brothers Tito and Jermaine backed up Michael on the poppy, organ-filled ditty, which featured multiple food-related entendres ("I've got your lollipop/ Well, my flavor's long lastin', girl"). It was included as a new track on the group's 1971 "Greatest Hits" album.

36 "In The Closet" Michael Jackson Hot 100 Peak Position: 6 Peak Date: May 30, 1992 Weeks On Chart: 20 When the public first got a listen of "In the Closet" on Jackson's 1991 "Dangerous" album, people immediately began to wonder who his female duet partner was on the song. She was billed only as "Mystery Girl" in the set's liner notes and some began to assume -- perhaps because of her whispery, come-hither vibe -- that it was Madonna. As it turns out, the mysterious woman was revealed to be, of all people, Princess Stephanie of Monaco. But folks weren't far off in their theories: "In the Closet" was initially conceived as a collaboration between the King and Queen of Pop. The pair, however, couldn't come to an agreement on the song's direction and the singers parted ways. 35 "Off The Wall" Michael Jackson Hot 100 Peak Position: 10 Peak Date: April 12, 1980 Weeks On Chart: 17 When the title track to his fifth studio album debuted on the Hot 100 dated Feb.

16, 1980, Jackson was following up back-to-back No. 1s for the first time in his solo career. The single could not match the success of the album's previous singles, but managed to land the album's third top 10 peak, reaching No. 10 in April 1980. 34 "She's Out Of My Life" Michael Jackson Hot 100 Peak Position: 10 Peak Date: June 21, 1980 Weeks On Chart: 16 Quincy Jones used simple instrumentation to produce this ballad from "Off the Wall." Over the lyrics "I don't know whether to laugh or cry / I don't know whether to live or die," the song's tempo sounds nearly at a stand-still compared to his best-known dance jams. (Jackson is even heard crying at song's end). The cut peaked at No. 10 on the Hot 100 in 1980.

33 "Scream/Childhood" Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson Hot 100 Peak Position: 5 Peak Date: June 17, 1995 Weeks On Chart: 17 The double A-side single was released as the lead off Jackson's 1995 set, "HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I." "Scream" was his first duet with sister Janet Jackson; the song is an effort to retaliate against the media's obsession with his personal life and it resulted in a memorable video directed by Mark Romanek. "Childhood" was solely written and composed by Michael. The single peaked at No. 5 on the Hot 100. 32 "Will You Be There" Michael Jackson Hot 100 Peak Position: 7 Peak Date: September 11, 1993 Weeks On Chart: 20 This gospel-tinged track became the seventh song to reach the Hot 100's top 40 from Jackson's "Dangerous" album, peaking at No. 7 in 1993.

The song was truly a whale of a hit: doubling as the theme to the film "Free Willy," it won the MTV Movie Award for "Best Song in a Movie" in 1994. "American Idol " season nine finalist Michael Lynche introduced the song to a new generation with his faithful rendition. 31 Hot 100 Peak Position: 7 Peak Date: January 14, 1989 Weeks On Chart: 15 "Smooth Criminal," like "Thriller," is one of Michael Jackson's songs whose memory in the public's collective consciousness is intrinsically tied to its music video. With "Smooth Criminal," Jackson further lifted the art of music videos, serving as the centerpiece of his theatrical film "Moonwalker," co-starring Joe Pesci. "Smooth Criminal" was the seventh and final single from Jackson's "Bad" album, peaking at No. 7 on the Hot 100 in January 1989.

29 "Mama's Pearl" The Jackson 5 Hot 100 Peak Position: 2 Peak Date: February 27, 1971 Weeks On Chart: 10 "Mama's Pearl" features pretty mature lyrics for the young Michael: "You send cold chills up and down my spine/ We kiss for thrills, then you draw the line," he belts over classic Motown string arrangements and plucky piano. Peaking at No. 2 on both the Hot 100 and Billboard's R&B songs charts in 1971, the song was the second single from the group's "Third Album." 28 Hot 100 Peak Position: 4 Peak Date: March 3, 1984 Weeks On Chart: 14 "Thriller" was one of seven top 10 singles from the groundbreaking album of the same name, now tied (according to the RIAA) with the Eagles' "Greatest Hits 1971-1975" as the best-selling U.S. album. Written by Rod Temperton and featuring Vincent Price's iconic cameo, Jackson's zombie fest peaked at No.

