Taylor Swift announced today that she will tour the world in 2011 in support of her blockbuster Speak Now album, which shattered sales records with over a million copies sold in its first week of release.
Taylor is currently slated to play 87 shows in 19 countries spanning four continents on the TAYLOR SWIFT SPEAK NOW WORLD TOUR 2011, which kicks off February 9th in Singapore.
The 2011 dates will include six stadium shows – Foxboro, MA’s Gillette Stadium, Detroit’s Ford Field, Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field, Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium, and Dallas’s Cowboys Stadium. Taylor’s 15-month, 107-date FEARLESS 2009 / 2010 Tour sold out arenas and stadiums in 88 cities in five countries.
Taylor will play shows throughout Asia and Europe during the first quarter of 2011, before kicking off her North American tour on May 27th in Omaha, Neb. SPEAK NOW Tour dates are planned for later in the year in Australia and New Zealand. The North American leg of the tour is sponsored by COVERGIRL®, and ticket prices start at $25.
The SPEAK NOW WORLD TOUR 2011 is one of the most-anticipated musical experiences of the year, as Taylor’s live show is renowned for her incredibly high-energy theatrical presentation of graphics, sets and visual elements, all conceptualized by Taylor herself. During the course of her show, Taylor plays a variety of instruments and has multiple wardrobe changes. Each show, Taylor performs hit after hit from her three Big Machine Records albums, including the chart-topping “Mine,” “Love Story,” “You Belong With Me,” “Our Song,” and “Fifteen.”
“Swift’s fans don’t just believe in her savvy songwriting and gracious, magnetic stage presence. They trust her as a peer,” raved the Los Angeles Times. “And if the unerring pleasures of her set – and the crowd’s Beatles-sized reactions – were any indication, they’ll be trusting her for a long time.” The (Phoenix) Arizona Republic wrote: “Swift shoots to superstardom. Her two-hour set at the sold-out arena showed a level of creativity – and more important, sincerity - which many other acts don’t reach for decades, if ever. There is a new master of the stage in pop music moving quickly up the ladder.”
“I’m so excited to go back out on tour again in 2011!” says Taylor. “The FEARLESS Tour was so much fun and even more unforgettable than I ever imagined, and I can’t wait to get back out and play my new music from Speak Now! The fans have been so amazing, and I’m thrilled to play in new cities around the world and meet even more of my fans in 2011!”
The TAYLOR SWIFT SPEAK NOW WORLD TOUR 2011 will include the following:
DATE CITY
February 9 Singapore
February 11 Seoul, South Korea
February 13 Osaka, Japan
February 16 & 17 Tokyo, Japan
February 19 Manila, Philippines
February 21 Hong Kong
March 6 Brussels, Belgium
March 7 Rotterdam, Holland
March 9 Oslo, Norway
March 12 Oberhausen, Germany
March 15 Milan, Italy
March 17 Paris, France
March 19 Madrid, Spain
March 22 Birmingham, UK
March 25 Belfast, Northern Ireland
March 27 Dublin, Ireland
March 29 Manchester, UK
March 30 London, UK
May 27 & 28 Omaha, Nebraska
May 29 Des Moines, Iowa
June 2 & 3 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
June 4 Orlando, Florida
June 7 Columbus, Ohio
June 8 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
June 11 Detroit, Michigan
June 14 & 15 St. Paul, Minnesota
June 18 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
June 21 Buffalo, New York
June 22 Hartford, Connecticut
June 25 Foxboro, Massachusetts
June 30 Greensboro, North Carolina
July 1 Knoxville, Tennessee
July 2 Louisville, Kentucky
July 8 Charlotte, North Carolina
July 9 & 10 Atlanta, Georgia
July 14 Montreal, Quebec
July 15 & 16 Toronto, Ontario
July 19 & 20 New York, New York
July 28 Grand Rapids, Michigan
July 29 Indianapolis, Indiana
July 30 Cleveland, Ohio
August 2 & 3 Washington, DC
August 6 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
August 9 & 10 Chicago, Illinois
August 13 Lexington, Kentucky
August 14 St. Louis, Missouri
August 18 & 19 Edmonton, Alberta
August 23 & 24 Los Angeles, California
September 1 & 2 San Jose, California
September 3 Sacramento, California
September 6 Portland, Oregon
September 7 Seattle, Washington
September 10 & 11 Vancouver, British Columbia
September 16 & 17 Nashville, Tennessee
September 21 Tulsa, Oklahoma
September 24 Kansas City, Missouri
September 27 Denver, Colorado
September 28 Salt Lake City, Utah
October 4 Little Rock, Arkansas
October 5 New Orleans, Louisiana
October 8 Dallas, Texas
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Next weeks sales projections are in, and Kanye West is on track to top the charts once again. According to the industry insiders at hitsdailydouble.com, Mr. West’s critically-acclaimed new album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, is estimated to sell around 525,000 to 575,000 copies in its first week on shelves, based off the one-day sales figures. If true, these numbers will surpass Yeezy’s last disc, 808s and Heartbreak—which sold about 450,100 .
Nicki Minaj and Lloyd Banks are also set to impact The Billboard Top 200 next Wednesday (December 1). The Young Money Princess’s debut Pink Friday is projected to sell in the area of 375,000 to 425,000 while the G-Unit soldier’s The Hunger for More 2 is believed to move about 40,000 to 50,000 units.
Jay-Z’s The Hits Collection, Vol. 1 will also make it’s way onto to the charts with an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 in sales.
