Taylor Swift’s ‘Tortured Poets Department’ soars to No.1, setting new records

This news has been read 636 times!

LOS ANGELES, April 27: Taylor Swift’s latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” has stormed the UK charts with the largest first-week sales in seven years. The double album, comprising 31 tracks, achieved an impressive 270,000 UK chart units in just seven days, surpassing Swift’s previous personal best of 204,000 for her 2022 album, “Midnights.” This feat marks the highest first-week sales since Ed Sheeran’s “Divide” sold 670,000 copies in 2017.

With this accomplishment, Swift now joins Madonna as the female artist with the most UK number-one albums, each boasting 12 chart-topping albums in their careers. Among all artists, only four acts have achieved more number ones: The Beatles (16), The Rolling Stones (14), Robbie Williams (14), and Elvis Presley (13). Swift’s achievement also places her on par with Bruce Springsteen, who also boasts 12 number ones.

“The Tortured Poets Department” was released as a standalone 16-track album, with Swift surprising fans by dropping a second volume titled “The Anthology,” containing 15 additional tracks, just two hours later. The project delves into two tumultuous years of Swift’s personal life, exploring themes of heartache, criticism, and the complexities of fame.

While the album received mixed reviews, with some critics accusing Swift of retreading old territory, others praised it as a deeply personal and ambitious work. Despite any lukewarm reception, fans rallied behind the album, propelling it to break numerous records in its first week of release.

Among the album’s notable achievements, it became Spotify’s most streamed in a single day by the end of its first week and subsequently became the first album ever to surpass one billion streams just five days later. In the US, “The Tortured Poets Department” is projected to sell over 1.8 million copies in its debut week, with vinyl sales alone reaching a remarkable 700,000 units.

The lead single from the album, “Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone, also made waves in the streaming world, breaking records for the most plays in a single day. Additionally, in the UK singles chart, Swift holds the number one position with “Fortnight,” while two other tracks from the album secured spots in the top five.

Despite Swift’s chart dominance, a rule limiting artists to three simultaneous entries in the Top 40 prevents her from securing more spots on the chart. This rule, introduced in 2017 after Ed Sheeran’s album monopolized the Top 20, aims to ensure newer artists have visibility in the charts.

Swift’s continued success with “The Tortured Poets Department” reaffirms her status as a powerhouse in the music industry, with her influence transcending genres and boundaries. As the album continues to break records and captivate audiences worldwide, Swift’s legacy as one of the most influential artists of her generation is firmly cemented.

This news has been read 636 times!