Taylor Swift surpasses Madonna as female artist with most UK Number 1 albums with Lover (Live From Paris)

Lover (Live From Paris), originally released in limited quantity in 2023, soars to the summit thanks to a new, heart-shaped 2LP vinyl variant released in time for Valentine’s Day; shifting 47,000 units.

In doing so, Lover (Live From Paris) becomes the first album to reach Number 1 on pure sales (with no streams contributing to its total) in eight years, since Taylor’s very own reputation in 2017. reputation was added to streaming services three weeks after its initial release on physical and download formats.

It goes without saying that Lover (Live From Paris) tops this week’s Official Vinyl Albums Chart, too. 

MORE: Where every Taylor Swift song and album has charted in the UK

Taylor Swift’s record-breaking stat attack

The record now joins Taylor’s impressive list of UK chart-toppers.

Every Number 1 Taylor Swift album in the UK

Here’s how Taylor stacks up in the all-time list of artists with the most UK Number 1 albums:

* Including reissues of Exile on Main Street and Goats Head Soup, which were classified as new Number 1s due to the volume of new material present and formats available.

See the full list of acts with the most UK Number 1 albums here.

Martin Talbot, Chief Executive Officer, Official Charts says:

“If we thought Taylor Swift would peak in 2024, with her domination of the charts during the summer, we couldn’t have been more wrong. What an amazing achievement to surpass the Albums Chart record of Madonna, such a huge music icon.”

Elsewhere, Dublin-formed four-piece Inhaler celebrate their third Top 5 LP with Open Wide (2). Elijah Hewson, Robert Keating, Josh Bartholomew Jenkinson and Ryan McMahon previously saw similar success with 2021 debut It Won’t Always Be Like This (1) and 2023’s Cuts & Bruises (2).

Open Wide also tops the Official Record Store Chart, the most popular album in UK independent record shops this week.

Following his Super Bowl LIX halftime show performance last weekend, the most-watched in the event’s 58-year history, Kendrick Lamar’s former chart-topper GNX vaults back into the Top 5 (3). The record’s release on physical formats also aids its uplift.

Further down, Olly Alexander secures his first Top 20 LP as a solo artist with Polari (17). As a member of Years & Years, Olly previously enjoyed Albums Chart success with 2015’s Communion (1), 2018’s Palo Santo (3) and 2022’s Night Call (1).

American progressive metal outfit Dream Theater net an eighth Top 40 LP with Parasomnia (23).

And, finally, new mod revival group Block 33 – Dan Dodson, Jamie Moore, Andy Manning and Stephen ‘Keano’ Gardner – celebrate their first-ever Top 40 record with The Promised Land (24).

See the full Official Albums Chart Top 100 here from 5.45pm.

Article image: Getty/Axelle/Bauer-Griffin.