Lou Reed Album Sales Skyrocket

 

If you’ve been listening to a lot more Lou Reed since hearing of the rock legend’s death, you’re not alone. Album sales from Reed and the Velvet Underground‘s catalog have spiked since he passed away on Oct. 27.
Vintage Vinyl News reports that a number of Reed and VU records have re-entered the charts, led by 1972′s ‘Transformer,’ which has risen all the way to No. 30. Other titles enjoying a sales increase include 2011′s ‘The Essential Lou Reed’ (at No. 31), 1967′s ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’ (No. 36), 1974′s ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Animal’ (No. 59), 1989′s ‘New York’ (No. 87) and 1973′s ‘Berlin’ (No. 176).
‘Transformer’ is the album that contains Reed’s rock-radio staple ‘Walk on the Wild Side,’ which is also undergoing a surge in popularity. It’s re-entered the charts at No. 50, followed by another ‘Transformer’ cut, ‘Perfect Day,’ at No. 156.
And it’s not just in the U.S. that Reed’s music is experiencing a sales renaissance. As VVN’s report notes, his records are making fresh inroads in Australia and the U.K., which should be good for a chuckle out of anyone familiar with the old Brian Eno quote about the first Velvet Underground LP originally being purchased by only 30,000 people, all of whom went out and started bands of their own.
The Wall Street Journal did a little investigative reporting into that sales figure following Reed’s death, and although it’s no longer possible to determine how many albums the Velvets sold out of the gate, ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’ has racked up more than 500,000 units since 1991 — a figure sure to see a healthy increase during the days to come.