The solar eclipse sparked a huge increase in streams of celestial anthems, with Bonnie Tyler’s Total Eclipse Of The Heart seeing the biggest jump, figures show.
The ballad saw a 94% increase in listenership in the UK and 14% globally on Spotify on August 12, the biggest overall jump, five weeks after her death on July 8.
Other Songs See Massive Boosts
Several other songs received a huge boost, including rock band Evolfo’s Moon Eclipsed The Sun, which had a 12,817% increase in the UK and 1,251% globally.
Chris Staples’ Dark Side Of The Moon had a jump of 2,805% in the UK and 405% globally.
Eclipse by Pink Floyd enjoyed a 594% increase in the UK and 144% globally, while Delta Goodrem’s Eurovision song, also called Eclipse, increased 104% among British listeners and 40% worldwide.
Bill Withers’ 1971 hit Ain’t No Sunshine experienced a 17% increase in the UK and a 3% jump globally.
Data and Reaction
Data compared streams on eclipse day, August 12, against the August 1-11 daily average.
Shannon Carragher, senior editor at Spotify, told the Press Association: “It is always fascinating to see how major cultural events instantly reflect in what the UK is listening to.
“Cultural phenomena like the solar eclipse naturally bring people together, and we instinctively look for the perfect soundtrack to share that moment.
“Whether it’s collectively returning to iconic anthems like Total Eclipse of the Heart or seeking out more hidden celestial gems, these massive spikes in streaming show just how deeply we rely on music to elevate and connect us in the real world during shared human experiences.”
Eclipse Coverage
More than 90% of the sun was obscured by the Moon between about 6pm and 8.15pm on Wednesday, the most it has been blocked above UK skies since the total eclipse in 1999.
