Taylor Swift Surpasses Madonna
Taylor Swift has surpassed Madonna as the artist with the most British number one albums, achieving her 13th with “Lover” (Live from Paris).
A Historic Achievement
This live album features performances from Swift’s 2019 studio LP and sold 47,000 copies in its first week, marking the highest debut-week sales for any album in 2025. Originally released as a limited vinyl on Valentine’s Day 2023, it was later reprinted as a double vinyl in the shape of a heart.
This milestone ties her with Elvis Presley, who also boasts 13 British number one albums. Currently, The Rolling Stones hold the record with 14, while Robbie Williams and The Beatles share the top spot with 15. Notably, this is Swift’s second number one album achieved without the assistance of streaming, following her success with “Reputation” in 2017.
Vinyl Success and World Tour
Swift’s success in the vinyl market continues to flourish, as her album “The Turted Poets Department” became the leading vinyl album of 2024 with 112,000 copies sold. This record has recorded the highest annual vinyl sales in this century, including 66,000 units in its first week. Her albums “1989 (Taylor’s Version)”, “Midnights”, “Lover”, “Folklore”, and “Evermore” all appear in the top vinyl sales of 2024.
This accomplishment follows the conclusion of Swift’s “Eras” world tour, which wrapped up in Vancouver on December 8 and has been certified as the highest-grossing tour of 2024.
