5 Ways Taylor Swift Made History With Her Latest No. 1 Album

Last week, Taylor Swift ruled over the Billboard 200 albums chart with her latest release Fearless (Taylor’s Version), and while it’s certainly not surprising to see the superstar hit No. 1 on the tally (on any Billboard chart, to be frank), this latest win was special. As the title arrived atop the ranking, Swift broke records, once again establishing herself as one of the most successful artists of all time in the U.S.

Here are five ways Swift made history with Fearless (Taylor’s Version).

Second-Most No. 1 Albums Among Women

Throughout her time as a star, Swift has now topped the Billboard 200 with nine different titles, with Fearless (Taylor’s Version) becoming her ninth leader. With nine champions on the all-encompassing tally of the most-consumed full-lengths in the U.S., the 11-time Grammy winner tied Madonna for the second-most rulers ever among women. The two powerhouses are currently sitting behind only Barbra Streisand, who has accrued 11 winners.

Largest Streaming Week For A Country Album By A Woman

In its first seven days of availability, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) racked up an incredible 143 million plays on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, to name just a few of the major platforms. That sum is enough for Swift to grab the record of the largest streaming week ever for a country album by a woman. 

Swift steals this record from the legendary Brenda Lee, whose holiday compilation Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree: The Decca Christmas Recordings was played just under 45 million times this past season. 

Largest Debut Streaming Week For A Country Album By A Woman

Not only did Fearless (Taylor’s Version) reset the record for the largest streaming week for a country album by a female artist, it easily toppled the previous best debut for a full-length by a female act in that genre. Maren Morris earned that specific piece of history with her latest album Girl, which saw its songs played just under 24 million times in the first week they were available. Swift bested that sum nearly six times over.

Shortest Break In Between Nos. 1 For A Woman

Fearless (Taylor’s Version) is the latest win for Swift in what has turned out to be the most productive period in her career. The set marked her third leader on the Billboard 200, and the wait in between the last two was shorter than ever before for female stars.

From the moment Evermore was declared the No. 1 album in the country until Fearless (Taylor’s Version) topped the Billboard 200, just four months passed. According to Billboard, Swift bested her own record in this field, as the break between Folklore and Evermore’s first stays atop the tally was just two weeks longer.

First Woman With Three No. 1 Albums In Less Than A Year

Throughout Billboard’s decades-long history, several acts have managed to chart at least three No. 1 albums in 12 months, but before Fearless (Taylor’s Version) hit, no woman had done so. The singer-songwriter became the first female musician to reach the penthouse with a trio of different titles in less than a full year, as Folklore, Evermore and then  Fearless (Taylor’s Version) all led the charge in under nine months.