Toby Keith Jumps 165 Percent in Streams – Here’s Why

Toby Keith's music saw a big bump in streams for the Fourth of July holiday, according to a new report from Billboard.

In total, songs from his catalog amassed 10.7 million streams and 3,600 digital song sales on Independence Day — a jump of 165 percent and 251 percent, respectively. That made him one of the biggest July 4th gainers across all genres, including proudly patriotic staples such as Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." and other holiday-appropriate songs like Katy Perry's "Firework" and Miley Cyrus' "Party in the U.S.A."

Keith has long seen an uptick in streams and sales on July 4th, especially with patriotic hits like "Made in America," "American Soldier" and "The Angry American (Courtesy of the Red White and Blue.)"

Predictably, those songs did well again this year, netting streaming bumps of 380 percent, 308 percent and 356 percent, respectively. "Courtesy" performed best among Keith's patriotic hits: The song was streamed a jaw-dropping 3.6 million times on Independence Day.

But those weren't the only songs from Keith's catalog that saw streaming jumps this year. "Should've Been a Cowboy" saw a 70 percent increase, while "Red Solo Cup" bumped up by 119 percent and "Beer For My Horses" — Keith's duet with Willie Nelson — gained by 124 percent.

Billboard's data suggests that Keith's July 4th streaming boost might have been two-fold this year. His songs are perennial patriotic staples, but he's especially fresh in listener's minds in 2024, since it's the first time the holiday has rolled around since the singer's death from stomach cancer in February.

READ MORE: Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson Lead All-Star Toby Keith Tribute

Keith has been on fans' minds for the past several days: Not only is his music a fitting soundtrack to the 4th of July, but what would have been his 63rd birthday came just a few days after on July 8.

This year, he has been the subject of multiple tribute shows and performances by country stars. An all-star memorial concert, featuring Jelly Roll, Luke Bryan and more, is set to air in August on NBC.

Carena Liptak is an Associate Editor and staff writer at Taste of Country. She specializes in breaking country music news, interviews and lists. In particular, she’s got a soft spot for sad songs — check out her roundup of the 50 Saddest Country Songs of All Time!