Fearless (Taylor’s version) is the only number 1 album of its kind: a recording of an artist’s (own or others’) album previously released.
The Billboard 200 rankings rank the most popular albums of the week in the United States based on multi-metric consumption, measured in equivalent album units. Units consist of album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit is equal to one album sale, or ten individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 official audio and video streams paid for, or an entry generated by songs from an album . The new graph on April 24, 2021 (where Fearless [Taylor’s Version] debuts at number 1) will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on April 20th. Follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram for all map news.
Of Fearless (Taylor’s version)‘s 291,000 equivalent album units were earned in the tracking week that ended on April 15, and album sales consisted of 179,000 (making it the best-selling album of the week), SEA units consisted of 109,000 units (equivalent to 142.98 million stream on demand of the albums) and TEA units consist of 3000.
Re-recordings of older songs or albums are treated separately from their original, with independent history for each release. Therefore, Fearless (Taylor’s version) separately from the original album. The 2008 Fearless album falls off the new chart, having re-entered at number 157 (card dated April 17) a week earlier. In the latest detection week, the 2008 Fearless album earned 6,200 equivalent album units (19% lower). Of the amount of 6,200, SEA units consist of 5,700 (a decrease of 21%, equivalent to 7.71 million on-demand streams of its tracks), album sales consist of 400 (an increase of 15 %) and TEA units of a 100 (a decrease of 8%).
Let’s take a look at some notable accomplishments that Swift achieved with the debut of Fearless (Taylor’s version):
Ninth number 1 album: As Fearless (Taylor’s version) Swift’s ninth Billboard 200 no. 1, and she joined Madonna for the second most number 1 album among women. Swift joins Barbra Streisand’s record among all women of 11 no. 1-albums. Among all artists, The Beatles has the most no. 1s, with 19. Among all soloists, Jay-Z leads with 14.
Largest week of 2021 earned by units: Earning 291,000 equivalent album units, Fearless (Taylor’s version) achieved the biggest week for any album in 2021. It jumps past the previous high tide mark, determined when Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: the double album bent at number 1 with 265 000 units (graph dated 23 January).
The three biggest weeks for an album in the last eight months that all belong fast: Since August 2020, Swift has not only claimed three number 1s, but also the three biggest weeks among albums in earnings. On the 8 August 2020-dated graph, Folklore debuted at number 1 with 846,000 units. Always came in at number 1 on December 26, 2020 with 329,000 units. and now Fearless (Taylor’s version) starting with 291,000 units.
The biggest week for a country album since 2015: As Fearless (Taylor’s version) arches with 291,000 units, this is the biggest week for a country album since 2015. The last country to post a larger framework was Luke Bryan’s Kill the lights, which started at number 1 with 345,000 units (August 29, 2015-dated chart). (Country albums are defined as those recorded on Billboard‘s Top Country Albums chart. Both the original Fearless album and the new Fearless [Taylor’s Version] make a map of the top album albums.)
Fearless (Taylor’s version) has been the biggest week for a country album by a female artist since the Billboard 200 chart was switched from an album sales ranking to an equivalent album unit-based chart on the December 13, 2014 recording.
Strong sales: With 179,000 copies sold in the first week, Fearless (Taylor’s version) is the biggest sales week for an album released in 2021, surpassing Wallen’s first week Dangerous (74,000). Fearless (Taylor’s version) also has the biggest sales week for any album since Swift’s last release, Always, sold 102,000 in its second week (a January 2 chart).
Biggest Streaming Week for a Country Album by a Woman: Fearless (Taylor’s version) arc with 109,000 SEA units – a total of 142.98 million streams on demand from the album’s tracks. That hefty amount is the biggest streaming week for a country album by a woman. It surpasses the previous record of 44.67 million streams counted by songs in the Brenda Lee collection Rockin ‘Around the Christmas Tree: The Decca Christmas Recordings (January 2, 2021, graph). The album is powered by Lee’s evergreen holiday title ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree ‘.
Swift also achieves the largest debut stream week for a country album by a woman, earning past Maren Morris’ former high tide mark of 23.96 million streams by Girl on the chart of March 23, 2019. (Morris helped Swift set her record – she appears on the Fearless [Taylor’s Version] song “You All Over Me [Taylor’s Version] [From the Vault].)
