In fact, 29% of The Weeknd’s total sales on Feb. 7 came from “Blinding Lights,” which closed his performance. It sold 10,000 copies (up 423% from 2,000). “Blinding” also accounted for 32% of his total song sales for the day.
Looking specifically at The Weeknd’s nine songs heard during the halftime performance, they collectively sold 29,000 downloads on Feb. 7, up 538% compared to their 4,500 sold on Feb. 6.
The Weeknd's Halftime Songs, Ranked by Sales on Feb. 7
“Blinding Lights” (10,000; up 423%)
“Save Your Tears” (4,000; up 245%)
“Can’t Feel My Face” (3,500; up 987%)
“Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)” (3,000; up 1,240%)
“Starboy” (2,500; up 1,175%)
“I Feel It Coming” (2,500; up 1,021%)
“The Hills” (2,000; up 771%)
The two songs heard during the halftime show, but not properly performed -- “Call Out My Name” and “House of Balloons / Glass Table Girls” -- both had increases, but sold a negligible sum.
In terms of album sales, The Weeknd’s top-seller on Super Bowl Sunday was his new compilation The Highlights, with 1,500 sold (up 120%). The album was released Feb. 5, and is effectively a greatest-hits package, featuring eight of the nine songs heard during the halftime show. (Only “House of Balloons / Glass Table Girls” is absent from the album’s track list.) The 18-song Highlights album includes 11 of The Weeknd’s 12 top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. (Only his co-billed collaboration with Juice WRLD, “Smile,” is absent among his top 10s.) Highlights will debut on the Billboard 200 album chart dated Feb. 20.
The Weeknd’s second-best-selling album on Sunday was his most recent studio effort, the Billboard 200 chart-topping After Hours, with 1,000 sold (up 67%). After Hours includes “Blinding Lights” and “Save Your Tears.”
News of any significant streaming gains for The Weeknd’s songs will be reported in the coming days.