Following the death of Tawny Kitaen, who starred in the video for Whitesnake’s ’80s anthem “Here I Go Again,” the track debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Hard Rock Songs chart dated May 22.
In the week ending May 13, “Here I Go Again,” which led the Billboard Hot 100 for a week in October 1987, drew 2.5 million U.S. streams, up 22%, and sold 1,000 downloads, up 178%, according to MRC Data. (Older songs are allowed on the Hot 100 and its genre-based charts that use the same methodology if ranking in the lists’ top halves and have meaningful reasons for their resurgences.)
Kitaen died May 7 at age 59. A cause of death has not yet been announced.
The single’s entrance marks Whitesnake’s first visit to Hot Hard Rock Songs, which began nearly a year ago. It’s also the band’s first appearance on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (which launched in 2009), where it starts at No. 21.
Concurrently, the download count of “Here I Go Again” is enough for it to re-enter Hard Rock Digital Song Sales at No. 3 and Rock Digital Song Sales at No. 20. The song reached Nos. 3 and 8 on the charts, respectively, in 2016, when it was featured in a Walmart back-to-school ad. “Is This Love,” another Whitesnake song whose video stars Kitaen, also hops back onto Hard Rock Digital Song Sales at No. 24, up 173% to 1,000 sold.
“Here I Go Again” is one of multiple classic titles on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs, with others back thanks in large part to the iTunes Store’s latest 69-cent sale, led by Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” at No. 10.
