US: TFM
WW: TFM

tfm

gaga was all over the place in whole world in tfm era, she was being called the new madonna, new britney etc. she was huge!

the impact was just too big

what impact did taylor have with 1989?

The Fame Monster, it's not debatable.

Bad Romance, Poker Face, Just Dance and Telephone destroy all the singles from 1989.

The iconic Paparazzi, Bad Romance and Telephone videos... the night Telephone premiered was like an event, same with Alejandro's premiere.

The iconic Paparazzi VMA performance, the performance with Elton at the Grammys, the night she owned VMAs, the meat dress.

1989 was huge too but TFM is just on another level.

Lmao "no competition" is right. The rest of the girls would never dream of trying to release the same time as Taylor. They'd get slaughtered handedly

Anyway. 1989 was probably bigger in the states. Can't comment too much about anywhere else since I'm unfamiliar with both albums' global chart runs -- which can't even be compared directly since they were released in very different sales climates -- as well as their corresponding cultural ubiquity.

1989 US and WW by A LOT

Definitely 1989.

Let's see...

Album sales:

1989 - 5.8 million
TFM - 1.6 million (incredible sales for an EP)

Hits:

1989 - 3 #1s, 5 Top 10 hits
TFM - 3 Top 5 hits (#2, #3, #5)

Tour:

1989 World Tour - $250 million gross
Monster Ball Tour - $230 million gross

Awards:

1989 - 3 Grammys (Album of the Year; Best Pop Album, Music Video [Bad Blood])
TFM - 3 Grammys (Best Pop Album, Best Pop Record, Music Video [Bad Romance])

In conclusion, 1989 was obviously a BIGGER era. But, as you can see, TFM era was pretty much on par with 1989's success, equivalent number of Grammy awards and near the same amount of Tour gross, both were HUGE. 1989 had more overall sales and more hits, but you have to keep in mind TFM was an EP, a continuation so-to-speak of The Fame, and that album alone actually sold more WW than 1989, 10m vs 15m. So you can argue that they were both pretty big in all aspects, and culturally dominant. But for me, The Fame Monster era was just more impressive considering how HUGE of a name Gaga was in 2010 and how much she accomplished with just an 8-song EP, which was in my opinion, a masterpiece body of work.

If you adjust album sales
2008-1.491B album sales
2014-0.864B album sales

Then TFM=16.5m in 2008
1989's 9.5m would convert to 16.4m in 2008

so album sales=tie (1989 will probably end up bigger)

single sales=TFM (by ALOT)

touring=1989 by ALOT (grossed 20m more adjusted for inflation with 3x less dates)

media domination=TFM

Awards=1989

It just depends which you consider more important, to choose between the two biggest non adele eras of the past 10 years.

TF(M) sold 16m WW
on atrl people generally combine the album+ep, seeing as they were released so close together and packaged together internationally

yeah I mean I've seen that figure a lot but the bulk of the WW combined figure is from TF, and I guess this thread is comparing 1989 vs The Fame Monster and not The Fame era (Just Dance - Paparazzi; right before Bad Romance)

They're both one era though
It's TF(M), you can't even buy the EP alone outside of the US.

Well then if it's The Fame & Fame Monster era, Gaga wins EASILY in all aspects except touring which they were pretty much on par.

1989: 10M in 2015, no re-release

TFM: 17M in 2010, re-release

You'd have to adjust sales or w/e to find out, both received great media attention. However Gaga was way more global than Taylor. Taylor's numbers outside the US are below those of Beyoncé and Rihanna at their peaks, and on Katy's TD range which was a smaller era domestically...

1989

1989 by far. Taylor didn't need to cheat and pass two albums as one to actually sell over 10 million copies. 1989 felt a lot bigger too.

Why are people asking about first week sales ? I thought longevity was the key ?

And even if you count TFM without TF, it's still on par with 1989, with the difference that Bad Romance alone is bigger than the 2 biggest singles from 1989 combined.

TFM obviously especially if u count TF+M. 1989 was one of the biggest eras of our time regardless tho.

Well there you have it

1989