Source: People
Tuesday 2 January 2024 15:33:56
Taylor Swift has notched a new record over the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
The “Anti-Hero” singer, 34, has now surpassed Elvis Presley as the soloist with the most weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with the release of her latest album 1989 (Taylor’s Version), Billboard announced on Sunday.
Swift has spent 68 weeks atop the Billboard 200, beating Presley, who recorded 67 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 across his 10 albums between 1956 and 2002.
She first made it to the top of the Billboard chart with the release of her Fearless album, which spent 11 weeks at No. 1 between 2008 and 2009, according to Billboard. She then followed it up with her albums Speak Now, Red, 1989, Reputation, Lover, Folklore, Evermore and Midnights, which added an additional 47 weeks at the top.
Swift’s rerecorded albums have also helped her make history. Fearless (Taylor’s Version), Red (Taylor’s Version), Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) and 1989 (Taylor’s Version) added 10 more No. 1's for Swift atop the Billboard 200.
While Swift may have surpassed the “Hound Dog” singer, she has a ways to go before she can overtake The Beatles, who have spent 132 weeks in the No. 1 spot across their 19 albums between 1964 and 2001.
Last month, the Grammy winner made history by tying with Drake for the most Billboard Music Awards of all time after she took home 10 BBMAs during the Nov. 19 ceremony.
"Well, this is unreal," Swift said in a prerecorded speech while on the road for her Eras Tour. "The fact that you guys have given me 10 Billboard Awards — I’m talking to the fans, specifically. None of this happens without you."
She continued to thank her fans, saying, "The Billboards base everything off of what you are listening to and what you’re passionate about, and I’m so honored that this year you made the tour, The Eras Tour, so magical. You went and saw the movie, you cared about my re-recordings. I just, like, I love you so much."
The "Karma" singer has found huge success with her Eras Tour, which launched in Arizona in March before embarking on a 35-show run that concluded in Los Angeles in August. The "Lavender Haze" performer has since done a four-show stretch in Mexico City, which marked her first time headlining shows in the country, before wrapping up the 2023 tour in Argentina and Brazil in November.
Following the hype from the tour, Swift also released the Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour film, which opened to blockbuster ticket sales of $92.8 million in the U.S., making it the fifth-biggest opening of any theatrical release this year.