In the modern era of vinyl, Taylor Swift has emerged as the undisputed queen, breaking records left and right. The latest milestone in her reign came with the release of ‘The Tortured Poets Department,’ which shattered the record for the most vinyl album sales in a week, with an astonishing 700,000 copies sold in just three days. This remarkable achievement eclipses her previous record of 693,000 copies sold for ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ last October.
Swift’s dominance in the vinyl market is further evidenced by the fact that she holds all three spots for the highest weekly vinyl sales in the modern era. Prior to ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’, her album ‘Midnights’ held the record with 570,000 copies sold in October 2022.
These impressive figures showcase the enduring popularity of vinyl records and the enduring appeal of Taylor Swift. With the remaining four days of sales and a week’s worth of streaming numbers yet to be counted, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ is poised to surpass 2 million album-equivalent units for the week, making it the first album since Adele’s ’25’ in 2015 to achieve this milestone.
The rise of pop superstars as leaders in the vinyl market is a relatively recent phenomenon. A decade ago, it was rockers like Jack White who dominated the vinyl charts. In June 2014, White set a record with 40,000 vinyl sales of his album ‘Lazaretto.’ Swift’s record-breaking sales demonstrate the shift in consumer preferences and the enduring power of her music.