Stay tuned to XXLMag.com on Wednesday morning for the official Nielsen SoundScan numbers. —Elan Mancini
Another big debut will come from My Chemical Romance, which is eyeing 125-150,000 for “Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys.” Down notably from predecessor “The Black Parade,” the performance is still impressive given the band’s notable decline in buzz since that 2006 release.
Ne-Yo’s “Libra Scale” will open to at least 115-140,000, topping Ke$ha’s fellow newcomer “Cannibal.” The separate “Cannibal” EP will do 60-70,000, and the deluxe package should mean sales of her debut “Animal” also jump this week.
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That Rihanna reign just won’t let up. The pop siren has lots to be thankful for this Thanksgiving after scoring her career best on the charts this week.
The red-haired singer swoops in at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with 207,000 copies sold of her fifth album Loud, earning her a career best in first-week sales and her fifth top 10 bow.
Meanwhile, RiRi claims her ninth No. 1 single with “Only Girl (In the World),” a feat that puts her in prestigious territory. With the accomplishment, the Bajan crooner becomes the only artist since 2000 to have as many chart-topping singles, besting Usher who has scored eight No. 1s since the start of the decade. Not only that, but “Only Girl” becomes her fourth No. 1 single this year, making her the first female and first overall artist since Usher to nab as many No. 1 tracks in a year, according to Billboard.
She celebrated by sharing her excitement on Twitter. “Only Girl is no. 1!!! HOLY FUCK!!! And thx to u guys, I’ve had the biggest first week of all my albums so far! #whosloud ???? We are bitches,” she wrote. “Congrats to RihannaNavy! We breakin our OWN records!!! 9 no.1′s baby…We got the #CenturyOnLockWho’s badder than yall??”
After holding down the top spot two weeks ago, her second single “What’s My Name?” drops 7-8 on the Hot 100, while the Drake-assisted collaboration earns Airplay Gainer for the fourth consecutive week.
Keeping Rihanna company on the Billboard 200 is Scottish singer Susan Boyle, who bows at No. 1 with 335,000 copies sold of her holiday album The Gift, while Nelly’s 5.0 enters at No. 10 with 63,000 units.
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Two weeks after topping the Billboard Hot 100 with "What's My Name?" (featuring Drake), Rihanna will return to No. 1 on the chart released Thursday (Nov. 25) with "Only Girl (In the World)," the debut single from her new album, "Loud."
It's the first time in Hot 100 history that an album's debut single reaches No. 1 after the second single does. "What's My Name" dips 7-8 on the Hot 100, though it does take the Airplay Gainer for a fourth straight week. "Loud, meanwhile, debuts at No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
"Only Girl" is Rihanna's fourth single to ascend to No. 1 in 2010, making her the first female, and first artist overall since Usher in 2004, to hit the top that many times in a single calendar year. Rihanna also moves to the forefront for most No. 1s in the millennium (since 2000), as "Only Girl" is her ninth track to lead the list. She had been tied with Usher for the past two weeks, with eight chart-toppers since 2000.
The latest "Glee" episode, titled "The Substitute," brings only a pair of titles by the cast onto the Hot 100, each one featuring guest vocals by Gwyneth Paltrow. Coming in at No. 11 as the Hot Shot Debut is the "Glee" Cast's version of Cee Lo Green's "Forget You," while "Singing in the Rain/Umbrella" debuts at No. 18.
After topping Digital Songs for the first time last week with its cover of "Teenage Dream," the ensemble goes for back-to back No. 1s, as "Forget You" debuts atop that chart with 192,000 downloads, according to Nielsen SoundScan. "Rain/Umbrella" shifts 140,000, while Green's own "F**k You (Forget You)" is lifted into the top 10 of the Hot 100 for the first time, on the wings of the "Glee" Cast cover. The original recording, including its version with decidedly un-"Glee"-like language, is the top Digital Gainer, moving 191,000 (up 94%), a week after its previous best sale frame (98,000). The explicit version makes up 68% of the title's sales for this week.
Elsewhere in the Hot 100 top 10, P!nk celebrates the holiday week with a 4-2 lift for "Raise Your Glass," while Far*East Movement seems to have exhausted its No. 1 run, dropping to No. 3 after three non-consecutive weeks.
Ke$ha rebounds 6-4 with "We R Who We R," which debuted at No. 1 three weeks ago due to a huge opening week sales frame. Nelly's "Just a Dream" spends an eighth consecutive week in the top five, holding at No. 5.
Katy Perry streaks to No. 6 with "Firework," with the track showing a steady upward trajectory in its five weeks on the list (57-29-10-9-6). Bruno Mars dips 3-7 with "Just The Way You Are," while follow-up single "Grenade" explodes 30-17, improving more than 50% in both sales (up 58% to 100,000 downloads) and audience (up 51% to 37.1 million impressions). Rounding out the top 10 is Trey Songz, who holds onto the anchor spot for a second week.
Dr. Dre makes his first chart appearance as a lead act in more than 10 years, as "Kush," featuring Snoop Dogg & Akon debuts at No. 48. The song moved 45,000 during a partial week of sales. The last time the rap icon appeared on the list with his own track was when "The Next Episode" peaked at No. 23 in July 2000.
Akon also assists another chart legend this week, aiding Michael Jackson on the King of Pop's 48th Hot 100 hit, "Hold My Hand," which debuts at No. 84. Akon also appeared on Jackson's last charting effort, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008," which peaked at No. 81 in February of that year. Jackson's new track sold 19,000 in less than three days of availability as it reached digital retailers on Friday, Nov. 19.
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