Taylor Swift’s Latest Album Matches Her Pop Blockbuster With Another No. 1

Taylor Swift charts a new No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 this week as “Opalite” lifts to the highest space on the ranking of the most consumed songs in America. “Opalite” is the second official single taken from the singer-songwriter’s most recent album, The Life of a Showgirl, and both tunes have spent time at No. 1.

As “Opalite” conquers the most competitive songs tally in the nation, The Life of a Showgirl becomes only the second of all of Swift’s albums – including her Taylor’s Versions re-recordings – to produce multiple rulers on the Billboard Hot 100.

Taylor Swift’s “Opalite” Soars to No. 1 on the Hot 100

“Opalite” jumps from No. 8 to No. 1 on the current edition of the Billboard Hot 100. The song soars thanks largely to well over 150,000 purchases, as Swift recently offered the cut on physical formats.

“Opalite” is Swift’s fourteenth leader on the Billboard Hot 100. As she adds to her growing total, the country, alternative, and pop superstar matches Rihanna for the third-most leaders of all time. They come in behind only The Beatles and Mariah Carey, who have sent 20 and 19 cuts to the peak position, respectively.

Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl Launch Strategy

Last year, Swift dropped The Life of a Showgirl, her latest blockbuster. The superstar decided not to share any music from the project before the full-length became widely available, and the week that the CD opened in first place on the Billboard 200 with the largest starting sum of all time – just over four million equivalent units shifted – lead single “The Fate of Ophelia” launched atop the Billboard Hot 100.

“The Fate of Ophelia” earned Swift her lucky thirteenth No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and it ended up breaking her own record and becoming her longest-running winner. In the 20 weeks that “The Fate of Ophelia” has spent on the tally, 10 have been at No. 1. It is the only one of Swift’s 14 champions to rack up double-digit stays on the throne.

Taylor Swift’s 1989 Produced Three Hot 100 No. 1s

The first time Swift produced more than one No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 from an album was more than a decade ago. When the celebrated musician made the jump from country music to top 40 pop with her massively popular project 1989, her shift proved to be one of the smartest moves in music history.

Swift introduced her new sound with “Shake It Off,” which still ranks as one of her most successful hits. “Shake It Off” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 2014 and lived at the summit for four frames. Second single “Blank Space” reached the top spot just two months later, and it would command the Billboard Hot 100 for nearly twice as long as its predecessor. “Blank Space” racked up seven stays at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and it held as her longest-running leader for nearly eight years.

The third single from 1989, “Style,” peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, but Swift was not yet done pushing tunes to the top spot. Fourth official cut “Bad Blood,” which was originally a solo affair but which later featured Kendrick Lamar, spent one week atop the Billboard Hot 100 in June 2015.

1989 would score one more top 10 smash with “Wildest Dreams,” which soared to No. 5, while latter cuts “Out of the Woods” and “New Romantics” did not break into the top 10.

The Life of a Showgirl Dominates the Top 10

The Life of a Showgirl trails 1989 in terms of No. 1s by only one leader, but when looking at how many songs from each project’s tracklist have cracked the top 10, Swift’s latest project easily bests 1989. When The Life of a Showgirl first appeared on the Billboard charts, Swift occupied the entirety of the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. She remains the only artist to do so, and it’s a feat she’s managed more than once.