Sean Diddy Combs has experienced a significant uptick in music streams following his recent arrest and the unsealing of an indictment against him. According to Luminate, a leading data and analytics firm, Combs’ extensive music catalog — under various names including Diddy, Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, and Sean Diddy Combs — saw an average increase of 18.3% in on-demand streams during the week of his arrest compared to the previous week.
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George Howard, a respected professor of music business management at Berklee College of Music, expressed that he is not surprised by this surge. He likened the increase in streams to a form of Google search for the artist, as listeners seek to satisfy their curiosity about the situation.
“Music becomes just another piece of information as people try to make sense of the allegations,” Howard explained to media. “It’s a way to ponder, ‘What would the music of someone who allegedly behaves like this sound like?’”
Howard noted that many people view Combs primarily as a businessman, given his numerous ventures, including Revolt TV and Ciroc vodka, from which he is no longer affiliated. “The natural curiosity evoked by such serious charges is understandable,” he said. “It’s like driving past a car crash; people can’t help but look.”
This pattern of increased streaming amid controversy is not unique to Sean Diddy Combs. For instance, after allegations of sexual misconduct emerged against R. Kelly, his streaming numbers nearly doubled.
Howard also pointed out that the “anonymization” of streaming plays a role in these spikes. “Imagine walking into a record store now and saying, ‘I want to buy this Diddy CD,’” he remarked.
Combs faces serious federal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, with an indictment outlining allegations dating back to 2008. The indictment accuses him of abusing, threatening, and coercing women over the years “to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct.” He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
