R. Kelly’s album sales have increased 517 percent since a New York jury convicted him on federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges. According to Rolling Stone, Kelly’s music saw double-digit growth in streams and a triple-digit growth in sales.
R. Kelly’s streams are going up in the wake of his guilty verdict.
The embattled singer’s album sales have increased 517 percent since a New York jury convicted him on federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges. According to Rolling Stone, Kelly’s music saw double-digit growth in streams and a triple-digit growth in sales.
This week, YouTube announced that it was removing two of Kelly’s official video channels, RKellyTV and his Vevo account, in what the company described as an enforcement of its terms of service. However, YouTube will continue to offer Kelly’s catalog on its audio streaming service, YouTube Music.
Despite the controversy, Kelly’s streams have not taken a hit in the past four years. In 2017, he averaged around 5.4 million on-demand audio streams per week, and this year it increased to 6.4 million.
It’s not unusual for an artist to see a boost in streams after a scandal. Country singer Morgan Wallen saw his sales jump 1,220 percent after he was caught on video using a racial slur.