Madonna’s ‘Like A Prayer’ Jumps Nearly 450% In Sales In One Week

Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” is the kind of hit that never fully disappears. Even when it’s nowhere to be found on the charts anywhere in the world, the tune is embedded in the hearts and minds of millions. From time to time, a special occasion reminds even more people how much they love the song, and they respond by consuming it again in large numbers.

This week, “Like a Prayer” is a smash once again, thanks to an impressive sales sum. The single began selling in huge numbers after it was featured in the movie Deadpool & Wolverine. The immense popularity of the film has led to an astounding spike in purchases of the decades-old cut, which is now considered a classic.

In the past tracking week, “Like a Prayer” sold a little less than 2,400 copies in the United States alone. That figure is reported by Luminate, the company that gathers sales and streaming data, which Billboard then uses to compile the weekly charts.

2,400 is a large number of sales for a tune that’s already performed so well, and for so long. It is also a massive increase from the week before, when its connection to Deadpool & Wolverine was only just beginning to help the cut’s fates.

Last tracking frame, “Like a Prayer” sold a little more than 400 copies throughout America. Madonna’s smash experienced a sales gain of nearly 450% from one week to the next. That’s a surefire sign that interest in the cut spiked, and it’s easily connected to the immense success of Deadpool & Wolverine.

Luminate reports that “Like a Prayer” has now sold 1.24 million digital copies throughout its lifetime. The song’s total sales sum is likely much larger, as it was being purchased by countless fans around the country–and the world–for decades before platforms like iTunes were introduced.

Madonna nearly returned to the Digital Song Sales chart this week, as “Like a Prayer” sold almost well enough to reach the list. The track ranks as the twenty-sixth bestselling in the U.S. this frame, but Billboard’s ranking of the top-selling cuts in the nation only features 25 spaces. Had just a few more fans purchased a copy, it might have brought the legendary singer back to the all-genre tally.