Taylor Swift's latest album, 'The Tortured Poets Department', has made a triumphant return to the top, reclaiming the Number 1 spot on the Billboard 200. This marks the album's 13th nonconsecutive week at the top. Released on April 19, 'The Tortured Poets Department' spent its first 12 weeks at Number 1, a feat that was interrupted in late July when Eminem's 'The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace)' unseated it.
However, Swift's album was not to be kept down for long. After briefly falling to Number 1 for two weeks, 'Tortured Poets' reclaimed the top position, earning 71,000 equivalent album units in the US in the week ending August 1, as reported by Luminate. This achievement is not just a personal victory for Swift, but also a historical moment in the music industry.
Prior to Eminem's 12th album dethroning 'Tortured Poets', Swift's album broke the record previously set by Whitney Houston's 'Whitney' for the most initial consecutive weeks at Number 1 by a female artist. Houston's 1987 album spent its first 11 weeks at the top before dropping off, a record that Swift has now surpassed. The last album to spend at least 13 weeks at Number 1 was Morgan Wallen's 'One Thing at a Time,' which achieved 19 nonconsecutive weeks at the top between March 2023 and March of this year, according to Billboard. This places Swift's 'Tortured Poets Department' in an elite group of albums that have demonstrated such staying power on the charts.
In the latest Billboard 200, other notable movements include Chappell Roan's 'The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess' reaching its highest chart position to date, climbing from Number 8 to Number 4. Meanwhile, Stray Kids dropped from the top spot to Number 6 with their new LP 'ATE.' Also in the top 10, Wallen's 'One Thing at a Time' secured the Number 2 spot.
Swift's return to the top of the charts was met with gratitude and excitement by the artist herself. In July, she took to Instagram to thank her fans for their constant support, expressing her awe at the album's success. "I am completely blown away by what you've done – it stayed at #1 for the first 12 weeks of its release and that's never happened to an album of mine before, not even close!! You're just the greatest," she wrote on July 20 alongside photos of her Eras Tour shows in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.
Swift's record-breaking week continued with her final Eras tour show in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on Friday, July 19. She then picked up her international tour run in Hamburg with shows on July 23 and 24, followed by two stops in Munich on July 27 and 28. As previously announced, her sweeping tour will finally conclude in December following a string of shows in the United States and Canada.
Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' reclaiming the Number 1 spot on the Billboard 200 is a significant event in the music industry. It not only underscores Swift's status as a pop icon but also sets a new record for the most initial consecutive weeks at Number 1 by a female artist. As the music industry continues to evolve, Swift's achievement serves as a reminder of the power of dedicated fanbases and the enduring appeal of well-crafted music.
