Sales of Prince's Music Soar

In wake of his death, albums and songs are surging on iTunes charts
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Apr 21, 2016 2:40 PM CDT
Sales of Prince's Music Soar
In this Nov. 22, 2015 file photo, Prince presents the award for favorite album - soul/R&B at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles.    (Matt Sayles)

Sales of Prince's music have soared since news broke of the pop star's death Thursday morning, the AP reports. Three of his songs—"Purple Rain," ''Little Red Corvette," and "When Doves Cry,"—surged to 7th, 9th, and 10th on iTunes' Top Songs chart. Four of his albums—The Very Best of Prince, Purple Rain, The Hits/The B-Sides, and 1999—jumped to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 8th on iTunes' Top Albums chart by Thursday afternoon. The singer's music catalog, including last year's HITNRUN Phase One & Two, was streaming on Tidal, another high-profile exclusive for the Jay Z-backed service. Other streaming services like Spotify and Rhapsody did not offer Prince's songs.

Meanwhile, a small group of fans has gathered in the rain on a hillside opposite Prince's home and studios at Paisley Park, some taking photos with their cellphones. The music superstar's publicist tells the AP that Prince was found dead at the suburban Minneapolis estate. Thirty-two-year-old Steven Scott of Eden Prairie said he was at Paisley Park last Saturday for Prince's dance party. He called Prince "a beautiful person" whose message was that people should love one another. One woman cried hysterically as she waved away an AP reporter. (Click for 4 awesome quotes about Prince.)

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