The release of the singer’s latest album The Life Of A Showgirl sees Taylor Swift land her 14th UK Number 1 album, and the biggest opening week of her career to date in the UK, topping both this week’s Official Albums Chart and Official Singles Chart, and breaking a slew of records in the process.
The Life Of A Showgirl in numbers
After already securing the biggest opening week of the year in just three days earlier this week, Taylor’s 12th studio album ends the week on a staggering 423,000 combined chart units.
Official Charts can confirm that The Life Of A Showgirl’s spectacular start makes it the biggest opening week for an album in the UK since Ed Sheeran’s Divide in 2017 (672,000), and the biggest opening week for an international album in the UK this century.
It’s also the first time that an album of Taylor’s has gone BRIT-Certified Platinum in its first week on sale.
A 14th UK Number 1 today means Taylor Swift surpasses Elvis (13) and pulls level with The Rolling Stones, who also have 14 Number 1 records, including the reissues of Exile on Main Street and Goats Head Soup.
No other international artist has ever had more Number 1 albums in the UK than Taylor Swift, and it now leaves only The Beatles (15) and Robbie Williams (15) as the only artists in history who have achieved more UK Number 1 albums than Taylor Swift.
A prolific hitmaker, it’s also the fastest time taken for any artist to notch up 14 Number 1s. Since 2012, Taylor has averaged more than one chart-topping album per year, from her first Number 1 with Red on 28 October 2012 – it’s taken Taylor just under 13 years to reach her 14th outing at the Official Albums Chart summit.
The Life of a Showgirl is Taylor’s third album to top the chart in 2025, following Lover (Live From Paris) in February and The Tortured Poets Department’s return to Number 1 in April.
Taylor’s success is not just down to streams or physical copies either, Taylor has smashed it on all fronts. The Life Of A Showgirl sets a string of new Official Chart records this week, including:
The UK’s fastest-selling album on vinyl this century, and the biggest one-week vinyl sale since modern Official Chart records began in 1994 – 126,000 vinyl sales
The most UK album streams in a week ever. Streaming contributed 84k stream-equivalent sales to her total this week, eclipsing both Ed Sheeran’s Divide and her own previous studio album Tortured Poets Department, both of which managed 79k
It’s also the most first-week downloads of album this year
The record’s opening track, The Fate Of Ophelia, takes the Number 1 spot on the Official Singles Chart, becoming the biggest week 1 for a single in four years, since the 2021 Christmas Number 1 (LadBaby ft Ed Sheeran & Elton John’s Sausage Rolls For Everyone, 136k). The track has amassed 132,000 chart units over the past seven days, including 14.9 million times – the biggest first week for any Taylor Swift song ever.
If that’s not enough, Taylor also secures a Top 3 clean sweek, holding the Number 2 spot with Opalite and Number 3 with Elizabeth Taylor – another career FIRST.
Commenting on the incredible achievement, Martin Talbot, Chief Executive Officer of the Official Charts, says:
“What an incredible week for Taylor Swift, which has topped the many other incredible weeks of her career. Her list of achievements this week is extraordinary, not least the fact that The Life Of A Showgirl has just registered comfortably the biggest first week in the UK of her career. Taylor is bigger than she has ever been in the UK – and shows absolutely no sign of letting up.”
Albums
Elsewhere, nursing the hangover of their 30th anniversary celebrations, Oasis see (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? climb nine places to Number 2 this week.
Huge congratulations go to James Morrison, who secures himself a fourth Top 5 record with his latest release, Fight Another Day (5). Bar Taylor, it is the highest new entry this week.
The Brit also tops the Official Record Store Chart this week, being the biggest album in independent UK record stores in the past seven days.
The definition of a true legend, the King of Pop Michael Jackson sees The Essential also rise this week, up five (11).
As rumours circulate of supposed “beef” between Taylor Swift and Charli xcx, the latter sees her instant classic BRAT from 2024 skyrocket 19 positions to break the Top 20 once again (14).
Northern Irish pop-rock group Ash earn their eighth Top 20 record with the nostalgic sounding Ad Astra (15).
Idlewild’s self-titled project also gives the Scottish quintet their highest charting album (16), since 2005’s Warnings/Promises.
Essex duo Good Neighbours have attained their first Top 40 charting success on the UK Albums chart with their debut release, Blue Sky Mentality (24).
Teddy Swims re-enters the Top 40 following the announcement that he will be touring the UK & Ireland in 2026 with I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (34).
Biggest kudos of the week goes to Scouse rap pioneer EsDeeKid who has received copious viral popularity recently and sees his maiden release Rebel chart for the first time; catapulting an extraordinary 28 places (36). There are big things on the way for the daring musician.
As The Life of a Showgirl takes centre stage, Taylor’s popular 2020 release folklore also jumps back into the Top 40 this week (37).
And rounding off this week’s Top 40 in style is a man that needs no introduction: Billy Joel with Piano Man – The Very Best Of moves up eight (40).
Singles
Looking at the rest of the singles, oskar med k and his viral track make me feel marks new ground this week, jumping four places to secure its highest ever position so far (29).
From one viral track to another, NOW OR NEVER by Tkandz and CXSPER sits in the Top 40 for the first time, climbing 11 (30).
A first Top 40 album, and now a first Top 40 single in the same week. EsDeeKid is making his name heard as his pulsating track Phantom featuring Rico Ace is up nine (36).
Tame Impala and Dracula round off this end of week update, re-entering the charts at Number 40.
