The Walmart Kid meme increased Hank Williams streams by 2452%
The nearly 70-year-old “Lovesick Blues” is on Spotify’s Global Viral 50 chart.
I just returned from vacation, and while I was away, apparently America got a new king. 10-year-old Mason Ramsey, a.k.a. the singing Walmart Kid, who captivated the internet with a video of his a capella Walmart-shot rendition of "Lovesick Blues" by Hank Williams. Since Mason's performance went viral, the original version of "Lovesick Blues" has seen a 2452% increase in Spotify streams, according to a press release.
The surge was calculated by comparing streams on Monday April 9 to those on Monday March 26. It's such a significant increase that the song, which is almost 70 years old, is now on Spotify's Global Viral 50 chart, joining artists like Cardi B and The Weeknd. Williams is not alive to enjoy his newfound popularity, but Mason's time on the charts is just beginning, so his next step should be a remix of a contemporary singer. I vote "El Farasante".
Last week, a different meme sent Fleetwood Mac's 1977 song "Dreams" to number 16 on the Billboard Hot Rock songs chart.
Listen to Hank Williams perform "Lovesick Blues" below, followed by an EDM remix of Mason's version, which is also a classic.