There is always a subtle tension between hardcore rap and country music fans. The reason obviously is the genres being poles apart from each other in every sense. And the greatest power players in both these genres today, Eminem and Taylor Swift are once again facing off. Both have long held the reputation for being the only artists to produce a dozen titles and yet surpass at least 500,000 units sold. However, with the release of 'The Tortured Poets Department', Taylor Swift seems to be edging ahead of the hip-hop legend.

The pop sensation is now giving Eminem, whom some might say is the greatest rapper of all time, a serious run for his money in setting a record. And it appears the rapper may struggle to keep pace. 

Taylor Swift sold 2.61 million units in the first week of 'The Tortured Poets Department' hitting the shelves. It had the largest sales week for any album since Adele’s ‘25’ and also became the sixth-largest sales week for an album. While Eminem’s 'The Marshall Mathers' LP had 1.76 million, Taylor Swift’s 'The Tortured Poets Department' had 1.4 million, as of April 2024. However, with the eventual rise in popularity for the 2024 album, and multiple variant releases, Swift is now less than 2 million units away from surpassing Eminem.

This record would crown Swift with the title of the best-selling artist debuted in the last 41 years. This came right after the songstress surpassed Eminem as the best-selling artist of the century earlier this year. However, when it comes to being the best-selling music artist of all time, Eminem has worldwide sales of over 220 million records, while Swift has only scratched the surface of over 200 million. Nonetheless, fans argue that Swift’s massive record sales cannot be compared to Eminem’s, for a significant reason. 

Taylor Swift Surpasses the Musical Genius of the Beatles in Latest Billboard Milestone

While both Swift and Eminem’s work has been top-notch, there is a major difference in the quantity and frequency of their releases. 

Taylor Swift has released one of her lengthiest albums to date, ‘The Tortured Poets Department,' which has 17 standard tracks in total- 16 regular tracks and one bonus track, along with dozens of variants. This has consistently kept the pop star at the top of the charts and resulted in massive sales. However, fans have criticized Swift for saturating the market and not giving other artists a fair chance.

Taylor Swift's frequent releases, particularly with 'The Tortured Poets Department,' have undoubtedly played a big role in her massive sales figures. But this has not been the case with Eminem. Yet, with Eminem working on new music soon, as was hinted by Dr. Dre, he may once again make history and overshadow Swift's record of 'The Tortured Poets Department'.

Taylor Swift Makes Yet Another ‘The Tortured Poet’s Department’ Record, but This Time She Has to Share It With a Legend

What do you think about Taylor Swift inching closer to surpassing Eminem? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!