U.K. MIDWEEKS: A TAYLOR TAKEOVER

Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (EMI) has claimed the biggest opening sales week of the year in the U.K. On singles, Tay is on course for a Top 3 takeover.

1989 (Taylor’s Version) is currently outselling the rest of the Top 40 combined at today’s midweek point. The set shifted 148k sales over the weekend, surpassing 2023’s previous fastest seller, Lewis Capaldi’s Broken by Desire to be Heavenly Sent (EMI), which sold 95k first week.

On Friday, Swift will claim her 11th U.K. Official Albums #1, extending her record as the female solo artist with the most chart-topping albums this century.

Elsewhere on albums, OMG’s Bauhaus Staircase (100 Percent Records) heading for #2, while Duran Duran’s Danse Macabre (BMG) is expected to bow at #4.

James Blunt’s Who We Used to Be (Atlantic) is #5, while grime MC CASisDEAD is #6 with his debut, Famous Last Words (XL).

Alfie Boe’s Open Arms—The Symphonic Songbook (BMG) is #7.

This week’s Top 10 would be completed by new entries courtesy of Simple Minds’ new live recording, New Gold Dream – Live from Paisley Abbey (BMG), at #8; Billy Bragg’s greatest hits compilation, The Roaring Forty 1983-2023 (Cooking Vinyl), at #9; and Gaslight Anthem’s History Books (Rich Mahogany Recordings) at #10.

The Taylor trifecta on the U.K.’s Official Singles midweeks is “Slut! (Taylor’s Version)” is #1, “Style (Taylor’s Version)" at #2 and “Is It Over Now (Taylor’s Version)” at #3. There are just 200 sales between the three tracks.

Elsewhere, “DNA (Loving You)” (Atlantic) by Billy Gillies and Hannah Laing is up two places to #11, and “Liquor & Cigarettes” (EMI) by Chase & Status, Hedex and Arrdee is up six to #14.