Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' Shatters Streaming and Vinyl Records in Debut Week

Taylor Swift's latest album, 'The Tortured Poets Department,' has made history by breaking multiple streaming and vinyl sales records in its debut week. The album earned an astonishing 891.37 million on-demand streams and sold 859,000 vinyl copies, solidifying Swift's status as one of the biggest acts in the music industry.

'The Tortured Poets Department' debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, earning 2.61 million equivalent album units in the United States. Of those units, 1.914 million were traditional album sales, with the vinyl sales alone accounting for nearly half of that figure. This marks the third-largest sales week in the modern era, surpassed only by Adele's '25' and *NSYNC's 'No Strings Attached.'

The album's streaming numbers are equally impressive, generating 891.37 million on-demand official streams in its first week. This is the largest streaming week ever for an album, breaking the previous record held by Swift's own album 'Midnights.' 'The Tortured Poets Department' also became the first album to hit one billion Spotify streams within its debut week.

Why this matters: Taylor Swift's record-breaking success with 'The Tortured Poets Department' demonstrates her unparalleled ability to captivate audiences and dominate the music industry. The album's massive streaming numbers and vinyl sales highlight the enduring appeal of physical formats in the digital age, as well as Swift's cross-generational fan base.

With 'The Tortured Poets Department,' Swift ties Jay-Z for the second-most No. 1 albums among soloists, with 14 chart-topping releases each. Only The Beatles have more, with 19 No. 1 albums. The album's success has further fueled anticipation for Swift's upcoming 'Eras Tour,' which is set to resume in Paris on May 9. "I'm completely overwhelmed by the love and support shown for the album," Swift expressed, reflecting on the album's incredible debut week.

Key Takeaways

• Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' broke streaming and vinyl sales records.
• The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, earning 2.61 million equivalent album units.
• It generated 891.37 million on-demand streams, the largest streaming week ever for an album.
• The album's success further fuels anticipation for Swift's upcoming 'Eras Tour'.
• Swift ties Jay-Z for the second-most #1 albums among soloists, with 14 chart-topping releases each.