Remember the concern that emerged when Taylor Swift’s new single opened to a lighter sales total than predecessor “We are Never Ever Getting Back Together?”
It is time to “Shake it Off.”
After four weeks of availability, Swift’s “Shake it Off” has now garnered more paid downloads than the aforementioned lead “Red” single did over the same time frame in 2012.
With last week’s sum of 309,000 factored into the calculation, “Shake it Off” claims a four-week cumulative sales total of 1,489,000. Previous weekly marks included 544,000 in week one, 355,000 in week two and 281,000 in week three.
Despite moving a stronger tally of 623,000 copies in its first week, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” had driven a slightly lesser grand total of 1,467,000 purchases after its fourth week in the marketplace.
While its overall total was lower, “We Are Never” reigned as America’s top-selling single for the duration of that four week span. Topped by Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass,” “Shake it Off” has spent the past two weeks in the runner-up position.
Of further relevance is the fact “We Are Never,” unlike “Shake,” competed with another new Swift release during its fourth week. “Ronan,” that release, sold 211,000 copies and claimed the runner-up position behind “WANEGBT,” which moved 284,000 that week.
“Shake it Off” is the lead single from Taylor Swift’s “1989,” which launches on October 27.