Taylor Swift’s career blossomed a little later in the UK than elsewhere (her first UK hit came four years after her US debut), but boy has she made up for it since.
In the last three years alone, she’s earned five UK Number 1 albums with Lover (2019), folklore and evermore (both 2020), Fearless (Taylor’s Version), Red (Taylor’s Version) (both 2021) and Midnights (2022).
Throughout a career that has transcended genres and shifted direction numerous times, Taylor has amassed 18 UK Top 10 hits, although it may come as a surprise she’s only topped the Official Singles Chart twice – with 2017’s gothic Look What You Made Me Do (more on that later) and this year’s buoyant Anti-Hero, taken from her new album Midnights.
Now, she’s undertaking her biggest challenge yet – re-recording her first six albums due to the controversial acquisition of her original masters by record exec Scott Borchetta and artist manager Scooter Braun (although it was confirmed Braun had sold the masters to a private equity firm, Shamrock Capital for $300 million).
This year, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) became Taylor’s tenth UK Number 1 album. Taylor is now the female solo artist to have claimed 10 chart-topping albums in the fastest succession; with 10 years and eight months separating her first Number 1 Red in 2012 and 2023’s Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).
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Last year, Taylor overtook Madonna to claim the title with her ninth chart-topper Midnights. Madonna still holds the record for the female soloist with the most Number 1 albums, with twelve to her name. with the latter pulling her level with Kylie Minogue for the second-most chart-topping LPs for a female solo act ever.
