Taylor Swift's major announcement sparks controversy: Madonna expresses frustration and fans divided

Once again, Taylor Swift has set the record books on fire by breaking a record that many thought would stand the test of time...once again. Her 2024 album The Tortured Poets Department has done it quietly but nonetheless has been slowly climbing week after week and has delivered several surprises along the way. Now, with 12 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, it has surpassed Madonna's Music, a record that no one expected, not even Madonna.

Swift has managed to take the story of her album up a notch from her previous, harmless style. With odd songs, such as "Fortnight" featuring Post Malone, right down to the emotional discharge that appears to ooze from every word, it is readily apparent to everyone that Swift has taken things in a direction some might call farther...and, I'm going to give the world a chance to catch their breath as the conversation ensues. While her current achievement is unfolding, Swift's latest achievement,, fans and critics alike will only be left to wonder how far is too far? The answers could be only beats away.

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Taylor Swift overpass Madonna on the Billboard chart

Taylor Swift redefined history again, again eclipsing the Queen of Pop, Madonna, again with the new album, The Tortured Poets Department, surpassing her classic album Music on the Billboard 200 chart. Once Taylor's fans realized what she had accomplished, they started ranting on social media Thursday. Taylor's 2024 album held the No. 1 position on the Billboard 200 for 12 weeks, which bested Madonna's 11 weeks of No. 1 on the Billboard 200 on her 2000 album Music. Taylor really is the Queen of Pop.

Billboard's official X account tweeted about the achievement and used it as evidence to argue that Swift has never gone away. The Tortured Poets Department, which features the smash hit "Fortnight" featuring Post Malone, has sold 3.2 million equivalent album units in the U.S., according to Billboard data.

As social media filled with excited fans, one tweeting “Taylor's consistency is unreal, she's literally rewriting the record books" Swift herself celebrated on Instagram, posting, "This album means the world to me and to see you all connect with it is everything."

Swift's latest accomplishment adds to her already impressive list of achievements, including 13 No. 1 albums in the U.K. as of February according to Billboard, tying her with Elvis Presley. In the U.S. alone, she now boasts of 12 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 surpassing Madonna's 11, but trailing Barbra Streisand's 14 amongst female singers, while The Beatles have the all-time record with 19 albums. Madonna's Music, a Grammy-winning album that included the songs "Don't Tell Me," was a huge cultural phenomenon, but Swift's modern-day streaming power, with The Tortured Poet's Department racking up 1.8 billion streams globally, obviously has helped.

'Swifties' broke internet after Swift's achievement

Swift quickly broke the Internet and sparked joy amongst fans on X with comments like, "Taylor has defeated Madonna, that is so poetic, she's the queen of this era!" This achievement of Swift's will obviously come after a quiet time for her, following the final show of her Eras Tour in December 2024. Although, she was recently in the limelight at the Grammys, in February, people are still talking about her most recent endeavor: her relationship with Travis Kelce. The fan fiction inspired by their relationship was all the rage.

Swift's record-breaking ability and sentimental connectivity with her fans keeps her in the public eye. The department of tortured poets, with their raw and relatable lyrics, and long list of work surely go hand-in-hand with listeners. Their album's success on the charts is a testament to its impact. As Swifties rejoice in the latest re-use-meaning relationship triumph throughout all time over Madonna, the music industry remains in awe of Swift's tireless hold on the current occasion.