The VMAs didn’t have a twerking Miley Cyrus or an ‘N Sync reunion, but MTV’s Aug. 24 show spurred big sales gains for its performers, including the Video Vanguard Award-winning Beyonce, who performed a medley from her eponymous 2013 LP.
41 Percent
Sales of VMA-related music (major VMA performer LPs and previously released songs performed on the show and not impacted by iTunes’ Complete My Album transactions) were up by 41 percent in the week ending Aug. 31, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Last year, the show fueled a 37 percent lift.
181 Percent
Sales of the tracks that Bey performed during the medley rose 155 percent (126,000 sold, up from 49,000 the previous week). The Beyoncé album gained by 181 percent (16,000, up from 6,000), the largest unit gain and percentage increase among VMA albums.
49 Percent
Beyoncé‘s 10,000-unit gain made up 49 percent of the overall increase earned by VMA-related albums (just over 20,000). The second-largest gaining album among VMA performers is Sam Smith’s In the Lonely Hour, which rose from 6,000 units to 30,000 for the week (up by 24 percent).