Jimmy Buffett Aiming For A New Major Chart Win Following His Passing

The music industry was shocked earlier this month by the sudden and unexpected passing of Jimmy Buffett. The musician had made a name for himself with a string of hit singles and bestselling albums throughout the decades, and his fans were saddened by his death from cancer at the age of 76. In the days following the news, his followers and many in the public have been streaming and buying his many releases, and now one seems like it’s headed for a new high point on the Billboard charts.

According to predictions published by music industry publication HitsDailyDouble, Buffett’s Songs You Know by Heart is the biggest winner among his catalog when it comes to surging interest in his music. The outlet predicts that the compilation will soar to a new high of No. 4 on the Billboard 200 next week. The title could move 54,000 equivalent copies, with nearly 20,000 of those being pure sales.

These are, of course, just guesses, but they are likely pretty close to what will end up happening. What exact position and how many copies Songs You Know by Heart moves will be reported officially by Billboard in a few days, but it’s highly likely it will break into the top 10 on the Billboard 200, the ranking of the most-consumed albums and EPs in the U.S.

To date, Songs You Know by Heart has only lifted as high as No. 100 on the Billboard 200, so a top 10 return on the chart would be a major gain for the title. If it does rise into the top tier on the tally, it will mark Buffett’s thirteenth project to reach the region. It will also be his first win in the area in many years.

Throughout his career, he only scored one No. 1 on the Billboard 200, when License to Chill ruled the ranking in 2004. He nearly repeated that success in 2020 with Life on the Flip Side, which stalled at No. 2.

Songs You Know by Heart was released as Buffett’s first greatest hits compilation in the fall of 1985. While it wasn’t initially a commercial success, it has gone on to sell and stream incredibly well in the decades since it first arrived. The RIAA has certified the title seven-times platinum, meaning it has already moved seven million equivalent units in the U.S. alone. That number will likely climb in the coming months and years, as millions of die-hard followers and casual fans rush to stream his beloved tunes, like “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes,” and “Margaritaville.”