4 on the Hot 100. "After 'Off the Wall,' " producer Quincy Jones recalls, "we were kicking booty and fearless; ready to do anything. It was a very exciting time." 27 Hot 100 Peak Position: 6 Peak Date: February 19, 1977 Weeks On Chart: 21 The Jacksons' first single after their departure from Motown and subsequent name change from the Jackson 5, 1976's "Enjoy Yourself" featured jazzy, cheery horns and a funky guitar lick. Imploring the listener to "enjoy yourself with me," the voice of the then 18-year-old Michael bridged the gap between his cutesy pre-adolescent falsetto and his more mature adult tone. Audiences apparently enjoyed the track -- it hit No. 6 on the Hot 100 and No. 2 on Billboard's R&B songs chart.

26 "Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)" The Jacksons Hot 100 Peak Position: 7 Peak Date: May 19, 1979 Weeks On Chart: 22 In one of the most familiar hooks in dance music history, Michael Jackson implores listeners, "Let's dance/ Let's shout/ Shake your body down to the ground." The track was produced, written, and performed by the talented brothers and ended up being their biggest dance record ever. The song was a mainstream success and charted at No. 3 on Billboard's R&B songs chart, and No. 7 on the Hot 100. 25 "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" Michael Jackson Hot 100 Peak Position: 5 Peak Date: July 16, 1983 Weeks On Chart: 15 To say that 1983 was the year of Michael Jackson would be a gross understatement. Between January and December, he charted seven Hot 100 top 10 hits, six from "Thriller." This single was the fourth released from the Epic set and peaked at No. 5 on the Hot 100.

The song returned to the chart in 2008 after Jackson reissued "Thriller" in an expanded 25th anniversary form, with a remix of this song by Akon. The redux peaked at No. 81. 24 "Remember The Time" Michael Jackson Hot 100 Peak Position: 3 Peak Date: March 7, 1992 Weeks On Chart: 20 Partnered with producer Teddy Riley, Jackson's eighth studio album "Dangerous" in 1991 marked the singer's leap into New Jack Swing. This single peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 in March 1992. Its video premiered not just on cable (BET and MTV), but the Fox network, as well. The star-studded clip includes appearances by Eddie Murphy, supermodel Iman and Earvin "Magic" Johnson.

"State Of Shock" The Jacksons Hot 100 Peak Position: 3 Peak Date: August 4, 1984 Weeks On Chart: 15 With lead vocals shared between Michael and the Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger, "State of Shock" was the first single from the Jacksons' much-anticipated 1984 reunion album "Victory." The single entered the Hot 100 at No. 30 on June 30 -- at that point the second-highest entry of the year -- and peaked at No. 3. "State of Shock" initially began as a duet between Jackson and Queen's Freddie Mercury when the two were collaborating on material in the early '80s. Though the Mercury version was never released, you can easily find demo recordings of it floating around the Web. 22 "You Are Not Alone" Michael Jackson Hot 100 Peak Position: 1 (one week) Peak Date: September 2, 1995 Weeks On Chart: 20 Written and co-produced by R. Kelly, "You Are Not Alone" made history as the first song to enter the Hot 100 at No.

1, bowing atop the chart dated Sept. 2, 1995. The ballad became Jackson's last No. 1 to date and the 13th of his solo career, a sum that stands as the most by a male artist in the chart's 55-year history. 21 "Never Can Say Goodbye" The Jackson 5 Hot 100 Peak Position: 2 Peak Date: May 8, 1971 Weeks On Chart: 12 Not many 12-year-olds can maturely depict a romantic situation like Michael did in the Jackson 5's hit single, "Never Can Say Goodbye." Michael describes a situation where he is incapable of leaving his partner, no matter how close he gets. "There's that same unhappy feeling/ There's that anguish/ There's that doubt," Michael expertly croons in the ballad. The song struck a chord with a relating crowd, charting at No. 1 on Billboard's R&B songs chart and No. 2 on the Hot 100.

