The numbers are in — Taylor Swift’s latest album is called “Red” but she’s definitely seeing platinum, too.
The country pop princess sold 1.2 million copies of her fourth studio album in its first week, the largest sales week for any album since 2002 according to Nielsen SoundScan. (Eminem’s “The Eminem Show” sold 1.3 million ten years ago)
“They just told me Red sold 1.2 million albums first week. How is this real life?! You are UNREAL. I love you so much. Thanks a million ;),” Swift tweeted last night.
“Red” is also Swift’s second album in a row to sell more than 1 million copies in its first week. “Speak Now,” her third album, sold a little more than 1 million copies when it was released in 2010. With those sales, it’s no surprise “Red” also debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart. She’s the only woman to have two albums sell more than 1 million copies in its first week since SoundScan began tracking album sales in 1991.
The only other act to sell more than 1 million copies of an album in its debut week twice was ‘N Sync.
“Red’s” massive success only adds to Swift’s good news this week (and serves as a nice distraction from her breakup with Conor Kennedy). It was announced on Monday that Swift will co-host the Grammy nominations television special. She’ll also get a chance to capture the “Entertainer of the Year” trophy again at the CMA Awards tomorrow in Nashville.
AP contributed to this report.