Sales surge following Winehouse’s death

The death of British soul singer Amy Winehouse has lead to a spike in her album and singles’ sales.

Five years after its release and in the seven hours after the confirmation of her death Amy Winehouse's Back to Black album made a return to the charts.

Sales of the album increased by 37 times between Friday and Saturday, with track sales up by 23 times, according to chart data reported in the Guardian.

Martin Talbot of the Official Charts company said Winehouse would continue to make her presence felt in the charts following her death on the weekend, aged 27.

“Back to Black is one of the greatest albums of the last 20 years and it’s hardly surprising that people are going back to it," he said.

"Behind this tabloid figure she was this immensely talented person who produced a huge album that was loved around the world."

Back to Black was the singer’s second studio album, and featured hits such as Rehab.

A cause of the singer’s death may not be known until police get the results of toxicology tests, which could take weeks.

"Our family has been left bereft by the loss of Amy, a wonderful daughter, sister, niece," the family said in a statement.

"We are coming together to remember her and we would appreciate some privacy and space at this terrible time."

The Daily Mail reports, Winehouse's mother Janis admitted she thought her daughter's death was "only a matter of time", following a meeting with her the day before she died.

"She seemed out of it. But her passing so suddenly still hasn't hit me," Mrs Winehouse was quoted as saying.

After their meeting the pair kissed on Janis's doorstep and Amy said: "I love you, mum".
"They are the words I will always treasure and remember Amy by."

Winehouse’s father Mitch, had long predicted in interviews with the press that his daughter would die unless she got help for her addictions.

He publically begged drug dealers not to sell drugs to his daughter.

Mark Ronson, who produced many of Winehouse's hit singles, said in a statement: "She was my musical soul mate and like a sister to me. This is one of the saddest days of my life."

British comedian Russell Brand wrote a moving tribute to Winehouse on his blog – calling for addiction to be treated like any other form of illness.

“When you love someone who suffers from the disease of addiction you await the phone call. There will be a phone call. The sincere hope is that the call will be from the addict themselves, telling you they've had enough, that they're ready to stop, ready to try something new. Of course though, you fear the other call, the sad nocturnal chime from a friend or relative telling you its too late, she's gone.
 

"Frustratingly it's not a call you can ever make it must be received. It is impossible to intervene….. We need to review the way society treats addicts, not as criminals but as sick people in need of care. We need to look at the way our government funds rehabilitation. It is cheaper to rehabilitate an addict than to send them to prison, so criminalization doesn't even make economic sense.”