Taylor Swift Shatters a Music Icon’s Record—Fans Can’t Believe It

Taylor Swift has officially become the female artist with the most UK Number 1 albums, surpassing Madonna and cementing her place in music history.

With the re-release of her 2019 album Lover (Live From Paris), the 35-year-old superstar has now claimed her 13th Number 1 album, dethroning Madonna, who previously held the record with 12.

Not only has Swift broken the record for female artists, but she has also tied with Elvis Presley for the most Number 1 albums by an international artist in UK chart history.

A Milestone Achievement

The Official Charts Company confirmed that Lover (Live From Paris) made history by becoming the first album to reach Number 1 purely from sales, without streaming, since Swift’s own Reputation in 2017. Originally released on vinyl in 2023, the album surged back to the top following the release of a special heart-shaped 2LP vinyl edition for Valentine’s Day.

Martin Talbot, Chief Executive Officer of the Official Charts Company, praised Swift’s achievement:

“If we thought Taylor Swift had peaked in 2024 with her summer chart domination, we couldn’t have been more wrong. What an amazing accomplishment to surpass Madonna—an icon in her own right.”

Breaking Records at Lightning Speed

Swift had already tied with Madonna at 12 Number 1 albums after the release of The Tortured Poets Department in April 2024. That album alone shattered multiple records, many of which were previously held by Swift herself.

Upon its release on April 19, The Tortured Poets Department became the first album in Spotify history to surpass 300 million streams in a single day. It also marked the biggest opening week for an album in seven years, with 270,000 UK chart units sold in its first week—surpassing the 204,000 first-week sales of her 2022 album Midnights.

It took Swift less than 12 years to achieve 12 UK Number 1 albums, a feat that took The Beatles 14 years to accomplish. The legendary band’s first UK Number 1 album, Please Please Me, topped the charts in 1963, while their 12th, The Beatles at Hollywood Bowl, reached the milestone in 1977.

Dominating Both Albums and Singles Charts

Swift also achieved a remarkable UK chart double, topping both the albums and singles charts simultaneously. Her hit single Fortnight, featuring Post Malone, soared to Number 1 alongside The Tortured Poets Department.

This marks Swift’s third consecutive year achieving a UK chart double. In 2022, Midnights and its lead single Anti-Hero topped the charts together, followed by 1989 (Taylor’s Version) and Is It Over Now? in 2023.

The World’s Best-Selling Artist

Swift’s dominance extends beyond the UK. In 2023, she was officially named the world’s biggest-selling global recording artist by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), solidifying her position as one of the most influential artists of all time.

With her ever-growing success, record-breaking streak, and unwavering fanbase, Taylor Swift shows no signs of slowing down. What milestone will she conquer next?

The Bad Blood singer was named 2023’s biggest-selling global recording artist by topping the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’s