Bonnie Tyler's 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' hits number 1 on US iTunes during solar eclipse 2024

Bonnie Tyler's popular 1983 number, Total Eclipse of the Heart, ranked first on the iTunes chart in the US during the hours of the total solar eclipse in the US. The United States experienced its first total solar eclipse in seven years on Monday, April 8, 2024.

Most of the continent experienced a partial eclipse. However, countries like New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Maine witnessed a total eclipse. Additionally, many smaller regions in Michigan and Tennessee also witnessed the phenomenon.

The eclipse began from the Texas side at 1:30 PM CT and ended on the northeast side at 3:30 PM ET. Ahead of the 2024 eclipse, Total Eclipse of the Heart hit the second spot on the US iTunes chart, before rising to No. 1 during the hours of the eclipse.

It also made it to the list of YouTube's top 100 music videos as per the views recorded on April 7. It ranked 84th on the list for the first time.

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Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart climbs up charts during solar eclipse 2024

Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler is a part of her fifth studio album, Faster Than the Speed of Night. It was released as a single in 1983 and was written and produced by Jim Steinman.

The song went on to become Tyler's most successful number, topping the UK Singles Chart and becoming the fifth-highest-selling single in 1983.

Ahead of the 2024 solar eclipse, the song has been climbing the charts. On Monday afternoon, hours before the eclipse, the song hit No. 2 on the iTunes chart in the US. During the hours of the eclipse, the song rose to the number one spot in the chart, dethroning Benson Boone’s Beautiful Things.

Bonnie Tyler could also make it to the Billboards chart, based on the number of sales Total Eclipse of the Heart has made. Every sale made on April 7, 8, and 9 will be counted towards the ranking, set to be unveiled this coming Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Google searches for the song also went up in various places across the United States where a total solar eclipse could be witnessed. Cities with the highest searches for the song were Little Rock, Arkansas, Columbus, Ohio, Syracuse, and Buffalo.

It is not the first time that Tyler's song has seen a major rise in sales. During the March 2015 solar eclipse, Spotify recorded a 214% rise in its streams. During the August 2017 eclipse, Billboard recorded a 500% rise in the song's sales.

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Heart and Jimmy Fallon performed Total Eclipse of the Heart during the solar eclipse

On the eve of the solar eclipse, the band Heart collaborated with Jimmy Fallon to perform Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart during the hours of the total eclipse.

The performance was recorded from the rooftop of the NBC at 30, Rockefeller Center.

Fallon wore the eclipse glasses during the performance. He also sported the public school uniform from Russell Mulcahy’s official music video for the song as a tribute to the original number. He was accompanied by the Wilson sisters from the Heart, Nancy and Ann Wilson.

Fallon began the performance by calling it a "special show" and that they "have to do what they have to do." The TV host said:

"We have a special show tonight, Heart is out musical guest and today is, obviously, the solar eclipse. So we thought we have to do what we have to do, we have to sing 'Total Eclipse of the Heart.'"

In August 2017, Bonnie Tyler performed her hit number on a Royal Caribbean Cruise, accompanied by lead singer Joe Joans and his band, DNCE.