Whitesnake’s ‘Here I Go Again’ Hits No. 1 on Billboard Chart Following Tawny Kitaen’s Death

Whitesnake's 1987 hit "Here I Go Again" has topped the Billboard Hot Hard Rock Songs chart following the death of Tawny Kitaen, who starred in the song's classic music video.

Per Billboard, "In the week ending May 13, 'Here I Go Again,' which led the Billboard Hot 100 for a week in October 1987, drew 2.5 million U.S. streams, up 22%, and sold 1,000 downloads, up 178%, according to MRC Data. (Older songs are allowed on the Hot 100 and its genre-based charts that use the same methodology if ranking in the lists' top halves and have meaningful reasons for their resurgence.)"

The appearance marked the debut of "Here I Go Again" on the Hot Hard Rock Songs chart, which was first established in 2020.

As previously reported, Kitaen died on May 7 at the age of 59. A cause of death is currently unknown, but according to Jordan Kitaen, Tawny's brother, no foul play is suspected in her death.

Jordan told TMZ that he and Tawny recently lost their father on April 12 following a long battle with skin cancer. TMZ would report, "He believes the death was too much for Tawny's system to handle, especially because their dad's funeral was just days away when she died...Jordan tells us he last spoke with Tawny Thursday, the night before she died, and she was in a good mood and excited about Mother's Day plans with her kids."