In a world where Taylor Swift can turn literally anything into a number-one hit—be it a diary entry, a voice memo, or perhaps even her grocery list—it seems the pop queen has found herself in the middle of yet another controversy. This time, it’s all about her latest digital re-releases of The Tortured Poets Department. Critics claim Taylor is using these shiny new “variants” to get fans to re-buy the album and keep her throne at the top of the Billboard charts. Because, clearly, her only hobby these days is blocking everyone else from even thinking about being number one.
But hold the phone! Billboard has swooped in like a superhero in sparkly boots, confirming that Taylor would still be raking in those number-one weeks even if she hadn’t dropped a single variant. So much for the haters who think she’s just playing Monopoly with the music industry.
As it stands, Taylor has clinched her 15th week at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, moving another 85,000 units of her album. Meanwhile, Chappell Roan—probably somewhere in the Midwest—is toasting her new peak at number two with The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. She reached a new weekly high with 72,000 units, but hey, second place isn’t too shabby… unless you’re Taylor Swift.
Now, the burning question on everyone’s mind: how many of those 85,000 units were the magical variants? Well, Billboard has the answer! Taylor sold nearly 10,000 digital downloads last week, which includes the variants, iTunes downloads, and probably some loyal fans buying the album for their cats. But let’s be real, not all 10,000 downloads were variants—because, apparently, even Taylor Swift fans have their limits.
So, with a comfy 13,000-unit lead, Taylor could have sold zero digital downloads and still waltzed away with her number one spot. It’s as if the universe itself has ordained her chart-topping status.
For those blissfully unaware, these variant versions of The Tortured Poets Department come with a little something extra: exclusive live recordings from The Eras Tour’s acoustic section. Previous variants even had voice memos Taylor recorded while making the album—because if there’s one thing Swifties love more than Taylor’s music, it’s hearing her think out loud.
Taylor Swift continues to rule the charts, whether she’s dropping fresh variants or just casually existing. Meanwhile, the rest of the music industry can only sit back and admire her as they wait for their chance to fight for second place.
