Taylor Swift has been experimenting with her promotional efforts throughout 2023, releasing several singles simultaneously from different albums. Surprisingly, this risky marketing strategy has paid off beautifully, as she accomplishes a feat that only a few musicians have achieved on one of Billboard’s competitive radio charts.
This frame, Swift secures three spots inside the top 10 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart, a weekly ranking that highlights tracks reaching the largest radio audience among stations labeling themselves as adult contemporary. Essentially, the chart showcases the most popular songs fitting that genre description based on their radio airplay.
Interestingly, Swift’s highest-ranking hit on the Adult Contemporary chart is the oldest among her selections. “Anti-Hero” maintains its No. 2 position, a remarkable feat for a track that has spent a considerable time on the tally. Released in late 2022, the song swiftly climbed to No. 1, marking another major success for Swift. Now, it’s just one rung shy of ruling again.
This week, “Anti-Hero” misses out on another turn at the No. 1 spot to Miley Cyrus’s “Flowers,” which has dominated the tally for an impressive 21 weeks. Both songs stand as relatively old contenders on the chart in terms of radio rankings.
Lifting to a new high this week, “Cruel Summer” rises to No. 8 on the Adult Contemporary chart, up from No. 9 in the previous period. The electro-pop track hails from Swift’s 2019 album Lover, and its unexpected success as a radio hit, long after its initial release, is worthy or highlighting.
Just two positions further down the Adult Contemporary chart, another Swift song makes an appearance. “Karma,” the singer’s third official single from Midnights, keeps at the No. 10 position, continuing its presence in the top 10. Interestingly, while the song was initially released as a duet with rapper Ice Spice, it’s the original solo version that charts on the Adult Contemporary tally. The tune previously climbed as high as No. 9.
Achieving a top 10 position on any of Billboard’s radio charts is no easy feat for any artist. Garnering multiple wins from an album is impressive, and accomplishing this simultaneously underscores a star’s status. While Swift’s trio of concurrent placements within the highly competitive region might not be unprecedented, it’s a milestone that only the industry’s biggest players can manage. Such a feat also requires a unique set of circumstances, as stiff competition can challenge even the most prominent musicians.
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