charts discussion HDD: 'TORTURED POETS' to debut at #1 with 2.60M units | 1.92M pure sales & 671k SEA

[Headlock]

21 minutes ago, Gaia said:

I agree but Swifties were literally trying to belittle 25 and Adele DAILY so you're essentially asking for it. I've seen too many comments saying TTPD is more "impressive" which it's not.

Are you back to being an Adele fan now, wonder what caused the lag 

[MatiRod]

Considering a large amount of the pure sales are very expensive vinyls, it is possible that even if it doesn't break 25's record, this will have the highest grossing album in its first week ever.

 

As to why it's not beating 25? Few could argue that Adele circa 2015 and Taylor now aren't on a similar level of stardom. So a few reasons come to mind:

 

- 25 was not available on streaming, leading a lot of more casual listeners caught in the hype to buy it on iTunes just so they could listen (I am guilty of that myself lol)

- Adele had the absolute perfect lead single monster smash released before the album as well as 4.5 years of pent-up demand after a monster smash era. This is Taylor's sixth album in three years, with no lead single.

- 25 was released during the Christmas season and Adele's strong appeal to middle aged people (among many other demographics of course) made it a go-to Christmas gift during that time. I am also guilty of this lol, it was my mum's stocking stuffing that year. This is no shade at all intended, but sales dropped off dramatically around the world once the Christmas shopping period was over. It sold the bulk of its total copies in the first six weeks. We have no way of knowing the exact purpose of each purchase obviously, but the huge drop off after Christmas does seem to strongly suggest a big amount of those massive pure physical copies it sold were meant as gifts. It's April right now, so Taylor can't benefit from that (however, it's likely that last year's 1989 TV did).

Edited April 22 by MatiRod

[Sun]

how does she continue to re-peak

[frankvert]

1 minute ago, MatiRod said:

Considering a large amount of the pure sales are very expensive vinyls, it is possible that even if it doesn't break 25's record, this will have the highest grossing album in its first week ever.

A win for fans of capitalism, I guess 

 

[1989]

On 4/18/2024 at 6:06 PM, 1989 said:

I think she's got the 2M, which is absolute insanity in 2024. 
 

Anyone expecting this to cross the 3M, let alone beat Adele's record, is setting themselves (and Taylor) up, though. I just don't see where that record will ever be broken. 
 

I think 2-2.3M is where this will land, which, again, absolute insanity. What a legend. 

Seems as though I was either correct or close, depending on how conservative they're being. 

[Ger.vaz]

LEGEND! 

[Hector]

https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-the-tortured-poets-department-first-day-sales-release-week-1235662005/

 

1.9M equivalent units in 3 days

1.5M pure sales (To compare, 25 was at 2.3M first 3 days)

[cat1867]

49 minutes ago, MatiRod said:

Considering a large amount of the pure sales are very expensive vinyls, it is possible that even if it doesn't break 25's record, this will have the highest grossing album in its first week ever.

 

As to why it's not beating 25? Few could argue that Adele circa 2015 and Taylor now aren't on a similar level of stardom. So a few reasons come to mind:

 

- 25 was not available on streaming, leading a lot of more casual listeners caught in the hype to buy it on iTunes just so they could listen (I am guilty of that myself lol)

- Adele had the absolute perfect lead single monster smash released before the album as well as 4.5 years of pent-up demand after a monster smash era. This is Taylor's sixth album in three years, with no lead single.

- 25 was released during the Christmas season and Adele's strong appeal to middle aged people (among many other demographics of course) made it a go-to Christmas gift during that time. I am also guilty of this lol, it was my mum's stocking stuffing that year. This is no shade at all intended, but sales dropped off dramatically around the world once the Christmas shopping period was over. It sold the bulk of its total copies in the first six weeks. We have no way of knowing the exact purpose of each purchase obviously, but the huge drop off after Christmas does seem to strongly suggest a big amount of those massive pure physical copies it sold were meant as gifts. It's April right now, so Taylor can't benefit from that (however, it's likely that last year's 1989 TV did).

25 was released in a distribution environment that allowed its massive sales. itune sales were cheap and affordable while streaming wasn't widespread it . in the past before itunes, albums were much expensive. it was also the point in the internet where the internet increased the power of the monoculture instead of harming it.

 

Those who were interested in the album had to buy it instead of just streaming it. If all the people streaming ttpd had to buy a copy, its pure sales would have been even more massive.

 

It's sales were still ridiculous but Taylor's are just as ridiclous considered the difference in distribution and sales network.

[Cruel Summer]

Sounds like she'll maybe just pass the old *NSYNC record then, unless another chunk of web store sales has yet to be reported - she'll have crossed 2m for the week sometime today.

