Buying music by the recently deceased?

After Whitney Houston departed from this world on Saturday February 11th 2012, her album sales soared, and continue to climb. Her "The Greatest Hits" album (if you can call it her greatest hits, almost the entire second disc is remixes) reached #1 on both Itunes and Amazon Mp3's Bestsellers list. The available hard copies of her albums are also flying off the shelves. " 'Greatest Hits' posted a 10,419% gain over its previous week's sales, when it shifted just under 1,000." Many of her other songs and albums saw ridiculous sales growth as you can see at Billboard.com.


Why are these albums not bought at such an extreme rate when an artist is alive? In Whitney's case, do people do it to remember her great music? Don't these "fans" already own her music? Maybe they are younger people, or someone that does not have a much music. They may be struck with curiosity from the headlines and purchase a couple songs or an album. Do people think her music will become collectible? Mp3's are worthless they have no re-sale value and CD's are next to worthless because they are mass-produced. I could maybe understand finding some collectible vinyl pieces, but with someone like Whitney, who was already popular when vinyl was one of the main listening formats of music; her vinyl is not limited in number and therefore, they are not worth much money.


My best guess, to why musicians records fly to the top of the charts after they pass, is promotion. If an album gets enough promotion, it will sell well. Whether an album is good, or bad, press sells records. If a celebrity dies, it's free promotion, it will be talked about everywhere and people will buy. Interesting how our society works, especially in the music industry, if you can advertise it, it is Popular.


Whatever the exact reasons are for an increase in sales right after an artist dies is a mystery to me, it probably is a combination of the above and many more. I do know, that for myself, although Whitney Houston is a great artist and has influenced many people and Pop music it self; her music has never touched me, therefor I have not purchased her albums in the past, I will not now, nor will I in the future.


May God bless her soul, my prayers are with her family.