Taylor Takeover! Taylor Swift scores biggest opening week of her career to land the Official Chart double with Midnights and Anti Hero

Taylor Swift makes charts history with Midnights becoming the UK's Number 1 album and scoring her second-ever UK Number 1 single with Anti-Hero.
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Taylor Swift becomes the latest artist to achieve the relatively rare Official Chart Double, as her tenth studio record Midnights and its breakout hit Anti-Hero claim Number 1 on the Official Albums and Singles Chart simultaneously. 

Proving she’s an artist at the top of her game over 13 years after her debut, Taylor fends off competition from Arctic Monkeys to land straight in at Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart with Midnights with the most explosive opening week of her career so far. 
 
According to new Official Charts Company data released today, Taylor has shifted a staggering 204,000 UK chart sales in seven days – that’s more than double her previous personal best of 90,300, which she managed when her album 1989 debuted on the chart in 2014.  

Taylor Swift poses with her Official Albums (L) and Singles Chart Number 1s (R) after achieving the Official Chart Double (Credit: Official Charts Company)

MORE: Here are Taylor Swift's Official biggest albums in the UK

Midnight surpasses Harry Styles’ Harry’s House to deliver biggest first week of the year so far 

The fastest-selling album of the year so far, Midnights overtakes 2022’s previous title-holder, Harry’s House, almost doubling Harry Style’s first-week figures (113,000 chart sales). Taylor’s tenth studio LP also debuts with the biggest first-week albums sales since Adele’s 30, which logged 261,000 chart sales last November. 

Midnights now claims the title of the most-streamed album of the year in its first week, too. The record boasts 72.5 million streams in seven days, surpassing Harry Styles’ 53.9 million with Harry’s House earlier this year. 

The new Queen of Pop? Taylor overtakes Madonna to set new Official Chart record 

With nine consecutive Number 1 albums now under her belt, Taylor Swift overtakes Madonna to set a new all-time Official Chart record, generating the fastest succession of nine UK Number 1 albums of any female artist.  
 
Taylor scored her first UK Number 1 album exactly 10 years ago in October 2012 with Red, whereas it took Madonna 21 years to reach the same tally. The Beatles hold the overall record here, racking up nine chart toppers in 5 years and 7 months between their debut album Please Please Me in May 1963 and The White Album in December 1968. 
 
Madonna retains the title of the female artist with the most Number 1 albums overall with 12 to her name, but Taylor now overtakes Kylie Minogue to follow in second place. Taylor also extends her lead as the female solo artist with the highest-collection of Number 1 albums this century. 

MORE: Taylor's biggest singles in the UK

Midnights joins Taylor’s previous eight UK chart-topping albums, all achieved consecutively; Red (2012), 1989 (2014), reputation (2017), Lover (2019), Folklore (2020), Evermore (2020), Fearless (Taylor’s Version) (2021) and Red (Taylor’s Version) (2021). 

Soaring straight to the top of the Official Singles Chart, Taylor scores her second UK Number 1 single with Anti-Hero this week, following 2017 chart-topper Look What You Made Me Do. Midnights boasts two further tracks in the Official Singles Chart Top 10, too; Lavender Haze (3) and Lana Del Rey collaboration Snow On The Beach (4) - more on that below. 
 
As if all that wasn’t enough, Taylor also becomes the first female artist in nine years to debut atop the Official Albums and Singles Charts simultaneously. The last was Miley Cyrus back in August 2013, when Bangerz and Wrecking Ball both entered the Official Charts at Number 1. 

Recognising both Taylor and Arctic Monkeys’ incredible achievements this week, Martin Talbot, Chief Executive, Official Charts Company says:  
 
Many congratulations to Taylor Swift on her fantastic achievement in topping 200,000 sales this week. 

We always knew this would be a huge week for fans of Taylor and Arctic Monkeys, following the release of their brand new albums - and their combined first week total of more the 320,000 chart sales indicates that their pre-release excitement was well placed. Coming so soon after a fantastically successful National Album Day earlier this month, the successes also highlight just how popular albums continue to be in the digital era – and suggest that the pre-Christmas sales surge is underway.” 

See every artist to score the Official Chart Double here. 

Official Chart round-up

Official Albums Chart 

Arctic Monkeys’ streak of six UK Number 1 albums may have been broken, but they put up a valiant fight. The Car revs up to a Number 2 debut, also pushing over 100,000 chart sales in its opening week, a rare feat indeed. Discover the Arctics’ full Official Charts history here. 

