Taylor Swift and Breaking Bad Set Guinness World Records—Find Out Why!

Hitmaker's chart performance earns her some pretty unusual distinctions while one of television's most popular dramas is recognized for its embrace among critics

By Josh Grossberg Sep 05, 2013 4:48 PMTags
Taylor Swift, Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston, Walter WhiteTom Meinelt / Splash News; Frank Ockenfels 3/AMC

Taylor Swift and Breaking Bad have all earned a place in the 2014 Guinness Book of World Records.

Let's start off with AMC's smash series which, according to the record-keeping site, accomplished the remarkable feat of being the Highest-Rated TV Series (Current) after garnering a 99 out of 110 metacritic.com score for its fifth and final season.

That may not come as much of a surprise to the show's rabid fan base who worship Breaking Bad's meth-dealing middle-aged, cancer-stricken chemistry teacher played brilliantly by Bryan Cranston.

On the tube side, it's also worth noting the eternally youthful Betty White took the mark for the Longest TV Career for a Entertainer (Female) at age 91. The actress has worked 74 years on the small screen and is best known for roles on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Golden Girls and Hot in Cleveland.

As far as musical milestones, Swift has the Fastest-Selling Digital Single with "We Are Never Getting Back Together," which soared to the top of the iTunes singles sales chart just 50 minutes after it was released in August 2012.

The 23-year-old country songbird is also the first solo female artist to notch two million-selling weeks on the U.S. Billboard album charts, having done so with 2010's Speak Now, which sold 1.047 million copies and last year's Red, which racked up sales of 1.2 million. Both records also debuted at No. 1.

Not far behind her, by the way, was ex-boyfriend Harry Styles as he and his bandmates in One Direction snagged the record for the Highest Debut by a U.K. Band on the U.S. Singles Chart with their 2012 hit, "Live While We're Young" premiering at No. 3 on the singles chart. The quintet also has the Most Twitter Followers for a Pop Group with 14.8 million as of press time.

Splash News/Mercury Press

Other world records of note were set by Rihanna who's the Most Liked Person on Facebook with 75 million as of press time. Justin Bieber scored records for the following: First Ever Solo Artist to Have Three No.1 U.S. and U.K. Albums Before Age of 18 as well as the First Musician With a Music Channel Viewed 3 Billion Times. And Demi Lovato took the title of youngest X-Factor judge having joined the panel of Simon Cowell's hit reality competition at age 19.

"Guinness Book of World Records 2014???! SO cool!!! Haha," tweeted the singer.

Last but not least, "Gangnam Style" rapper PSY, nabbed the distinction of having the Most Viewed Video Online in 24 Hours for his follow up single, "Gentleman." And "Gangnam" is also has the Most Liked Video Online with over 7.5 million "like" votes.