Taylor Swift’s reign atop the charts isn’t letting up. The pop titan’s latest release, The Life of a Showgirl, is holding at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for a second consecutive week – and it’s still putting up massive numbers. In the week ending Oct. 16, Showgirl earned roughly 338,000 equivalent album units in the U.S., a figure that would be a huge debut for most artists. For Swift, it marks a steep 92% drop from her record-shattering first week (over 4 million units), yet remains the fifth-biggest week of any album this year. Even in week two, Swift is outpacing almost everyone.
Industry insiders note that such a large second-week tally is rare in the streaming era. In fact, The Life of a Showgirl just scored the biggest sophomore-week total since Swift’s own album The Tortured Poets Department last year. Despite the expected comedown from an unprecedented opening, Showgirl’s follow-up week is remarkable – proving the unwavering dedication of Swift’s fanbase. No new album releases managed to debut in the top ten this week, a testament to the stranglehold Swift has on the charts right now.
This milestone also places Showgirl in elite company. It becomes only the third album in 2025 to top the Billboard 200 in its first two weeks, joining country star Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem and rapper Playboi Carti’s MUSIC. With Showgirl continuing to dominate, Taylor Swift further cements her status as pop’s reigning chart monarch. The superstar’s ability to sustain such lofty numbers in week two underscores her unparalleled commercial power – and she’s showing no signs of slowing down.