19 Hot 100 Peak Position: 2 Peak Date: April 22, 1972 Weeks On Chart: 13 Michael Jackson's cover of "Rockin' Robin" by Bobby Day reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 and Billboard's R&B songs chart in 1972. 13-year-old Michael brings playfulness to the classic, with more advanced production including a bird-like melody. The star keenly reports on a popular local songbird, "All the little birdies on Jaybird street/ Love to hear the robin go tweet tweet tweet" -- not dissimilar from the effect Jackson's singing had on his audience. 18 "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" Michael Jackson Hot 100 Peak Position: 1 (1 week) Peak Date: October 13, 1979 Weeks On Chart: 21 While Michael had first topped the Hot 100 apart from the Jackson 5 with the ballad "Ben" at age 14 in 1972, his second No.

1 and first on Epic Records set in motion his monumental rise to superstardom as a solo performer, while introducing fans to a more mature artist in both sound and lyrical content. This song ushered in Jackson's "Off the Wall" album and became the first of the set's four Hot 100 top 10s. 17 Hot 100 Peak Position: 1 (1 week) Peak Date: July 2, 1988 Weeks On Chart: 14 In the world of stalky, creepy women in Michael Jackson's lyrics, "Dirty Diana" is right up there with "Billie Jean" and Susie from "Blood on the Dance Floor." The R&B/rock tune about a groupie gone all sorts of wrong features Steve Stevens on guitar and became the "Bad" album's fifth and final No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1988. With the song's coronation, Jackson set a record that still stands for most Hot 100 No. 1s (five) from one album. (Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" equaled the mark with five No.

1s in 2010-11.) 16 "Got To Be There" Michael Jackson Hot 100 Peak Position: 4 Peak Date: December 11, 1971 Weeks On Chart: 14 Smartly capitalizing on the group's immense success, Motown Records released Michael's debut single while the Jackson 5 was still enjoying chart achievements with its third album. "Got to Be There" peaked at No. 4 on the Hot 100 dated Dec. 11, 1971, the same date as the debut of the Jackson 5's "Sugar Daddy," which would later peak at No. 10. 15 Hot 100 Peak Position: 1 (2 weeks) Peak Date: October 24, 1987 Weeks On Chart: 14 Although braggadocious at first listen, Jackson's "Bad" was actually inspired by a real-life story about a boy who went off to a private boarding school and was murdered out of jealousy when he returned back home. The track was helmed by longtime producer Quincy Jones and released as the second single from the "Bad" album. The song peaked at No.

1 on the Hot 100, staying there for two weeks. 14 "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" Michael Jackson with Siedah Garrett Hot 100 Peak Position: 1 (1 week) Peak Date: September 19, 1987 Weeks On Chart: 14 Despite the majority of uptempo tracks on "Bad," Epic introduced the follow-up album to "Thriller" with a sleek, sultry love song. This duet with Quincy Jones protégé Siedah Garrett soared to No. 1 on the Hot 100 in its seventh week in September 1987. The cut scaled Adult Contemporary even more quickly, reaching the summit in four weeks to become Jackson's second of two career leaders on the list, following "The Girl Is Mine," with Paul McCartney, in 1982-83. 13 "Black Or White" Michael Jackson Hot 100 Peak Position: 1 (7 weeks) Peak Date: December 7, 1991 Weeks On Chart: 20 The pop music landscape was shifting in late 1991, with Nirvana introducing grunge and rap gaining a larger foothold.

Jackson's appeal, however, proved impenetrable with the first single from "Dangerous." Featuring guitarist Slash, "Black or White" tallied seven weeks atop the Hot 100, matching "Billie Jean" for Jackson's longest reign. The song's video remains memorable for its pioneering use of morphing technology and subsequently deleted scenes of Jackson violently smashing car windows against a backdrop of racist graffiti. 12 "The Way You Make Me Feel" Michael Jackson Hot 100 Peak Position: 1 (1 week) Peak Date: January 23, 1988 Weeks On Chart: 18 The third single from "Bad" became the album's third consecutive Hot 100 No. 1 in January 1988, marking Jackson's only set to yield more than two toppers ("Bad" would eventually yield a record five Hot 100 leaders; see No. 17, "Dirty Diana").

