Michael Jackson's 2014 Deep Cut 'Chicago' Climbs Billboard Charts 12 Years Later

Even songs that become gigantic hits when they are first released typically only have a limited lifespan on the Billboard Hot 100. However, there have been some notable examples of the most popular tracks from the distant past enjoying a resurgence. What is truly astonishing about what is happening now is that a pop icon's 2014 song that was previously never a hit is suddenly climbing the charts.

The Previously Unknown 2014 Track That Is Suddenly Reaching New Heights 12 Years Later

On May 9, 2014, a posthumous Michael Jackson album titled Xscape was released. At that time, the Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake track "Love Never Felt So Good" from the album became a top 10 hit, peaking at No. 9. The album also featured a song titled "Chicago," which was a deep cut that only die-hard fans who played the full album ever heard.

Now, 12 years after it was originally released, "Chicago" is suddenly climbing the charts. The song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on June 6, 2026, and is currently in its second week on the charts. After premiering at No. 30, it climbed to No. 26, where it sits right now, with the possibility of continuing to rise.

The song's new success has allowed Jackson to become the first artist to have a new entry on the Billboard Hot 100 during six consecutive decades. The King of Pop has had a song premiere on the most respected music chart in every decade since the 1970s.

Why Fans Are Discovering the Track

A truly unlikely story of sudden success, "Chicago" has become a hit nearly 17 years after Michael Jackson died in 2009. There is an astonishing mix of two factors that have led to the previously unknown song taking the music world by storm.

In April 2026, the Jackson biopic Michael was released and became a huge hit, bringing in more than $932 million at the worldwide box office. In addition to its box office dominance, the film is arguably one of the most-talked-about movies of 2026. That allowed it to create a renewed interest in Jackson that has also led to his iconic song "Billie Jean" currently sitting at No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100.

On top of the biopic helping to make it a sudden success, a viral social media trend also made "Chicago" popular for the first time. An Avocado Animations short video featuring two regular birds reacting to a different bird dancing like Jackson launched the trend. The video currently has more than 694,000 likes as a YouTube short and over 723,000 likes on TikTok. Those are only two examples of the staggering number of uploads the clip has received.

Although Billboard doesn't factor social media streams into its charts, there is a documented history of a causal relationship between them. In December 2024, TikTok announced that 13 out of 16 songs that reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 that year were linked to a trend on the platform in some way. Since then, there have been other examples of old songs becoming popular after being the focus of a trend, like when the Goo Goo Dolls' song "Iris" recently charted.

Next: 1992 Rock Classic Is Suddenly Climbing the Charts 33 Years Later

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 11:14 AM.