I think it's an impossible stat, but it would her so interesting to just know the number of humans who listened to the album vs number of humans who listened to Adele
my parents, both big Chiefs fans, had only passing familiarity with Taylor until she started dating Travis. come to find out they went to see the release party film and were somehow so impressed they went and collectively bought 7 copies of the album... like i'm glad they enjoyed it, but 7 copies for what might be one of her worst albums?
In art there is generally a thought of "1,000 true fans" who will do the most. Obviously, her scale of that is much larger. But I think we'd all be fooling ourselves if everyone only bought 1 copy of the album still wouldn't have easily cleared 2 million coming off the tour, if not closer to 2.5 even before streams. I don't think that many people are variant shopping all things considered. Not enough to swing a million more units. Taylor will surpass that Beatles record as long as she makes music. I don't think her goal should be to do it fast, haha.
I wish there was some mechanism in place for Billboard to differentiate between digital sales of Life Of A Showgirl (Sparkly Farts Edition) and Life Of A Showgirl (Bedazzled Ass Edition) if it's the same 12 songs plus 2 bonus tracks, but it feels slimy to game the system by not releasing the bonus songs individually.
Are any of these bonus tracks actually different than the originals musically speaking? Or do they just have spoken introductions? I could not be bothered to listen to them myself lol
Taylor's impact is insane honestly. Like my mom doesn't pay attention to pop culture at all. She isn't even old but lives under a rock. But she loves Taylor so much she cried watching the live Reputation tour on Netflix lol. I think even without the variants she'd be breaking the records. Which is why it feels frustrating that she does what she does. I don't think it's enough for her to clear the record, I think she wants to break them and keep them so other artists won't break them down the road. I think what's interesting about her too is that she's won her entire career. She's never had a flop era ever. Yet she still somehow perpetuates the underdog narrative or someone who has to fight being cancelled or beat the odds or whatever. And her fans are more than happy to see themselves as people who have to help her in that task like they're in it together. It's just fascinating. I'd love to see a sociology of Taylor Swift class that took a critical lens but wasn't over the top in either direction of being a fan or an anti.
I have zero doubt she's been looking at every record on the Billboard 200 Wiki page for a long time now. She's been upfront lately that she's thinking about her legacy. Watching the milestones broken and/or leaps made in every category since 2020 has been insane to witness as a bystander. - 1 more year with a new album to top The Beatles for most consecutive years at number one! (Will be accomplished with Debut TV or whatever she calls it in 2026) - 5 more #1 albums to top The Beatles for most number-one albums! (Whatever Debut TV ends up being called, Rep Vault Tracks, and three more albums this decade seems realistic via new studio albums, live albums, etc.) - 46 more weeks at #1 to top The Beatles for most cumulative weeks at number one! (Only a matter of time. She's had 46 weeks at #1 just since 2020 if my calculations are correct.) The two thorns in her side must be The Monkees and Prince. The Monkees had four number-ones in a calendar year, while Taylor had three number-ones in two different calendar years. So close to tying! And then she shares the most albums in the top 10 simultaneously at five a piece with Prince. But as the page notes, Swift is the first LIVING artist to chart five albums in the top 10 simultaneously. Take that asterisk, Prince! Other than a couple other miscellaneous records and one that's simply unattainable at this point in her career (most top-10 albums), she owns basically every artist milestone. Can't imagine she enjoys the fact that Morgan Wallen has had two albums spend at least 100 weeks in the top 10, while she hasn't had one accomplish that feat yet. Not going to lie, I don't enjoy that stat either. But good on SZA being the only other artist to accomplish this feat with any one album!
I was thinking about this, and it's obviously not a 1 to 1 comparison for many reasons, but it is interesting that Midnights only had 5 vinyl versions, and then 3am as the only digital deluxe, during week 1 of release. Week 1 sales were about 1.5 million. 1989 TV, if I recall, was the same. Only 4 vinyl variants, one bonus track for Target physical, and no digital variants week 1. It was about 1.6 million week 1. TTPD, as we know, was when she really kicked up the versions, variants, bonus track versions every day of the week, etc.... that one jumped up to 2.6 million week 1. Midnights and 1989 weren't THAT long ago, so it's not entirely a false equivalent to assume that TTPD and TLOAS might have ended up in the 1.5 - 2.0 range without all the tomfoolery.
What is everyone's favorite Taylor album and also then your favorite song on TLOAS? There's a trend I've been noticing amongst friends and was curious if it holds here.
folklore for album. really can't select a favorite song since the whole album is fantastic, but if i had to choose one on a whim, maybe august or peace?
in that case, probably Wood or Ruin the Friendship - checking off both the well-produced pop and singer/songwriter boxes