Taylor Swift buries her rivals under a mountain of sales and streams in the U.K. as 1989 (Taylor’s Version) debuts at No. 1.
Swift’s latest release, the fourth of her six recording projects, clocks up a “massive” 184,000 chart units, the Official Charts Company reports, more than double that of the original 1989’s opening-week sales of 90,000, accumulated following its release in 2014.
That opening result crushes the previous record holder for 2023, Lewis Capaldi’s Broken By Desire to Be Heavenly Sent, which scored 95,000 chart units in its week one.
The runaway leader at the midweek stage, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) outperforms the rest of the top 10 combined during the latest cycle, and is the fastest-selling vinyl release of the year, with 62,000 copies sold, according to the OCC.
It’s Swift’s 11th chart-topping U.K. album, extending her own record as the woman with the most U.K. leaders this century, and the female artist with the 11 consecutive No. 1 albums in the briefest timeframe, at 11 years.
Among female artists, only Madonna has more — with 12. It’s only a matter of time before TayTay catches up with the Queen of Pop.
With Swift’s “Vault” cut “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) reigning over the national singles survey, TayTay collects another chart double.
It’s by no means the only new release to make its impact felt on the latest albums tally. Veteran electronic act Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark snag a highest-charting studio album across a career spanning 45 years, with Bauhaus Staircase (100 Percent Records), new at No. 2. That equals the peak position of OMD’s 1988 hits compilation The Best of OMD, one of their eight U.K. top 10s.
Rolling Stones’ latest leader Hackney Diamonds (Polydor) drops 1-3, while Rock And Roll Hall of Fame inducted pop-rock band Duran Duran earn a 12th U.K. 10 with Danse Macabre (BMG), their Halloween-themed 16th studio album.
Also new to the top 10 are albums from James Blunt (Who We Used to Be at No. 5 via Atlantic), CASISDEAD (Famous Last Words at No. 7 via XL Recordings) and Alfie Boe (Open Arms – The Symphonic Songbook this week at No. 10 via BMG).