In 2005, veteran pop crooner Paul Anka stamped a lounge spin on the song on his jazz-inflected covers album, "Rock Swings." 11 "The Love You Save/ I Found That Girl" The Jackson 5 Hot 100 Peak Position: 1 (2 weeks) Peak Date: June 27, 1970 Weeks On Chart: 13 Jackson knew all about growing up too fast and trying to preserve youth. That's why it comes as no surprise that 1970's "The Love You Save," by the Jackson 5, finds him, along with brother Jermaine, warning a "fast" girl to slow down atop an uptempo production. "The Jackson 5 was the only group in history to have their first four singles go to [No. 1]," Motown founder Berry Gordy wrote in the introduction to "Moonwalk." "For Michael, it was the inspiration to break all the rest [of the chart records].

And he did." "The Girl Is Mine" Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney Hot 100 Peak Position: 2 Peak Date: January 8, 1983 Weeks On Chart: 18 Surprising to some, "The Girl Is Mine" was actually the first single from Michael Jackson's 1982 "Thriller" album -- not "Billie Jean" or "Beat It." A duet with McCartney, the song was released in October 1982 and quickly debuted on the Hot 100 at No. 45, eventually rising to No. 2. "The Girl Is Mine" also famously kicked off an incredible run of hits from the "Thriller" album; It was the first of seven straight Hot 100 top 10 hits from the release, the first album to yield such a streak. 9 Hot 100 Peak Position: 1 (2 weeks) Peak Date: April 25, 1970 Weeks On Chart: 13 In somewhat of a case of chart fortune-telling, it was perhaps fitting that the Jackson 5's second Hot 100 No. 1 dislodged the Beatles' second-to-last No.

1, "Let It Be," from the top of the chart dated April 25, 1970, as arguably the most influential group in the history of pop music symbolically passed the baton to the format's future King. The Jackson 5's next leader, "The Love You Save" (see No. 11), would likewise bump the Beatles' last No. 1, "The Long and Winding Road," from the summit in June 1970. 8 "I Want You Back" The Jackson 5 Hot 100 Peak Position: 1 (1 week) Peak Date: January 31, 1970 Weeks On Chart: 19 A new era in Motown's storied history -- and one of the most impressive chart resumes in Billboard's archives -- began rather unassumingly. Michael Jackson's six-decade tenancy on the Billboard charts began the week of Nov. 15, 1969, when the then-11-year-old and his four brothers entered the chart at No. 90 with "I Want You Back." On Jan.

31, 1970, the song completed the first of Jackson's 17 trips to the top (four with the Jackson 5, 13 solo). 7 "Man In The Mirror" Michael Jackson Hot 100 Peak Position: 1 (2 weeks) Peak Date: March 26, 1988 Weeks On Chart: 17 When "Man in the Mirror" reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1988, Jackson became the first artist in the chart's history to pull four No. 1 songs from one album -- in this case, "Bad." After Jackson's death in 2009, "Mirror" re-entered the U.K. singles chart at No. 11 and peaked at No. 2. "I wrote the music, and [Siedah Garrett] wrote the words," co-writer Glen Ballard told Billboard in 2001.

"It only took a couple of hours to write." 6 "Dancing Machine" The Jackson 5 Hot 100 Peak Position: 2 Peak Date: May 18, 1974 Weeks On Chart: 22 The funky, early-disco title track from the group's 1974 album danced close to the top of the Hot 100, halting at No. 2 (stuck behind Ray Stevens' "The Streak.") "Dancing Machine" was the final Hot 100 top 10 for the group on Motown Records, as the act departed the label for Epic in 1976, re-christened as The Jacksons. 5 "Rock With You" Michael Jackson Hot 100 Peak Position: 1 (4 weeks) Peak Date: January 19, 1980 Weeks On Chart: 24 Penned by British songwriter Rod Temperton of the R&B group Heatwave, Jackson's third No. 1 spent four weeks in the Hot 100's top slot, the longest of any of his singles at the time. The track ranked at No.

