Taylor Swift’s ‘Folklore’ Tops Album Chart for Second Week
Taylor Swift’s “Folklore” spent an expected second week atop the album chart in the U.S. Its second frame saw 139,700 album units being added to its tally, following a first-week debut of 852,700. The two weeks combined put her total at just under a million album units.
The only album debuting in the top 10 of the Rolling Stone album chart squeaked in — that was Brandy’s comeback, “B7,” entering at No. 10 with album units of 25,200.
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Also making a recording comeback after a long layoff, Alanis Morissette returned with “Such Pretty Forks in the Road,” bowing at No. 15 with 21,700 album units.
The next highest debut — timed, officially or otherwise, to the 25th anniversary of the death of Jerry Garcia — was a live album by the Grateful Dead, at No. 27: “Dave’s Picks Volume 35: Philadelphia Civic Center, Philadelphia, PA – 4/20/84,” with 18,300 album units. Since the release was not made available for streaming or for individual song sales, 100% of those units were in pure album sales.
The top 10 looked much the same as it has in recent weeks, with posthumous albums by Pop Smoke and Juice WRLD at Nos. 2-3 (and their album units spaced not too far apart at 93K and 85K, respectively) and the “Hamilton” cast album still enjoying a resurgence off the filmed Disney Plus version at No. 4 (with 64,500 album units). The returnees in the top 10 are rounded out by Lil Baby, DaBaby, Gunna, Harry Styles and Post Malone at Nos. 5-9.
When the album units for Swift’s “Folklore” are broken down, the collection sold another 36,900 in full album sales, added 24,500 in individual song sales, and saw streams of 123.6 million. The album sales figure is likely to go up next week, as CD editions hit store shelves Friday, after “Folklore” was previously available for sale only as a digital album or for advance orders of physical copies.
On the Rolling Stone songs chart, Swift lost her top spots in week 2, as “Cardigan” fell from No. 1 to a still impressive No. 4 and “The 1” was close behind as the most popular of the album’s non-singles at No. 5. The two songs had streams of 14.9 million and 14.5 million, respectively. “Exile,” her collaboration with Bon Iver, is shaking out to be the album’s third most popular number as individual track sales go, landing at No. 12 in its second week with 11.7 million streams.
At No. 1 on the songs chart, “Rockstar” by DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch makes its inevitable return to the top spot, with 19.9 million streams. It’s followed by “Whats Poppin” from Jack Harlow featuring DaBaby, Tory Lanez and Lil Wayne.
The top premiere on the songs chart is Billie Eilish’s “My Future,” at No. 3, with 15.8 million streams.
The second highest bow belonged to “Move Ya Hips” by A$AP Ferg feauring Nicki Minaj and MadeinTYO at No. 16. Country-pop duo Dan + Shay had their ballad “I Should Probably Go to Bed” debut at No. 27 — the only other song premiere in the top 50.
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