Taylor Swift Sells More Than 1 Million CDs in 1st Week

Sandra Rose November 3, 2010

The music industry is alive and well. Singer Taylor Swift’s ‘Speak Now’ CD has eclipsed the 2008 sales of rapper Lil Wayne, who steps out of prison tomorrow.

The 20-year-old country singer became a household name after Kanye West snatched her mic onstage at the VMAs last year. Swift sold more than 1.04 million copies in the first week, making hers the best selling debut country album in history. She also gives country music its first million plus sales week since 1998.

Taylor fell just short of topping 50 Cent’s 2005 album, ‘The Massacre,’ which moved 1.14 million units in its debut week.

LadyJustice

congrats to her! but that song she sang on dancing with the stars last night really put me to sleep
Mamacita

Good for her! I don’t like country music but that’s a great accomplishment!

Too bad we don’t see numbers like this more often. Free dowloading and burning CDs has taken so much away from the music industry. I see people who listen to country music are actually BUYING it and not getting it from the $5 CD man on the corner…
CFREE

Wow! Can’t hate on that
lakercrazy

congrats to her
VAChick
AWESOME ARSENAL

mamacita
ySoSerious

So. She still can’t sing and her music still sucks. Making her and Screeanna a matching set.
http://twitter.com/Southernicity81 LaTechGrad02

Congrats Taylor!! All of those somebody done somebody wrong songs are keeping her wallet fat.
LuvMySailor

Taylor Swift was already a household name before Kanye’s drunken rant.

Too bad that many old school die hard country fans feel she is not true country, but “pop” country like Shaniya Twain and Faith Hill. Its the tweens that are keeping her in the spotlight. Hope she grows with her audience.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpE9GpqBD60 Ace

I have a comment but its not politically correct so I’m just gonna say…good job swift.

*continues to listen to his bootleg Wayne album* #justsayin
teredrews

Well I am gonna say it and mean it

Once again, I think she should thank Kanye for all of this cause pretty soon, she is gonna be an afterthought just like Kelly Clarkson,Ashley and Jessica Simpson, and so many otha chicks who was the “IT” factor

No congrats from me
http://myspace.com/thegameoncw Bird

The 20-year-old country singer became a household name after Kanye West snatched her mic onstage at the VMAs last year.
**********************************

That is not true. It drives me crazy to hear black folk say that because it is a proud display of ignorance (no offense my sister). Just because you never heard of her doesn’t mean she wasn’t a star. Look her up. Her last album debuted at #1 long BEFORE the Kanye mess and she really got buzz because she stayed at #1 week after week. Then she started selling out stadiums on tour BEFORE Kanye. We don’t listen to country music so we didn’t know that, but I watch the charts like a hawk to see how my favorite artists are doing and I saw her doin the damn thing.
Man, I just don’t care™

I hope Kanye gets his proceeds for marketing and promoting this evil looking chick. **look at that scandalous look in her eyes**

On a sidenote, her and Rhianna make a GREAT looking couple.
ySoSerious

@ Man

Ewwwwwww…
Man, I just don’t care™

@BIRD
“The 20-year-old country singer became a household name after Kanye West snatched her mic onstage at the VMAs last year.
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That is not true. It drives me crazy to hear black folk say that because it is a proud display of ignorance (no offense my sister). Just because you never heard of her doesn’t mean she wasn’t a star. Look her up. Her last album debuted at #1 long BEFORE the Kanye mess and she really got buzz because she stayed at #1 week after week. Then she started selling out stadiums on tour BEFORE Kanye. We don’t listen to country music so we didn’t know that, but I watch the charts like a hawk to see how my favorite artists are doing and I saw her doin the damn thing.”
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That’s all great and wonderful, but there is no doubt the publicity from Kanye’s TRUTHFUL statement only served to help her sales. Pure and simple.

The “truth telling” occured on MTV no less… a prime market for music sales. Her marketing team couldn’t have thought of any better situation than the one that occured. I’m sure they would lavish Kanye with praise and thanks behind closed doors.
StillASassyOne

Good morning folks!

Well @ Ace, I’ma say it.

That white chick cant sang worth a damn, a damn, a damn! The fans buying her music are CLEARLY tone-deaf! But, she WAS a household name before Kanye’s rant, she just wasn’t common name within the Black households.

And the reason why country & pop artists still SELL major numbers is because they pretty much still put out decent music that people with the expendable outcome feel comfortable buying and supporting.

Damn right- I will burn your entire effin catalog if the range of your music stems from “So Icey” to “Lemonade” or from “Superman” to “Pretty Boy Swag.” If you don’t give a damn about making reputable, worthwhile & REAL music, I don’t give a damn about supporting it with my reputable, worthwhile & REAL dollars. I’m a MUSIC LOVER & CONNOISSEUR! Not a collector of bullsh*t. There’s a difference…in that I’ll gladly pay for one, and instantly download for free the other.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKKxPtP6XjQ renegadesince1985

She writes great songs…but she can’t hold a note to save her live
http://twitter.com/Southernicity81 LaTechGrad02

@Sassy, 1000%
ySoSerious

Morning SASO.

