Taylor Swift’s record-breaking run with 'The Tortured Poets Department' continues

Taylor Swift's album, "The Tortured Poets Department," has set new records during its prolonged stay at the top of the charts. 

Dominating the Billboard 200 for an eleventh consecutive week, the album is on the brink of becoming the longest-running No. 1 since its debut.

According to Billboard, a recent 27% surge in sales, fueled by the release of two limited edition CDs with exclusive bonus tracks, has significantly bolstered the album's performance. This achievement ties "The Tortured Poets Department" with Swift's previous albums, "Fearless" and "1989," for her longest-running No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album is poised to break this record in the coming week.

To maintain its leading position, Swift released limited-edition signed CDs through her online store, which sold out rapidly. Taylor Nation also announced on X that it had restocked a collector’s edition of the album, encouraging fans to complete their collections.

Upon its release, "The Tortured Poets Department" experienced immediate commercial success, selling over 2.6 million album-equivalent units in its first week. This made it Swift's biggest debut and the most substantial debut on the Billboard charts since Adele’s "25" in 2015. 

The album also broke streaming records, being the first to exceed 300 million streams on Spotify in a single day. The hit song "Fortnight," featuring Post Malone, became the platform's most-streamed song in a single day. Most tracks on the album have amassed over 100 million streams, and the album remains No. 2 on Spotify's weekly albums chart three months post-release.

Swift's strategic release of various collectible and digital editions has significantly boosted album sales. For instance, during its ninth week at No. 1 in June, a 42% sales jump was reported by Billboard, thanks to two CD variants with exclusive bonus tracks. 

Throughout May and June, Swift released new versions of the album almost weekly, each with unique bonus tracks. These included acoustic renditions, demo versions, and live performances from her Eras Tour. These frequent releases have kept the album at the forefront of the charts, despite competition from artists like Billie Eilish and Charli XCX.

This sustained chart performance places "The Tortured Poets Department" among the longest No. 1 runs for an album following its debut. The album is now one of three to spend its first 11 weeks at No. 1, alongside Morgan Wallen’s "One Thing at a Time" and Stevie Wonder’s "Songs in the Key of Life." 

Swift has tied Whitney Houston’s record for the most consecutive weeks at No. 1 for a female artist’s album following its debut.

As of Monday, Forbes estimates Swift's net worth at $1.3 billion, making her the first musician to reach billionaire status primarily through music sales and performances. Her inclusion in the billionaire ranks was largely driven by the success of her Eras Tour.