Taylor Swift and Her Reign on American Radio
Pop superstar Taylor Swift keeps breaking records. Her latest single, 'I Knew It, I Knew You', reached the top spot on Billboard's Radio Songs chart, as confirmed by the industry magazine on August 25, 2026. This marks the ninth time Swift has hit the pinnacle of this radio popularity ranking.
The song, inspired by the character Jessie from the animated film Toy Story 5, has become an immediate phenomenon. During the tracking week of August 14–20, it racked up 64.7 million audience impressions across more than 1,100 radio stations in the United States.
A Hit That Debuted at Number One
The track entered directly at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in June 2026—an unprecedented feat for a Pixar soundtrack—and now it repeats that success in the radio realm. It is the third #1 in Hot 100 history to come from a Disney animated movie, and the first ever from Pixar, underscoring Swift's cross-media influence on pop culture.
A Record-Breaking Run Across Multiple Formats
- Adult Pop Airplay: Swift earned her sixteenth #1 on that chart, surpassing Maroon 5 as the artist with the most leaders in the category.
- Country Airplay: She is the first woman to debut in the top 10 (currently at #7), further blurring genre boundaries.
- Pop Airplay: Already inside the top 10 (her 29th entry overall), solidifying her dominance on mainstream pop radio.
- Adult Contemporary: Also charting in the top 10 (23rd entry), showing her reach across formats.
This marks the second soundtrack single to hit #1 on Radio Songs in 2026, following 'Golden' by HUNTR/X from KPop Demon Hunters, in January.
Swift's 9 Radio Songs #1s: A Historical Timeline
| Song | Weeks at #1 | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| I Knew It, I Knew You | 1 | 2026 |
| Cruel Summer | 12 | 2023–24 |
| Anti-Hero | 5 | 2022–23 |
| Wildest Dreams | 2 | 2015 |
| Bad Blood | 5 | 2015 |
| Blank Space | 6 | 2014–15 |
| Shake It Off | 4 | 2014 |
| I Knew You Were Trouble. | 4 | 2013 |
| You Belong With Me | 2 | 2009 |
The Historic Precedent
Back in 2009, 'You Belong With Me' was the first country crossover to reach #1 on Radio Songs since the chart's inception in December 1990, surpassing Shania Twain, Faith Hill, and her own 'Love Story', all of which peaked at #2. That milestone was a breakthrough moment for country-pop fusion on U.S. radio.
Now, with 'I Knew It, I Knew You', Taylor Swift extends her legacy as the female artist with the most #1s on Radio Songs, and once again proves her unmatched ability to dominate global music. As a reference for international readers, the Radio Songs chart is Billboard's ranking based on U.S. radio airplay across all formats, reflecting what listeners hear the most.