Every Michael Jackson Hot 100 Number One, 1972 to 1995

This list includes singles credited to Michael Jackson as a lead or co-lead solo artist that reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It does not include Jackson 5 or Jacksons records, or We Are the World (1985), which Jackson co-wrote with Lionel Richie but which was credited to USA for Africa. Say Say Say is included because it was credited jointly to Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson. Weeks at number one are as listed in Billboard's chart archive.

1. Ben (1972), from the album Ben. One week at number one. The theme song of a film about a boy and his pet rat, and Jackson's first solo number one, at the age of 14. It shows how mature his ballad singing already was.

2. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (1979), from Off the Wall. One week. Written by Jackson himself, it proved he could write a hit for his own adult voice. Listen for the percussion and the falsetto lead.

3. Rock with You (1980), from Off the Wall. Four weeks. Written by Rod Temperton, it is the smoothest song in the list and a good example of how warm the Off the Wall production sounds.

4. Billie Jean (1983), from Thriller. Seven weeks. Written by Jackson, built on one of the most recognisable basslines in pop, and the song he performed at Motown 25.

5. Beat It (1983), from Thriller. Three weeks. Written by Jackson, with Eddie Van Halen's guitar solo. It helped Thriller reach rock radio audiences.

6. Say Say Say (1983), with Paul McCartney, from McCartney's album Pipes of Peace. Six weeks. The second McCartney and Jackson duet after The Girl Is Mine; its video was filmed partly at the ranch Jackson later bought and renamed Neverland.

7. I Just Can't Stop Loving You (1987), with Siedah Garrett. One week. The first single from Bad, a duet ballad.

8. Bad (1987). Two weeks. The title track and the song of the Martin Scorsese short film.

9. The Way You Make Me Feel (1988). One week. A shuffling, playful groove and one of his most enjoyable videos.

10. Man in the Mirror (1988). Two weeks. Written by Siedah Garrett and Glen Ballard, a gospel-influenced song about personal responsibility.

11. Dirty Diana (1988). One week. A hard-rock ballad with guitar by Steve Stevens. It gave Bad its record-setting fifth number one; Katy Perry's Teenage Dream later matched that total in 2011.

12. Black or White (1991), from Dangerous. Seven weeks. Its video premiered on several networks on the same night and introduced digital morphing to a mass audience.

13. You Are Not Alone (1995), from HIStory. One week. Written by R. Kelly, it was the first song to debut at number one on the Hot 100, and it was Jackson's final US number one.

The list spans 23 years, from a Motown film theme to a 1990s R&B ballad, and five of the thirteen come from a single album, Bad. It also shows that Jackson's chart dominance was not limited to Thriller: Bad produced more number ones than Thriller, and his last two number ones came from albums often described as less successful in the US.

Chart positions only tell part of the story. Some of his most celebrated recordings, including Thriller (number four), Smooth Criminal (number seven), Remember the Time (number three) and Earth Song (not released as a US single), never reached number one in the United States.