charts discussion HDD FINAL: 'Midnights' 1,537,699 (1,119,401 pure)

[KeirGrey]

amazing

[BabyBenzz]

Taylor is truly the music industry, she's unmatched, i never thought it'd be possible again after seeing Adele's 30 underperform for her standards because everyone was certain it had 1M on lock. 

[CaptainMusic]

3 hours ago, Klein said:

Billboard reported she already passed 500k vinyl.

 

Adele was dragged for producing 500k vinyl and supposedly blocking the production of other artists’ yet if Taylor has already sold 500k then she must’ve produced even more? 
 

At least it paid off in her case. 

Anyway, 1M pure in 4 days in 2022 is ******* insane.   Shows how big Adele’s decline really was in comparison. 

[Material Girl]

i’m happy for her and i like the album but i don’t really understand why it’s selling *this* much

 

the power of a strong fanbase and good promotional strategy i guess 

[Squall]

6 minutes ago, Material Girl said:

i’m happy for her and i like the album but i don’t really understand why it’s selling *this* much

 

the power of a strong fanbase and good promotional strategy i guess 

It’s more than just « a fanbase » at this point 

[Tusk]

9 minutes ago, Material Girl said:

i’m happy for her and i like the album but i don’t really understand why it’s selling *this* much

 

the power of a strong fanbase and good promotional strategy i guess 

She doesn’t sit in her high, not relatable castle. 
 

People see her as relatable, vulnerable, and normal. That actually helps. That’s someone you want to fight for because you feel that she is fighting for you. 
 

These other pop girls don’t know how to act “normal”.  

[Green]

47 minutes ago, CaptainMusic said:

Adele was dragged for producing 500k vinyl and supposedly blocking the production of other artists’ yet if Taylor has already sold 500k then she must’ve produced even more? 
 

 

I guess this year ATRL isn't that concerned for the "poor independent artists" 

[Keith]

This would've been amazing 10 years ago but it's insane now.

[americanlife]

Not her selling 500k vinyl isn't that the same number of total Adele vinyl manufactured that are still clogging the shelves?

[americanlife]

30 minutes ago, CaptainMusic said:

Adele was dragged for producing 500k vinyl and supposedly blocking the production of other artists’ yet if Taylor has already sold 500k then she must’ve produced even more? 

Adele's 500k vinyl were manufactured during the height of COVID supply chain issues. It's possible that Taylor has caused backlogs at the plants as well, but at least the records are selling. Many indie artists spoke out about how their pressings will take many months to be done or they will cost more due to supply chain issues and the 30 overmanufacturing.

 

I remember when the store I work at had 400 copies on hand of the 30 CD and tons of vinyl upon release. The expectations were too high for Adele and they pressed too many copies. I won't be surprised if the 30 vinyl shows up at my local discount store with all the other overstock $7.99 Garth Brooks vinyl.

Edited October 26, 2022 by americanlife

[dman4life]

54 minutes ago, Squall said:

It’s more than just « a fanbase » at this point 

This!!! I think it's alot to do with how easily digestible the songs on this album are compared to her most recent efforts. My best friend despises Taylor (despite my many efforts to convert him ) but is in love with this album. It's very gp friendly but still classic Taylor. 

[Cap10Planet]

1 hour ago, CaptainMusic said:

Adele was dragged for producing 500k vinyl and supposedly blocking the production of other artists’ yet if Taylor has already sold 500k then she must’ve produced even more? 
 

At least it paid off in her case. 

Anyway, 1M pure in 4 days in 2022 is ******* insane.   Shows how big Adele’s decline really was in comparison. 

Interesting. Poor independent artists!!!

[Cruel Summer]

2 hours ago, Green said:

 

I guess this year ATRL isn't that concerned for the "poor independent artists" 

Or perhaps, since we haven’t seen numerous articles about the situation this time, the industry expanded its production capabilities to accommodate growing demand (a very normal thing for any industry to do). Maybe Taylor and her label, in light of last year’s bad press fiasco, worked with entities that press vinyl to ensure the logistics were smooth and didn’t significantly disrupt other pressings. Who knows?

[Green]

38 minutes ago, Cruel Summer said:

Or perhaps, since we haven’t seen numerous articles about the situation this time, the industry expanded its production capabilities to accommodate growing demand (a very normal thing for any industry to do). Maybe Taylor and her label, in light of last year’s bad press fiasco, worked with entities that press vinyl to ensure the logistics were smooth and didn’t significantly disrupt other pressings. Who knows?

 

No, last year they just wanted to drag Adele. She wasn't the only big artist doing it. ABBA, Ed Sheeran and Taylor herself did it too.

 

https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/adele-30-vinyl-manufacturing-delays-9655895/

 

Quote

The delays plaguing pressing plants are nothing new — and surely not caused by Adele or Adele alone, as some reports have insinuated this week. And while an order of an estimated half a million records is nothing to scoff at, manufacturing delays have been an issue since vinyl demand spiked in July 2020. Coupled with supply-chain and labor issues, in addition to shortages of raw materials like PVC and paper products, delays were destined to happen — and now, at the end of 2021, are expected. Recent estimated turnaround times according to multiple pressing plant and label sources are averaging six to eight months. As Billboard previously reported in June, pressing plants around the globe have the capacity to manufacture about 160 million albums a year and current demand more than doubles that. At most, Adele’s 500,000 units would amount to 0.3% of the total vinyl records manufactured this year.

