The year of Taylor Swift came to a close with the pop icon surpassing Elvis Presley’s record for most weeks at No. 1 on Billboard 200 among solo artists. 

The most recent chart, which was announced by Billboard on Sunday, marked 68 cumulative weeks of Ms. Swift’s 13 chart-topping albums holding the No. 1 spot. She surpassed the “King” himself after her most recent album, “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” topped the U.S. album chart for the fifth nonconsecutive time.

Presley had long-held the soloist record of 67 weeks, across 10 albums topping charts between 1956 and 2002. 

Ms. Swift has thanked her fans repeatedly for their support, including in a backstage video during her Eras Tour in November when she tied with Drake for winning the most Billboard Music Awards of all time. 

“Well this is unreal,” she said in an acceptance speech. “The fact that you guys have given me 10 Billboard Awards — I’m talking to the fans specifically — none of this happens without you. The Billboards base everything off of what you are listening to and what you’re passionate about, and I’m so honored that this year you made The Eras Tour so magical,” she said, adding that she felt like “the luckiest person in the world.” 

Only the Beatles — with 132 weeks at No. 1 — have more weeks than Ms. Swift, Billboard noted. The singer’s other No. 1 albums include “Fearless,” “Speak Now,” “Red,” Folklore,” and others that spent weeks on top of the charts since 2008. 

The singer was named TIME Magazine’s “2023 Person of the Year,” as the Sun reported, with the magazine writing that although the singer has long commanded attention, “something shifted” in 2023.
“To discuss her movements felt like discussing politics or the weather — a language spoken so widely it needed no context,” the TIME profile noted. “She became the main character of the world.” Ms. Swift beat several high-profile finalists for the title, including Xi Jinping, Jerome Powell, and Sam Altman.