Taylor Swift by Beth Garrabrant | Courtesy of Republic Records
Making good on mid-week projections (and common sense), Taylor Swift’s “evermore” debuts as the #1 album for US sales and activity.
According to Hits Daily Double, “evermore” sold 157K US copies during the December 11-17 tracking period. With units from track sales and streams included, the album generated 331K in total first-week activity.
Both figures rank as the week’s best. Swift, in turn, scores her eighth career number one album.
The new “evermore” was not, however, the only Taylor Swift album to make an impact this week. Thanks to a new wave of physical sales (and auxiliary buzz from the new release), predecessor “folklore” also climbs the charts. The album posted 100K in tracking period album sales and 129K in total tracking period units.
The sales figure ranks as the week’s #2 sum; only “evermore” fared better. The album meanwhile trails only “evermore” and Kid Cudi’s “Man On The Moon III” (148K units, 16K from sales) for #3 on the overall chart.
Due Sunday, Billboard’s specific numbers may differ slightly from the Hits figures. The overall outcome, however, will be the same: a #1 debut for “evermore,” and an impressive week for “folklore.”