Michael Jackson tops global streaming rankings 17 years after his death

King of Pop Michael Jackson has proven that his music is still as magical as ever, 17 years after his death. In Kworb’s May 2026 Global Digital Artist Rankings, Michael Jackson took first place with 11,157 points, leaving behind big names of the era including Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and popular K-Pop groups by a significant margin. He was almost 5,000 points ahead of Justin Bieber in second place, while Taylor Swift was in fifth place.

The biggest reason for this extraordinary comeback is the success of the film ‘Michael’ based on his life. After the release of the film, his classic songs from the 70s and 80s became popular with the new generation and started rising rapidly in the global streaming charts. He is at the top with a clear lead on major platforms like Shazam, YouTube, iTunes, Apple Music and Deezer, while he is also in second place on Spotify by a small margin.

This achievement is proof that Michael Jackson was not just a singer, but a global cultural phenomenon whose music will continue to influence generations and whose popularity is growing rather than diminishing over time.