Taylor Swift is once again the queen of the Billboard charts this week.
Her album, Lover, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 selling close to 900,000 copies. It’s the biggest first week sales since her last effort, Reputation, dropped in 2017.
Two of the songs from Lover benefited greatly on the Billboard Hot 100 as a result of her performing them at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards on Monday, August 26.
Her LGBT anthem, “You Need To Calm Down,” which features the likes of RuPaul and the Queer Eye cast in its colorful video, soared from number fourteen to four. The track initially debuted at number two earlier this summer but was held off by Lil Nas X‘s “Old Town Road.” That track eventually became the longest-running number one single in Billboard Hot 100 history in August.
“YNTCD” scored Video of the Year and Video for Good at the VMA’s. Presenter John Travolta made a big snafu when he gave the VOTY trophy to RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Jade Jolie (who was the inspiration behind Alyssa Edwards‘ now legendary catchphrase “BACK ROLLS?!?!”) instead of Taylor herself. Jade played the “Blank Space” singer during the season 5 Snatch Game in 2013.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIRCskNRTDY
The title track from Taylor’s new album rose from nineteen to ten. This gave the Pennsylvania native her 25th overall top ten Billboard Hot 100 single. She now ties Elvis Presley for the 10th-most top 10s all-time. Who leads that incredible list? One of the biggest gay icons to ever exist: Madonna, with thirty eight.
“YNTCM” was met with mixed reviews from the gay community, with some loving it while others thinking her support for us was fake.