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Taylor Swift Closing in on Mariah Carey’s All-Time Sales Total
Taylor Swift’s Climb Toward Mariah Carey’s Sales Record
In the evolving landscape of global album sales, streaming now holds greater weight than physical sales. Despite this shift, Taylor Swift continues to excel. Her dedicated fanbase, known as the Swifties, consistently supports her through both purchases and streaming.
Taylor has already surpassed Whitney Houston’s all-time album sales. Now, she’s closing in on Mariah Carey’s record. However, Mariah is struggling to widen the gap as Taylor’s daily numbers climb rapidly.
Iconic Female Artists and Their Impact
For years, iconic female artists like Madonna, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston have dominated the music industry. Each has surpassed 150 million album sales worldwide, establishing themselves as enduring legends.
Despite this success, the music landscape is changing. Physical sales have declined, replaced by streaming equivalents where 1,500 streams equal one album sale. While this new metric seems challenging, increased global access to music has made reaching such milestones more achievable.
Taylor Swift’s Rising Sales
Taylor Swift has thrived in this new environment. Her devoted fans continue to purchase physical editions while embracing streaming. According to Chartmasters.org, Taylor Swift’s global equivalent album sales currently stand at 164 million — placing her ahead of ABBA.
Taylor’s massive streaming numbers are a key factor in her success. She averages 98 million daily streams on Spotify, translating to roughly 140,000 daily album sales — excluding physical sales. This rapid growth has allowed her to bypass Whitney Houston and edge closer to Mariah Carey.
Mariah Carey’s Current Sales Standing
Mariah Carey’s most recent sales data was analyzed by Chartmasters in 2017. While her daily streaming numbers are actively tracked, her physical sales since then are less documented.
Mariah averages 3.7 million daily streams on Spotify (excluding her Christmas peak). On YouTube, she averages an additional 1.8 million daily views. Combined, this translates to 5,000-6,000 equivalent album sales daily — a significant number but far behind Swift’s 140,000.
As of today, Mariah Carey’s cumulative equivalent album sales sit at 192 million. Some sources claim her total is closer to 200 million units, but this includes:
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50 million digital single downloads
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36 million physical single sales
For consistency, Chartmasters recalculates these figures using the industry-standard conversion:
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10 digital downloads = 1 album sale
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3 physical singles = 1 album sale
This recalculation confirms Mariah’s 192 million equivalent album sales.
Mariah’s Missing Sales Data
Mariah’s current figure doesn’t account for her recent physical sales. Although her post-2017 sales may not drastically change her total, they still contribute valuable numbers.
Key Milestones Since 2017
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“All I Want for Christmas Is You” — An estimated 51,000 equivalent album sales from pure digital downloads over six years.
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25th Anniversary Edition of “Merry Christmas” — Added 6,666 equivalent album sales from special vinyl and cassette releases.
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Deluxe Edition of “Merry Christmas” — An estimated 17,000 album sales since 2019.
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#MC30 Celebration — Added 90,000 physical album sales from sold-out vinyl reissues.
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#JusticeForGlitter Campaign — Added 4,215 album sales from a surge in digital downloads.
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“Caution” Album — Sold 250,000 physical copies globally since 2018.
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“The Rarities” Album — Added 30,000 physical sales, plus 1,666 equivalent sales from the “Here We Go Around Again” cassette release.
Combined, these milestones contribute 439,447 album-equivalent sales — still unaccounted for in Mariah’s main total.
Projecting the Future Sales Gap
Taylor Swift currently averages 140,000 equivalent album sales daily compared to Mariah’s 6,000. This substantial difference means Taylor could surpass Mariah’s total by mid-December 2023.
However, Mariah’s streaming numbers typically surge during the Christmas season. This seasonal boost may slow Taylor’s progress, potentially delaying the milestone until January 2024.
Conclusion
While Taylor Swift’s rapid growth is impressive, Mariah Carey’s iconic status remains untouchable. Her timeless music continues to inspire millions, and her legendary career solidifies her position as one of the greatest female artists of all time. Regardless of future chart changes, for many fans, Mariah Carey will always be number one.
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