Taylor Swift’s Latest Album Breaks Records
Taylor Swift has once again topped the charts with her 12th album, "The Life of a Showgirl". The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 4.002 million units, including 3,479,500 from physical sales and 522,600 from streaming. This impressive feat dethroned "KPop Demon Hunter" and took the top spot, with the Netflix soundtrack falling to No. 2.
Chart-Topping Success
All of the album’s songs debuted on the Billboard Hot 100, occupying the top 12 spots. The album’s lead single, "The Fate of Ophelia", took first place with 92.5 million official US streams, becoming her 13th No. 1 on the chart. The songs ranked from No. 2 to No. 12 are: "Opalite," "Elizabeth Taylor," "Father Figure," "Wood," "Wi$h Li$t," "Actually Romantic," "The Life of a Showgirl featuring Sabrina Carpenter," "Eldest Daughter," "Cancelled," "Ruin the Friendship” and “Honey”.
A New Record for Taylor Swift
"The Life of a Showgirl" marks Swift’s 15th No. 1 on the charts, including her newly recorded Taylor’s version of previous albums. She is now the soloist with the most No. 1 albums, breaking a tie with Drake and Jay Z. The Beatles, who have 19 No. 1 albums, remain at the top of the standings.
Biggest Opening Week
On October 8, with over a full day of tracking left, Swift officially set the record for the biggest opening week to date, a record in the streaming era. As of Wednesday, it had reportedly sold 3.2 million copies with 300,000 streaming units, bringing its record-breaking total to 3.5 million.
Promoting the Album
The singer made the rounds on late-night television promoting the album, something she hasn’t done in years. She appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" to talk about the album, her recent engagement to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and more. She also stopped by "Late Night with Seth Meyers" as the only guest in the episode.
Upcoming Documentary
After appearing on "Good Morning America", it was announced that Swift would be joining the show on Monday to make an exclusive announcement. It was revealed that the singer-songwriter will release a six-part documentary and behind-the-scenes concert film from her final Eras Tour show on Disney+ on December 12th.
The Making of the Album
"The Life of a Showgirl" was produced and written by Swift herself, along with hitmakers Max Martin and Shellback. The album was seen as a return to some of her standard pop albums, but tended to be more of a mix. The album sold 2.7 million copies on its release day, making it her biggest week ever on that day alone.
Cinematic Companion
In addition to the album, Swift released a cinematic companion offering the opportunity to view the music video for the album’s lead single, "The Fate of Ophelia," prior to its online release. Swift directed the video, which was shot by frequent collaborator and Oscar-nominated cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto and features choreography by famed choreographer Mandy Moore.
Box Office Success
The Grammy winner’s release event grossed an estimated $33 million at the domestic box office and another $13 million worldwide, bringing its worldwide total to $46 million.
