Jimmy Buffett’s Sales Surged More Than 7,000% After His Death

It’s been less than a month since Jimmy Buffett died from skin cancer, a diagnoses that had not been disclosed to his fan base. In the weeks that followed, those who loved him and even some who only knew a few songs flocked to both streaming platforms and digital download stores to support the art he made during his lifetime. In doing so, his consumption figures exploded, proving his enduring popularity.

In the tracking week dated September 1 through 7, which began just as his death was announced to the world, sales of Buffett’s songs rose by more than 7,000% compared to the week prior, according to data from Luminate published by Billboard. During that period, paid downloads hit 103,000 songs for the pop-rocker.

All those sales helped Buffett invade the Digital Song Sales chart like never before. Fans purchased in large enough numbers to help him dominate the ranking of the bestselling tracks in America. Last week, Buffet scored half of the top 10 bestselling cuts in the country. He claimed 12 spaces on the 50-spot tally with mostly debuts, though his classic “Margaritaville” reappeared at No. 1.

At the same time, Buffett landed his first hit on Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart, which looks only at the most-streamed tracks in the country. “Margaritaville” debuted at No. 41 decades after it was first released. The singer’s entire catalog experienced a 1,476% gain from the week prior on streaming platforms.

It’s clear that following his passing, Buffett’s fans couldn’t get enough of his work. Many rushed to stream his songs and albums, but it’s also obvious that many more preferred to buy his singles. This isn’t uncommon when it comes to late musicians, especially those who appeal to older generations, who may still stick to buying music over streaming it in more meaningful times.

MORE FROM FORBESJimmy Buffett Dominates Billboard’s Sales Chart A Week After His DeathBy Hugh McIntyre