4 on Billboard's top Hot 100 songs of 1980, helping Jackson earn Top Singles Artist honors that year. 4 Hot 100 Peak Position: 1 (3 weeks) Peak Date: April 30, 1983 Weeks On Chart: 25 Jackson wasted little time in achieving his second Hot 100 No. 1 from "Thriller," with only two weeks separating the last of seven weeks on top for "Billie Jean" and the first frame in charge for "Beat It." The dancefloor gem "Beat It" also reached No. 14 on the Mainstream Rock Songs chart, thanks to Eddie Van Halen's guitar work. 3 "I'll Be There" The Jackson 5 Hot 100 Peak Position: 1 (5 weeks) Peak Date: October 17, 1970 Weeks On Chart: 16 This single was the last and longest-reigning (five weeks) of four consecutive Hot 100 No. 1s in 1970 for the brothers from Gary, Ind.

The group earned seven more Hot 100 top 10s by the end of its active recording career in 1989 but never again reached No. 1. Mariah Carey -- who was seven months old when the Jackson 5's version of the song topped the Hot 100 -- returned the composition to the chart's top spot when her version from MTV's "Unplugged" series led the list for two weeks in 1992. 2 Hot 100 Peak Position: 1 (7 weeks) Peak Date: March 5, 1983 Weeks On Chart: 24 Jackson was already a superstar after earning three solo Hot 100 No. 1s -- including two from "Off the Wall," his first album for Epic -- but "Billie Jean" propelled the singer to a true worldwide sensation. With seven weeks at No. 1, the song introduced the iconic "Thriller" album to the masses.

1 "Say Say Say" Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson Hot 100 Peak Position: 1 (six weeks) Peak Date: December 10, 1983 Weeks On Chart: 22 After the success of Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson's "The Girl Is Mine" duet, the former Beatle recruited the King of Pop for this collaboration on his 1983 album, "Pipes of Peace." "Paul and I shared the same idea of how a pop song should work and it was a real treat to work with him," Jackson wrote in his 1988 autobiography, "Moonwalk." MORE MICHAEL: Michael Jackson on Apple Music To preview a song, mouse over the title and click Play. Open iTunes to buy and download music. Biography Michael Jackson wasn't merely the biggest pop star of his era, shaping the sound and style of the '70s and '80s; he was one of the defining stars of the 20th century, a musician who changed the contours of American culture.

A preternaturally gifted singer and dancer, Jackson first rose to stardom in 1969 as the 11-year-old frontman for his family's band, the Jackson 5. As remarkable a run as the Jackson 5 had -- at the dawn of the '70s, each of their first four singles went to number one and they stayed near the top of the charts for the next five years -- it all served as a preamble to Jackson's solo career. Off the Wall, the dazzling 1979 album co-produced by Quincy Jones, announced Jackson as a mature talent, and the singles "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You" turned it into a blockbuster. Despite its success, Jackson believed Off the Wall was pigeonholed as an R&B record. Determined to break through this glass ceiling, he reunited with Jones to create Thriller, the 1982 album that shattered every music record on the books.

Thriller was designed to appeal to every audience and its diversity was evident by its guests: he enlisted Eddie Van Halen to play guitar on the hard rock of "Beat It" while inviting Paul McCartney to duet on the chipper soft pop tune "The Girl Is Mine." Jackson also expanded the horizons of soul and dance music, producing pioneering masterpieces like "Billie Jean." This single provided Thriller with its 1983 breakthrough, thanks in part to its groundbreaking music video, which became the first clip from a black artist to enter steady rotation on the fledgling MTV. Jackson's smashing of the network's racial barriers was only one aspect of Thriller's unprecedented crossover. Seven of its nine songs were Top 10 hits, it earned eight Grammy awards, and topped the Billboard charts for 37 weeks, matching its American success internationally to become the biggest-selling album of all time, earning 32 platinum certifications in the US and moving over 100 million albums worldwide.

