It’s natural to turn to art to help us process (or escape) the world around us. So when the planet is being actively preyed upon by a time-halting pandemic, of course we’re going to turn to the films and music that perfectly capture our current, horrific state of affairs. Case in point: American rock mainstay R.E.M. is witnessing a resurgence in the popularity of its 1987 hit, “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)“ as the tune reenters the iTunes charts. As of right now, the song sits at No. 43—that’s 29 spots higher than where it was on Friday when Deadline originally reported the phenomenon.
During its heyday, “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It” peaked at No. 69 on Billboard’s Hot 100. Today, it garners more downloads than Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy,” Lizzo’s “Good As Hell,” and former One Directioner Niall Horan, who just released a brand new album last Friday. We imagine that we will see more instances of this, where our time sequestered in our homes will lead to old classics resurfacing, especially those relating to the apocalypse. Oh god, does this mean that we’re going to have to endure a roaring comeback of Bon Jovi’s “Blaze Of Glory?”