A Vocal Talent Gone But Never Forgotten

 On the eve of the most anticipated day of the year, The Grammy Awards which was during Valentine's  Weekend, the world lost one of its most beloved vocal titans Ms. Whitney Houston. How could this happen we have asked our selves time and time again. However Ms. Houston had a long time battle with drug abuse and alcohol which inevitably contributed to her demise. Reports say that Ms. Houston was discovered in her luxury hotel room submerged underwater in her bathtub. Confirmations have not been made through toxicology yet but it is believed that Ms. Houston passed due to the mixing Xanax and other powerful prescription drugs and alcohol and that she may have passed prior to slipping underwater. Reports state that here family was told by Los Angeles Coroner officials that there was not enough water in her lungs to declare cause of death by drowning. Sadly enough it was reported also that 18yr old daughter Bobby-Whitney was hospitalized for having fallen asleep in the bathtub the night before and that she was also hospitalized again twice after the devastating news of her mother's passing. Fears grow the young teenager maybe suffering a melt down and is suicidal at the wake of her mother's passing.
While the world can agree with me when I say that words can not express how saddened I am to lose such a vibrant talent, admired and loved by all who knew her and followed her music, I can not help but observe how when a known artist passes suddenly their popularity sky rockets. Ms. Houston's songs have top the charts in the last week since her passing.
A similar effect was seen after the deaths of Michael Jackson in June 2009 and Amy Winehouse in August 2011 as fans paid tribute by buying the artists' singles and albums. In summer 2009, six Michael Jackson albums hit the Official Albums Chart Top 40, including a greatest hits at Number 1, while five singles hit the Official Singles Chart Top 40, a week after the singer's death. Two years later, Amy Winehouse's albums took three places in the Official Top 10, along with five singles in the Official Top 40.
It is interesting to note that with out fail every time an artist passes that when an artist passes their popularity sky rockets and they sell way more music having passed than having been alive. Does their passing make for a better artist sale wise then them having been alive? Many beloved artists' along with Ms. Houston that have passed have come out of bankruptcy because their residuals have soared as a result of their booming album and single sales.




Sources:

Gye, H., Dewsbury, R., Boyle, L., Keneally, M., & Moran, L. (2012, february 15). Whitney houston . Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2100426/Whitney-Houston-cause-death-Star-died-drugs-NOT-drowning.html