[ALA]

https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-the-tortured-poets-department-first-day-sales-release-week-1235662005/

 

1.5m pure (700k vinyls) and 1.9m total activity for first 3 days.

[DesiredConsternation]

Not them shipping all the copies on the first day 

 

So I guess the ceiling for this is 2.4m. Lets see if she beats NSYNC

[Hunter_13]

They only really updated the vinyl sales from 600k to 700k? 1.4M to 1.5M pure? What about cds/itunes sales? 

[UnusualBoy]

Get to 2.5m, girly  

[NoName]

1 hour ago, MatiRod said:

Considering a large amount of the pure sales are very expensive vinyls, it is possible that even if it doesn't break 25's record, this will have the highest grossing album in its first week ever.

 

As to why it's not beating 25? Few could argue that Adele circa 2015 and Taylor now aren't on a similar level of stardom. So a few reasons come to mind:

 

- 25 was not available on streaming, leading a lot of more casual listeners caught in the hype to buy it on iTunes just so they could listen (I am guilty of that myself lol)

- Adele had the absolute perfect lead single monster smash released before the album as well as 4.5 years of pent-up demand after a monster smash era. This is Taylor's sixth album in three years, with no lead single.

- 25 was released during the Christmas season and Adele's strong appeal to middle aged people (among many other demographics of course) made it a go-to Christmas gift during that time. I am also guilty of this lol, it was my mum's stocking stuffing that year. This is no shade at all intended, but sales dropped off dramatically around the world once the Christmas shopping period was over. It sold the bulk of its total copies in the first six weeks. We have no way of knowing the exact purpose of each purchase obviously, but the huge drop off after Christmas does seem to strongly suggest a big amount of those massive pure physical copies it sold were meant as gifts. It's April right now, so Taylor can't benefit from that (however, it's likely that last year's 1989 TV did).

Your points are mostly invalid. 

 

The album was released on November 20. It was not Christmas season and most people did not buy that album as a gift in its first week. You could also argue people were buying Midnights back in October as a Christmas present as well or most albums released before December. It's stupid. The hype of Adele's 25 was felt even back in October when Hello dropped. The video reached 100 million views in 24h, a record-breaking number. The song broke the record for biggest radio audience in music. Had the album dropped back then it would've still gotten to where it ultimately went a month later. You're just trying to find excuses as to why she isn't beating Adele but regardless of how you put it Adele's hype for 25 was just bigger. Just like 21 was bigger than any Taylor album. 

Edited April 23 by NoName

[brazil]

1 hour ago, MatiRod said:

Considering a large amount of the pure sales are very expensive vinyls, it is possible that even if it doesn't break 25's record, this will have the highest grossing album in its first week ever.

 

As to why it's not beating 25? Few could argue that Adele circa 2015 and Taylor now aren't on a similar level of stardom. So a few reasons come to mind:

 

- 25 was not available on streaming, leading a lot of more casual listeners caught in the hype to buy it on iTunes just so they could listen (I am guilty of that myself lol)

- Adele had the absolute perfect lead single monster smash released before the album as well as 4.5 years of pent-up demand after a monster smash era. This is Taylor's sixth album in three years, with no lead single.

- 25 was released during the Christmas season and Adele's strong appeal to middle aged people (among many other demographics of course) made it a go-to Christmas gift during that time. I am also guilty of this lol, it was my mum's stocking stuffing that year. This is no shade at all intended, but sales dropped off dramatically around the world once the Christmas shopping period was over. It sold the bulk of its total copies in the first six weeks. We have no way of knowing the exact purpose of each purchase obviously, but the huge drop off after Christmas does seem to strongly suggest a big amount of those massive pure physical copies it sold were meant as gifts. It's April right now, so Taylor can't benefit from that (however, it's likely that last year's 1989 TV did).

Yall keep mentioning streaming. You do know that streaming actually counts for BB, right? 

 

Is Adele's record isn't so impressive for being in the digital age why did she obliterate everyone back then, including Taylor who was also releasing music? 

 

In Jan 6, 2016 these were the best selling albums of 2015 (mind you Adele only had three weeks in december counted). So let's stop with the excuses. A lot of artists are doing similar numbers to what was done back then, including Bey. Adele was an anomaly.

 

10 best-selling albums of 2015:

1. Adele, 25 (7.4 million)
2. Taylor Swift, 1989 (2 million)
3. Justin Bieber, Purpose (1.3 million)
4. Ed Sheeran, X (1.2 million)

 

 

[Taemira]

white privilege repeaking yet again 

[Hector]

13 minutes ago, brazil said:

Yall keep mentioning streaming. You do know that streaming actually counts for BB, right? 

