Taylor Swift’s ‘Midnights’ Has Already Sold 1 Million Albums in the U.S. (Updating)

UPDATE (Oct. 27): Taylor Swift’s Midnights is off to a record-breaking start in the U.S.

According to initial reports to Luminate, the album, which was released on Oct. 21, registered over 486 million on-demand official streams (audio and video combined) for its songs in its first six days of release (through Oct. 26). Midnights now has the third-most streams in a single week by an album ever. The largest streaming week was registered by the opening frame of Drake’s Scorpion, with 745.92 million (July 14, 2018-dated chart). (Midnights‘ streaming total is for its collected 20 songs — the standard set’s 13 tracks plus seven songs added to a deluxe edition.)

Luminate’s data powers Billboard’s weekly charts

As previously reported (Oct. 26), Midnights has earned more than 1.4 million equivalent album units in the U.S., with album sales more than 1.05 million of that sum.

Luminate’s tracking week ends at the close of business on Thursday, Oct. 27. Midnights‘ final first-week numbers are expected to be announced on Sunday, Oct. 30, along with its debut position on the multi-metric Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Nov. 4). If Midnights debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, it will mark Swift’s 11th chart-topping effort.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each units equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

PREVIOUSLY (Oct. 26): According to initial reports to Luminate, the album, which was released on Oct. 21, has earned more than 1.4 million equivalent album units in the U.S. through its first five days of release (through Oct. 25). Of that sum, traditional album sales comprise more than 1.05 million across all available formats (multiple digital album download, CD, vinyl and cassette variants). Vinyl LP sales for the title have surpassed 515,000.

Luminate’s data powers Billboard’s weekly charts.

With 1.4 million equivalent album units, Midnights has the largest week for any album since Adele’s 25 debuted with 3.482 million in its first week (chart dated Dec. 12, 2015). And Midnights‘ traditional album sales total of 1.05 million continues to be the biggest sales week for a set since Swift’s own reputation album debuted with 1.216 million copies sold (chart dated Dec. 2, 2017).

Plus, the album’s 20 tracks (the standard set’s 13 tracks plus seven tracks added to a deluxe edition) have registered more than 423 million on-demand official streams (audio and video combined) in the U.S. in the album’s first five days. As reported on Oct. 25, Midnights has the largest streaming week for an album in 2022, by total streams for its collected songs. It is also the largest streaming week ever for an album by a non-R&B/hip-hop title, or for any album by a female artist.

In its first five days, Midnights has the fifth-most streams in a single week by an album ever. The largest streaming week was registered by the opening frame of Drake’s Scorpion, with 745.92 million (July 14, 2018-dated chart).

It’s assumed that Midnights’ total units, sales and streaming figures will increase in the coming days, as the tracking week ends on Thursday, Oct. 27. The set’s final sales number is expected to be announced on Sunday, Oct. 30, along with its expected large debut on the multimetric Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Nov. 4). If Midnights debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, it will mark Swift’s 11th chart-topping effort.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each units equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

PREVIOUSLY (Oct. 25): According to initial reports to Luminate, Midnights has earned more than 1.3 million equivalent album units in the U.S. through its first four days of release (through Oct. 24). Of that sum, traditional album sales comprise more than 1 million across all available formats (multiple digital album download, CD, vinyl and cassette variants). Vinyl LP sales for the title have surpassed 500,000.

Biggest Week for Any Album Since Adele’s ‘25’: After four days, Midnights already has the largest overall week, by equivalent album units, for any album, since Adele’s 25 debuted with 3.482 million in its first week (chart dated Dec. 12, 2015).

More Than 1 Million Copies Sold: Midnights also has the largest sales week for any album – by traditional album sales – since Swift’s own reputation album debuted with 1.216 million copies sold (chart dated Dec. 2, 2017).

Midnights is the 22nd album to sell at least 1 million copies in a single week since Luminate began tracking music sales in 1991. In total, there have been 24 instances – by 22 different albums – where an album sold at least 1 million copies in a week. One of those albums, Adele’s 25, sold over 1 million in three separate weeks.

It was earlier reported (Oct. 22) that Midnights has logged the single-largest sales week for a vinyl album in the modern era (since Luminate began tracking music sales in 1991), and is the top-selling album of 2022. It is also the year’s best-selling vinyl album, surpassing the 372,000 copies Harry Styles’ Harry’s House has sold through the week ending Oct. 20.

Biggest Streaming Week of 2022: Additionally, in its first four days, the album’s 20 songs have generated more than 357 million on-demand official streams (audio and video combined) in the U.S. The album’s standard initial release had 13 songs, and a deluxe version released three hours later added seven additional songs. That 357 million sum is the largest streaming week for an album in 2022, by total streams for its collected songs. It is also the largest streaming week ever for an album by a non-R&B/hip-hop title, or for any album by a female artist.

