When Taylor Swift released “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” this month, there was no doubt that it would debut at number one. The only question was how fast it would smash records, how many piles of records it would sell, and how far it would fall. Swift’s catalog will push others out.
The third installment in Swift’s re-recorded album series, ‘Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)’ recreates 2010’s ‘Speak Now’ with a thick appendix of tracks revisited from the cutting room floor . This is the biggest new LP of the year. Equivalent to 716,000 units sold in the US. It easily surpassed Morgan Warren’s “One Thing at a Time,” which premiered at 501,000 copies in March.
But that’s not all. It was Swift’s twelfth No. 1 album and the most chart-topping album by a woman, beating Barbra Streisand. Drake has 12 No. 1 albums, but only Jay-Z (14) and The Beatles (19) have more.
The popularity of Swift’s Eras tour has seen her entire catalog soar, with three other titles hitting the top 10 of the Billboard 200 album chart this week, in addition to new song “Speak Now.” “Midnight” (5th), “Koibito” (7th), “Folklore” (10th). Swift becomes the first living artist to have four of her albums in the top 10. herb alpert (Prince released five albums after his death in 2016, but for years Billboard banned old “catalog” albums from re-entering the main charts. changed after the death of Michael Jackson, 2009).
Efforts to remake Swift’s first six albums began as a way for Swift to regain and control her previous work after her old record label was sold without her participation. But the project has become a phenomenon of its own, with fans seizing the opportunity to rethink their relationship to the music and critics making unusual but notable edits from the new recordings, such as lyrical changes to the track “Better Than.” seeking. “Revenge” from “Speak Now”, which was considered outdated or outdated. bad.
The new version of “Speak Now” scored a bigger opening than her two previous re-recordings “Red” (605,000) and “Fearless” (291,000).
The new Speak Now’s 716,000 “equivalent” sales (as measured by Luminate, a billboard and data service that orchestrates the different ways fans consume music today) include 269 million views. Includes 507,000 copies sold as streaming and complete packages. It also sold 268,500 vinyl, making it the second-most-selling week for a vinyl album since Luminate’s predecessor began posting credible sales records in 1991. The biggest was Swift’s own “Midnight,” which sold 575,000 LPs in October. .
“Speak Now” continues a surprisingly productive run for Swift. This is her sixth studio album in three years and, according to Billboard, the only artist to have a new No. 1 album in each of the last five calendar years. “Folklore” and “Evermore” (2020). “Fearless (Taylor’s version)” and “Red (Taylor’s version)” (2021). “Midnight” (2022); and this time “Speak Now (Taylor Version)”.
Warren’s “One Thing” remains at number two this week. Last week’s top album, Lil Uzi Vert’s “Pink Tape,” slipped to number three. And Peso Pluma’s “Genesis” came in fourth.
