Certainly, in the midst of winter, Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” ascends to the top spot on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart, dated January 27, continuing to evoke warm sentiments. This accomplishment marks Swift’s ninth leadership on the AC chart, setting a record for the most by any artist during the 2000s, ’10s, and ’20s. Over this period, Adele, Michael Bublé, and Josh Groban follow with six No. 1s each.
Here’s a summary of Swift’s nine Adult Contemporary No. 1s:
- “Cruel Summer” – 1 week at No. 1, Jan. 27, 2024
- “Anti-Hero” – 3 weeks, starting March 25, 2023
- “Delicate” – 10 weeks, Sept. 15, 2018
- “Style” – 2 weeks, July 11, 2015
- “Blank Space” – 4 weeks, Feb. 21, 2015
- “Shake It Off” – 9 weeks, Nov. 22, 2014
- “Mine” – 1 week, Dec. 11, 2010
- “You Belong With Me” – 14 weeks, Oct. 31, 2009
- “Love Story” – 6 weeks, June 6, 2009
Originally featured on Swift’s 2019 album “Lover,” “Cruel Summer” was promoted as a single by Republic starting last June. The song gained momentum as Swift performed it during The Eras Tour, her first tour featuring songs from “Lover.”
Additionally, “Cruel Summer” achieves a milestone on the Adult Pop Airplay chart, securing its 20th week at No. 1. It becomes the fourth song to accomplish this feat since the chart’s inception in March 1996, trailing only Santana’s “Smooth” (25 weeks, 1999-2000) and The Calling’s “Wherever You Will Go” (23 weeks, 2001-02), while tying with The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” in 2020.
Notably, “Cruel Summer” is Swift’s sixth song to achieve No. 1 status on Adult Contemporary, Adult Pop Airplay, and Pop Airplay, joining the ranks of “Anti-Hero,” “Delicate,” “Style,” “Blank Space,” and “Shake It Off.” This establishes Swift as the leader in such achievements, surpassing Adele’s five at each of the three formats.
In another chart milestone for Swift, her “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault]” climbs from 11th to 8th on Adult Pop Airplay. This marks her record-extending 30th top 10 on the tally, further distancing herself from Maroon 5 (second with 27) and P!nk (20).