How Taylor Swift's Folklore performed around the world

One thing is for sure when Taylor Swift releases an album: it's going to be a really big deal.

Taylor's eighth studio album, the surprise-released Folklore, proved no different, becoming one of the biggest albums of 2020 in the first week of its release.

Globally, the song broke Apple Music streaming records, setting a new precedent on the former, garnering the biggest opening day of streams for a pop album (35.47m). On Spotify, Folklore broke the record for most first day album streams by a female artist (80.6m).

Here in the UK, Folklore debuted at Number 1 to become Taylor's fifth UK chart topper, making her only the fifth female artist to have 5+ UK Number 1s on the Official Albums Chart. Three songs from the album Cardigan (6), Exile ft. Bon Iver (8) and The 1 (10) entered the Official Singles Chart Top 10, making Taylor only the sixth female to ever score a trio of concurrent Top 10 hits.

But how did they fare in other territories? Let's find out.

United States

Home turf proved to be Taylor's true stomping ground once more. Folklore became Taylor's seventh consecutive Number 1 album on the Billboard 200 with 846,000 combined sales, the biggest week of sales since her very own Lover topped the charts with 867,000. 

Seven chart toppers makes Taylor the first female to ever register seven Number 1 debuts and ranks her third in the list of women with the most Number 1 albums, tied with Janet Jackson. Only Barbra Streisand (11) and Madonna (9) have more. Folklore's tracks racked up a combined 289.85m streams.

Current US chart rules mean that Taylor's CD, cassette and vinyl albums (due for release in August, September and November respectively) counted towards her week one total due to being bundled with a digital download, which could be immediately redeemed. The vinyl records were not available in the US without the digital component; such bundles are not allowed in the UK - and are subject to change in the US - so expect sales spikes for Folklore here in the coming months when its various formats ship to fans.

On the singles front, Cardigan also entered at Number 1, making Taylor the first act in Billboard's 58-year history to enter at the top of both charts simultaneously.

Canada

It was also lucky Number 7 for Taylor Swift in Canada. Taylor scored the second-biggest opening week of 2020, behind After Hours by Canada's very own The Weeknd.

Ireland

Like in the UK, Folklore became Taylor's fifth Number 1 album on the Official Irish Albums Chart, helping her surpass Madonna and Beyoncé for the most chart toppers since 2000. Folklore was also claimed the biggest opening week of 2020.

Australia & New Zealand

Taylor's popularity down under saw her score the Australian Chart Double. Folklore became her sixth Number 1 album, matching Kylie Minogue and P!nk for the second-most chart toppers by female artists, behind Madonna with 11. Cardigan is officially her sixth ARIA Number 1 single to match, with four more songs entering the Top 10: Exile (3); The 1 (4); The Last Great American Dynasty (7); My Tears Ricochet (8).

In New Zealand, Taylor scooped her seventh Number 1 album, while Cardigan debuted at Number 2 on the NZ Singles Chart.

Other territories

Folklore finished in the runner-up slot in The Netherlands, became Taylor's third consecutive Top 3 album in Sweden, entering at 3, and also hit the Top 10 in Germany, peaking at 8. Taylor was the highest new entry in France at 12, and landed at 17 in Japan.