Taylor Swift ties Elvis Presley’s record for the most No. 1 albums in U.K. history among foreign … [+]
Taylor Swift earns a new No. 1 album in the United Kingdom this week. Her Lover (Live from Paris) reappears on the list of the most-consumed albums in the country for only the second time ever. As it blasts back in–and in first place, no less–the singer-songwriter matches another one of the most successful artists of all time in one very special way.
Lover (Live from Paris) is Swift’s thirteenth No. 1 on the U.K. albums chart. As she hits that lucky number, which she has long claimed is her favorite, the Grammy-winning superstar matches Elvis Presley’s career total.
Tying with Presley in any fashion must be a major milestone for artists of all and in any generation, but Swift’s latest move is even more meaningful, because now the two are tied for one of the most important and impressive showings in U.K. history. Presley and Swift are matched for the most No. 1 albums among foreign artists in the country.
Only three names appear above both of them on the list of the acts that have racked up the most champions, and all of them are homegrown heroes. The Beatles and Robbie Williams are currently tied for the most No. 1 albums of all time in the U.K., regardless of where the artists originated. Those two have both snagged 15 champions, with Williams adding to that total very recently.
Only The Rolling Stones sit between the Beatles and Williams and both Presley and Swift. The rock favorites have earned 14 No. 1 albums in the U.K. It hasn’t been long since the band last controlled the roster, and that number could increase again in the coming years, since it seems that the three remaining musicians are intent on continuing to produce new work.
Last week, before Lover (Live from Paris) reappeared on the chart, Swift was matched with Madonna for the second-most No. 1s among foreign-born artists in the U.K. Now, she’s passed the Queen of Pop’s 12 rulers, establishing herself as the female act with the greatest number of No. 1s.
Swift has collected her 13 chart-topping albums in about 13 years, coincidentally. She first hit the highest spot in 2012 with Red. Since then, she’s conquered the competitive ranking with all of the following titles: 1989, Reputation, Lover, Folklore, Evermore, Fearless (Taylor’s Version), Red (Taylor’s Version), Midnights, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), 1989 (Taylor’s Version), The Tortured Poets Department, and now, Lover (Live from Paris).
Her latest winner may be new to No. 1, but the title isn’t actually brand new to the U.K.’s 100-spot ranking of the most popular albums. The live recording debuted in February 2023, but it only managed one turn at No. 90. Following a recent re-release on heart-shaped vinyl that came out of seemingly nowhere, Swift’s project doesn’t just return to the tally, it dominates for the first time.
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