Taylor Swift breaking records on Billboard 200

Taylor Swift continues her reign atop the Billboard 200 chart with her album "The Tortured Poets Department," marking its 12th consecutive week at No. 1 despite a strong challenge from Zach Bryan's latest release, "The Great American Bar Scene."

Swift's accomplishment sets a new record for the most initial consecutive weeks at No.1 by a female artist, surpassing Whitney Houston's "Whitney," which held the previous record of 11 weeks. Additionally, "The Tortured Poets Department" ties Morgan Wallen's "One Thing at a Time" for the most consecutive weeks at No. 1 in this century, both albums having achieved 12 weeks at the top.

Bryan's "The Great American Bar Scene" debuted with 137,000 album-equivalent units, a notable feat but not enough to dethrone Swift, whose album garnered 163,000 units in its 12th week, according to data from Luminate reported by Billboard.

Swift's success with "The Tortured Poets Department" also extends her personal record for the album with the most weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, surpassing her previous chart-toppers "Fearless" and "1989," each with 11 weeks at the summit.

Despite Bryan's strong debut, releasing his album on July 4th contributed to a partial charting week, with only one day counted for the latest chart period. Had the full week been included, Bryan's album might have shown different results. Moreover, physical editions of "The Great American Bar Scene," including CDs and vinyl, are scheduled for release on October 11, potentially impacting future chart performances.

Swift's strategy of releasing multiple variant editions of her album continues to boost sales, with significant increases noted in both digital downloads and CD sales. Sales surged to 90,000 units this week, fueled by limited-edition releases and bonus tracks, including live acoustic versions.

Looking ahead, Swift faces competition from Eminem's new release, "The Death of Slim Shady," which could pose a significant challenge to her continued dominance on the Billboard 200. Eminem's previous album, "Music to Be Murdered By," debuted strongly in 2020, indicating potential competition for the top spot in the coming weeks.

As Swift navigates potential new records and challenges, her ability to maintain her chart-topping position will depend on ongoing sales, streaming numbers, and the reception of competing releases in the music industry.