Michael Jackson in 1992<\/p>\n
Dave Benett | Getty Images<\/p>\n
Despite the negative reviews on the biopic, Michael Jackson’s “Michael” had a record-breaking opening weekend, with the soundtrack’s songs topping Spotify charts.<\/p>\n
Last week Kalshi opened a contract about which artist will have the top song on the Spotify Global ranking this month, and by Sunday night, traders thought Jackson had an 86% chance to “beat it” against other artists.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The biopic released on April 24, the same day five siblings filed a lawsuit alleging Jackson sexually assaulted them. The movie ranks 39% on Rotten Tomatoes, with film critics labeling it as “bland” and overlooking the allegations.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The criticism failed to influence Jackson’s catalog, with hits like “Billie Jean,” “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” and “Human Nature” in the Top 20 of the Global Songs <\/a>playlist on Spotify. Those songs were also featured in the movie. <\/p>\n Jackson’s monthly listener count on Spotify was just over 68 million on April 20, according to the Hollywood Reporter<\/a>. It hit over 87 million as of Thursday. <\/p>\n Kalshi traders predicted the best chances for Jackson to top the Spotify charts on Sunday and Monday, roughly a week after the movie was released. Jackson’s chances surged from 14% to over 50% on May 2.\u00a0<\/p>\n As of Thursday, Jackson sits at roughly 53% on having the No. 1 song this month with artists like Drake and Olivia Rodrigo leading.<\/p>\n Disclosure: CNBC and Kalshi have a commercial relationship that includes customer acquisition and a minority investment.<\/p>\n