Previously, 2022’s largest streaming week – and the biggest week for a non-R&B/hip-hop set ever – was logged by the debut frame of Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti (356.55 million; chart dated May 21). In terms of albums by female artists, Midnights surpasses the debut week of Ariana Grande’s Thank U, Next (it launched with 307.07 million streams for its collected songs on the chart dated Feb. 23, 2019).

PREVIOUSLY (Oct. 24): According to initial reports to Luminate, Midnights has earned more than 1.2 million equivalent album units in the U.S. through its first three days of release (through Oct. 23). Of that sum, traditional album sales comprise more than 955,000 across all available formats (multiple digital album download, CD, vinyl and cassette variants). Vinyl LP sales for the title is nearing 500,000.

After three days, Midnights already has the largest overall week, by equivalent album units, for any album, since Swift’s own reputation debuted with 1.238 million in its first week (chart dated Dec. 2, 2017). Midnights also has the largest sales week for any album since reputation’s opening week of 1.216 million sold. It was earlier reported (Oct. 22) that Midnights has logged the single-largest sales week for a vinyl album in the modern era (since Luminate began tracking music sales in 1991).

Additionally, in its first three days, the album’s 20 songs have generated over 284 million on-demand official streams (audio and video combined) in the U.S. The album’s standard initial release had 13 songs, and a deluxe version released three hours later added seven additional songs.

PREVIOUSLY (Oct. 22): According to initial reports to Luminate, Midnights sold more than 800,000 copies in the U.S. through its first day across all available formats (multiple digital album download, CD, vinyl and cassette variants). It has already logged the largest sales week for any album since 2017, is the top-selling album of 2022 year-to-date, and has set a modern-era record for single-week vinyl album sales.

2022’s Top-Selling Album After One Day: Midnights’ initial sales sum already makes it the biggest-selling album of 2022 year-to-date. Previously, 2022’s top-selling album, year-to-date, was Harry Styles’ Harry’s House, with 620,000 copies sold through the week ending Oct. 13.

It’s assumed that Midnights’ sales figure will increase in the coming days, as the tracking week ends on Thursday, Oct. 27. The set’s final sales number is expected to be announced on Sunday, Oct. 30, along with its expected large debut on the multi-metric Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Nov. 4). If Midnights debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, it will mark Swift’s 11th chart-topping effort.

News of initial streaming-and-track-equivalent activity for the album, as provided by Luminate, will reported in the coming days.

Biggest Sales Week for Any Album Since Swift’s reputation in 2017: With just one day of sales, Midnights logs the largest sales week for any album in the U.S. since Swift’s own reputation debuted with 1.216 million copies sold in its first week (ending Nov. 16, 2017).

Reputation was also the last album to sell more than 1 million copies in a single week in the U.S., a feat that has become difficult to achieve in recent years as consumers transition to consuming music through streaming services. (Yearly U.S. album sales decreased in every year from 2012-2020.)

Since Luminate began tracking music sales in 1991, there have only been 23 instances – by 21 different albums – where an album sold at least 1 million copies in a single week. One of those albums, Adele’s 25, sold over 1 million in three separate weeks.

Modern-Era Vinyl Sales Record: Further, Midnights handily breaks the modern-era record for single-week vinyl album sales in the U.S., with over 400,000 copies sold so far. That’s the largest week for an album on vinyl since Luminate began tracking music sales in 1991. It surpasses the previous high, set earlier this year, when Harry’s House debuted with 182,000 vinyl copies (week ending May 26, 2021).

Midnights’ overall initial sales figures include any pre-orders of the album that were fulfilled to the customer through Oct. 21, as well as traditional in-store sales that were generated on the day of release.

Midnights arrived after months of pre-release promotion and pre-orders – and its initial sales figure is bolstered by an array of available versions and variants of the album.

Midnights is available to purchase in a standard digital album (both clean and explicit), an iTunes-exclusive version with a bonus track (clean and explicit), four standard CD editions (each with a different cover, both clean and explicit), four vinyl LP editions (each with a different cover and colored vinyl) and a cassette tape.

Target is also selling an exclusive “Lavender” edition of the album on CD and colored-vinyl LP, with the CD boasting three bonus tracks.

In addition, in the weeks leading up to release, Swift’s webstore sold pre-orders of signed copies of the four standard CD albums and the four standard vinyl LPs. Midnights is also available in a deluxe boxed set with a CD edition of the album and a Swift-branded T-shirt, exclusively for Capital One cardholders.

Three hours after Midnights arrived, Swift issued a deluxe edition of the album with seven bonus songs (20 tracks total) to streaming services and digital retailers (with the later including a digital liner notes booklet).