Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl Shatters Multiple U.K. Chart Records — Biggest Opening Since 2017

Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl Shatters Multiple U.K. Chart Records — Biggest Opening Since 2017


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Taylor Swift’s record-breaking week continues as she bags No. 1 spots on the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart and Official Singles Chart following a gargantuan debut for The Life of a Showgirl (Oct. 10).

Her 12th studio album nets Swift her 14th No. 1 in the U.K. overall, while lead single “The Fate of Ophelia” earns the superstar her fifth U.K. No. 1 single.

The Life of a Showgirl gives Swift her biggest opening week ever in the U.K. with 423,00 units across physicals, streaming and downloads, surpassing 2024’s The Tortured Poets Department. The Official Charts Company reports that The Life of a Showgirl is the biggest opening week for any artist since Ed Sheeran’s 2017 album Divide (672,000) and is the largest opening week for an international album in the U.K. this century.

The LP is also named the U.K.’s fastest-selling album on vinyl this century, and the biggest one-week vinyl sale since modern Official Chart records began in 1994. On streaming, The Life of a Showgirl has notched up the most U.K. album streams over a course of a week ever. Streaming contributed 84,000 stream-equivalent sales to her total this week, eclipsing both Ed Sheeran’s Divide and her own previous studio album The Tortured Poets Department, both of which managed 79,000.

She also extends her lead with the most No. 1s on the U.K. Albums Charts for an international artist, and now ties for second overall with The Rolling Stones (14). The top spot is also currently a tie between The Beatles and Robbie Williams who both have 15 apiece; the latter playfully blamed Swift for the delay of his upcoming album Britpop, which was due to be released this week.

“The Fate of Ophelia” tops the U.K. Singles Charts, with “Elizabeth Taylor” (No. 2) and “Opalite” (No. 3) following closely behind. Swift adds to her existing four U.K. chart-toppers throughout her career: “Look What You Made Me Do” (2017), “Anti-Hero” (2022), “Is It Over Now?” (2023) and “Fortnight” (2024).

Olivia Dean loses her top spot on both charts after The Art of Loving and its single “Man I Need” earned the British star her maiden No. 1s on either chart. The LP falls two places to No. 3, while “Man I Need” closes at No. 4.

Oasis’ (What’s The Story) Morning Glory ends the week at No. 2 on the Albums Chart, and is joined by Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend (No. 4) and James Morrison’s Fight Another Day (No. 5).


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