Such a phenomenal triumph pushed Jackson into the stratosphere and Bad -- the eagerly-anticipated 1987 sequel to Thriller, co-produced once again with Quincy Jones -- kept him there, generating five number one singles on the Billboard charts and selling 30 million copies internationally, two thirds of which were outside of the US. Jackson parted ways with Jones for 1991's Dangerous, another global blockbuster. HIStory, a 1995 double-disc set that paired a disc of hits with a new album, produced a couple of international number one singles. Invincible, his 2001 album, turned out to be his last. Health problems culminated in his untimely death in the summer of 2009, but at that point Jackson's legend was safe: he stood alongside Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, Miles Davis, and Bob Dylan as one of the musicians that created the sound of America in the 20th century. Such heights came from modest beginnings. Michael was born in Gary, Indiana on August 29, 1958, the fifth son of Katherine and Joe Jackson.

His mother was a Jehovah's Witness and his father a former boxer-turned-steelworker who played guitar on the side. Harboring aspirations of musical stardom, Joe shepherded his sons into a musical act around 1962. At that point, it was just the three eldest children -- Tito, Jackie, and Jermaine -- but Michael joined them in 1964 and soon dominated the group. Stealing moves from James Brown and Jackie Wilson, Michael became the epicenter of the Jackson 5 as they earned accolades at local talent shows and went on to play soul clubs throughout the Midwest, working their way toward the east coast in 1967 where they won an amateur contest at the Apollo Theater. Returning to Gary, the group cut a pair of singles for the local imprint Steeltown in 1968 -- "(I'm A) Big Boy," "We Don't Have to Be Over 21" -- but their big break arrived when they opened for Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers at Chicago's Regal Theater.

Impressed, Taylor brought them to the attention of Berry Gordy, Jr., who signed the group to Motown in March of 1969 and then sent them out to Los Angeles, where he helped mastermind their national launch. "I Want You Back," a song written and produced by Motown's new crew the Corporation, saw release in October 1968 when Michael Jackson was just 11 years old. By January 1970, "I Want You Back" rocketed to number one on both the pop and R&B charts, and the Jackson 5 became a sensation, crossing over from R&B to AM pop radio with ease. Two more hits followed --" ABC" and "The Love You Save," both exuberant bubblegum soul -- before "I'll Be There" revealed Michael's facility with ballads. All three of these sequels went to number one and, striking while the iron was hot, Motown spun Michael off into a solo act.

His first solo single, "Got to Be There," arrived at the end of 1971, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100, and then a cover of Bobby Day's chestnut "Rockin' Robin" peaked at two in early 1972. Later that year, "Ben," the title theme ballad to an exploitation movie about a killer rat, earned Jackson his first Oscar nomination for Best Original Song (he would lose). Not long afterward, the careers of both Michael and the Jackson 5 slowed, victims of shifting tastes, adolescence, and creative battles with their label. One last hit for Motown arrived in 1974 -- "Dancing Machine," a single that brought the group in line with the disco explosion -- before the group departed Motown for Epic in 1975. With the new label came a new name, along with a slight lineup change: Jermaine stayed at Motown to pursue a solo career and younger brother Randy took his place.

Following a pair of albums produced by Philly soul mainstays Gamble & Huff, Michael emerged as the group's creative director on 1978's Destiny, co-writing their 1979 smash "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" with Randy. By that point, Michael had already made a considerable solo impression by starring as the Scarecrow in The Wiz, Sidney Lumet's 1978 musical adaptation of The Wizard of Oz. Working on the soundtrack -- a record highlighted by his duet with Diana Ross on "Ease on Down the Road" -- he met producer Quincy Jones, a titan of jazz and pop in the '50s and '60s who had yet to score a smash in the '70s. The pair hit it off and decided to work on Jackson's next solo endeavor, but first the Jackson 5 released Destiny, which raised the profile of both the band and Michael himself. All this was preamble to Off the Wall, the 1979 album that definitively established Michael Jackson as a force of his own.

