Two '80s Icons, Madonna and Michael Jackson, Return to Billboard Top 10 Together After Nearly 25 Years
Currently, the Billboard 200's Top 10 includes albums released by modern music superstars like Olivia Rodrigo, Morgan Wallen, Drake, and Noah Kahan. While that is to be expected, the shocking thing is that two of the biggest icons from the 1980s both have albums listed alongside them: Madonna and Michael Jackson, with one of them reaching No. 1. That marks the first time the two beloved singers have reached the top 10 together in nearly 25 years.
Michael Jackson and Madonna Hit the Billboard 200 Top 10 Together
On July 3, 2026, Madonna released her latest studio album, Confessions II, which is also known as Confessions on a Dance Floor: Part II. As its title implies, the new release is a sequel to the pop icon's 2005 album Confessions on a Dance Floor, which featured hits like "Hung Up," "Sorry," "Get Together," and "Jump." In a testament to the singer's staying power, the new release has hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
At the same time that new music from one '80s icon is ruling the charts, a collection of classic songs from another is also sitting remarkably close to the top. Since the release of the biopic Michael, the iconic King of Pop has been enjoying what can only be described as a musical renaissance.
That new surge in popularity has led to Michael Jackson currently having two albums in the Billboard 200's Top 10. The legendary 1982 album Thriller sits at No. 8, while his greatest hits compilation, Number Ones, is listed behind at No. 12. Remarkably, he also has one other album on the chart, albeit much lower in the ranking: The Essential Michael Jackson is listed at No. 175.
Flashback to 2001: The Last Time Madonna and Michael Jackson Shared the Top 10
Billboard has published an article about Madonna and Michael Jackson reaching the Billboard 200 Top 10 together. It noted that it has been almost 25 years since the only other time that the two '80s icons reached the Top 10 simultaneously. In an amusing twist, the circumstances of their last time surging up the charts together were reversed in a fascinating way.
The Billboard 200 chart dated December 1, 2001, featured Michael Jackson's album of new music, Invincible, at No. 4. At the same time, Madonna had a compilation album in the No. 7 position, GHV2: Greatest Hits Volume 2. That is a fun reversal of the current chart listing for the week ending July 18, 2026, which features classic music from Jackson and a collection of new songs from Madonna.
Billboard's article about the two artists' shared Billboard 200 history noted that there was one other time when they almost hit the Top 10 together. In September 1987, the Who's That Girl soundtrack, which featured several Madonna songs, fell four spots to No. 11 during the same week Jackson's Bad debuted at No. 1.
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This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jul 14, 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 July 14, 2026 at 11:12 AM.