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The Rolling Stones launched their new Hackney Diamonds Tour in late April, and fans of the band turned out in huge numbers to see them live, as they always do. As the group continues their American and Canadian trek, interest in their catalog is climbing.
This week, the Rolling Stones’ most successful greatest hits compilation is gaining ground. The set is on the rise on the two Billboard charts it appears on, and it’s entirely possible that this lift is connected directly to their recently-launched tour.
Hot Rocks 1964-1971 lifts double-digit spaces on the Billboard 200, the weekly ranking of the most-consumed albums in the country. This frame, the compilation jumps from No. 193 to No. 176. Movement of a few spaces usually isn’t a sign of anything major happening with a band, singer, or piece of music…but more than 10 rungs at one time suggests something exciting is going on.
According to Luminate, Hot Rocks 1964-1971 moved another 8,463 equivalent units in the past tracking period. That’s up more than 7% from the week before, which is also a sign that it’s not just the title that’s climbing, but actual consumption of the project.
Streaming activity is responsible for almost all of those nearly 8,500 equivalent units. Hot Rocks 1964-1971 only sold 247 copies last week throughout the entire U.S.
Over on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart, Hot Rocks 1964-1971 is growing as well. On that genre-specific tally, the compilation rises from No. 48 to No. 44. That’s not as dramatic an improvement as on the Billboard 200, but it does show advancement.
The Rolling Stones may be in the beginning of a chart surge, and there’s a chance that Hot Rocks 1964-1971 could continue to climb in the next few weeks. It’s also entirely possible that this excitement may die down now that their tour is in full swing, and the set could decline in popularity once again. How the compilation performs as they travel around the U.S. is yet to be seen, but clearly Americans are still in love with the group’s earliest smashes.
