Taylor Swift album "Fearless"-ly heading toward No. 1

Taylor Swift's latest hit, "Love Story," follows a pair of star cross’d lovers hoping for a happy ending; her recently released second album is certainly off to a pretty cheery beginning. Billboard reports that "Fearless," which was released Tuesday, should easily take the No. 1 spot on next week's national sales chart, which would give the 18-year-old singer and songwriter her first chart topper.

"Fearless" had sold more than 200,000 copies by the end of its first day in stores, based on reports from retailers that Billboard says account for 80% of all U.S. album sales. The early returns have prompted the album’s distributor, Universal Music Group, to project a first-week total of around 600,000 copies. That would be the biggest inaugural-week figure for a country album this year, and one of the biggest for any genre for 2008.

Swift has been everywhere in the media lately, including a release-day appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and her prominent place in Wednesday night’s Country Music Assn. Awards show from Nashville.

A No. 1 album would be a sweet birthday present for a musician who turns 19 on Dec. 13.

--Randy Lewis

Photo Ken Hively/Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Country Music Fan]

Taylor Swift is AWWWESOME and MOST of my friends that HATE Country Music happen to LOVE Taylor Swift's music. :)

[den]

I'm so happy for her.... her album sales doing really great. Go Taylor!

[chantellehall]

i love your music and i was wondering if you were cosions with a girl named yessica socie? and i want to vote for you for love story but i don't know how to.

[Dave]

I'm not a fan of country music, but I really like her music. She's one of the most talent musicians in music today. She can actually play an instrument, and writes almost all of her own music.