Record-Breaking Anticipation
Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated album, The Life of a Showgirl, has already made headlines by breaking a Spotify record weeks before its official release on October 3. On August 3, Spotify announced via Instagram that the album has achieved the distinction of being the most pre-saved album Countdown Page in the platform’s history.
In tandem with the announcement, the streaming service introduced an exclusive playlist titled And, baby, that’s show business for you on August 14. This playlist comprises 22 tracks produced by Swift’s long-time collaborators Max Martin and Shellback, featuring selections from her iconic albums 1989, Red, and Reputation. As of now, the playlist has garnered over 440,000 saves.
Taylor’s Spotify Dominance
At 35 years old, Swift continues to reign over the Spotify landscape. In 2024, she was recognized as Spotify’s global top artist for the second consecutive year, amassing more than 26.6 billion streams. Her album The Tortured Poets Department was also the top-streamed album of the year.
Swift’s 2019 hit “Cruel Summer” is notable as well, having ranked ninth on the list of most-streamed songs globally.
“Top Streamed Artist AND Album on @spotify this year?! You guys are unbelievable,” Swift exclaimed on Instagram Stories in December when she learned of her achievements. “What an amazing thing to find out going into our last weekend of eras shows 💋 THANK YOU!”
Insights into the New Album
Swift unveiled her 12th album during her guest appearance on the podcast New Heights, hosted by her now-fiancé Travis Kelce and his brother Jason Kelce. During the announcement, she shared the cover art and the tracklist, which includes titles like Elizabeth Taylor, The Fate of Ophelia, Eldest Daughter, Actually Romantic, and the title track The Life of a Showgirl, featuring Sabrina Carpenter.
“This album is about what was going on behind my scenes in my inner life during this tour, which was so exuberant and electric and vibrant,” she stated, reflecting on the creative process that spanned her Eras Tour. “I’m so proud of it, and it just comes from the most infectiously joyful, wild, dramatic place I was in my life. That effervescence has come through on this record.”
Moreover, Swift provided insights into the visuals for the album cover, which showcases her partially submerged in a striking outfit embellished with mint green and shimmery orange accents. “My day ends with me in a bathtub, not usually in a bedazzled dress,” Swift explained. “I wanted to sort of, like, glamorize all the different aspects of how that tour felt, and that’s how that felt to be at the end of the night when all this has gone down.”
The Life of a Showgirl will officially be available on October 3 and is currently open for pre-save.
