D’Angelo’s Legacy Lives On As Streams Of His Music Catalog Soar By Nearly 800% Following His Passing From Pancreatic Cancer
Long live D’Angelo.
The “king of neo-soul,” born Michael Eugene Archer in Virginia, was one of a kind, and this was clear in his upbringing in his father’s church. At age 16, he even had his own choir and formed a singing group with his cousins, according to his interview with Wax Poetics in 2020.
He continued to nurture his craft and looked to the blueprint of pioneers such as Stevie Wonder.
“When it comes to songwriting, I modeled myself after Stevie Wonder. Sometimes you put poetry to beautiful music, and other times you got to come direct,” D’Angelo said, according to Wax Poetics.
D’Angelo knew he had talent, and others around him did, too. This recognition likely explains why he dropped out of school as a teenager to break into the music business, CBS News reports. The risk paid off. After being signed to EMI Records, he co-produced Black Men United’s 1994 single “U Will Know,” Variety reports.
In 1995, he changed the industry with his debut album “Brown Sugar,” which is certified platinum, according to CBS News. It spent 65 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart and included hits such as “Lady,” and “Cruisin,” notes Variety.
He went on to release two more albums throughout his career with “Voodoo” in 2000, which led to a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album and for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, notes CBS News. In 2014, he released “Black Messiah,” which also earned Best R&B Album at the Grammy’s, along with with Best R&B Song.
His contributions to music will be missed, but will never forgotten. D’Angelo passed away from pancreatic cancer on Oct. 14 at age 51.
“We are saddened that he can only leave dear memories with his family, but we are eternally grateful for the legacy of extraordinarily moving music he leaves behind,” the family said, according to CBS News.
Billboard reports that streams of D’Angelo’s music catalog have jumped by 796% from Oct. 10-16 following his passing. “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” earned 2.5 million clicks, “Lady” earned 2.2 million, and “Brown Sugar” earned 1.9 million.