Lambeth rapper Loyle Carner debuts at Number 3 with Hugo. His third studio album and second Top 10 LP to date in the UK, it equals Loyle’s previous career-high with Not Waving But Drowning 

Eighties icons Simple Minds also claim their highest-charting album in four years with Direction of the Heart (4), while Kylie Minogue’s underrated alt-pop opus Impossible Princess celebrates its 25th anniversary by re-entering into its highest chart position ever (5). Originally released under the title Kylie Minogue, it peaked at Number 10 in 1998. 

Outside the Top 10, alt-rockers Dry Cleaning enter at Number 11 with second album Stumpwork, while A-ha’s True North claims a Number 12 debut.  

Cult pop queen Carly Rae Jepsen follows on with her eclectic sixth studio album The Loneliest Time (16), which becomes her highest-peaking album in the UK in ten years. 

Andrea Bocelli makes Christmas a family affair with son Matteo and youngest daughter Virginia. A Family Christmas (17) is the elder Bocelli’s 23rd Top 40 album and helps kickstart the festive season a little earlier. 

British metalcore outfit Architects are our last new entry with The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit (18). 

Following her triumphant Official Chart Double, a select collection of Taylor Swift’s previous albums are also present in the wider Top 40; 2020’s folklore (28), 2014 release 1989 (30) and 2019 LP Lover (36). See where these stack up against Taylor’s biggest-selling albums in the UK, revealed for the first time ever here. 

See the full Official Albums Chart Top 100 here from 5.45pm.

Official Singles Chart 

As Taylor Swift dominates the Official Singles Chart this week, several former Number 1 hits are still present in the Top 10; Sam Smith & Kim Petras’ infernal Unholy (2), David Guetta & Bebe Rexha with I’m Good (Blue) (5) and Lewis Capaldi’s Forget Me (6). 

The only non-Taylor high climber inside this week’s Top 10 comes courtesy of Oliver Tree & Robin Schultz’s fast-rising viral hit Miss You, rising one to a new peak of Number 8. 

Arctic Monkeys also impact the Official Singles Chart today, with two tracks from The Car landing inside the Top 40. Body Paint vaults a massive 38 slots to Number 22, while I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am debuts at Number 23, giving Alex Turner and co. their 18th UK Top 40 single. 

Doo-wop queen Meghan Trainor has returned to her roots, and its paying off in dividends. New single Made You Look gives Meghan her first Top 40 single in the UK four years (27).  

Elsewhere, singer-songwriter Dean Lewis’s emotional track How Do I Say Goodbye also makes gains this week, up four to Number 31, while Joel Corry & Tom Grennan debut with their fiery new collaboration Lionheart (Fearless) (37). 

And finally, South London’s own K-Trap re-enters the Top 40 with Warm (40).

See the full Official Singles Chart Top 100.

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R

River

0

Fun fact: Taylor Swift befomes the fiest female artist occupy the entire top 3

R

River

0

Becomes* First*

R

River

0

OOPS NVM I READ WRONG

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madonnamaniac

4

Huge mistake made by The Official Charts. They’ve been knowing for the last 40 years that there is only one Queen and that’s Madonna. Period

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Lancashire Anglo-Saxon

0

Kylie has the x factor though the magic ingredient which Madonna doesn't have - Kylie doesn't have to try. it's amazing how only a few get it - obviously Danni her sister hasn't got it. None of the Jacksons except Michael had it.
Madonna though is the Kevin Keegan of pop (for non football fans he was a pretty average player in world terms who through never say die determination and hard work made himself European footballer of the year.) while Madonna has little real talent for anything singing, dancing or songwriting - we know why she always has a co-writer listed - but she worked herself to death with what she has to become and sustain her success.
So she does have real talent I suppose as a businesswoman.

C

Cloudbuster

2

The author of this article is a Gaga fan. He's obviously hiding behind Taylor because he know his fave can't compete with her music.

C

Cloudbuster

0

. Yet another alias of the weirdo ex fan who writes essays on Madonna despite telling us how terrible she is. If Kylie had the X factor (lmao) why is she a complete failure worldwide bar the UK and Australia? Why does the GP and media refer to Madonna as the Queen of Pop instead of Kylie? Why hasn't she bettered or matched Madonna's worldwide sales of 400M+? Why isn't she a touring juggernaut like Madonna? So many questions to ask. Madonna could outsing and outdance the armwaver/stagewalker in her 50's, let alone in hey heyday, so don't even try it. The only talent Kylie has is pilfering from the Queen of Pop while somehow managing to get away with it. Fortunately, this only happens in the UK, the rest of the world can see right through it.

