Genius Pageviews For Rush’s Lyrics Spiked Nearly 2,500 Percent After Drummer & Lyricist Neil Peart’s Death

On Tuesday, January 7, Neil Peart, the pioneering drummer and lyricist for seminal hard rock trio Rush, passed away at 67 years old from brain cancer. After the Canadian musician’s bandmates announced his death several days later, fans mourned Peart by revisiting the group’s music. While listening to their favorite songs, they turned to Genius for a better understanding of the dense lyrics he wrote for the band.

Rush’s full catalog of lyrics earned 836 pageviews on January 9, the day before Peart’s death was announced. On January 10, that total rose to 21,704, marking an increase of just under 2,500 percent. The band’s pageview numbers held steady on January 11, totaling 20,739 pageviews. Based on a two-day window, pageviews across Rush’s discography rose more than 2,300 percent.

“2112,” Rush’s seven-part opus indirectly influenced by Ayn Rand’s Anthem, saw the most interest after Peart’s death. The 20-minute song rose from 131 daily pageviews on January 9 to 3,106 on the next day and 3,028 on January 11.

Other songs that saw major pageview spikes include “Tom Sawyer” and “Limelight.” “Tom Sawyer” grew from 67 daily pageviews on January 9 to 1,758 on January 10, while “Limelight” reached 1,444 daily pageviews—up from 34 the day before Peart’s death.

“The Spirit of Radio” and “Freewill” also saw significant increases in Genius pageviews on January 10, hitting 1,000 daily pageviews and 854 daily pageviews, respectively.

Rush’s songs also saw a boost on streaming services, according to Billboard. From January 10-13, the band’s catalog raked in 24.54 million streams—representing a 776 percent increase compared to the previous four-day period. In terms of sales, Rush’s catalog grew by 2,304 percent while the group’s album sales gained 1,820 percent.

In 1974, Peart replaced Rush’s founding drummer, John Rutsey, joining Alex Lifeson (guitars) and Geddy Lee (vocals, keyboard, and bass). The Ontario native became known for his equally technical and dynamic drumming style.

His early lyrics were influenced by science fiction, magic, and philosophy. After Rand’s Objectivism movement no longer resonated with him, Peart shifted focus away from allegory and symbolicism into more reality-based lyrics inspired by social, emotional, and humanitarian issues.

During Peart’s four decades with the band, Rush released more than a dozen Platinum albums. He retired from performing in 2015, citing physical health issues.

Catch up on all the lyrics to Rush’s full catalog on Genius now.