Once again you speaketh the truth.
teredrews

@man

we are here >>>>>>>>> <<<<<<<<<<< on this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKKxPtP6XjQ renegadesince1985

Sassy

I’ve listened to some of the songs on her last album….they’re very well written…the words are deep and honeset…however, she should just let somebody else sing them cause she sounds like a wet cat
Cinderella

Congrats to her. She needs singing lessons though.
meanNsurly

renegadesince1985 says:

Sassy

I’ve listened to some of the songs on her last album….they’re very well written…the words are deep and honeset…however, she should just let somebody else sing them cause she sounds like a wet cat
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HEYYYYY RENE!!!!!! I agree with u. I bought her cd (you know I’m eclectic when it comes to music) and its a good cd but she can’t sing and its worse when she sings live!!! She did something Bey has NEVER done……sell a million records in the first week!!!!
Lady_L

I still like Carrie Underwood better.
ELove

@Ace (I’ll HANDLE THIS for you Dawg…)

THIS was the FINAL in the Triple Crown Accomplishment they were LQQKING For (All Along…) AFTER the Kanye Snub Incident she went on to CLEAN UP on the CMA Awards… Then she CLEANED UP of this past Grammy Awards and NOW this Billboard Charts Milestone of 1 Million Units sold in ONE WEEK !!!

And they were able to do this OFF OF THE BACK & EXPENSE of A Black Man… THOSE Who Don’t Agree (NO Problem… KEEP DOING YOU !!!)

THIS No Singing YT Hag TRICK isn’t significant to ME (Real…)

I’ve listened to Country Music when I was much Younger and OUTSIDE of The OBVIOUS Legends… Alabama was The BEST Country Group (To Me…)
Lady_L

meanNsurly says:

renegadesince1985 says:

Sassy

I’ve listened to some of the songs on her last album….they’re very well written…the words are deep and honeset…however, she should just let somebody else sing them cause she sounds like a wet cat

——————————————————————-
and Rhianna sounds like a wounded billygoat…
http://themusicmogul.tv TheMusicMogul

Pretty sure the $3.99 Amazon Digital download had something to do with it. No one is buying full priced CD’s anymore, no matter who it is. Still an accomplishment though.
ySoSerious

Morning my ELove. I see your new Gravi.
jazi65

The kanye foolishness was a yr ago & even before he made a fool of himself she was at the top of the charts. Swift makes good music, period. A mil in a week? You can’t hate on that.
http://twitter.com/Queensj QueenSJ

Damn, people are bitter! Trying to make all excuses in the world to discredit her success… SMH… I don’t listen to country music at all but CONGRATS to TAYLOR…

@Bird
ySoSerious

I’m not impressed by numbers; some people will buy ANYTHING.
http://twitter.com/eastpointvet eastpointvet

@bird
she may have been known in the country world and the country world is a big one that goes unnoticed by most of us but outside of that world she was unknown. so sandra statement of her being a household name is true because outside of that world most didnt know who she was until that happened.

but sandra i think garth brooks sold a little more than taylor did i know he did a million first week as he was the first person to even sale a million in a week.
Man, I just don’t care™

When did speaking the OBVIOUS truth equate to “making a fool of yourself?”

You know, it’s funny that after Kanye spoke the truth, NO ONE even bothered to dispute what he was saying. Just the way it was said.

Taylor herself should forfeit the award but she look like a ol coniving azz yt bytch. (look at her face in the above pic).
ladyrazor

I’m not hating I just don’t like this little heffa. She maybe able to fool 1.04 million people but she isn’t pulling this one black person over here. So with that, congrats to her on the 1.04 million dummies who bought the album. She can write a song I’ll give her that but she not gonna get another compliment out of me.
Mamacita

Men lie

Women lie

NUMBERS don’t lie…

Say what you want but someone likes her music whether YOU do or not. #justsayin

Say what you want but people don’t support artists the way they should. If you’re willing to listen to it then you should be willing to pay. If it’s not worth your money then why listen to it in the first place?

Maybe it’s just me but I don’t get it…
ladyrazor

@ Man I just don’t care

You are so right! It’s something about her that I just can’t put my finger on. But its not genuine aura that I get when I see her.
http://twitter.com/eastpointvet eastpointvet

oh it also helps that the bootleg man dont have taylor swift in his arsenal
Man, I just don’t care™

@LADY RAZOR
“You are so right!”
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I know…
ELove

@east (Comment #37)

@ySoSerious
Morning to YOU Sweetie Pie
jazzyiest

Hmmmmmm….Did she send Kanye a thank you note???

She only became relevant AFTER his stunt on MTV. I didn’t know who the heifer was until then.
Daisy

I real country artist like Shania and Faith I even like Carrie Underwood

What the Bey stans must not be in the room cause somebody slung mud and they didn’t have a cow oh wait maybe cause that was a fact

RiRi is so pretty

I knew who Taylor was before kanyegate BUT I still feel he helped her become even MORE of a household name
Mamacita

@Daisy Elephants don’t swat at flies

idk how she even got in the post.

“Beyonce be livin on folks minds Rent Free up in here” (ChaCh)
brucebaner1

I see the Kanye effect is still going strong…..
http://mylifeinthesun782.blogspot.com Ms. Everything

She’s talented just not vocally… but congrats even though I’m not shocked cause people don’t realize what a huge base country music has
pinksghetti

Wow, that is rare these days to sell a mill in a week. Country folks are very loyal to their singers. Just like Luvmysailor mentioned Shania and Faith two other women who sold millions. I think Shania has the best selling album by a female of all time. I’m sure that the Kanye West controversy helped get her name out there to those that don’t listen to pop or country music but she was popular before because I remember seeing “Tear Drops on My Guitar” (love that song) on MTV and VH1 and it was really popular.
Issa

Congrats, Taylor.
Issa

Black folks can’t stand the fact that Taylor was huge BEFORE kanye. Y’all black asses just didn’t know who she was. You can say a million times ‘Kanye made Taylor’ and it STILL wouldn’t be true. She was already making headlines for her album sales. Get over it. You can sit on the internet hating on Taylor and Rihanna, calling them every name you can think of, b/c at the end of the day they will still be famous, millionaires living the life.