Swifties knew Tool’s new album was trouble when it walked in – it’s looking likely that it’ll topple Taylor Swift’s top spot with Lover on the Billboard 200 chart.
On August 30, Tool released their first album in 13 years. Titled Fear Inoculum, it’s a seven-track, 85-minute long release.
So, how on earth will it manage to dethrone one of the world’s biggest pop stars?
A week ago Fear Inoculum reached the number one spot on iTunes’ top album sales. According to Chart Data, the prog metal album is expected to reach between 240,000 and 260,000 albums in the US alone for its first week sales, with 220,000 to 240,000 being actual sales.
How does this effect Swift? Lover – her first album in two years following reputation – came out August 23, and obviously debuted at number with just over 885,000 sales in its first week.
Also, unlike Tool’s more lax consumer strategy, there were a number of different bundles for Swifties to buy: some including merchandise and concert tickets, and even a deluxe edition that comes with four discs.
However, her second week sales are projected to reach between 185,000 and 200,000 – thereby placing Tool at the top of the chart.
It’s pretty funny that a veteran metal band are likely going to take the top spot from an artist like Taylor Swift – especially considering how passionate her fans are. It’s safe to say, there’s some Bad Blood coming out of Swift’s fanbase.
One Twitter user wrote: ‘You know I really love to see it I truly was nervous she wouldn’t pass Lover just because I know the [Taylor Swift] fanbase is so big … anyways who the f*ck is TOOL? and can they move their fat ass like genuinely no idea who that is am i the only one?’
Another user wrote: ‘Keep streaming and buying Lover! F*ck Tool’
As it would turn out, members of Swift’s church generally aren’t familiar with Tool’s work.
One user wrote: ‘Apparently they were really big in the 90s… a 13 year comeback.’
The response from the Tool camp: hilarity. The fans are eating up the hysterical response of Swifties, with one user writing: ‘Just made my day to find out that Taylor Swift fans are crying about Tool taking over the charts. Lolololol.’
Another user wrote: ‘It gives me hope for the world that Tool is outselling Taylor Swift.’
If Tool do take the top spot, it’ll be one of those magical musical anomalies – like when the world banded together to campaign Rage Against The Machine‘s Killing In The Name for Christmas number one in 2009.
While Swift’s Lover had the best first-week sales in almost two years – according to Forbes – their vicious protection only makes the race funnier. And, as someone who’s literally just listened to Tool for the first time, they have a new fan.
Hopefully they shake it off when the chart is officially announced.
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After graduating from Glasgow Caledonian University with an NCTJ and BCTJ-accredited Multimedia Journalism degree, Cameron ventured into the world of print journalism at The National, while also working as a freelance film journalist on the side, becoming an accredited Rotten Tomatoes critic in the process. He’s now left his Scottish homelands and took up residence at UNILAD as a journalist.