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The Contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. This week, for the upcoming Billboard Hot 100 dated Nov. 8, we look at the chances HUNTR/X has of recapturing the crown that Taylor Swift has held for the last three weeks.

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Taylor Swift, “The Fate of Ophelia” (Republic): Taylor Swift’s dominance atop the Hot 100 since the release of her The Life of a Showgirl album has been typically staggering: Not only did she dominate the entire top 10 (and the two spots just outside) with its 12 tracks in the album’s debut chart week (dated Oct. 18), she also held eight of the top 10 in its second week (Oct. 25) and four this week (Nov. 1). And in all three of those weeks, the same Showgirl song has reigned atop the Hot 100: lead single and album opener “The Fate of Ophelia.”  

“Ophelia” opened with historic streaming numbers and a gigantic radio debut, posting one of the best all-around single-week performances of any song in 2025, even without being available for single-song purchase in its debut frame. It has slipped heavily in streaming each week since — probably somewhat inevitably given the gaudy numbers it posted initially — but has still remained the most-streamed song in the country by a fairly comfortable margin.  

That may change next week. According to early data provided by Luminate, “Ophelia” has slipped another 19% in official on-demand U.S. streams through the first four days of this tracking week (Oct. 24-27) compared to the same period last tracking week, to 15.7 million streams. For the first time since its debut week, it is on track to fall out of the top spot on Streaming Songs. (Notably, programmed streams, not just on-demand, also contribute to the Hot 100.) 

It still has the slight edge in song sales over the other hits competing for the Hot 100’s top spot — and it should also net some extra sales from the solo commercial release of its “Alone in My Tower” acoustic version on Tuesday (Oct. 28), which was previously only available as part of one of the album’s deluxe editions.  

But the real X factor here will be radio. While “Ophelia” slipped 19% in streams, it also gained 20% in all-format airplay audience Oct. 24-27, according to Luminate, as it continues climbing in the top five on Radio Songs, Pop Airplay and Adult Pop Airplay. If it can continue to grow there in the final days of the tracking week while stabilizing on streaming, it might be able to hold onto the Hot 100 crown for a fourth frame. (Perhaps with a ghostly remix featuring an apparition of Hamlet’s Ophelia, right in time for Halloween?)  

HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna & Rei Ami, “Golden” (Visva/Republic): The biggest threat to Swift’s Hot 100 rule is from the song she deposed in the first place: “Golden,” from KPop Demon Hunters. The HUNTR/X anthem has remained a strong performer in the three weeks it’s had to cede the crown, and returns to No. 2 on this week’s chart, rebounding all the way from No. 13 two weeks earlier, when it got buried under the Showgirl avalanche.  

“Golden” is currently on track to pass “Ophelia” on streaming next week, having amassed nearly 16.3 million official on-demand streams through the first four days of the tracking week — a 3% dip from its numbers during the equivalent period the previous week, but still a 3% lead over the numbers for Swift’s single. (The impending Halloween weekend could also help it remain strong through the tracking week’s final days, as KPop Demon Hunters-themed costumes are expected to dominate the season.)  

“Ophelia” maintains a slight lead on “Golden” in sales, but again, radio may ultimately be a deciding factor. While it’s not growing there as quickly this week as “Ophelia,” it has a head start of several months — and it is still building on the airwaves, aiming to take over Pop Airplay for the first time. It could be a photo finish between arguably the two biggest pop culture phenomena of all of 2025 on next week’s chart.  

IN THE MIX 

Olivia Dean, “Man I Need” (Polydor/Island/Republic): The artist showing the most consistent growth on the Hot 100 this week is again Olivia Dean, whose “Man I Need” hits the top 10 for the first time (moving 17-8), while her other two Hot 100 hits (“So Easy [To Fall in Love]” and “Nice to Each Other”) also hit new peaks of No. 44 and No. 88, respectively. “Man I Need” continues to gain across the board — particularly on radio, where it’s up 25% in all-format audience through the first four days of the tracking week — though it still has some additional distance to make up to really get in the fight for No. 1 with Swift and HUNTR/X.