Universal Music GroupA popular viral video showing a variety of celebrities separately singing the classic 1971 John Lennon ballad “Imagine” while they self-quarantine during the coronavirus pandemic has helped propel the late Beatles legend’s original version of the tune onto Billboard‘s Hot Rock Songs chart.
“Imagine” re-enters the tally at #15, after notching 1.3 million U.S. streams and 1,000 downloads sold during the most recent tracking week, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data, a respective increase of 7% and 138% over the previous week.
“Imagine” reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 back in November 1971. It’s last appearance on the Hot Rock Songs chart was in February 2018, when it rose to #23 after four Korean singers performed the tune during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.
“Imagine” also landed at #13 on Billboard‘s latest Rock Digital Song Sales chart, marking the first time it’s returned to that tally since December 2015.
The aforementioned all-star “Imagine” video was posted on Instagram on March 19 by Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot, who’s featured singing parts of the tune along with Jimmy Fallon, Lynda Carter, Natalie Portman, Sarah Silverman, Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, Norah Jones, Sia, Amy Adams, Mark Ruffalo, Maya Rudolph and others.
Accompanying the video is a note from Gadot that reads, “We are in this together, we will get through it together. Let’s imagine together. Sing with us…All love to you, from me and my dear friends.”
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