Fearless (Taylor’s Version) is the only number 1 album of its kind: a re-recording of an artist’s previously released album (own or another).
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the US based on multi-metric consumption, measured in equivalent album units. Units include album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA), and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual songs sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid / paid official on-demand audio and video streams generated from songs from an album. The new April 24, 2021-dated map (true Undaunted [Taylor’s Version] debuts at No. 1) will be posted in full Billboard‘s website on April 20. For all the map news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.
From Fearless (Taylor’s Version)‘s 291,000 equivalent album units earned in the tracking week ending April 15, album sales amounted to 179,000 (making it the best-selling album of the week), SEA units comprised 109,000 units (equivalent to 142.98 million on-demand streams of the tracks of the album) and TEA units comprise 3,000.
Re-recordings of older songs or albums are handled separately from their originals, with independent charts for each version. So, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) charts separate from the original album. The 2008 Undaunted album falls off the new chart, having re-entered a week earlier at number 157 (chart dated April 17). In the last tracking week, the 2008 Undaunted album earned 6,200 equivalent album units (-19%). Of that 6,200 total, SEA units comprise 5,700 (down 21%, which equates to 7.71 million on-demand streams of its songs), album sales include 400 (up 15%), and TEA units include 100 (decrease of 8%).
Let’s take a look at some of the notable achievements Swift achieved with the debut of Fearless (Taylor’s Version)
Ninth number 1 album: As Fearless (Taylor’s Version) Marks Swift’s ninth Billboard 200 No. 1, tying Madonna for the second-most No. 1 albums among women. Swift is nearing Barbra Streisand’s women’s record of 11 No. 1 albums. Of all the artists, The Beatles have the most number 1’s, with 19. Of all the soloists, Jay-Z leads with 14.
Greatest week of 2021 based on units achieved: With 291,000 equivalent album units earned, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) scores the biggest week for any album in 2021. It jumps past the previous high tide, set when Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album arc at No. 1 with 265,000 units (map dated Jan 23).
The three greatest weeks for an album in the past eight months all belong to Swift: As of August 2020, Swift has claimed not only three No. 1s, but also the three biggest weeks among albums in units earned. On the map of August 8, 2020, Folklore debuted at No. 1 with 846,000 units. Evermore arrived at number 1 on December 26, 2020, card with 329,000 units. And now Fearless (Taylor’s Version) starts with 291,000 units.
Biggest week for a country album since 2015: As Fearless (Taylor’s Version) boast 291,000 units, it logs the largest week for a country album since 2015. The last country to post a larger frame was Luke Bryan’s Extinguish the lights, which debuted at No. 1 with 345,000 units (August 29, 2015-dated chart). (Country albums are defined as albums that have entered the charts Billboard‘s list of countries’ best albums. Both the original Undaunted album and the new Undaunted [Taylor’s Version] charting on Top Country Albums.)
Fearless (Taylor’s Version) has the biggest week for a country album by a female artist since the Billboard 200 chart transitioned from an album sales only chart to an equivalent chart by album units based on the December 13, 2014 poll.
Strong sales: With 179,000 copies sold in the first week, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) records the largest week of sales for an album released in 2021, surpassing Wallen’s opening week Dangerous (74,000). Fearless (Taylor’s Version) also has the biggest sales week for any album since Swift’s last release, Evermore, sold 102,000 in its second week (chart from January 2).
Largest streaming week for a woman’s country album Fearless (Taylor’s Version) boast with 109,000 SEA units – a total of 142.98 million on-demand streams of the album’s songs. That hefty sum marks the biggest streaming week for a woman’s country album. It surpasses the previous record of 44.67 million streams counted by songs from the Brenda Lee collection Rockin ‘Around the Christmas Tree: The Decca Christmas Recordings (January 2, 2021, graph). The album was made possible by Lee’s evergreen holiday track “Rockin ‘Around the Christmas Tree.”