 

[Rep2000]

3 hours ago, Green said:

 

I guess this year ATRL isn't that concerned for the "poor independent artists" 

Unlike Adele, Taylor is generous enough to support local indie music store and actively trying to save them ever since the pandemic highs. She has continued to send signed copies to those stores and encourage fans to support them since folklore till now.

 

Also, Taylor is not arrogant enough to go on interviews complaining about how these vinyl factories were 'struggling'.

[Rep2000]

14 hours ago, Bloo said:

I’m curious if other artists adopt this strategy of announcing an album, do PR stunts to build up excitement, and then drop the whole thing with no proper single? It would only really work with an established act, probably. But it’s an interesting strategy I’m sure others will try to adopt. 

I think this is big gambit that most artists can't afford, especially if the album doesn't deliver the hightened expectations. Midnights' expectations almost set the album up to fail with how the leaks came out and most people immediately had bad reactions to it.

Not to mention, Taylor's success is a combination of a perfect storm with her earlier releases that build up the hypes from every single factions of her "fan base": the GP and critics from folkmore, her dedicated country fans with Fearless and the young new TikTok generations with RedTV and all her viral deep cuts.

Her intentionally hiding the genre of the album also creates a mystery and it feels almost as new and reinvigorated as when she crossed genre from country to pop. (Even thou most people thought she would have gone for a 1970s rock album instead with how the visuals were leading to.)

[Popboi.]

4 hours ago, CaptainMusic said:

Adele was dragged for producing 500k vinyl and supposedly blocking the production of other artists’ yet if Taylor has already sold 500k then she must’ve produced even more? 
 

At least it paid off in her case. 

Anyway, 1M pure in 4 days in 2022 is ******* insane.   Shows how big Adele’s decline really was in comparison. 

There's a difference though, Taylor's gigantic amount of pressed quantity is according to demand, Adele's 500k are now sold for 1/4 of what they originally were and are sitting pretty and unmoved as supermarket fodder and Amazon freebie.

 

Adjusting to demand > creating pressing queues for copies collecting dust :dead

[CaptainMusic]

1 hour ago, Popboi. said:

There's a difference though, Taylor's gigantic amount of pressed quantity is according to demand, Adele's 500k are now sold for 1/4 of what they originally were and are sitting pretty and unmoved as supermarket fodder and Amazon freebie.

 

Adjusting to demand > creating pressing queues for copies collecting dust :dead

Adele’s last album sold 3.3M first week, OF COURSE her label were going to press a bunch of copies thinking they sell.

 

It doesn’t matter if Adele’s didn’t sell and Taylor’s are, they both still had 500k+ vinyls produced and therefore blocked the production of other indie artists.

 

Neither should be dragged as their labels were just trying to meet demand but you can’t drag Adele and then excuse Taylor for doing the same thing. 

Edited October 26, 2022 by CaptainMusic

[Easymoney]

I respect Taylor’s power and longevity, but y’all really got to stop dragging Adele’s name into everything. 21 likely will remain the biggest album post 2010 and at its peak was selling 100k+ weekly.  Not a single Taylor album came close and in fact Adele has 2 Diamond albums, both of which crossed 20 Million world wide. How many other artists even got one these past 12 years? Taylor doesn’t even have a album that cross 15 million worldwide in sales 

 

we will see what this album does cause make no mistake it is a blockbuster, but slow your roll. Adele still in a league of her own. 

Edited October 26, 2022 by Easymoney

[PoisonedIvy]

12 minutes ago, Easymoney said:

I respect Taylor’s power and longevity, but y’all really got to stop dragging Adele’s name into everything. 21 likely will remain the biggest album post 2010 and at its peak was selling 100k+ weekly.  Not a single Taylor album came close and in fact Adele has 2 Diamond albums. How many other artists even got one these past 12 years?

 

we will see what this album does cause make no mistake it is a blockbuster, but slow your roll. Adele still in a league of her own. 

Taylor also has 2 diamond records lol. but I agree Adele is in no position to be “disgraced” for her “decline” with 30 when 21 and 25 alone outpace most artists’ entire careers. 

[Easymoney]

4 minutes ago, WeFoundTrouble said:

Taylor also has 2 diamond records lol. but I agree Adele is in no position to be “disgraced” for her “decline” with 30 when 21 and 25 alone outpace most artists’ entire careers. 

I’m talking albums.

 

taylor has not a single album that crossed 15 million worldwide, let alone close to 21 or 25.that type of magic hasn’t been captured by not a single artist of the modern era. Let’s be real here. 

[family.guy123]

Vinyl collecting dust on store shelves = vinyl disguised as clocks collecting dust on walls

[Kylizzle]

20 minutes ago, family.guy123 said:

Vinyl collecting dust on store shelves = vinyl disguised as clocks collecting dust on walls

Your brain is collecting dust in there mama let's use it

[Virtual_Insanity]

15 hours ago, ChrisTheLoner said:

I would love to know how you're coping since she effortlessly outsold your fave in 1 day 

Not you saying this with Dua Lipa in your signature. 

[Virtual_Insanity]

15 hours ago, Bloo said:

This has nothing to do with what I said?

 

Regardless, the reality is that very few people have ever had anything close to the fanbase Taylor has because it isn’t easy to acquire. Pretending this is a trivial accomplishment on her part is just delusion.

Yeah I have to agree. No one expected these numbers, not even her stans. I mean obviousy having the vinyl ready to go and shipped to count in the first week has helped enermously with week 1 where as for Folklore, if i remember correctly, the vinyl came much later and helped it return to number one a few times when they were released.