Jennifer Lopez and Shakira’s Super Bowl performance shook up the internet, cable television and the homes of football fans across the country. Between the political messaging, gyrating and pole performance, the halftime show generated plenty of conversation. The exposure to Shakira has led to a renewed interest in her music, made evident by the fact that her song “Whenever, Wherever,” has reentered the iTunes charts and made it to No. 1.
“Whenever, Wherever,” released in August 2001, is one of Shakira’s largest crossover hits. And it wasn’t the only song to reenter the charts. Four other songs entered into the top ten, including “Hips Don’t Lie.” In total, ten songs reentered the iTunes Hot 100 chart. According to Billboard, music sales for Shakira and J.Lo rose 843% in the day following their performance.
J.Lo also had nine songs reenter the iTunes Hot 100, though her “Waiting for Tonight” came in at the 23rd slot. So even though they didn’t pocket any money for their work, they still walked away with more than just delivering an internet shattering 14-minute performance. In addition to the increased exposure leading to more music sales, the opportunity to draw attention to political issues they’re invested in — the crisis in Puerto Rico and the United States treatment of immigrant children — has led to an increased interest in those conversations as well.