Swift also scores the best debut streaming week for a woman’s country album, beyond Maren Morris’ former high-tide mark of 23.96 million streams earned by Girl on the March 23, 2019 chart. (Morris had a hand in helping Swift hit her record – she’s on the Undaunted [Taylor’s Version] song “You All Over Me [Taylor’s Version] [From the Vault]
The largest streaming week recorded by each country album remains that of Wallen Dangerous, with 240.18 million streams recorded in its debut frame (map dated January 23).
Swift now has three of the five best-selling albums of 2021: In terms of traditional album sales, Swift already has three of the five best-selling albums of 2021 to date. Dangerous is tops with 218,000 copies sold, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) is No. 2 with 179,000, Carrie Underwood’s My saviour is No. 3 with 114,000, Folklore is No. 4 with just over 111,000 and Evermore is No. 5 with just under 111,000.
Shortest wait between a woman’s new No. 1 albums: Swift waited only four months between the first weeks at No. 1 Evermore (December 26, 2020) and Fearless (Taylor’s Version) (April 24, 2021). That’s the shortest gap between a woman’s new No. 1 albums. Swift beats her own record, set with the four months and two weeks between the first weeks at No. 1 ahead Folklore (August 8, 2020) and Evermore
The last time an act was a shorter wait between No. 1s before Swift was BTS when the group waited a little over three months Love yourself: tear (June 2, 2018) and Love yourself: answer (September 8, 2018). Before that, Future achieved a first by landing new No. 1s back-to-back in consecutive weeks in 2017 (with his self-titled album March 11, 2017 and HNDRXX on March 18, 2017).
First woman with three new No. 1 albums in less than a year: With eight months and two weeks between the first weeks at number 1 ahead Folklore Evermore and Fearless (Taylor’s Version)Swift becomes the first woman in the chart’s 65-year history to have three new No. 1s in less than 12 months. Previously, the fastest a female artist had hit three new No. 1s was just under 14 months, when Donna Summer topped the list with Live and more (November 11, 1978) Bad girls (June 16, 1979) and On the radio: Greatest Hits Volumes I & II (January 5, 1980).
The last act to score three No. 1s faster than was Swift Future, when he signed up 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 on the new Billboard 200, the compilation of DMX’s greatest hits The best of DMX rises from No. 73 (his earlier peak) to No. 2 after the rapper’s death on April 9. The set earned 77,000 equivalent album units (+ 544%) in the week ending April 15. Of that amount, 59,000 are for SEA units (up 508%, which equates to 88.56 million on-demand streams of the album’s songs), 9,000 for album sales (+ 733%), and 9,000 for TEA units (+ 666%).
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 marks the album with the late star’s highest charts and the first top 10 since 2006 Year of the dog … Again debuted and peaked at No. 2. In total The best of DMX marks his seventh top 10 album, as he also opened his chart career with five consecutive No. 1s between 1998 and 2003.
DMX has two more albums on the latest Billboard 200, just like its former No. 1 It’s dark and hell is hot, as of 1998 (No. 46; 14,000 equivalent album units, up 458%), and Flesh of my flesh Blood of my blood, from 1999 (No. 107; 9,000 units, increase of 469%) again in the list.
Justin Bieber’s Justice falls 1-3 in its third week on the Billboard 200, earning 60,000 equivalent album units (20% less). Three more former number 1’s are next on the list, just like those of Wallen Dangerous is stable at No. 4 with 58,000 units (down 8%), Rod Wave’s SoulFly drops 3-5 with 55,000 units (-19%) and Ariana Grande’s Positions bolts 17-6 with 54,000 units (+ 138%). Positions zooms back into the top 10 following the April 9 release of its vinyl LP and cassette, powering the bulk of the set’s 35,000 album sales for the week (up 1,613%).
The best set from The Weeknd The highlights loses 6-7 with 41,000 equivalent album units (down 4%), Lil Tjay’s Destined to win falls 5-8 with 38,000 units (-39%), Pop Smoke’s former number 1 Shoot the stars Aim for the moon 7-9 descends with 36,000 units (-5%) and Dua Lipa’s Future nostalgia drops 9-10 by 33,000 units (drop of 3%).