TayTay is blowing away her rivals in the U.K. chart race.
Taylor Swift’s surprise album release Folklore (EMI) has raced to the lead of the midweek chart, and is outperforming the rest of the Top 5 combined, the Official Charts Company reports.
Swift’s eighth and latest album was the most downloaded and streamed LP over the weekend, according to the OCC, and is on track to become the pop star’s fifth U.K. No. 1 following Red (2012), 1989 (2014), Reputation (2017) and Lover (2019).
As previously reported, three songs from the new set are tracking for Top 10 debuts on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, led by “Cardigan” at No. 4 (“Exile” with Bon Iver is at No. 7 on the Official Chart Update and “The 1” starts at No. 9).
Folklore should enjoy another chart punch in months to come when it’s widely released on physical formats.
Coming in at No. 2 on the midweek survey is Irish pop veteran Ronan Keating’s eleventh studio effort Twenty Twenty (Decca). It’s the best-selling CD at the half-way point in the chart week. Keating, a onetime member of Boyzone, has eight Top 10 solo albums to his credit.
Meanwhile, Bob Marley & The Wailers’ Legend (Tuff Gong) blasts 20-5 following the classic album’s release on picture disc vinyl.
With 936 weeks in the chart, Legend is No. 2 on the list of all-time U.K. Top 100 streaks behind ABBA’s Gold (952 via Polydor) and ahead of Queen’s Greatest Hits (904 via Virgin).
Eclectic U.S. artist Fiona Apple could snare her first U.K. Top 10 entry with Fetch The Bolt Cutters (Epic). It’s currently at No. 9 following its release on physical formats. Bolt Cutters bowed at No. 33 in April as a digital-only release.
Finally, U.S. rapper Logic (Def Jam) should go out on a high with his final album, No Pressure. It’s at No. 10 on the midweek chart.
Over in the singles chart race, Joel Corry and MNEK’s summer dance tune “Head & Heart” (Asylum/Perfect Havoc) maintains its lead over Jawsh 685 and Jason Derulo’s “Savage Love (Laxed -Siren Beat)” (RCA).
The Official U.K. Singles and Albums Charts are published late Friday local time.