Just 48 hours after its release, Taylor Swift’s “Lover” became the top-selling album in the U.S. for all of 2o19, according to Nielsen Music and Billboard.
Released last Friday (8.23), “Lover” neared 500,000 on Saturday besting the “A Star Is Born” soundtrack who has sold 444,000 sold through the week ending 8.22. Star was released in on 10.5.18 and has sold 1.148 million total in the U.S.
Sales have been buoyed by multiple special editions and bundles as well as a massive cross-platform marketing and PR campaign. Over the weekend, Swift seemed to be everywhere at once, with performances and interviews that included details of plans to re-record her past six albums.
Industry forecasters expect “Lover” to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 with more than 700,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending 8.29, according to Billboard. Equivalent album units include traditional album sales, track equivalent album [TEA] units and streaming equivalent album [SEA] units.