Taylor Swift, the reigning queen of vinyl, continues to break records with her latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department”. In just three days, she has sold a staggering 700,000 LP copies, surpassing her own previous record for the highest sales of a vinyl album in a week. It’s truly remarkable to see the enduring popularity and demand for physical music in the digital age. Swift’s fans are clearly passionate about experiencing her music in its purest form, making her a force to be reckoned with in the world of vinyl.
The Black Dog, a pop-punk band that had its breakout 22 years ago, recently received a surprising and heartwarming shout-out from none other than Taylor Swift. The band members were taken aback by this unexpected show of love from the superstar singer.
Taylor Swift has broken her own record for the highest weekly album sales with her latest release, “Red (Taylor’s Version).” The previous record was held by Swift’s re-release of “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” last October, which sold 693,000 copies in a week. Billboard reported the news of Swift surpassing her previous achievement.
Before “1989” surpassed it last year, the record was held by none other than Taylor Swift herself. When “Midnights” was released in October 2022, it set a weekly vinyl sales record with an impressive 570,000 copies sold in the LP format.
Five months prior to “Midnights,” Harry Styles achieved a remarkable feat by setting the highest weekly record, surpassing Taylor Swift. His album “Harry’s House” sold an astonishing 372,000 vinyl copies in its debut week, securing his place in music history.
It is important to note that all of these record-breaking sales figures are for the “modern era,” which began in 1991 when SoundScan started keeping track of album sales in various formats like vinyl, CD, cassette, and digital downloads. While it is possible that there were albums in the 60s, 70s, or early 80s that sold more than 700,000 vinyl copies in a week when LPs were the primary music format, this data was not collected at the time. Regardless, Taylor Swift’s opening LP numbers in the past 33 years have far exceeded any other artist’s.
Those who are excited about vinyl reclaiming its position as the top-selling format will be eagerly anticipating the sales performance of “Tortured Poets” after a full week, rather than just three days.
The success of the Swift album is partly attributed to the dedicated fan base who have been purchasing multiple copies of different editions. With four distinct versions to choose from, each with its own unique bonus track and cover art, fans have been eager to collect them all. Initially advertised as limited editions exclusive to Swift’s webstore, three of the vinyl variants eventually became available to brick-and-mortar retailers as well. Additionally, a Target edition was released on clear vinyl, featuring the same track listing as the primary edition sold through Swift’s webstore.
Taylor Swift recently provided fans with some insights into the meaning behind several tracks on her album “Tortured Poets Department” in an Amazon Music Commentary. In the commentary, she revealed the inspiration and stories behind songs like “Fortnight,” “Clara Bow,” and “Florida!!!” Swift’s commentary offers fans a deeper understanding of the lyrics and the personal experiences that influenced her songwriting process. This behind-the-scenes look into the creative process adds another layer of appreciation for Swift’s music.
According to Billboard, “The Tortured Poets Department” by Swift has sold a total of 1.5 million copies in the first three days, encompassing CD, cassette, download, and vinyl sales. While vinyl sales make up a significant portion of this total, accounting for almost half of the sales, the remaining 800,000 copies were sold in other formats.
It seems quite evident that “The Tortured Poets Department” will easily exceed 2 million album-equivalent units for the week, considering there are still four more days of sales and a week’s worth of streaming numbers to be added to the current 1.5 million figure. If it achieves this feat, it will be the first album to do so since Adele’s “25” in 2015. It’s worth noting that Adele’s record of 3.38 million overall units may be difficult to surpass, as sales have mostly been replaced by streaming, which only contributes a fraction of the value in the chart formula.
In the modern age of LPs, it is still a relatively recent phenomenon that pop superstars dominate the vinyl market. Back in June 2014, it was rocker Jack White who grabbed headlines by setting a new record for the highest number of vinyl sales in a week. His second solo album, “Lazaretto,” shattered expectations by selling a staggering 40,000 LPs in its first week, leaving everyone in awe.
Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated album “Tortured Poets” had an incredible first day on Spotify, surpassing the impressive milestone of 300 million streams. This record-breaking achievement is a testament to Taylor Swift’s immense popularity and the anticipation surrounding her new music. Fans couldn’t wait to dive into the emotional and lyrical journey that “Tortured Poets” offers, resulting in an overwhelming response on the streaming platform. Swift’s ability to connect with her audience through her heartfelt music continues to resonate, and this remarkable feat further solidifies her status as one of the biggest global stars in the music industry.
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