Michael Jackson — Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'

The opener to Thriller is back in heavy rotation, tracked across 102 country and platform charts as the Michael biopic drives a sweeping catalog rediscovery. The chanting hook anchors the film's trailer soundtrack, layered with the Synclavier riff of "Beat It," per TV Tropes, and the song features prominently on the companion soundtrack spanning Jackson's career. A Sony attorney described the film to The Hollywood Reporter as "a two-hour ad designed to send audiences straight to streaming." The strategy is landing: Jackson just became the first artist to chart on the Hot 100 across six decades, with "Chicago" breaking in on the same wave, according to The Bounce. Written originally for his sister LaToya, the track has long been the durable curtain-raiser of Jackson's most-played record.