Entertainment

David Bowie fans boost record sales in two years after his death

Followers of the late musician have bought five million of his records.
Followers of the late musician have bought five million of his records. Followers of the late musician have bought five million of his records.

David Bowie fans in the UK have bought two million albums by the singer since his death in January 2016.

The musician died at the age of 69 on January 10 and since then fans in the UK have bought more than five million of his records, including 3.1 million singles.

New data from the Official Charts Company, totalling Bowie’s UK physical sales, digital downloads and stream-equivalent sales since his death from liver cancer, shows fans have rediscovered his back catalogue and snapped up the new greatest hits releases, live recordings and anniversary picture discs.

David Bowie Isle Of Wight Festival
David Bowie Isle Of Wight Festival David Bowie (Yui Mok/PA)

His 25th and final studio album Blackstar was released just two days before his death and went on to be one of the top ten biggest albums of 2016, making it  Bowie’s most popular album since his death.

It sold 446,000 copies across all formats, while his 2008 hits collection Best Of Bowie was second most popular, selling 335,000 copies.

Another retrospective, Legacy, released in 2016, came third with 247,000.

A further three Bowie albums have each sold more than 100,000 since January 2016: Nothing Has Changed – The Very Best Of, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and Hunky Dory.

David Bowie The Reality Tour
David Bowie The Reality Tour (Andy Butterton/PA)

More than three million singles have been sold since his death, including 241 million plays across streaming services.

His 1977 single Heroes has been his most popular since his death and re-entered the charts for the first time in 39 years in the week after his death, reaching number 12.

His Queen collaboration Under Pressure,  a number one hit in November 1981, was his second most popular, followed by Life On Mars and Let’s Dance.