Taylor Swift replaces herself atop U.S. iTunes while her deluxe album simultaneously dominates Apple Music.
Taylor Swift is once again competing against the only artist capable of slowing her down: herself.
Her new song, “Patient Zero,” has climbed to No. 1 on the U.S. iTunes chart, knocking her previous leader, “The Fate of Ophelia,” out of the top position. Replacing yourself at No. 1 is already impressive, but this particular achievement also adds to a historic total.
Swift has now reportedly sent 82 songs to the top of U.S. iTunes, more than any other artist in the platform’s history. Considering how quickly her fans respond whenever she releases something new, that record could continue growing for years.
The album charts are telling a similar story. The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore has reached No. 1 on U.S. iTunes and Apple Music. The deluxe project adds “Patient Zero,” “Cleveland!,” “Pink Clouding,” and “Babylon” to Swift’s original 2025 album.
“Patient Zero” has emerged as the immediate centerpiece. The song finds Taylor comparing relationship experiences with a woman currently involved with one of her exes. Instead of treating her as competition, she offers support and recognizes herself as the first person to experience his troubling behavior.
With the song and album simultaneously leading Apple’s U.S. charts, Taylor is proving that The Life of a Showgirl still has another act left.
Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.
