20 h. ago Taylor Swift beats Adele’s first week in US sales record with Life of a Showgirl

The star has already sold 3.5m units of her critically divisive album, a new record in the modern era of music salesTaylor Swift’s divisive new album, The Life of a Showgirl, has beaten Adele’s record-breaking 25 in first week sales numbers.According to data tracking firm Luminate, the album has already sold 3.5m units in the US which equates to 3.2m physical copies and 300,000 attributed to streaming activity. Adele achieved 3.482m in 2015 with her opening week sales of 25 which was led by hit Hello. Continue reading...

Politics

22 h. ago The Life of a Showgirl is a massive hit – and massively divisive. What should Taylor Swift do next?

Swift’s 12th LP is set to dominate the charts – despite fans lampooning the lyrics and lamenting its quality. Guardian music writers discuss what it means for her careerLaura Snapes Taylor Swift’s 12th album, The Life of a Showgirl (TLOAS), has been a smash statistical success. She’s broken records that she previously set, and in the US is second only to Adele for the most sales in a single week. The cinematic release party this weekend grossed $34m in the US and an additional $13m worldwide. But it’s second only to her 20-year-old debut – written in her teens – as the worst reviewed album of her catalogue, with a 70% approval average on Metacritic. What are the successes and failures of this record?Alexis Petridis The success part is obvious. It’s set to become the biggest-selling album of the year by a preposterously long chalk. In terms of shortcomings, I think the biggest one is prosaic – a lack of really memorable melodies. I think you’d be hearing a lot less about the cringy l...

Events

22 h. ago Taylor Swift breaks Adele's streaming record as new album The Life Of A Showgirl racks up 3.5M copies sold

The modern-era single-week sales record was previously held by Adele's album, 25, with 3.378 million copies sold upon its release in 2015.

Culture

3 d. ago All the Easter eggs in Taylor Swift’s ‘The Fate Of Ophelia’ music video

Swift released her 12th studio record ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ last week

Culture

4 d. ago Taylor Swift reveals she surprised her record label with ‘The Life of a Showgirl’

Pop star said keeping the album a secret was possible thanks to her close friends who ‘do not snitch’

Politics

6 d. ago Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl is out now – shop the vinyl and merch

The singer’s latest record is titled The Life of a Showgirl

Politics

6 d. ago Taylor Swift sings about Travis Kelce romance and his 'wood' on The Life Of A Showgirl

The star has dropped her latest record, The Life Of A Showgirl, and it is full of Easter Eggs

Politics

1 week ago Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl is out next week – here’s how to pre

The singer’s latest record is titled The Life of a Showgirl

Politics