Taylor Swift Scores Second Week at #1: Comment from Music Biz President James Donio

James Donio, President of the Music Business Association (Music Biz), commented on this week’s sales numbers issued by Nielsen (published by Billboard — albums; singles) and BuzzAngle Music (published by HITS Daily Double — albums; singles).

“Taylor Swift followed her historic opening week for Reputation with another strong frame over the Thanksgiving holiday. The record moved around 256,000 album equivalent units to continue Swift’s reign atop the Nielsen and BuzzAngle Music charts, the first time a female artist has spent her first two weeks at the top since Adele’s 25 in December 2015. Elsewhere on the charts, husband-and-wife Country legends Tim McGraw and Faith Hill landed at #2 with their first duets album, The Rest of Our Life, which marks the best sales week for McGraw since 2013 and for Hill since 2005. Joining them in the Top 5 is fellow Country royalty Garth Brooks, who reached #4 on the Billboard 200 and #5 on the BuzzAngle Music chart with The Anthology: Part I, The First Five Years.

“Over on the singles charts, Post Malone’s ‘Rockstar’ featuring 21 Savage held on to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and BuzzAngle Top Songs charts. It’s the song’s seventh week at the summit, making it the longest-reigning Hot 100 chart-topper with the word ‘rock’ in its title. Ed Sheeran’s ‘Perfect’ also had a big week, hitting #4 on the Buzzangle chart and #5 on the Hot 100. It’s his second-highest-charting single from ÷ (Divide), behind only ‘The Shape of You.’

“Next week, we’ll see whether Taylor Swift can make it three weeks in a row at #1 with Reputation as the holiday season kicks into full gear.”