Unsigned Social Media Star Alex Day Sells 100,000 Copies of Forever Yours

Going into the final UK sales week, Alex Day's single "Forever Yours" hit #4 on top UK singles with multiple version in the iTunes Top 100. Yesterday he announced via Twitter that he'd sold 100,000 copies of the single worldwide. Day is raising money for charity with his effort, but is his YouTube-fueled celebrity more than a stunt?

Alex Day – Forever Yours

Alex Day is a UK-based YouTube star having built a sizable following via such projects as "Alex Reads Twilight," in which he reads aloud from the popular novel, and "Pokémon, What Happened To You?," a seemingly heartfelt remembrance of outdated tech.

Though Day's earnest approach may seem like the indie version of Rebecca Black's manufactured "Friday" fame, he has a legitimate claim to having built a fanbase via social media along with a group of other young new media stars. A previous group effort with a cover of "I've Got Nothing" made it to #36 in the UK in 2009. Now Day says:

"This time round, it's not a novelty attempt – it's the start of my career, with a song I really believe in, not a cover or a re-release or a comedy track but – I think – a simple great dance pop song that a lot of people can get behind. The previous experiences definitely helped. I learned to find ways to keep people excited about the song, to release it at the right time and in the right way."

Day has been sharing the impressive stats for Forever Yours on his site's blog. Forever Yours is currently #4 on the UK singles chart and he's sold 100,000 copies worldwide according to TuneCore.

Day's chart performance beat out Coldplay and, combined with his previous web success, suggest he's more than a one-hit wonder though most will require at least one more hit to prove that.

Hypebot contributor Clyde Smith maintains his freelance writing hub at Flux Research and blogs at All World Dance and This Business of Blogging. To suggest topics for Hypebot, contact: clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com.