As expected, and rightfully so, U.S. sales of VAN HALEN’s albums and songs increased more than 6,000% on the day of guitarist Eddie Van Halen’s death.
The band’s catalog moved 40,000 units on October 6, with 9,000 of those being just album sales, including 2,000 copies of VAN HALEN’s self-titled 1978 debut.
The top 10 biggest-selling songs on October 6 were: “Jump” (3,000), “Panama” (2,000), “Eruption” (2,000), “Runnin’ With The Devil” (2,000), “You Really Got Me” (2,000), “Dance The Night Away” (1,000), “Why Can’t This Be Love” (1,000), “Hot For Teacher” (1,000), “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” (1,000) and “Jamie’s Cryin'” (1,000).
Eddie Van Halen died at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California with his wife Janie, his son Wolfgang, and brother Alex at his side.
The iconic VAN HALEN guitarist died from complications due to cancer.
Eddie was diagnosed with mouth cancer in 2000 and had to have part of his tongue surgically removed. He later battled throat cancer and reportedly had been receiving radiation treatment in Germany.