Taylor Swift and K-pop set the benchmark for global album sales in 2023, new data published by the IFPI reveals.
Following the release last week of its Global Music Report 2023, the IFPI published three year-end albums charts, breaking down the biggest titles by sales and formats (vinyl and streaming).
The K-pop phenomenon continues to power ahead, proof of which can be seen on the IFPI Global Album Sales Chart 2023. SEVENTEEN’s FML leads an all-K-pop top five on the tally, which measures global unit sales – or “pure sales” – across all physical formats, as well as full album downloads.
Following its release in 2023, FML landed at No. 1 in South Korea and Japan, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and went on to sell 6.4 million units globally, sending the title to No. 1 on the previously-announced IFPI Global Album Chart. FML also smashed the record for most pre-orders ever for an album in South Korea, according to the Federation.
An “unprecedented” 19 of the top 20 titles on the IFPI Global Album Sales Chart were created by South Korean acts, demonstrating the K-pop genre’s “global dominance of the physical album format,” reads a statement from the IFPI, issued Thursday, March 28.
The one only non-Korean act to crack the top 20 (at No. 6) was reigning, four-time IFPI global recording artist of the year Taylor Swift, whose album 1989 (Taylor’s Version) also topped the IFPI Global Vinyl Album Chart. Indeed, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) leads an all-TayTay top 3 on the wax tally, ahead of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) and Midnights, respectively. Swift snags seven of the top 20, including folklore (at No. 7), Lover (No. 9), evermore (No. 13) and Red (Taylor’s Version) (No. 15).
U.S. country star Morgan Wallen lassos his first IFPI Global Chart No. 1 with One Thing at a Time, his Billboard 200 leader. The 36-track double LP tops the IFPI Global Streaming Album Chart, which counts global streams from both ad-supported and subscription platforms. The streaming list calculates a weighted global unit number taking into account differing economics across regions. Wallen also appears at No. 9 with Dangerous: The Double Album, released in 2021.
“As highlighted in IFPI’s Global Music Report,” comments Lewis Morrison, director of global charts & certifications at IFPI, revenues from both digital and physical music formats continue to see healthy growth, and the combination of fantastic artistry, format variety and the tireless work of record labels is the foundation on which this growth is built.
The charts, he continues, “are a great summary of a fantastic year for global recorded music.”
IFPI Global Album Sales Chart 2023
PositionArtistAlbumUnits1SEVENTEENFML6.4m2Stray Kids5-STAR5.3m3NCT DREAMISTJ4.6m4SEVENTEENSEVENTEENTH HEAVEN4.5m5Stray KidsROCK-STAR4.2m6Taylor Swift1989 (Taylor’s Version)2.8m7Jung KookGOLDEN2.7m8EXOEXIST2.3m9IVEI’ve MINE2.2m10VLayover2.2m11ZEROBASEONEYOUTH IN THE SHADE2.2m12aespaMY WORLD2.1m13TOMORROW X TOGETHERThe Name Chapter : FREEFALL2.0m14(G)I-DLEI feel2.0m15NCT 127Fact Check1.9m16ENHYPENDARK BLOOD1.7m17IVEI’ve IVE1.7m18JiminFACE1.7m19ENHYPENORANGE BLOOD1.7m20aespaDrama1.5m
IFPI Global Vinyl Album Chart 2023
PositionArtistAlbumUnits1Taylor Swift1989 (Taylor’s Version)1,400k2Taylor SwiftSpeak Now (Taylor’s Version)684k3Taylor SwiftMidnights562k4Travis ScottUTOPIA415k5Pink FloydThe Dark Side of The Moon402k6Olivia RodrigoGUTS398k7Taylor Swiftfolklore377k8Lana Del ReyDid you know that…352k9Taylor SwiftLover323k10Fleetwood MacRumours323k11The Rolling StonesHackney Diamonds305k12Lana Del ReyBorn To Die256k13Taylor Swiftevermore237k14QueenGreatest Hits227k15Taylor SwiftRed (Taylor’s Version)225k16Tyler, The CreatorIGOR218k17Michael JacksonThriller217k18Metallica72 Seasons206k19Harry StylesHarry’s House204k20boygeniusthe record200k
IFPI Global Streaming Album Chart 2023
PositionArtistAlbum1Morgan WallenOne Thing At A Time2SZASOS3Taylor SwiftMidnights4Bad BunnyUn Verano Sin Ti5Metro BoominHEROES & VILLAINS6Taylor SwiftLover7The WeekndStarboy8KAROL GMañana Será Bonito9Morgan WallenDangerous: The Double Album10Taylor Swift198911Miley CyrusEndless Summer Vacation12Travis ScottUTOPIA13Harry StylesHarry’s House14Taylor Swiftfolklore15Drake & 21 SavageHer Loss16DrakeFor All The Dogs17The WeekndAfter Hours18Taylor Swiftreputation19Zach BryanAmerican Heartbreak20Olivia RodrigoSOUR
