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Late American music icon Michael Jackson has emerged as the UK's best-selling album artist of 2026 so far, with his greatest hits collection outperforming releases by contemporary pop stars Harry Styles and Olivia Dean.
The late singer's 2005 compilation album, The Essential Michael Jackson, secured the top position on the year-to-date UK album chart, recording more than 508,000 chart units during the first nine months of the year, according to the Official Charts Company.
The achievement comes amid renewed interest in Jackson's music following the success of Michael, the 2026 biographical film about his life and career.
The movie, which features Jaafar Jackson, the singer's nephew, in the lead role, has generated significant attention for the late performer and his extensive musical catalogue.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the biopic reportedly earned more than $1 billion at the global box office, becoming the first biographical film to reach the milestone.
The film's commercial success has also translated into increased consumption of Jackson's music. Sony Music disclosed in August that streaming figures for his catalogue had climbed to approximately four times their levels before the movie's release.
This resurgence has helped introduce the singer's work to a new generation of listeners while encouraging longtime admirers to revisit some of his most popular recordings.
On the UK album rankings, Olivia Dean's The Art of Loving occupied second place, while Harry Styles' Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally came third.
Jackson's influence was not limited to his greatest hits collection, as two of his celebrated studio albums also appeared among the country's 20 best-selling albums for the period.
His 1982 album, Thriller, ranked 16th, while Bad, released in 1987, secured the 20th position.
The performance of the albums highlights the continued commercial strength of Jackson's music, years after his death and decades after some of his most successful releases first reached audiences.
Known globally as the King of Pop, Jackson built a reputation through his distinctive vocals, elaborate music videos, energetic performances and a catalogue of songs that shaped modern popular music.
His albums produced several internationally recognised hits, helping establish him as one of the most influential entertainers in music history.
Jackson died on June 25, 2009, at the age of 50, following cardiac arrest. His music, however, has continued to attract listeners across different generations.
The latest UK chart figures demonstrate how renewed public attention, driven partly by a major film production, can influence the commercial performance of an established artist's recordings.
While contemporary performers such as Styles and Dean continue to attract audiences with their own releases, Jackson's greatest hits collection has maintained a stronger position in the 2026 rankings.
With his compilation leading the chart and two additional albums featuring in the top 20, the late singer's catalogue remains a significant force in the UK music market.
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