The largest stream week registered by any country album bly Wallen’s Dangerous, with 240.18 million streams registered in its debut framework (graph dated January 23).
Swift now has three of the top five best-selling albums of 2021: In terms of traditional album sales, Swift already has three of the top five albums in 2021 so far. Wallen’s Dangerous sold tops with 218,000 copies, Fearless (Taylor’s version) is number 2 with 179,000, Carrie Underwood’s My Savior is number 3 with 114,000, Folklore is number 4 with just over 111,000 and Always is number 5 with a little less than 111,000.
Shortest wait between new number 1 albums by a woman: Swift only waited four months between the first weeks at number 1 Always (26 December 2020) and Fearless (Taylor’s version) (24 April 2021). This is the shortest gap between a woman’s new number 1 albums. Swift beats her own record, set with the four months and two weeks between the first weeks at number 1 for Folklore (8 August 2020) and Always.
The last time an act is a shorter wait between number 1s previously Swift was BTS when the group waited a little longer than three months Love yourself: tear (2 June 2018) and Love yourself: answer (September 8, 2018). Before that, Future achieved a first by landing successive new number 1s in consecutive weeks in 2017 (with its self-titled album March 11, 2017 and HNDRXX on March 18, 2017).
First woman with three new number 1 albums in less than a year: With eight months and two weeks between the first weeks at number 1 for Folklore, Always and Fearless (Taylor’s version), Swift becomes the first woman in the 65-year history of the chart with three new number 1s in less than 12 months. Previously, the fastest time a female artist reached three new number 1s was just under 14 months, when Donna Summer topped the charts with Live and More (November 11, 1978), Bad girls (16 June 1979) and On the radio: Biggest hit bundles I & II (January 5, 1980).
The last industry that three no. 1s achieved it faster than what Swift Future was when he scored his first three no. 1s in just six months and three weeks DS2 (August 8, 2015); What a time to be alive, with Drake (October 10, 2015); and Evol (February 27, 2016).
Back to the new Billboard 200, the compilation of DMX’s best hits The best of DMX rises from no. 73 (his previous peak) to number 2 after the rapper’s death on April 9th. The series earned 77,000 equivalent album units (544% higher) in the week ending April 15. Of these, 59,000 consist of SEA units (508% higher, equivalent to 88.56 million on-demand streams of the album’s songs), 9,000 consist of album sales (733% higher) and 9,000 consists of TEA units (666% higher).
The 21-track The best of DMX contains hit singles like ‘Ruff Ryders’ Anthem ‘,’ Party Up (Up in Here) ‘and’ X Gon ‘Give It to Ya.’
The best of DMX is the late star’s highest card list and the first top 10 since 2006 Year of the dog … Again debuted and reached a peak of number 2. In total, The best of DMX is his seventh top 10 album, as he also opened his career with five consecutive number 1s between 1998 and 2003.
DMX has two more albums on the latest Billboard 200, as its former no. 1’s It’s dark and hell is hot, from 1998 (No. 46; 14,000 equivalent album units, 458% higher), and Flesh of my flesh blood of my blood, from 1999 (No. 107; 9,000 units, 469% higher), re-enters the list.
Justin Bieber’s Justice falls 1-3 in its third week on the Billboard 200 and earns 60,000 equivalent album units (20% lower). There are three more former no. 1’s, like Wallen’s Dangerous is steady at number 4 with 58,000 units (less than 8%), Rod Wave’s SoulFly drops 3-5 by 55,000 units (19% lower) and Ariana Grande’s Positions bolts 17-6 with 54,000 units (138% higher). Positions comes back in the top 10 after the release of its vinyl LP and cassettes on April 9, which accounted for the bulk of the 35,000 album sales for the week (an increase of 1,613%).
The Weeknd’s best series The highlights slips 6-7 with 41,000 equivalent album units (lower by 4%), Lil Tjay’s Destined to win falls 5-8 by 38,000 units (39% lower), Pop Smoke’s former no. 1 Shoot for the Stars aim for the moon drops 7-9 with 36,000 units (5% lower) and Dua Lipa’s Future nostalgia slips 9-10 down by 33,000 units (3% lower).