Chart Commentary — FEBRUARY 28, 2026
#1
OPALITE
by Taylor Swift (Republic)
A SWIFT LEAP FOR “OPALITE”
The sky’s the limit for Taylor Swift’s “Opalite,” which bounds seven spots to become her 14th No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Opalite” is the second Hot 100 leader from Swift’s 2025 album The Life of a Showgirl, after “The Fate of Ophelia” ruled for a personal-best 10 weeks beginning in October. The set, on Republic Records, becomes her second to generate multiple leaders, after 1989 (“Shake It Off,” “Blank Space” and “Bad Blood,” featuring Kendrick Lamar) in 2014-15.
“Opalite” tops the Hot 100 (after initially peaking at No. 2 upon its October debut) sparked by a surge of physical sales that shipped to consumers and new remixes released during the tracking week. Earlier in February, its official video premiered.
LUCKY 14 PUTS TAYLOR IN A TIE FOR THIRD
Swift ties Rihanna for the third-most Hot 100 No. 1s, after only The Beatles (20) and Mariah Carey (19), dating to the chart’s start. “Opalite” is Swift’s ninth No. 1 since 2020, extending her mark for the most this decade.
Most Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s:
- 20, The Beatles
- 19, Mariah Carey
- 14, Rihanna
- 14, Taylor Swift
- 13, Drake
- 13, Michael Jackson
- 12, Madonna
- 12, The Supremes
- 11, Whitney Houston
- 10, Janet Jackson
- 10, Bruno Mars
- 10, Stevie Wonder
Here’s a rundown of Swift’s 14 Hot 100 No. 1s:
- “Opalite,” one week at No. 1 to date, Feb. 28, 2026
- “The Fate of Ophelia,” 10 weeks, beginning Oct. 18, 2025
- “Fortnight,” feat. Post Malone, two, May 4, 2024
- “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault],” one, Nov. 11, 2023
- “Cruel Summer,” four, Oct. 28, 2023
- “Anti-Hero,” eight, Nov. 5, 2022
- “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” one, Nov. 27, 2021
- “Willow,” one, Dec. 26, 2020
- “Cardigan,” one, Aug. 8, 2020
- “Look What You Made Me Do,” three, Sept. 16, 2017
- “Bad Blood,” feat. Kendrick Lamar, one, June 6, 2015
- “Blank Space,” seven, Nov. 29, 2014
- “Shake It Off,” four, Sept. 6, 2014
- “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” three, Sept. 1, 2012
With nine Hot 100 No. 1s in the 2020s, Swift widens her lead over Drake (seven) for the most this decade. BTS and Ariana Grande follow with six each in the ‘20s.
Plus, Swift and Mariah Carey are the only acts to rank at No. 1 on Hot 100 charts dated in each year this decade, with Carey having extended her streak with “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Career-wide, Swift has reigned in 11 distinct years, second only to Carey’s 22.
Here’s another list of the Top 10 acts totalling their career weeks at Number One…
- 101 – Mariah Carey
- 79 – Elvis Presley
- 60 – Rihanna
- 59 – the Beatles
- 56 – Drake
- 50 – Boyz II Men
- 47 – Taylor Swift
- 47 – Usher
- 46 – Beyonce
- 41 – Bruno Mars
TAYLOR LEADS AN ALL-FEMALE TOP 3…AGAIN
Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” rebounds 4-2 two weeks after it became her first Hot 100 No. 1. Olivia Dean’s “Man I Need” holds at No. 3 after reaching No. 2 on the Hot 100. Notably, thanks to Swift, Langley and Dean, three solo women rank Nos. 1, 2 and 3 for the first time since the chart dated Nov. 4, 2023, which Swift also led, with “Cruel Summer,” followed, in order, by Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red” and SZA’s “Snooze.”
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.