WASHINGTON — Michael Jackson's 1982 song "Billie Jean" reached number one on Billboard's Global 200 chart in its 144th week on the list, setting a new record for the longest climb to the top of that chart. The track received more than 51 million global streams in a single week to lead the ranking.

The song moved from number 65 to number 1 over a three-week span. The previous record for the longest ascent to the top of the Global 200 was held by Djo's "End of Beginning," which reached number one in its 94th week on the chart in January. "Billie Jean" surpassed that mark by reaching the top position in its 144th week, more than 50 weeks later than Djo's record climb.

"Billie Jean" originally topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for seven weeks following its release in 1982. The song's return to chart prominence comes more than four decades after that original run. Luminate, an industry data and analytics company that tracks music listenership, reported the streaming figures used to compile the Global 200 rankings. The more than 51 million global streams "Billie Jean" received in a single week placed it ahead of all other tracks on the chart.