Taylor Swift Breaks UK Chart Record with “The Tortured Poets Department” Album
Taylor Swift continues to make history with her latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” as it tops the UK music chart with the biggest first-week sales in seven years. The 31-track double album, which includes a surprise second volume titled “The Anthology,” sold 270,000 UK chart units within seven days of its release, surpassing Swift’s previous record set by her 2022 album, “Midnights.”
With this achievement, Swift now shares the title of the female artist with the most UK number one albums, joining Madonna with 12 chart-topping albums each. They stand alongside Bruce Springsteen, while only iconic acts like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Robbie Williams, and Elvis Presley have more.
In addition to dominating the charts, Swift’s album has broken records on streaming platforms. On launch day, it became Spotify’s most streamed album ever in a single day, and within five days, it accumulated a billion streams, a milestone no other album has achieved.
“The Tortured Poets Department” offers listeners a glimpse into Swift’s personal life over the past few years, including her relationships with English actor Joe Alwyn and 1975 frontman Matt Healey. The album’s lyrics provide a vivid narrative of Swift’s romantic experiences, with one song, “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” drawing attention for its presumed reference to Healey.
