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Taylor Swift continues her reign over the music charts, clinching the top spot for both the No. 1 album and song in America for the third consecutive week. Her groundbreaking album, The Life of a Showgirl, debuted less than a month ago on the Billboard 200 with a record-breaking opening, selling over four million equivalent units, marking the highest debut in history.
Simultaneously, Swift achieved an unprecedented feat by capturing the top 12 positions on the Hot 100 chart, with all tracks from her latest album. Leading the charge, her song “The Fate of Ophelia” has secured its place as the most popular hit in the U.S., topping the charts and adding yet another No. 1 single to her collection.
Since its release, no other artist has come close to dethroning Swift from these coveted positions. By maintaining her dominance over both the Billboard 200 and the Hot 100, Swift further cements her legacy with an unbroken record streak.
According to Billboard, this achievement marks a historic first. With The Life of a Showgirl and “The Fate of Ophelia,” Swift becomes the first artist to debut at No. 1 on both charts and sustain that top position for three consecutive weeks. While she has flirted with this milestone before, this time she surpasses her own previous records.
The Life of a Showgirl and “The Fate of Ophelia” Make History Together
Swift’s prior albums, The Tortured Poets Department and Midnights, also initially dominated the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 simultaneously, each holding the dual top spots for the first two weeks of their release.
In 2024, The Tortured Poets Department enjoyed 12 weeks at the helm of the Billboard 200 before briefly stepping down, only to reclaim the top position several times. Its leading single, “Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone, topped the charts for two weeks until Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” claimed the No. 1 spot.
The Tortured Poets Department Set the Stage
Swift’s two most recent albums of original material before The Life of a Showgirl — The Tortured Poets Department and Midnights — and their lead singles commanded the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 at the same time for the first two weeks they were out in the world.
In 2024, The Tortured Poets Department spent 12 frames running the show before finally stepping aside, only to return to the summit on the Billboard 200 multiple times. The album’s lead smash “Fortnight,” a collaboration with Post Malone, only managed its first two stays on the throne before Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” pushed past it and hit No. 1.
“Anti-Hero” and Midnights Ruled Together
Two years prior, Swift managed essentially the same feat with Midnights — only the song was more successful. In that instance, Midnights spent its first two stints on the Billboard 200 at No. 1, while “Anti-Hero” became Swift’s longest-running champions. “Anti-Hero” reached the top spot at the same time as its parent album, but the cut went on to command the list for half a dozen frames in a row and a total of eight weeks at No. 1, while Midnights stepped aside earlier than usual.
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – AUGUST 28: Taylor Swift attends the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on August 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/FilmMagic)
FilmMagic
1989 Cemented Taylor Swift’s Pop Dominance
A decade ago, when Swift pivoted to pure pop with 1989, the set opened with almost 1.3 million units and refused to move for three consecutive frames. For the first two, “Shake It Off” also topped the Hot 100 — and then Swift replaced herself when “Blank Space” ruled for the rest of the year.
That feat is different from the one she manages this frame for several reasons. First, “Shake It Off” had already debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in September, and it returned to the highest rung when 1989 arrived. Also, “Blank Space” took over for “Shake It Off,” meaning Swift didn’t see one tune rule for the first three frames that 1989 sat at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, but rather a pair of different, but nearly equally huge, cuts.
Tame Impala Ends Taylor Swift’s Vinyl Reign
Three frames into its time on the Billboard charts, The Life of a Showgirl is still in charge of all but one ranking this period. Swift steps back from the summit on the Vinyl Albums tally, making room for Deadbeat by Tame Impala to open at No. 1. The Life of a Showgirl continues unmoved on the Billboard 200, Top Album Sales, and Top Streaming Albums charts.
“The Fate of Ophelia” Leads Multiple Billboard Rankings
Meanwhile, “The Fate of Ophelia” leads the Hot 100, Streaming Songs, and Digital Song Sales charts. The cut does step back from running the show on both of Billboard’s global lists, but only by one spot. At the same time, the catchy release improves its standing on all three pop radio rankings, hitting new peaks on two of them and holding at its all-time best showing on both the general Radio Songs chart and the Adult Contemporary tally.