Collaborating with producer Jones and songwriter Rod Temperton, Jackson consciously attempted to appeal to multiple audiences with Off the Wall, turning the album into a dazzling showcase of all his different sounds and skills. Anchored by a pair of number one hits -- the incandescent "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You" -- the record turned into a smash, peaking at four on the Billboard 200, selling millions of copies as it raked in awards, but losing the grand prize of Album of the Year at the Grammys, leaving Jackson with the lingering impression that he needed to cross over into the pop mainstream with greater force. Before he could do that, he had to complete one more Jackson 5 album: 1980's Triumph, a record with three hit singles ("Lovely One," "This Place Hotel," "Can You Feel It") whose title seemed to allude to Michael's solo success and certainly benefitted from his heightened stardom. After Triumph, Jackson reunited with producer Jones and songwriter Temperton to create the sequel to Off the Wall, crafting a record that deliberately hit every mark in the musical mainstream.

Paul McCartney was brought in to underscore Michael's soft rock leanings, Eddie Van Halen pushed Jackson into metallic hard rock, and the remainder of the album glided from disco to pop to soul in an effortless display of his range. "The Girl Is Mine," the first single from Thriller, didn't suggest its adventure -- Jackson played it safe by releasing the McCartney duet as the album's lead -- but the second single, "Billie Jean," forged ahead into new, unnamable territory. "Billie Jean" was a pop explosion, topping the charts in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada. Some of its success can no doubt be credited to its striking music video, the first to break the fledgling MTV's then-unspoken racial barrier; after Jackson, the network began playing more black acts. Some of the single's success is due to his sensational performance on Motown's 25th Anniversary Special in 1983, a performance aired on May 16, 1983 where Jackson unveiled his signature moonwalk dance -- a move that made it appear as if he was gliding backward -- and announced himself to the world as a mature talent.

"Beat It," accompanied by an equally cinematic video, turned into an equally huge smash on MTV and helped push Thriller into the stratosphere. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," "Human Nature," and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" kept Thriller at number one and its last single was an extravaganza, with Jackson letting director John Landis turn the song into a short musical horror film. By the time the album wrapped up its two-year run on the charts, it had racked up 37 weeks at number one and sold 29 million copies, becoming the biggest-selling album ever. Even as Thriller was something of a pop perpetual motion machine, selling records of its own accord, Jackson worked hard. He once again teamed with Paul McCartney, singing "Say Say Say" for McCartney's 1983 album Pipes of Peace, and he reunited with the Jackson 5 for 1984's Victory, supporting the album with an international tour. Prior to its launch, Jackson suffered a serious accident while filming a Pepsi commercial designed to accompany the tour.

During the shoot, pyrotechnics burned Jackson's head, sending him to the hospital with second degree burns to his scalp; as he recovered, he started using pain killers for the first time. Jackson earned accolades for his philanthropic work, especially his collaboration with Lionel Richie on the 1985 charity single "We Are the World," but along with these positive notes, wild stories began to circulate in the tabloids. Some further bad press accompanied his acquisition of the Lennon and McCartney songwriting catalog in 1985, a move that severed his partnership with Paul McCartney. Jackson also flirted with becoming a movie star, working with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola on the 3D film Captain Eo, shown only at Disney's IMAX theaters starting in 1986. Once this appeared, he started work on the task of following up Thriller. Working once again with Quincy Jones, Jackson refined the Thriller template for 1987's Bad.

Like Thriller, the first single was an adult contemporary number -- "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," a duet with then unknown Siedah Garrett -- before it cranked out hits: "Bad," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Man in the Mirror," and "Dirty Diana" all reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1987 and 1988, with "Another Part of Me" just missing the Top 10 and "Smooth Criminal" peaking at seven. Bad didn't dominate the charts in other countries but its singles reached the Top 10 internationally with some regularity, aided in part with a globe-spanning tour -- the first solo tour of Michael Jackson's career.

The Bad World Tour broke records across the globe and in its wake, he started calling himself "The King of Pop," a nickname that was something of a retort to Elvis Presley being known as "The King of Rock & Roll." Once the tour wrapped up, Jackson returned to his new home -- a Santa Ynez ranch that he purchased in March of 1988 and renamed Neverland, playing up his Peter Pan fixation Jackson renewed his deal with Sony -- the corporation that purchased Epic/CBS -- in 1991 and then set to work on his next album. This time, he decided to part ways with Quincy Jones, choosing to work with a variety of collaborators, chief among them Teddy Riley, who helped usher Michael into the realm of New Jack Swing. "Black or White," the album's first video, caused some controversy, which helped generate initial press and sales and sent the single to number one. "Remember the Time" and "In the Closet" also made it into the Billboard Top 10 in early 1992, but subsequent singles "Jam" and "Heal the World" stalled in the low 20s, while "Who Is It" made it to 14.

