Taylor Swift was the pick for the first number one album of 2023 with “Midnights” – after it sold over 6 million copies and became Britain’s best-selling record of the century
Taylor Swift will take home the UK’s first number one album of 2023 with her album ‘Midnights’.
The 33-year-old singer-songwriter’s tenth studio album, released in October, spawned the singles “Anti-Hero” and “Bejeweled.”
According to Official Charts Company, the 12-track album is on track to secure a fourth non-consecutive week at the top of the charts.
Star power: Taylor Swift, 33, will take home the UK’s first number one album of 2023 with her album ‘Midnight’
“Midnights” has already made history, selling six million copies in just two months and becoming the first album in 35 years to outsell vinyl.
It also dominated the Billboard Hot 100 chart, with all of the top 10 spots filled with songs from the album.
The track, titled Anti-Hero, earned Taylor her ninth number one song in the US and topped the charts in 14 other countries.
Banger: The singer-songwriter’s tenth studio album, released in October, spawned the singles Anti-Hero and Bejeweled
Last week, the Bad Blood singer struggled to finish second after crooner Michael Buble’s Christmas was snapped by everyone in a celebratory mood.
The first charts of 2023 are likely to be the second studio album SOS by American singer SZA, (=) Equals by singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, Diamonds, Sir Elton John’s greatest hits album, and The Highlights, the greatest hits album by Canadian singer The Weekend, included in the Top 5.
Singer-songwriter Raye, real name Rachel Keen, is on track to her first-ever chart-topping and first-ever number one of 2023 with Escapism.
High note: Midnights has sold more than six million album units worldwide, three million of them in the US (pictured November)
In December, the track featuring experimental electronic producer and singer 070 Shake peaked at number two.
Raye, 25, told OfficialCharts.com: “It would be more than a dream to be number one. With this song? At this point in my life? Not!’.
Her closest competitors, expected to finish in the top five, are SZA’s Kill Bill née Solana Rowe, rapper Central Cee’s Let Go, Nigerian singer Rema’s Calm Down and rappers Bugzy Malone and TeeDee with Out Of Nowhere.
Number one: Meanwhile, singer-songwriter Raye, real name Rachel Keen, is on track to her first-ever chart-topping and first-ever number one of 2023 with Escapism
It comes as Taylor has helped boost vinyl album sales so much that they have outsold CDs for the first time in 35 years.
Her fan base has made her latest album the UK’s best-selling record of the century.
According to the Guardian, this has helped lift annual revenue from vinyl album sales above CD for the first time since 1987.
While CD sales have been declining for the past two decades, vinyl has seen a comeback in popularity in recent years.
Speaking to the publication, Kim Bayley, executive director of the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA), said: “It’s a game changer for the entire music industry.
Adding to his impressive accomplishments, the anti-hero singer is the only artist to ever have five albums sell over one million units during their week of release.
In a statement released by Universal Music Group, Chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge said: “Taylor is a multidimensional creative force whose achievements position her as one of the most accomplished artists in music history, and we are thrilled and honored to be with her everywhere working together on so many aspects of their careers.’
Pop Queen: It comes as Taylor has helped boost vinyl album sales so much that they’ve outsold CDs for the first time in 35 years