Swift is the only female on the list
Days before the release of her 12th studio album, The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announces a monumental achievement for global superstar Taylor Swift, who has become the first and only female artist in history to surpass 100 million RIAA-certified album units. Swift is also the only artist in the top 10 for both highest-certified album artists and highest-certified digital single artists.
“Congrats to @taylorswift on becoming the first and only female artist in history to surpass 100 million RIAA Certified Album Units!” the RIAA shares on Instagram.
With this new certification, Swift joins an elite group of artists to reach this level of success in the U.S., placing her sixth among the top-selling artists in music history, behind Led Zeppelin at 112.5 million, the Eagles at 120 million, Elvis Presley at 146.5 million, Garth Brooks at 162 million, and The Beatles at 183 million. According to the RIAA, Swift’s total certified album units have now exceeded 105 million, surpassing Mariah Carey, who is the second top-selling female artist with 75 million certified units.
The historic milestone is driven by a catalog of critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums, including 2014’s 1989, which is certified 14-times platinum, 2008’s Fearless at 11-times platinum, 2012’s Red at eight-times platinum, 2006’s Taylor Swift at eight-times platinum, and last year’s The Tortured Poets Department at eight-times platinum.
On Friday, Swift will release The Life of a Showgirl, which she wrote during her record-breaking Eras Tour. The album has already broken a Spotify record as it became the first Countdown Page to surpass five million pre-saves, further extending it as the most pre-saved album on the Countdown Page in Spotify history, surpassing the mark set by The Tortured Poets Department last year.
In addition to this latest record, Spotify is celebrating the upcoming album release with The Life of a Showgirl: A Spotify Experience, an immersive pop-up experience for fans in New York City through October 2nd. Swifties are invited to step into a day in the life of a showgirl, capturing photo moments, hunting for Easter eggs, and more.
On October 3rd, the global pop star will host a cinematic release party with Cinemark Holdings and AMC. Taylor Swift | The Official Release Party of a Showgirl will give fans an exclusive world premiere of the music video, “The Fate of Ophelia,” along with behind-the-scenes footage from the music video shoot, new lyric videos, and Taylor’s never-before-seen personal reflections on songs from her 12th studio album.
Many Target stores will open at midnight on October 3rd to give fans a chance to pick up exclusive versions of the album, including the single pressing of The Crowd is Your King edition on Summertime Spritz Pink with a giant poster, and three CD variations with posters, and more.
View this post on Instagram
