Taylor Swift’s Surprise Album ‘Folklore’ Debuts At No. 1 In The U.K. With A Sizable Start

Just one week after it was released (and eight days after it was announced), Taylor Swift’s new album Folklore has become the No. 1 title in the U.K., and the singer-songwriter really dominated this frame.

Folklore blasts onto the U.K. ranking at No. 1 thanks to 37,000 equivalent units shifted. Streaming made up a lot of those, while at least one-third were pure downloads, making Swift’s new project the title with the most paid downloads in one frame in the country so far this year.

This latest release is Swift’s fifth to rule in the U.K., and it’s her fifth in a row. The country-turned-pop star first reached the summit almost a decade ago with Red, and she followed that up with 1989, Reputation and Lover, which debuted in first place last summer. Two other full-lengths from the pop star, Fearless and Speak Now, peaked at Nos. 5 and 6, respectively.

Folklore was a surprise album, so Swift didn’t promote it with any singles before the full set arrived. As the title opens in first place, three tracks from the project find their way to the songs ranking, the most allowed per Official Chart Company rules.

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Leading the way among Swift’s three new hits comes “Cardigan,” which serves as the full-length’s lead single. That tune opens at No. 6, followed closely by “Exile” with Bon Iver at No. 8 and “The 1,” the first track on the set, at No. 10. With three new top 10 smashes to her credit, the country/pop/folk musician’s career total climbs to 16 appearances inside the uppermost area.