As we previously told you, R.E.M.‘s "It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) " has re-entered the chart amid growing global concern over the coronavirus outbreak. Well, apparently that’s not the only virus/survival-related song to see a boost in sales.
According to Nielsen, R.E.M.’s classic track has seen a 184% increase in downloads, up to 1,000, and another 48% increase in U.S. on-demands streams, up 746,000. R.E.M. has also seen a boost with two other tracks - “Everybody Hurts," up 22% in digital song sales, and 2% in streams, and “Losing My Religion,” up 11% in sales.
Other songs getting a boost because of the current pandemic include:
- The Knack’s“My Sharona” (because it rhymes with corona) – up 43% in digital song sales and up 18% in U.S. on-demand streams.
- Weird Al Yankovic’s“My Sharona” parody, “My Bologna” (for the same reason) – up 16% in on-demand streams.
- Gloria Gaynor’s“I Will Survive”– up 22% in digital sales, and 3% in streams.
- The Minutemen“Corona” – up 70% in digital sales, and 26% in streams.
- Shwayze’s“Corona and Lime” – up 12% in streams.
- Disturbed’s“Down with the Sickness” – up 10% in digital sales, 26% in streams.
- Bad Religion“Infected” – up 4% in streams.
- Joy Division’s“Isolation” - up 50% in sales, 26% in streams.
Source:Billboard
Photo courtesy of Mark Mainz