Taylor Swift’s ‘Cruel Summer’ Is Now Her Longest-Leading Radio Songs Chart No. 1
Written by djfrosty on December 11, 2023
As Christmas classics decorate the upper reaches of the Billboard Hot 100, Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” remains hot on radio – and becomes her sole longest-leading No. 1 on Billboard’s all-format Radio Songs chart.
“Cruel Summer” rules the Radio Songs ranking (dated Dec. 16) for a seventh week – one-upping Swift’s six-week command with “Blank Space” in 2014-15. The former rebounds to the top of the tally with 63.6 million in airplay audience Dec. 1-7, according to Luminate.
Here’s an updated look at Swift’s eight Radio Songs No. 1s, ranked by most weeks spent at the summit.
Title, Weeks at No. 1, Year(s):
- “Cruel Summer,” seven (to-date), 2023
- “Blank Space,” six, 2014-15
- “Anti-Hero,” five, 2022-23
- “Bad Blood” (feat. Kendrick Lamar), five, 2015
- “Shake It Off,” four, 2014
- “I Knew You Were Trouble.,” four, 2013
- “Wildest Dreams,” two, 2015
- “You Belong With Me,” two, 2009
“Cruel Summer,” which first hit No. 1 on the Radio Songs chart dated Oct. 7, was originally released on Swift’s 2019 Republic Records album Lover. The label began promoting it as a single in June, as Swift has performed it on her The Eras Tour, her first in which she’s been able to spotlight songs from Lover, which was released shortly before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among other chart honors for “Cruel Summer”: It became Swift’s milestone 10th of 11 career No. 1s on the Hot 100, reigning for four weeks; her record-breaking 12th No. 1 on Pop Airplay, and her longest-leading hit (10 weeks); and her 11th No. 1 on Adult Pop Airplay, the most among soloists, and likewise her longest-leading title (14 weeks).
All charts dated Dec. 16 will update on Billboard.com Tuesday, Dec. 12.