Taylor Swift Beats Adele: ‘Showgirl’ Sells 3.5 Million Copies in 5 Days

Taylor Swift has broken a major record: her new album The Life of a Showgirl sold 3.5 million equivalent copies in the U.S. within just five days, surpassing Adele’s 25, which hit a similar number over a full week back in 2015.

What’s surprising is that most of Swift’s sales came from traditional album purchases: 3.2 million, with 2.7 million sold on the very first day. Only 300,000 were from streaming. Showgirl also set a new vinyl record, selling 1.2 million vinyl copies — helping revive a format Swift has boosted in recent years.

This success comes despite mixed reviews. While many fans and critics praised the album, others — including Pitchfork and The Guardian — were more critical. Swift responded playfully: “I welcome the chaos. I’m not the art police.”

The album’s release included a special cinema event featuring music videos and behind-the-scenes content, which earned $33 million in North America — outperforming the latest film starring The Rock.

Part of the album’s massive sales came from a smart marketing strategy: Showgirl was sold in at least 27 different physical versions, including colored vinyl, CDs, and even cassette tapes. One limited-edition $70 bundle included a glittery orange cardigan and a boxed CD.

Final first-week numbers are expected soon, but one thing is already clear: Taylor Swift is rewriting the rules of the modern music industry — combining fan passion, smart sales tactics, and a powerful return to physical media.