Introduction:
Paul Anka’s Gift to a Fallen Star: Buddy Holly, The Song That Topped Charts After Death
When Buddy Holly died in a tragic plane crash in February 1959, the world lost one of its most promising young musicians. But even in death, his voice found a way to echo louder than before — thanks in large part to a song written for him by another rising legend: Paul Anka. That song, It Doesn’t Matter Anymore, would become one of the most poignant posthumous No. 1 hits in music history.
Paul Anka, already a teenage sensation himself, admired Holly deeply. Before the tragedy, he penned the song specifically for Buddy, believing its bittersweet lyrics and gentle melody perfectly suited Holly’s unique blend of vulnerability and strength. Recorded just months before Holly’s death, the track captured something hauntingly prophetic — an emotional honesty wrapped in calm resignation.
After the fatal crash that also claimed the lives of Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, It Doesn’t Matter Anymore was released — not as just another pop single, but as a farewell. Listeners heard more than music; they heard absence, loss, and a brilliant future suddenly cut short. The song soared to No. 1 in the United Kingdom and became one of Holly’s defining final statements, a heartbreaking reminder of what could have been.
For Paul Anka, its success was never about charts. Deeply affected by Holly’s death, he did something few artists of his stature would do: he donated his songwriter royalties from the track to Holly’s widow, Maria Elena. It was a gesture of respect, compassion, and solidarity — a gift from one young star to another whose voice had been silenced too soon.
The decision cemented It Doesn’t Matter Anymore as far more than a posthumous hit. It became an act of tribute, friendship, and humanity in an industry often defined by competition. Over time, the song has come to symbolize both the fragility of life and the endurance of art. Holly may have been gone, but his music lived on — strengthened by a song written with care, delivered with grace, and remembered with love.
More than six decades later, the story still resonates. Paul Anka didn’t just write a melody; he helped preserve a legacy. And Buddy Holly’s final chart triumph stands as proof that true music — and true kindness — never really fade.