Taylor Swift’s Folklore Is The Biggest Album Of 2020 So Far

UPDATE (8/3/20, 1:40 p.m. ET): Taylor Swift’s “Cardigan” has debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making her the first artist in history to debut at No. 1 on both the Hot 100 and Billboard 200 albums chart in the same week, Billboard reports. Original story below.

It’s only been a week, but Taylor Swift’s Folklore album has already become 2020’s biggest album so far.

The intimate LP, which Swift announced just a day before its July 24 release, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, becoming her seventh project to hit the top. Folklore also had the best week of any album since Swift’s 2019 album, Lover.

A couple of interesting tidbits about this milestone from Billboard: With seven No. 1s, Swift is now tied with Janet Jackson for third-most No. 1s among women since the chart began, and going back to 2016, Swift has the three biggest weeks for any album. That includes 2017’s Reputation as well as Lover and Folklore. Swift also now holds the designation of being the only woman on the chart to have seven LPs debut at No. 1; behind her are Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Madonna and Britney Spears, who have six each.

Swift debuted Folklore with a gorgeous video for “Cardigan” that she directed while in quarantine. The album’s more interior, folk-influenced sound and songwriting style was bolstered by production and co-writing work from Aaron Dessner of The National. “I think she was interested in the emotions that she feels in some of the music that I’ve made,” he told Rolling Stone. “So I just sent her a folder of things I’d done recently and was excited about. Hours after, she sent back a fully written version of ‘Cardigan.’ It was like a lightning bolt struck the house.”

Folklore is now 2020’s top-selling album.