It turns out the Logic hit '1-800-273-8255' actually saved lives from suicide

It turns out that the Logic hit ‘1-800-273-8255’ actually helped save lives, according to a new study.

Taking its name from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s phone number, the rapper’s 2017 track was one of the most divisive hits of that year. Some of Logic’s fellow rappers were rather unkind about it; fans praised it for its sincere effort to aid mental health.

Whatever anyone thinks of Logic and his music, though, a new study insists he’s had a big impact on people’s lives. According to a study conducted by The BMJ (British Medical Journal), there was a 5.5% reduction in suicides among 10-to-19-year-olds in the U.S. during three key periods of public attention surrounding Logic’s song.

These key periods include the first month after the song’s initial release, Logic’s performance of the song at the 2017 MTV VMAs, and his further rendition of it at the 2018 Grammy Awards.

Based on those figures, that amounts to 245 less suicides based on a corresponding model over the same time periods. The study also discovered that there was an increase in the number of calls made to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline during these three periods – the Lifeline received 9,915 more calls than they usually do, an increase of 6.9%.

“Celebrities but also non-celebrities can have an important role in suicide prevention if they communicate about how they have coped with crisis situations and suicidal ideation,” the study’s author Thomas Niederkrotenthaler, an associate professor in the department of social and preventive medicine at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria, explained to CNN.

‘1-800-273-8255’ was inspired by fans revealing to Logic that his music had saved their life. Featuring rising stars Khalid and Alessia Cara, the song reached number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, although its impact has clearly been more far-reaching.