Taylor Swift’s latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, has shattered records with the biggest first-week numbers ever recorded for an album.
According to Billboard, the album surpassed 3.5 million equivalent album units within just five days of its release, combining both sales and streaming figures.
This achievement dethrones Adele’s “25”, which held the title since December 2015 with 3.482 million units.
Swift’s rapid ascent to breaking this record is remarkable, and with two days still left in the chart week, her tally is expected to climb even higher.
Adele still holds the record for pure album sales without streaming or other consumption methods, but not for long. By the fifth day, Showgirl had already reached 3.2 million sold copies, just shy of Adele’s 3.378 million sales milestone for 25.
Billboard highlighted that for both albums, traditional sales make up the bulk of their total unit counts.
“Taylor Swift continues to redefine what’s possible in music,” the outlet reported, acknowledging her ability to consistently push boundaries.
Fans have been eager to get their hands on the album, with pre-orders boosting first-day sales significantly.
Swift has also kept momentum alive throughout the week by offering special editions of the album, including acoustic bonus tracks and exclusive digital downloads available for limited periods.
For example, her webstore featured a 24-hour exclusive version starting Tuesday afternoon.
Swift’s latest achievement surpasses her personal best debut week record of 2.61 million units for The Tortured Poets Department, set last year. In just five days, Showgirl has already exceeded that figure by over 600,000 units.
