Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” stands as her third-longest-running No. 1 on the Hot 100 as it hits five weeks, passing both “Cruel Summer” and “Blank Space.” LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 15: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY AND NO COMMERCIAL USE AT ANY TIME. NO USE ON PUBLICATION COVERS). Taylor Swift performs on stage during the “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” at Wembley Stadium on August 15, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images)
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For the past month, Taylor Swift has commanded the Hot 100, Billboard’s ranking of the biggest songs in America. The singer-songwriter has led the charge on what is often considered the most competitive and important roster with “The Fate of Ophelia,” the lead single from her recently-unleashed blockbuster The Life of a Showgirl.
That tune is comfortable once more atop the tally, and as it earns one more stay in the spotlight, “The Fate of Ophelia” advances within the singer-songwriter’s discography and reasserts itself as one of her longest-running champions — an impressive feat considering how many winners she has accumulated throughout the years.
How Many Weeks Has “The Fate of Ophelia” Ruled the Hot 100?
“The Fate of Ophelia” has now ruled the Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks. It is just the third single from Swift to command the busy ranking for at least as many terms.
“The Fate of Ophelia” Passes “Shake It Off” and “Cruel Summer”
Last week, “The Fate of Ophelia” was on the same level as both “Shake It Off” and “Cruel Summer,” which dominated for an even four frames during their runs almost a decade apart. As it tied with those two smashes, “The Fate of Ophelia” became one of Swift’s third-longest-running No. 1s ever. The current focus from the superstar still holds that title, while both “Cruel Summer” and “Shake It Off” have been forced down and now jointly claim the honor of being her fourth-longest-running leaders.
“Anti-Hero” and “Blank Space” Remain Taylor Swift’s Longest-Running No. 1s
Only two tracks by Swift have spent more time at No. 1 on the Hot 100. “Anti-Hero” stands as her longest-ruling success with eight weeks in charge of the chart. “Blank Space” held that distinction for several years, as it racked up seven stays in the penthouse beginning in November 2014.
Can “The Fate of Ophelia” Catch Up to “Blank Space” on the Hot 100?
There is a good chance that “The Fate of Ophelia” will hold at No. 1 again when Billboard refreshes its charts in a few days, but it needs another two weeks in the top spot before it advances once more within her own discography. Whether her single can manage to fend off competition from other behemoths — especially “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters, which has been making a play to find its way back to the throne for weeks now — remains to be seen and is seemingly up in the air.
Five Weeks Ruling Both the Hot 100 and Billboard 200
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 02: Taylor Swift attends the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
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“The Fate of Ophelia” debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 at the same time that Swift’s album The Life of a Showgirl arrived in the same position on the Billboard 200. The singer did not release any music from her new project before sharing it in its entirety, which is a strategy she has employed with her last several full-lengths of original material, and it has worked brilliantly each time.
In the past five weeks, neither “The Fate of Ophelia” nor The Life of a Showgirl have drifted from the summit on their respective rankings. Such a performance marks the first time in history that both an album and single have debuted at No. 1 and then held there for a full month.
Sales Keep “The Fate of Ophelia” Atop the Hot 100
Three consumption metrics dictate where a song lands on the Hot 100: radio airplay, streams, and sales. “The Fate of Ophelia” performs well across all of them regularly, but it seems to be purchases that are doing most of the work in keeping it running the show.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – NOVEMBER 10: Taylor Swift looks on prior to a game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on November 10, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
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This frame, “The Fate of Ophelia” falls to second place on the Streaming Songs chart and holds at its all-time high of No. 5 on the general Radio Songs roster. Once again, the single rules the Digital Song Sales list.
Swift has doled out multiple versions of “The Fate of Ophelia” since its initial arrival, including an acoustic take and remixes. This is a common method for artists to ensure that one track or another sells especially well, as Billboard groups all versions into one charting entity.
