‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ song trending for 2024 solar eclipse
NEW YORK (PIX11) – Turn around, bright eyes… but not without your protective solar eclipse glasses.
Leading up to Monday’s solar eclipse, searches for Bonnie Tyler’s song “Total Eclipse of the Heart” increased by nearly 50 percent, according to a representative of Spotify.
Watch live: Total solar eclipse moves across the US
Listeners are adding Tyler’s song to their “eclipse” playlists more than any other song – and it’s looking like a tradition in the making. During the 2017 eclipse, searches for “Total Eclipse of the Heart” spiked by 355 percent, according to Google Trends.
“Every now and then it’s in the charts,” Bonnie Tyler said of the song on X.
There are two versions of the song, one that lasts about four minutes and one that lasts around seven, both of which will cover the eclipse’s peak in the New York regions along the path of totality.
Some other songs are also defining the eclipse experience for viewers – in 2017, searches spiked for Bruce Springsteen’s and Manfred Mann’s Earth Band’s “Blinded by the Light.”
This year, Spotify listeners are creating playlists that tell the story of the eclipse – adding songs like “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers, a perfect choice for the moment the moon covers the sun.
Cue “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles, another popular song for Spotify eclipse playlists, for the moment the eclipse clears.
Songs like “Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival and “Black Hole Sun” by Soundgarden were also popular additions to eclipse playlists, according to Spotify.
In New York City, the eclipse will start around 2:10 p.m., peak at 3:25 p.m. and wrap up around 4:36 p.m. – which is enough time for roughly 42 songs.
Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter from Los Angeles who has covered local news for years. She has been with PIX11 since 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter.
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