Taylor Swift’s ‘Speak Now (Taylor's Version)' Will Help Her Make Billboard History

NEWARK, NJ – JULY 24: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Taylor Swift performs during her “Speak Now” tour at … [+] Prudential Center on July 24, 2011 in Newark, New Jersey. Taylor Swift wows crowds and critics with four sold-out New York shows. Taylor Swift wrapped a run of sold-out New York-area shows tonight with her fourth show of the week at Newark’s Prudential Center. Over the course of the week’s shows she played to over 52,000 fans, and earned rave reviews, impressing some of the nation’s toughest critics. Swift’s “Speak Now” World Tour is slated for 98 shows in 17 countries this year. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

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Taylor Swift is getting ready to make history with the release of her latest album, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), which is slated to arrive on July 7. This album is part of her ambitious project to re-record and re-release her earlier works, allowing her to regain control over the rights to her music. With Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) being the third of six re-releases, Swift is halfway through the process and poised to achieve a significant milestone.

It comes as no surprise that Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is predicted to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. This position is familiar territory for Swift, who has achieved chart-topping success throughout her career. The re-recorded album will be counted separately from the original, just like the previous two releases, which means Swift is on her way to claiming another No. 1 album. This achievement will further elevate her position on the list of artists with the most chart-topping albums.

When Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) reaches No. 1, Swift will secure her twelfth chart-topper, bringing her level with Drake for the third-most No. 1 albums of all time.

Currently, Swift is tied with legendary artists Bruce Springsteen and Barbra Streisand, each having 11 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200. Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) will change the chart records and solidify Swift’s position as the woman with the most chart-topping albums. This milestone is likely to remain unchallenged for the foreseeable future, as Streisand hasn’t landed a new No. 1 for some time, while Swift does so regularly.

While Swift’s forthcoming achievement is certainly remarkable, the record for the most No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 still belongs to The Beatles. The iconic band achieved the feat with 19 different projects, both during their time together and in the years following their breakup. Trailing behind The Beatles is hip-hop mogul Jay-Z, who has amassed an impressive collection of 14 chart-toppers. Jay-Z’s continued success suggests that he may not be finished adding to his tally, even if he’s not putting out music at the rate he used to.

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Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2023/06/28/taylor-swifts-speak-now-taylors-version-will-help-her-make-billboard-history/