 

Is Adele's record isn't so impressive for being in the digital age why did she obliterate everyone back then, including Taylor who was also releasing music? 

 

In Jan 6, 2016 these were the best selling albums of 2015 (mind you Adele only had three weeks in december counted). So let's stop with the excuses. A lot of artists are doing similar numbers to what was done back then, including Bey. Adele was an anomaly.

 

10 best-selling albums of 2015:

1. Adele, 25 (7.4 million)
2. Taylor Swift, 1989 (2 million)
3. Justin Bieber, Purpose (1.3 million)
4. Ed Sheeran, X (1.2 million)

 

 

Even the day by day total pure sales numbers for 25 in the first week were incredible:

 

Day 1: 1.49M

Day 2: 1.9M

Day 3: 2.3M

Day 4: 2.433M

Day 5: 2.8M

Day 6: 3M

Day 7: 3.38M (3.48M equivalent units)

 

Any ATRLer using revisionism on 25's first week under any circumstances just looks foolish. 

Edited April 23 by Hector

[Carrie-is-no-1]

I'm not ready for Adele's next release…
 

Why can't we celebrate these huge numbers and celebrate both women having the top 2 sales debut of all time? 

[raisetheroof]

1 hour ago, NoName said:

Your points are mostly invalid. 

 

The album was released on November 20. It was not Christmas season and most people did not buy that album as a gift in its first week. You could also argue people were buying Midnights back in October as a Christmas present as well or most albums released before December. It's stupid. The hype of Adele's 25 was felt even back in October when Hello dropped. The video reached 100 million views in 24h, a record-breaking number. The song broke the record for biggest radio audience in music. Had the album dropped back then it would've still gotten to where it ultimately went a month later. You're just trying to find excuses as to why she isn't beating Adele but regardless of how you put it Adele's hype for 25 was just bigger. Just like 21 was bigger than any Taylor album. 

Regardless of the original argument made… November 20th is not Christmas season?

 

Christmas and holiday season

Quote

The Christmas season or the festive season; also known as the holiday season or the holidats, is an annual period generally spanning from late November to early January.

AIWFCIY entered Global Spotify's top 10 by November 19th last year

 

 be so ffr

[Green]

2 hours ago, Hector said:

https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-the-tortured-poets-department-first-day-sales-release-week-1235662005/

 

1.9M equivalent units in 3 days

1.5M pure sales (To compare, 25 was at 2.3M first 3 days)

 

So most of the sales were the first day

 

Friday: 1.4 million

Saturday-Sunday: 100k

 

So it could sell 200k for the rest of the 4 days for a total of 1.7 million pure + 700k SEA+TEA = 2.4 million

[NoName]

2 minutes ago, raisetheroof said:

Regardless of the original argument made… November 20th is not Christmas season?

 

Christmas and holiday season

AIWFCIY entered Global Spotify's top 10 by November 19th last year

 

 be so ffr

Well, people might be in Christmas spirit (although most aren't at all) by November 20, but neither the radio stations or most buildings have Christmas decorations around that time and most people do NOT buy Christmas presents that early. 

[mrpartyrocker]

On 4/22/2024 at 1:30 AM, Jamie Starr said:

How? The fact that the aforementioned had more competition (against actual legends) makes their reign more impressive.

Who is Taylor competing against right now?

I don't think you get the point. Back then the music was consumed differently and people were more devoted to it. The fact that Taylor does this all alone and brought back those times is far more impressive, at least to me. 

[raisetheroof]

4 minutes ago, NoName said:

Well, people might be in Christmas spirit (although most aren't at all) by November 20, but neither the radio stations or most buildings have Christmas decorations around that time and most people do NOT buy Christmas presents that early. 

Girl - as someone with a mother who starts Christmas shopping in September, I have it on good authority that November 20th is very much Christmas season already 

 

Let's not

[Kitboga]

Stop talking about Adele's bloated record already. 25 ONLY had 1.7M physical sales. The rest were 1.8M iTunes digitals.
 

 

If 25 dropped today, these 1.8M digital people would be streaming instead, and that probably translates into 200k or so SEAs instead. No reason to compare Taylor to this. 

Edited April 23 by Kitboga

[Trent W]

Why does the Adele record come up in this conversation?

 

Her doing 2.4m in 2024 is absolutely sick and insane

 

2 years ago after Adele debuted with 800k we thought we would never see a 1m debut again yet here we are

 

Sorry but anyone trying to drag this is out of their mind

 

And I hope Taylor isn't even thinking about passing that record, because what she just did this week is just as impressive.