Taylor Swift rules the Hot 100 again this week, but not with the tune that controlled the tally for the past two frames. Instead, she replaces herself at No. 1 on the ranking of the most-consumed songs in the U.S. as “Is It Over Now?” takes over for “Cruel Summer.” With another leader in her discography, the singer makes history on the Hot 100 yet again, and she does so in a very strange manner.
“Is It Over Now?” marks Swift’s third No. 1 hit on the Hot 100 in 2023. That’s impressive enough as it is, but one detail makes this latest champion even more eyebrow-raising. Swift has now charted three No. 1 songs on the Hot 100 this year…and they’re all from different albums.
She first summited the Hot 100 in 2023 with “Anti-Hero.” The Midnights hit debuted atop the chart in 2022 when the album it’s featured on arrived, and it ruled for a time. Then it surged again in popularity in early 2023, returning to the peak position.
Less than a month ago, her recent single “Cruel Summer” finally climbed to the top spot. The track was first released four years ago on her album Lover, but it wasn’t spun off as a single until mid-2023, after it surged in popularity following its inclusion on the setlist for her The Eras Tour. “Cruel Summer” ruled until “Is It Over Now?” arrived.
According to Billboard, Swift is the first woman to manage the feat of collecting a trio of Hot 100 leaders in one year, all from different projects. When looking at all acts, she’s not alone, but her accomplishment is still incredibly rare.
The last musical act to send three songs to No. 1 on the Hot 100 from different albums in a calendar year was the Jackson 5. The band that launched Michael Jackson to superstardom managed the showing back in 1970 with some of their first hits.
Billboard also notes that The Beatles hold the record for the most chart-toppers on the Hot 100 from distinct albums in a single year. The Fab Four—who happen to be back on the Billboard charts this week with their “last” single “Now and Then”—sent half a dozen tracks to the highest rung on the tally in 1964, and they came from five different albums.
“Is It Over Now?” serves as the latest single from Swift’s new album 1989 (Taylor’s Version). That project, a re-recorded version of her pop blockbuster 1989, opens atop the Billboard 200 with the largest debut sum of her career.