Taylor Swift is rewriting the history books in the music industry! Following her conquest of Elvis Presley’s records, she has now surpassed Michael Jackson. Swift’s The Eras Tour documentary has achieved historic success, becoming the highest-grossing film in box office history among concert and documentary films, raking in a whopping $261.6 million globally. 

This remarkable feat easily eclipsed the performance of Michael Jackson’s This Is It documentary, which held the title of the highest-grossing documentary with a $261.2 million global earning. This Is It‘s success was primarily fueled by Japan’s $58.4 million and the United Kingdom’s $16 million contributions. Taylor Swift’s achievement came just days after she tied one of Elvis Presley’s records with her latest re-release, ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’.

The album secured an impressive four non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. This achievement placed Swift on equal footing with Elvis Presley, making her the solo artist with the most weeks at No. 1 on the chart. Taylor Swift continued to dominate the Billboard 200 chart, holding the top spot for an astounding 67 consecutive weeks. Boasting an impressive ten No. 1 albums, Taylor Swift now stands as one of the highest-certified music artists in the U.S. and a global best-seller.

While this was certainly not the first time Swift has found herself in the same league as Presley, it was also not the first time where she has surpassed Michael Jackson’s record.

Taylor Swift broke Michael Jackson’s record even before the documentary clash

Taylor Swift claimed the top spot on the most-consumed songs in the US, as ‘Is It Over Now?’ dethroned ‘Cruel Summer’. With this new addition to her repertoire, Swift once again etched her name in Hot 100 history in November 2023. ‘Is It Over Now?’ marked Swift’s third No. 1 hit on the Hot 100 in 2023. The last time an artist accomplished the rare feat of having three songs from different albums claim the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100 in a calendar year dates back to 1970.

The trailblazers behind this achievement were none other than the Jackson 5, the band that catapulted Michael Jackson to international fame. Jackson notched up an impressive six No. 1 hits, with the crown jewel being the 37-week chart-topping spree of ‘Thriller’ in 1983-84. His last hit at No. 1 was the soundtrack to Michael Jackson’s ‘This Is It’ in 2009. However, Swift not only raised the bar on his musical record but also left his documentary in the dust.

What do you think about Taylor Swift’s record-breaking achievement? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!