Taylor Swift surpasses Madonna to become female artist with most UK Number 1 albums ever

13 always was her lucky number! Taylor Swift breaks Official Chart records today, as she becomes the female artist with the most Number 1 albums in the UK ever.

Surpassing Madonna, Taylor secures the feat as she nets her 13th chart-topper with Lover (Live In Paris). Moreover, Taylor now draws level with Elvis Presley as the international artist with most Number 1 albums in UK chart history.

Lover (Live In Paris), originally released in limited quantity in 2023, soars to the summit thanks to a new, heart-shaped 2LP vinyl variant released in time for Valentine’s Day; shifting 47,000 units.

In doing so, Lover (Live From Paris) becomes the first album to reach Number 1 on pure sales (with no streams contributing to its total) in eight years, since Taylor’s very own reputation in 2017. reputation was added to streaming services three weeks after its initial release on physical and download formats.

It goes without saying that Lover (Live From Paris) tops this week’s Official Vinyl Albums Chart, too,

Lover (Live From Paris) joins Taylor’s impressive list of UK chart-toppers:

Red (2012)
1989 (2014)
reputation (2017)
Lover (2019)
folklore (2020)
evermore (2020)
Fearless (Taylor’s Version) (2021)
Red (Taylor’s Version) (2021)
Midnights (2022)
Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) (2023)
1989 (Taylor’s Version) (2023)
The Tortured Poets Department (2024)

Taylor Swift’s record-breaking stat attack

Taylor becomes first female artist ever to achieve 13 UK Number 1 albums (previously tied with Madonna at 12).
Taylor now draws level with Elvis Presley as the international artist with most UK chart-topping albums (both with 13). Only The Beatles and Robbie Williams have more (15 apiece).
Lover (Live From Paris) is the first album to go to Number 1 only on pure sales since Taylor’s own album reputation in November 2017.
Lover (Live From Paris) claims the biggest total weekly sales of a Number 1 album so far this year.
Lover (Live From Paris) nets biggest first week sales for a live album in over 10 years in the UK, since George Michael’s Symphonica in March 2014.
Lover (Live From Paris) has biggest weekly sales for a live vinyl album this century.

Martin Talbot, Chief Executive Officer, Official Charts says:

“If we thought Taylor Swift would peak in 2024, with her domination of the charts during the summer, we couldn’t have been more wrong. What an amazing achievement to surpass the Albums Chart record of Madonna, such a huge music icon.”

Elsewhere, Dublin-formed four-piece Inhaler celebrate their third Top 5 LP with Open Wide (2). Elijah Hewson, Robert Keating, Josh Bartholomew Jenkinson and Ryan McMahon previously saw similar success with 2021 debut It Won’t Always Be Like This (1) and 2023’s Cuts & Bruises (2).

Open Wide also tops the Official Record Store Chart, the most popular album in UK independent record shops this week.

Following his Super Bowl LIX halftime show performance last weekend, the most-watched in the event’s 58-year history, Kendrick Lamar’s former chart-topper GNX vaults back into the Top 5 (3). The record’s release on physical formats also aids its uplift.

Further down, Olly Alexander secures his first Top 20 LP as a solo artist with Polari (17). As a member of Years & Years, Olly previously enjoyed Albums Chart success with 2015’s Communion (1), 2018’s Palo Santo (3) and 2022’s Night Call (1).

American progressive metal outfit Dream Theater net an eighth Top 40 LP with Parasomnia (23).

And, finally, new mod revival group Block 33 – Dan Dodson, Jamie Moore, Andy Manning and Stephen ‘Keano’ Gardner – celebrate their first-ever Top 40 record with The Promised Land (24).