‘Sweet Caroline’ Downloads Up Significantly After Boston Marathon Blast

The emergence of "Sweet Caroline" as an anthem in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing has resulted in a sales surge. Billboard.com says the 1969 Neil Diamond hit is making its debut on the Pop Digital Songs chart at number 33, with 19,000 downloads sold by the end of the April 21st sales week.

That figure reflects a 597% increase from the previous week. The Boston marketing area accounted for nearly nine-percent of the sales, and "Sweet Caroline" was among the top 30 songs sold in the Boston area. Nationally, the track ranked 103rd in sales.

"Sweet Caroline's" Boston area sales increase is further accentuated by the fact that overall digital song sales in that region were down 18% last week.