Chart Commentary — JANUARY 10, 2026

“OPHELIA” BEATS THE “ANTI-HERO”

Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” tops the Billboard Hot 100 for a ninth week, besting “Anti-Hero” as the sole longest-leading hit among her 13 career No. 1s.

“The Fate of Ophelia” surges back to the Hot 100’s summit from No. 28 as holiday hits recede from the chart’s upper reaches, a week after they claimed a weekly-best top 24 positions. The lead single from Swift’s album The Life of a Showgirl reigned in its first eight weeks on the ranking, dating to its mid-October debut. “Anti-Hero” claimed its eight-week No. 1 run upon its start in November 2022.

As “The Fate of Ophelia” one-ups “Anti-Hero” for Swift’s longest Hot 100 rule, here’s a recap of her signature 13 No. 1s, ranked by most weeks at the summit.

1. “The Fate of Ophelia,” nine weeks at No. 1 to date, beginning Oct. 18, 2025
2. “Anti-Hero,” eight weeks, beginning Nov. 5, 2022
3. “Blank Space,” seven weeks, beginning Nov. 29, 2014
4. “Cruel Summer,” four weeks, beginning Oct. 28, 2023
5. “Shake It Off,” four weeks, beginning Sept. 6, 2014
6. “Look What You Made Me Do,” three weeks, beginning Sept. 16, 2017
7. “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” three weeks, beginning Sept. 1, 2012
8. “Fortnight,” feat. Post Malone, two weeks, beginning May 4, 2024
9. “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault],” one week, Nov. 11, 2023
10. “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” one week, Nov. 27, 2021
11. “Willow,” one week, Dec. 26, 2020
12. “Cardigan,” one week, Aug. 8, 2020
13. “Bad Blood,” feat. Kendrick Lamar, one week, June 6, 2015

“The Fate of Ophelia” contributes to Swift’s eight Hot 100 No. 1s totaling 27 weeks on top in the 2020s — both the most among all artists this decade.

Overall, Swift’s 13 No. 1s tie her for the fourth-most in the Hot 100’s history. She has spent 45 weeks atop the chart, eighth-best all-time.

With the latest Hot 100 dated Jan. 10, 2026, Swift has now placed at No. 1 in 11 distinct years (per chart dates), encompassing her 13 leaders: 2012, 2014-15, 2017, 2020-24 and, thanks to “The Fate of Ophelia,” 2025-26.  Among the six acts that have each spent time atop the Hot 100 in 10 or more individual years, Swift now solely boasts the second-best total:

• 22 years: Mariah Carey (1990-2000, 2005-06, 2008, 2019-26; she held the record at 14 years prior to her latest eight years at No. 1 with “All I Want for Christmas Is You”)
• 11 years: Taylor Swift (2012, 2014-15, 2017, 2020-26)
• 10 years: Paul McCartney/Wings (1971, 1973-76, 1978, 1980, 1982-84; additionally, The Beatles, with him as a member, led in seven years: 1964-70)
• 10 years: Beyoncé (2003, 2006-09, 2017-18, 2020, 2022, 2024; plus, Destiny’s Child, with her as a member, ruled in three years: 1999-2001)
• 10 years: Michael Jackson (1972, 1979-80, 1983-84, 1987-88, 1991-92, 1995; also, The Jackson 5, with him in the group, led in 1970)
• 10 years: Madonna (1984-87, 1989-92, 1995, 2000)

“TEXAS” IN THE 10

Ella Langley lands her first Hot 100 top 10, as “Choosin’ Texas” vaults 48-5 (topping its prior No. 11 peak before the holidays). It leads the Hot Country Songs chart for a sixth week.  Langley and Beyoncé are the lone stars with Hot 100 top 10s that name-check Texas in song titles. Prior to Langley (who’s from Alabama), Houston’s own Beyoncé logged two weeks at No. 1 in 2024 with “Texas Hold ‘Em.” (One other such song has hit the top 40: Waylon Jennings’ classic “Luckenbach, Texas [Back to the Basics of Love]” reached No. 25 in 1977. Plus, Mitch Miller’s recording of the traditional American folk song “The Yellow Rose of Texas” was one of the biggest hits of 1955, three years before the Hot 100’s inception.)

NEW PEAKS ABOUND…

Kehlani’s “Folded” rises to a new No. 6 Hot 100 best, from No. 51. It tops the multimetric Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot R&B Songs charts for a fourth week each.

Sombr’s “Back to Friends” bounds 52-7 for a new Hot 100 high, as it adds a 13th week at No. 1 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs.

Jarrett Nolan

I was born a poor Black child into a family that put the “fun” in dysfunction. But through that fun, there was A LOT of music. At a very young age, my parents introduced me to everything ranging from Doo Wop to the British Invasion to Motown to Philly Soul to Psychedlic Rock to Funk.

Since I’m a Jersey boy born-n-bred, I landed a job at WHTZ (Z100) as a producer. I gave the DJs info about artists to read on-air – most of mine were chart-related, naturally.

I did double duty at WSBG, a small market radio station in the Poconos, as a DJ because I have a face for radio.

Through a random twist of fate, I wound up at BMG Distribution in Times Square. Shortly after, I ended up at Arista (shouldn’t have done that!). My career in the music industry ended with a stint at being a personal assistant to alterna-rap act PM Dawn.

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