17 years after his death, Michael Jackson beats Harry Styles and Olivia Dean to 2026's best-selling album. Here's the album behind his comeback

• Michael Jackson's album topped the UK's 2026 year-to-date album chart with more than 508,000 chart units.

• Michael Jackson's biopic revived interest in his music, helping his 2005 greatest hits compilation outsell albums by Harry Styles and Olivia Dean to claim the top spot

• Michael Jackson's biopic crossed $1 billion worldwide, while streams of his music rose to roughly four times their pre-release levels, according to Sony Music.

The late King of Pop claimed the top spot with The Essential Michael Jackson, a greatest hits compilation released in 2005. The album amassed more than 508,000 chart units in the UK during the first nine months of 2026, according to the Official Charts Company.

Dean's The Art of Loving ranked second, while Styles' Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally took third place in the year-to-date album rankings at the end of September.

Jackson's resurgence extends beyond the compilation. His landmark albums Thriller and Bad also featured in the UK's Top 20, ranking 16th and 20th, respectively. The figures highlight the enduring appeal of his catalogue decades after his rise to global stardom.

The renewed interest follows the success of Michael, the 2026 biopic starring Jackson's nephew, Jaafar Jackson, as the music legend. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film crossed $1 billion in worldwide box-office revenue, becoming the first biopic to reach the milestone.

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Sony Music reported in August that streams of Jackson's catalogue had climbed to roughly four times their pre-release levels following the film's success. The surge suggests that the production has introduced his music to new audiences while encouraging longtime fans to revisit his hits.

Jackson died on June 25, 2009, at the age of 50, following cardiac arrest. More than 17 years later, his music continues to compete with releases from some of the biggest names in contemporary pop.

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