“The Fate of Ophelia” pushes past both “Anti-Hero” and “Fortnight” to become Taylor Swift’s longest-running No. 1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. as it surges to the top. SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE – MARCH 02: EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO BOOK COVERS Taylor Swift performs during “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” at the National Stadium on March 02, 2024 in Singapore. (Photo by Ashok Kumar/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)
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Just when it looked like Taylor Swift’s single “The Fate of Ophelia” might be losing some steam — as all songs must eventually — the track mounts a comeback all around the world. The singer-songwriter’s current focus rebounds to the top spot on Billboard’s global charts, once again standing out as the most popular tune across planet Earth.
As “The Fate of Ophelia” dances its way to No. 1 again, it breaks out of a tie with several other Swift tunes and becomes her most impressive winner on one roster.
“The Fate of Ophelia” Returns to No. 1
“The Fate of Ophelia” rebounds to No. 1 on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. The former tally ranks the 200 most consumed songs in the world, while the latter list does almost the same thing, except American streams and sales are left out of its methodology. Swift replaces “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters, one of the longest-running champions of all time on the rosters.
How Many Weeks Has “The Fate of Ophelia” Spent at No. 1?
“The Fate of Ophelia” has now spent three nonconsecutive frames ruling both of Billboard’s global rankings. The track debuted at No. 1 in mid-October when Swift’s album The Life of a Showgirl launched, as the song had not been shared prior to the full-length’s debut. “The Fate of Ophelia” commanded the lists for two moments before “Golden” returned to the summit. Now, for the second time, “The Fate of Ophelia” has replaced “Golden” at No. 1 on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S.
“The Fate of Ophelia” Beats Both “Anti-Hero” and “Fortnight”
As “The Fate of Ophelia” finds its way back to No. 1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S., it breaks out of a tie with two other Swift tunes to become the superstar’s longest-running leader. Last time around, “The Fate of Ophelia” was on the same level as both “Anti-Hero” and “Fortnight,” a collaboration with Post Malone, which both managed two turns running the show. “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” debuted at No. 1 in November 2021 and then quickly stepped aside.
“The Fate of Ophelia” Trails “Anti-Hero” By One Week
On the Billboard Global 200, “The Fate of Ophelia” already claimed the honor of being Swift’s second-longest-running No. 1 last week, and now it holds that distinction alone. The track sits one frame behind “Anti-Hero,” which debuted atop the Billboard Global 200 in November 2022 and managed a month ruling.
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 15: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY AND NO COMMERCIAL USE AT ANY TIME. NO USE ON PUBLICATION COVERS). Taylor Swift performs on stage during the “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” at Wembley Stadium on August 15, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images)
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Last frame, “The Fate of Ophelia” was matched with “Fortnight,” which — just like on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. — dominated for only two weeks. While Swift has collected four No. 1s on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S., she’s up to half a dozen on the Billboard Global 200, as “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” “Cruel Summer,” and “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” all made it to the penthouse for just a single moment.
Multiple The Life of a Showgirl Live on Billboard’s Global Charts
Swift fills four spaces on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. this frame. As “The Fate of Ophelia” surges, “Opalite,” “Elizabeth Taylor,” and “Wish List” — all taken from The Life of a Showgirl — continue their descents.
The singer-songwriter is even more successful on the Billboard Global 200. In addition to those four tracks, another pair from the same album — “Father Figure” and “The Life of a Showgirl” with Sabrina Carpenter — also continue to hold on, though they are similarly declining.
“Opalite” manages to find space inside the top 10 once more on just the Billboard Global 200, stepping back from No. 5 to No. 8. The second-most-popular tune from The Life of a Showgirl slips outside the uppermost region on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S., tumbling from No. 7 to No. 13.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2025/12/03/taylor-swift-beats-her-own-record-and-claims-a-new-longest-running-no-1/
