“The Fate of Ophelia” just tied as Taylor Swift’s longest-running Hot 100 No. 1, but Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” seems like it’s about to end that streak. AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – JULY 05: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY AND NO COMMERCIAL USE AT ANY TIME. NO USE ON PUBLICATION COVERS.) Taylor Swift performs onstage during “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” at Johan Cruijff Arena on July 05, 2024 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Photo by Aldara Zarraoa/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)
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Taylor Swift has been riding high off the success of her current single “The Fate of Ophelia,” which has been ruling the most important songs chart in America for months. The track, which fronts her latest blockbuster The Life of a Showgirl, is comfortably once again atop the Hot 100, but that might not be the case for much longer.
For the first time in weeks, Swift faces true competition for the ranking’s throne — and in just a matter of hours, she may very well finally see “The Fate of Ophelia” fall as a holiday staple returns to the peak position.
Taylor Swift’s Lengthy Reign on the Hot 100
“The Fate of Ophelia” is steady at No. 1 on the Hot 100 this week for the eighth turn in a row. Monday (December 8) is the last day that the current charts will be displayed, as Billboard updates its lists every Tuesday.
It seems likely that in just a few hours, Swift will be forced to step down from No. 1 on the Hot 100 as Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” will almost certainly surge again, finding its way back to the penthouse.
Mariah Carey is Headed for No. 1 on the Hot 100 – Again
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” has become an annual favorite, and the only song in American history that shoots back to No. 1 on the Hot 100 every year. The seasonal smash, which was originally released in 1994, did not hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 until the last tracking weeks of 2019. Since then, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” has managed at least one turn at the summit every year, sometimes stretching its run into January.
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” served as the first leader on the Hot 100 of 2025 before being replaced by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’s Grammy-winning duet “Die with a Smile,” and it looks like it may close out the year as well.
When Did “All I Want for Christmas Is You” Finally Hit No. 1 on the Hot 100?
If “All I Want for Christmas Is You” can become the No. 1 song in America again, it will make history. Carey’s cut has led the charge for 18 nonconsecutive frames throughout the years, and it stands alone as the third-longest-running leader in the ranking’s history.
What Are the Longest-Running No. 1s on the Hot 100?
Two other tracks — “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus, and Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” — held on for 19 stints before stepping down for good. Carey is all but guaranteed to match that sum either this frame or later in December, and then she stands a very good chance at seeing her classic become the first 20-week ruler.
“The Fate of Ophelia” Almost Becomes Taylor Swift’s Longest-Running No. 1
The timing could not be tougher for Swift, as “The Fate of Ophelia” just matched her own longest run at No. 1 on the Hot 100. The Life of a Showgirl’s single is on the same level as “Anti-Hero,” as both blockbusters commanded the Hot 100 for eight frames several years apart.
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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If Swift had shifted her timing ever so slightly, “The Fate of Ophelia” likely would have broken its tie with “Anti-Hero” and become her longest-running No. 1 ever. If for some reason “All I Want for Christmas Is You” does not manage to reconquer the tally this coming period, Swift could best her own record.
It is also possible that after this holiday season has passed and “All I Want for Christmas Is You” fades again, “The Fate of Ophelia” could rebound to the highest rung on the list in early January — if Swift can continue to promote it and keep its life going. By that point, she may have officially moved on to another single from The Life of a Showgirl, perhaps “Opalite,” which has also been a radio favorite ever since the album arrived.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2025/12/08/is-mariah-carey-about-to-end-taylor-swifts-historic-run-at-no-1/
