Taylor Swift’s new “Eras Tour Book” cannot become a New York Times bestseller — no matter its inevitable success — because she only released it at Target.
“A title sold exclusively by a single vendor does not qualify for tracking,” the Times confirmed to Esquire ahead of Friday’s release.
The “Cruel Summer” singer announced last month that she would be releasing a 256-page hardcover book ($39.99) to share “personal reflections, never-before-seen behind-the-scenes photos [and] all the magical memories” from her blockbuster tour, which began in March 2023.
Swift, 34, also confirmed that it would be sold in-person at Target on Black Friday “while supplies last” before becoming available on the retailer’s website Saturday.
Her decision to sell the book exclusively through Target may not surprise a lot of Swifties, as she has released special editions of her albums at the store since 2008, including the “Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology” vinyl, which also made its Target debut Friday.
However, Swift has sparked some controversy with the move, with small, independent bookstores being disappointed that they cannot sell it to her massive fan base.
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“When it was announced that the book would be exclusively available at Target, I was bummed,” Rosa Hernandez, the marketing manager at Third Place Books in Seattle, told Esquire.
“If that book was available at indie bookstores, the sales from it would have absolutely helped indie bookstores during the holiday season,” Hernandez continued. “Many stores rely on the holiday season to help keep their stores open throughout the year.”
Swift explains in the book that she decided to embark on her “massive” Eras Tour while re-recording her old albums and falling “back in love” with her back catalog.
The Grammy winner later writes that her goal with the tour was to “honor” both “new fans and fans who have been there since day one.”
She shares that she gave “absolutely everything” to her fans in the audience and focused on becoming “more disciplined and committed to [her] health, fitness and stamina” while on the road.
“We do this because we love having the rare opportunity to create happiness and wonder up on that stage,” she writes.
“We do it because we know it takes time and effort and money and energy to plan out coming to a concert.”
Swift kicked off the Eras Tour in March 2023 in Arizona. It will end on Dec. 8 in Vancouver, Canada.
The worldwide tour has already grossed more than $1 billion and was filmed for her “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” concert movie,” which made $267 million in theaters.