Jackson's period of massive success was starting to end and, as it did, Jackson entered a rough personal period. In 1993, a 13-year-old boy accused Jackson of molestation. Over the next two years, the case played out in public and in the justice system, eventually settling out of court for undisclosed terms in 1995; no charges were ever filed. During all this, Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley in May of 1994; their marriage lasted just 19 months. Jackson rebooted his career in 1995 with HIStory: Past, Present & Future, Book 1, a double-disc set divided into an album of hits and an album of new material. Preceded by a double-A-sided single containing the ballad "Childhood" and "Scream," a duet with his sister Janet, the album underperformed compared to its predecessors but still generated big hits, highlighted by "You Are Not Alone," the first single to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The subsequent singles "They Don't Care About Us" and "Stranger in Moscow" underperformed in the U.S.

but were Top 10 singles in the U.K., and HIStory also did well in other global international markets, aided in part by the lengthy accompanying global tour. In 1997, Jackson followed HIStory with Blood on the Dance Floor, an album that topped the U.K. charts but only reached 24 in the U.S. By that point, Jackson had married his nurse, Debbie Rowe, who would soon become to the mother of two children: Prince Michael Jackson, Jr. and Paris Michael Katherine Jackson. Over the next couple of years, Jackson raised his family and performed at charitable events, starting work on a comeback planned for 2001. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo act that year (the Jackson 5 had previously been inducted) and he staged two major 30th Anniversary concerts in September 2001 to kick off the promo campaign for his new album, Invincible. Produced in large part by Rodney Jerkins, Invincible consciously evoked Off the Wall with its single "You Rock My World," which reached 10 prior to the album's October release. Invincible entered the charts at number one in the U.S.

and U.K., but it didn't have staying power and never generated another hit single. Soon, music took a backseat to Jackson's personal life. He had a third child, Prince Michael Jackson II in 2002, but the birth was overshadowed by erratic public appearances and legal problems, including an arrest in November 2003 for child molestation; in June of 2005 he was acquitted on all counts. As the case played out, Sony released the first-ever single-disc collection of Jackson's peak, Number Ones, in 2003; it had a new song, "One More Chance." Over the next few years, many catalog releases materialized: the 2004 box set The Ultimate Collection, the 2006 double-disc set The Essential Michael Jackson, a collectors box called Visionary in 2006, and his catalog saw deluxe reissues in 2008. Jackson planned a major comeback for 2009 with a major tour called This Is It featuring a long run of shows at London's O2 Arena.

As he was in the midst of rehearsals in Los Angeles, he collapsed at home on the afternoon of June 25, 2009. Rushed to the UCLA Medical Center, Jackson was pronounced dead of a cardiac arrest at the age of 50. An extensive investigation later named his death a homicide due to prescription drugs; Dr. Conrad Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. It didn't take long for posthumous releases to begin to hit the shelves. Motown released The Remix Suite in October of 2009, and then a film documenting the 2009 concert rehearsals was released as This Is It, along with a soundtrack. Next came a DVD set called Vision, and 2010 brought Michael, a collection of outtakes, most dating from Invincible. In 2012, the 25th anniversary of Bad brought an expanded reissue of the 1987 album. Epic released Xscape in 2014, a record where L.A. Reid and Timbaland reworked demos recorded between Thriller and Invincible.

Preceded by the single "Love Never Felt So Good" -- an electronic duet with Justin Timberlake that went to The Top 10 -- Xscape earned Gold certification. In 2016, Off the Wall received a deluxe reissue highlighted by an accompanying documentary directed by Spike Lee. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine Top Albums

Question: What was Michael Jackson's last UK No 1 of the 80s?
Answer: I Just Can't Stop Loving You