Taylor Swift Surpasses Adele: 'The Life of a Showgirl' Smashes Opening Week Record

'The Life of a Showgirl,' Taylor Swift's eagerly awaited twelfth studio album, was released on 3rd October, and has already created history. In its first week of release, the album sold 3.5 million equivalent album units, breaking Adele's previous record of 3.48 million, which was achieved by her 2015 album '25.' 

On its first day alone, Swift shifted 2.7 million print and digital copies in the U.S. That number of days has surpassed the entire first week of several competing albums. In addition, the album broke vinyl sales records, selling 1.2 million copies in the same week, surpassing her own prior best of 859,000 copies from 'The Tortured Poets Department.' Showgirl has unquestionably gained economic momentum despite receiving mixed reviews. This momentum was further enhanced by more than 25 special editions (vinyl, CD, digital, and cassette) that enticed collector purchases.

Image Courtesy: NME

The Record She Broke & How It Compares to Adele

With 3.478 million equivalent album units sold (3.378 million in pure sales) in its first week in 2015, Adele's '25' has held the U.S. first-week record for ten years. Many people considered that album's success to be unbeatable in the era of streaming, and it set a benchmark. With two days remaining in the sales week when preliminary figures were released, Swift had already surpassed that milestone, going over 25 by around 20,000 units in just five days. 

It's worth noting, however, that in pure album sales (physical + digital only), 'Showgirl' hits 3.2 million, remaining slightly behind Adele's 3.378 million, albeit the streaming contribution (300,000 units) propelled Swift over the top in the "equivalent units" methodology used by charts today. In other words, Swift overtook Adele in the modern measurement that includes streaming—reflecting how album consumption has changed.

Image Courtesy: Billboard

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What This Means for Swift's Legacy

With this new album, Taylor Swift's already impressive record is further enhanced. Showgirl's opening speed greatly outpaced her last album, 'The Tortured Poets Department' (2024), which had a good debut with over 2.61 million units. Additionally, Showgirl created a stir on streaming services: its first song, 'The Fate of Ophelia,' established a single-day streaming record, and the album became the most-streamed album in a single day on Spotify in 2025. 

Image Courtesy: Deadline

'The Official Release Party of a Showgirl,' its companion theatrical release, also became the top-grossing picture in North America. It's obvious that Swift's tactic of releasing numerous editions and variations through her webstore helped to increase sales by enticing fans to acquire various versions.

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