New data has revealed the most-played songs during this week’s solar eclipse, with tracks including Bonnie Tyler’s ‘Total Eclipse Of The Heart’ seeing a massive spike in streams.
Around 91 per cent of the sun was obscured by the Moon between about 6pm and 8.15pm on Wednesday (August 12) – the most it has been blocked above UK skies since the 1999 total eclipse. Stunning scenes were witnessed across Europe, particularly in Spain, while Björk played a special DJ set at her own curated solar eclipse rave in her native Iceland.
Now, listening data has been shared following the best solar eclipse since the turn of the century, with songs including Bonnie Tyler’s ‘Total Eclipse Of The Heart’ seeing a huge surge in plays on Spotify.
Data compared streams on August 12 to the average daily between August 1 and 11. In the UK alone, the 1983 Bonnie Tyler classic saw a 94 per cent rise in streams in the UK, and a 14 per cent boost worldwide – happening five weeks after the singer died on July 8.
Other tracks that saw an increase in streams thanks to the partial eclipse included Evolfo’s ‘Moon Eclipsed The Sun’, which shot up by 12,817 per cent in the UK, and Chris Staples’ ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’, which rose by 2,805 per cent across the country.
Pink Floyd’s 1973 track ‘Eclipse’ saw an increase of 594 per cent in the UK, Delta Goodrem’s ‘Eclipse’ – which she sang while representing Australia at Eurovision 2026 – rose by 104 per cent, and Bill Withers’ 1971 classic ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ saw a spike of 17 per cent too.
The most-streamed songs in the UK during the solar eclipse were:
Evolfo ‘Moon Eclipsed The Sun’ — 12,817 per cent rise in the UK (1,251 per cent worldwide)
Chris Staples ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’ — 2,805 per cent rise in the UK (405 per cent worldwide)
Pink Floyd ‘Eclipse’ — 594 per cent rise in the UK (144 per cent worldwide)
Delta Goodrem ‘Eclipse’ — 104 per cent rise in the UK (40 per cent worldwide)
Bonnie Tyler ‘Total Eclipse Of The Heart’ — 94 per cent rise in the UK (14 per cent worldwide)
Bill Withers ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ — 17 per cent rise in the UK (three per cent worldwide)
Speaking to The Independent, Mal Pope – a friend of Bonnie Tyler – shared what it would have meant to the late singer to see her track played so widely on the day, saying that she would have “been belting out” the ballad with others.
“She had the most amazing voice, a great singer, and I’m sure she would have been smiling and thinking, ‘isn’t this lovely that people still remember this song’, which was a big hit all around the world,” Pope told the outlet. “Every time there’s going to be a total eclipse, people are going to play the song on the spot, I’m sure, for generations to come.”
Soundtrack your eclipse-gazing today (viewing glasses not included). Cover art by @NASA 🚀 https://t.co/qcapDL3kbD pic.twitter.com/CQZaHoBF1c
— Spotify (@Spotify) April 8, 2024
Senior editor at Spotify, Shannon Carragher, also spoke about the new data and shared: “It is always fascinating to see how major cultural events instantly reflect in what the UK is listening to. Cultural phenomena like the solar eclipse naturally bring people together, and we instinctively look for the perfect soundtrack to share that moment.”
She continued: “Whether it’s collectively returning to iconic anthems like ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ or seeking out more hidden celestial gems, these massive spikes in streaming show just how deeply we rely on music to elevate and connect us in the real world during shared human experiences.”
Ahead of the eclipse on Wednesday, Queen guitarist Brian May – who is a qualified astrophysicist after getting a PHD degree in 2007 – shared advice with fans on how best to view the solar phenomenon. He also shared footage of himself in Spain preparing for the eclipse.
Speaking to BBC Newsnight about the event, May also described it as “a life changing experience” and “a unique experience because you feel that you know where you are in space.”
“Suddenly you realise you’re on this ball of rock and it kind of feels like you could fall off, it’s an amazing feeling,” he added.
