2016 has proven that the best PR you can do to drive music sales is to die.
Death was closely followed sizeable increased album sales for Prince, David Bowie, Leonard Cohen and George Michael in 2016.
Prince, David Bowie, Merle Haggard, Joey + Rory, Juan Gabriel, Leonard Cohen, Glenn Frey/Eagles, Maurice White/Earth Wind & Fire and George Michael sold a combined 5.3 million albums and 9.4 million songs and 1.7 billion song streams in the week immediately following their deaths.
According to BuzzAnglemusic.com, over one million songs and 230,000 albums were sold on the day Prince died. David Bowie sold 177,912 albums and 206,209 songs as well as 47.8 million streams the day after his death. George Michael sold 40.484 albums and 323,333 songs as well as 37,253,944 streams in the week since he died. Glenn Frey’s Eagles catalogue moved 53,790 units the week of his death, 159,660 Eagles songs were sold and 13,001,868 songs were streamed. Leonard Cohen sold 62,614 on news of his death, 71,604 songs were sold and 17,804,873 songs were streamed and Maurice White’s Earth Wind & Fire catalogue saw 18,651 albums sold, 52,823 songs sold and 10,232,170 songs streamed.
Death has always been a great sales tool for music. It’s just recommended you try it.
