Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' Dominates Charts with Record-Breaking Sales

Taylor Swift’s latest album “The Tortured Poets Department” has proven to be a huge success.

According to Billboard, the 31-song double album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, selling 2.61 million equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending April 25. Out of that total, 1.914 million were from traditional album sales, which include digital downloads, CDs, vinyl LPs, and cassettes.

Swift expressed her gratitude on Instagram, stating that she is blown away by the love shown for her album. She thanked her fans for listening, streaming, and welcoming "Tortured Poets" into their lives, as she feels completely overwhelmed by the support. The album has garnered an impressive 2.6 million streams, leaving Swift in disbelief.

With "Tortured Poets" claiming the top spot, Swift now has her 14th album to achieve this feat. This achievement puts her in a tie with Jay-Z for the second-most number one albums by a recording artist. Both artists are just a few steps behind The Beatles, who hold the record with 19 top albums.

Swift holds the record for the most No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 chart among female artists. It is worth noting that out of her 15 albums, 14 of them (including 11 studio albums and four re-recorded "Taylor's Version" releases) have reached the No. 1 spot. Her debut album from 2006 peaked at No. 5, making her success even more remarkable.

In addition to topping the album charts, Swift achieved her highest first-week sales with this album. Previously, her album "1989 (Taylor's Version)" held this record by selling 1.359 million copies in the US in its first week last year.

"Tortured Poets" had the second-highest album sales in a single week based on units earned, a measuring unit introduced by Billboard in 2014 to reflect the popularity of streaming. In 2015, Adele's "25" sold an impressive 3.482 million album units.

In addition, Swift sold 859,000 copies of "Tortured Poets" on vinyl, marking the highest sales week for a vinyl album in the modern era as reported by Billboard. Swift offered six different vinyl variants, with four of them including a unique bonus track each ("The Manuscript," "The Albatross," "The Bolter," and "The Black Dog").

When the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart is released on Monday, Swift is poised to break even more records.

According to Billboard, Drake is the only other artist besides Swift to have more songs simultaneously appear in the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. In November 2022, Drake had 15 songs in the top 20 while Swift had 14 songs during the same month.

With 31 songs from "TTPD" in rotation, she has a chance to surpass Drake's top 20 record this week.

In 2022, Swift achieved a historic milestone by occupying all 10 spots on Billboard's Hot 100 chart simultaneously with songs from "Midnights." Additionally, she holds the record for the most appearances in the top five, top 10, top 20, and top 40 among female artists, as reported by Billboard.

"Tortured Poets" has broken all-time historical records on popular music streaming platforms like Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon Music since its release on April 19. It made history by becoming the first album to surpass 300 million streams in a single day and the first to reach one billion streams in a week on Spotify. According to Billboard, Taylor Swift's latest album had the biggest streaming week for an album ever.

The Grammy-winning artist surprised fans by releasing the first 16-track album last week, followed by the 15-track "TTPD: The Anthology" just two hours later.

Editor's P/S:

Taylor Swift's "The Tortured Poets Department" has undoubtedly been a phenomenal success. The album's record-breaking sales, streaming numbers, and critical acclaim are a testament to Swift's enduring popularity and her ability to connect with her fans on a deep level. The album's success is also a testament to the power of music to bring people together and provide solace in challenging times.

Swift's achievement of tying with Jay-Z for the second-most number one albums by a recording artist is a remarkable accomplishment. It is a testament to her incredible talent and the enduring appeal of her music across generations. Her dominance on the Billboard charts, particularly among female artists, is a powerful reminder of the impact that women can have in the music industry and beyond.