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Jack fitsy

2

Preach Queen! Kylie only exists because of her ability to spew out what Madonna did a few years before. Like Taylor she represents cis, white, conservatism and is one of a long line of females the industry uses, to bash Madonna for daring to control womens narrative in the industry. Kylie Minogue is a total parasite of the queer community too. Her silence on such LGBT matters is DEAFENINING and yet, she milks the pink coin for all its worth. Vile woman

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Lancashire Anglo-Saxon

0

No I'm pretty new here only I came because I saw things popping up elsewhere online about Taylor Swift easily beating a rock band (the last rock band to break through in a big way - now 16 years ago incidentally) to number one in the album charts meaning we have seen the final eclipse of rock music by pure pop - the albeit usually very irrelevant album charts were looked on as rock's last hold-out. I wrote a piece myself on here last night about this but it was removed for some reason. Although I say it myself, it was a good piece - I have written professionally on music so was surprised it was removed. It did contain one very mild swear word for the thing we all sit on that Americans renamed after a horse but our version has an 'r'. i wondered if you can swear on here at all. Although I'm far rom gay you ask a gay man in England who they prefer Kylie or 64 year old Madonna. and I think we'll know the answer.

R

RyanT

0

OMG, Kylie at #5 with her severely underrated magnum opus Impossible Princess!!! I am so happy

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Lancashire Anglo-Saxon

0

I see my post about the eclipsing of rock by pop was removed by someone. An actually very good post (although I say it myself) and well thought out and pointing out significant things that I imagine there will be published articles written about. I myself work as a sometimes writer in the music business and this site's moderators remove something that may well have interested many casual viewers of this forum. Unbelievable! And it surely couldn't be because it contained what once was deemed a pretty mild swear word could it?

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Jack fitsy

7

LMAO lets see how many UK albums Taylor sold in 10 years compared to Madonna.... 😂😂😂😂😂😂 Her Immaculate Collection alone sold 2 million copies in 9 weeks, more than Taylors entire UK discography in 10 years.... the charts mean nothing today. She can have a million number 1's but nobody will ever remember them, nor will she outsell Madonna. She's outsold the entire top 5 combined in the UK

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Albin Baiju

-4

Lmao triggered much? 😂 Records are meant to be broken... Madonna fans always get triggered when a newer artist breaks their idol's record... Instead of being happy that it's another female artist that's following Madonna's path... What a petty fan.

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madonnamaniac

3

Very well said. Madonna is the only Queen👑👑👑👑👑 Very well done to Taylor Swift. She’s lovely and she adores Madonna

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Marko

2

Arctic Monkeys album total trash. A-ha also garbage. Taylor and Carly cute but nothing special. Simple Minds with the best album of the week.

PK

Philip King

2

Madonna's 9 numbers 1 produced around 109 million sales World Wide and Taylor's are only just over 30 million.

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Jack fitsy

1

This is the UK, she has 12 number 1 albums here and has sold over 22.5 million albums

NN

Nu No

2

Yes 12 number #01 albums and 23 TOP 10 albums.

As for album sales actually Madonna already sold over 24 million albums in UK (including streaming and tracks equivalents - and 30k units from her last remix compilation released a couple of months ago).

Madonna also have 13 #01 singles and 63 TOP 10 singles (including 36 consecutive TOP 10 singles during her first 10 years).

Taylor Swift got her 2nd #01 single now and only have 20 TOP 10 singles - this includes her 3 new TOP 10 hits from this week chart (16 years after releasing her first single).

PK

Philip King

2

The article is about Taylors 9 number 1 albums and how she achieved the feat faster than Madonna and I was just commenting Madonna's 9 studio number 1 albums have sold nearly 4 times as more.

J

Jstar

0

Congrats to Taylor on another number 1 album. It is amazing to see such a huge debut here.

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Piran

1

Hey, glad to see you back! How you doing? :)

J

Jstar

1

I'm doing good thanks. I know it's a special week with Taylor so I wanted to drop by.

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Piran

1

I'm honestly shocked at how well both the album & all the tracks from it have done!

Headline Planet don't really post articles that frequently anymore sadly, so I'm mostly on YouTube as far as the US charts go. :)

I'll let the others know you stopped by & to say hi to you when they can! 😊

J

Jstar

1

It is suppose to do over 1.5 million in the U.S which is amazing. I'm pretty sure Headline Planet will try to post something this week as it will be a big debut by Taylor. I would be surprised if they didn't. If they do I will stop by to say hi over there this week.

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Piran

1

I've seen early estimates of 1.5-1.6M in the US, which would make it Taylor's biggest ever opening week in the US & the biggest overall since '25' by Adele seven years ago! 🤯

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Piran

7

‘Midnights’ might’ve been my least favourite Taylor album since ‘Reputation’ (it’s still good overall), but , I’m so happy that ‘Anti-Hero’ is the breakout single from it, it’s definitely a highlight for me! 😍

Now let’s hope it can spend at least the same number of weeks, or even more, than ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ did in 2017, because this is absolutely an upgrade from that. :)