Following his recent arrest and indictment, music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has experienced a notable rise in streaming his music catalog.
Data from industry analytics firm Luminate revealed that his music saw an 18.3% increase in on-demand streams during his arrest, compared to the previous week.
Music business expert George Howard, a Berklee College of Music professor, shared his insights on the phenomenon, stating that the surge in streams is not unexpected. He likened it to how people might search for an artist on Google out of curiosity when controversies arise.
“Music just becomes another piece of information as people try to comprehend the atrocities,” Howard told The Associated Press. “It’s like, ‘What would someone whose brain works like that, allegedly, what would their music sound like?’”
Howard also pointed out that the anonymity of streaming platforms could contribute to the uptick, similar to what was seen with R. Kelly’s catalog.
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“Imagine walking into a record store now like, ‘Yeah, I want to buy this Diddy CD,’” he added, suggesting that streaming offers a less conspicuous way for people to engage with controversial figures’ work.
Combs, who is facing federal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, has been accused of abusing, threatening, and coercing women for over a decade to “fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct.”
These allegations, which date back to 2008, were detailed in the indictment. Despite the gravity of the charges, Combs has maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty.
