Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ Holds at No. 1 In the U.K.

Taylor Swift reigns again on the U.K. albums chart with The Tortured Poets Department, and narrowly misses out on the chart double.

The leader at the midweek phase, Tortured Poets (via EMI) holds on for a second week atop the U.K tally, to become her fifth studio album to log more than one week at No. 1, the Official Charts Company reports.

Tortured Poets, Swift’s 11th studio album, joins multi-week leaders folklore (three weeks in 2020) and evermore (two weeks in 2020), Midnights (five weeks in 2022) and 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (three weeks in 2023).

On the Official U.K. Singles Chart, Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” edges Swifts’ “Fortnights” featuring Post Malone, by fewer than 500 chart units.

The top new release on the Official U.K. Albums Chart, published Friday, May 3, belongs to Pet Shop BoysNonetheless, at No. 2. Nonetheless is the 15th studio album from the veteran electronic-pop duo, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe; their 19th top 10 effort, and highest-charting LP in 31 years, since Very led the chart back in 1993.

U.S. alt-pop star St. Vincent completes the podium with All Born Screaming, new at No. 3. That’s a career best and third top 10 appearance after 2017’s Masseduction (No. 6) and 2021’s Daddy’s Home (No. 4).

English singer and songwriter Jess Glynne grabs a third U.K. top 10 appearance with JESS (EMI). It’s new at No. 6, following the chart-topping success of her 2015 debut I Cry When I Laugh and 2018 sophomore effort Always In Between.

Finally, the Zutons enjoy a top 10 start with The Big Decider (Icepop), the Liverpool, England band’s first studio release in 16 years. The Big Decider is new at No. 7, for their fourth top 10 after 2004 debut Who Killed……The Zutons? (No. 6 peak), 2006’s Tired Of Hanging Around (No. 2) and 2008’s You Can Do Anything (No. 6).

Lars Brandle

Billboard