Billboard reports that Usher’s 2004 Confessions only needed 19 weeks to reach 5 million U.S. sales, but with music evolving so much over the past 10+ years, it’s clear that the feat has gotten more challenging. The last album to reach the 5-million milestone was Adele’s 21 in 2011, and the wildly popular album needed 42 weeks to do what 1989 has done in 36. (21 has sold 11.1 million copies to date.)
Swift’s latest accomplishment heaps more evidence onto a veritable mountain of proof that the singer has managed to transition from country to pop without missing a beat. Though her work had been clearly edging toward pop, 1989 marked her official departure from the country genre. According to Billboard, Fearless and the self-titled Taylor Swift have sold 6.95 million and 5.52 million, respectively, so far. It’s only a matter of time before her fifth studio album outsells its predecessors.
It’s interesting to consider the impact that streaming — or rather the lack thereof — may have had on 1989‘s swift ascent. The savvy songstress famously withheld her in-demand album from streaming services until recently. Many fans may have opted to purchase the hit-filled album when they weren’t able to stream it legally, contributing to her fast sales.
Swift saw the news of her record and simply retweeted it without adding a message or additional commentary. We don’t blame her; when records come at you this often, you’ve got to conserve energy.
