Dead stars dominate UK charts

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Singer Aaliyah, who reached number one in the UK charts with a single released after her death, has been knocked from the top spot by George Harrison, who died in November.

Aaliyah, who died in a plane crash in the Bahamas last August, scored a number one hit in Britain with her single "More Than A Woman."

But on Sunday her song was replaced at No.1 in the charts by George Harrison's 1971 hit "My Sweet Lord," that has been re-released as a tribute following his death from cancer in November.

All proceeds from the single will go to the Material World Foundation, set up in 1973 by Harrison to support agencies worldwide that support poverty-stricken children.

Ben Knowles, Editor of New Musical Express magazine, told CNN he could not recall two posthumous hits in a row reaching the top of the charts.

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He said pressure for tracks to be released after an artist's death came from both fans and record labels.

"When Feeder's drummer, Jon Lee, committed suicide last week, there was a lot of pressure from fans for one of the rock band's earlier singles to be re-released," he said.

"On the other side, there could be pressure from the record label. You can tell when this is the case, because you get unfinished material and stuff the artist never wanted anyone to hear being released.

"Record labels know they can sell a lot more records after an artist's death -- hence the number of Elvis records that are released. In the case of George Harrison, the company can get away with it because the money is going to charity.

"But I can't imagine George Harrison would have had another number one hit during his lifetime.

"In the case of Aaliyah, it is strange. This is not the first record to be released since her death, and it appears the label might be trying to take advantage. She wasn't that successful in this country during her lifetime.

"But pop music does have a very strange relationship with the morbid side of life."

After The Beatles broke up in 1970 Harrison was the first of the four to top the UK singles charts as a solo artist with "My Sweet Lord."

Previous posthumous chart toppers in Britain include Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran, Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Jackie Wilson and Freddie Mercury.

Elvis Presley was reported to have sold 300 million albums in the first seven years after his death.

Bob Marley, who died in 1981 at the age of 36, is still the best-selling reggae artist in the world.

Two years before his death from a drug overdose in 1970, legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix provided the ultimate epitaph for rock stars whose sales soar beyond the grave: "Once you're dead, you're made for life."