Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department” Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart
Taylor Swift’s latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” has taken the music world by storm, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and breaking numerous records in the process. The album marks Swift’s 14th studio album to reach the top spot, solidifying her status as one of the biggest names in music.
According to Billboard, “The Tortured Poets Department” achieved an impressive 2.61 million equivalent album units in the United States in its first week, with 1.914 million units coming from traditional album sales. Vinyl purchases alone accounted for a massive 859,000 units, while on-demand streams totaled 891.34 million units. Swift’s latest achievement ties her with Jay-Z for the most No. 1 albums among solo artists, with the Beatles still holding the record for the most chart-toppers overall.
The album also set several records, including the largest streaming week for an album ever, the second-largest week for an album since the Billboard 200 began measuring by units, and the largest sales week for an album on vinyl in the modern era. Swift announced “The Tortured Poets Department” during her acceptance speech at the 2024 Grammy Awards, where she won Best Pop Vocal Album for “Midnights.”
Featuring contributions from artists like Post Malone, Florence Welch, and Jack Antonoff, “The Tortured Poets Department” has been met with critical acclaim and commercial success. Swift broke her own record for most weekly vinyl album sales, moving 700,000 copies in just a few days after the album’s release. Across all formats, the album saw about 1.5 million U.S. sales within a three-day period.
In addition, “The Tortured Poets Department” became the first album to hit one billion Spotify streams within its first week, surpassing Swift’s previous record with “Midnights.” To celebrate the release of the album, Swift shared a black-and-white music video for “Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone, Ethan Hawke, and Josh Charles.
With its massive first-week sales and record-breaking achievements, Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department” has solidified her status as a powerhouse in the music industry and a force to be reckoned with.