The Darkness' successful Dreams on Toast sales caused by Taylor Swift
The Darkness' Justin Hawkins has said Taylor Swift singing along to the rockers' 2003 smash-hit track 'I Believe In A Thing Called Love' at the US Open in September 2024 "influenced" the way the 'Dreams on Toast' tour sold.
The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins says Taylor Swift caused the "tangible sales spike" of the band's 'Dreams on Toast' tour.
The 'Cruel Summer' pop sensation and her boyfriend Travis Kelce were spotted and recorded singing and dancing along to the rockers' 2003 hit single 'I Believe In A Thing Called Love' at the US Open in September 2024.
Justin - the founder, lead singer, and lead guitarist of the three-time BRIT Award-winning band admitted it was a "huge thing" for the band.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner, he said: “It was a huge thing, no question about it.
“It had an influence on the way the tour sold but not directly.
"At Christmas, when they’re commissioning TV appearances, they’re like, ‘What happened this year? Oh, that happened. Let’s get The Darkness on,’ and that caused a tangible sales spike.
"So it’s been brilliant. Taylor was, directly and indirectly, a huge bonus for us.”
Taylor Swift loves The Darkness
Another contributing factor to the success of the tour's sales is Justin becoming an internet sensation with his YouTube channel 'Justin Hawkins Rides Again' - which has videos of the 50-year-old musician in a pompous and dogmatic manner.
He said: "I noticed it last year when we had our busiest summer on the festival circuit.
"People would come up and say ‘I love your YouTube channel’. It wasn’t, ‘I love your band’.
"It’s an indicator of rising stock when I can’t go to the hairdressers without having my picture taken and it ending up in the Daily Mail.
"It’s obviously good for the band.”
Justin thinks the 'Dreams on Toast' album - is "a creative triumph" and is hoping it will shoot to number one following its release on April 28.
He added: [It's} probably our best work."
