Taylor Swift’s former seven-week No. 1 hit “Blank Space,” from her 2014 LP 1989, re-enters the Billboard Hot 100 chart (dated Aug. 19), marking its first appearance on the survey since its initial 36-week chart run in 2014-15.
“Blank Space” re-enters with 8.4 million U.S. streams (up 23%), 4.3 million radio airplay audience impressions (essentially even week-over-week) and 1,000 downloads sold (up 51%), in the Aug. 4-10 tracking week, according to Luminate.
The song has been gaining in recent weeks, as Swift has been performing it on The Eras Tour, and ahead of the announcement of her re-recorded 1989 (Taylor’s Version) on Aug. 9. The song also jumps to No. 40 on the Billboard Global 200 chart, up 10% to 25.4 million streams worldwide (reflecting consumption in the U.S. and around 200 other countries).
1989 (Taylor’s Version), Swift’s fourth re-recorded set from her catalog, is due Oct. 27. Her original 1989 album spent 11 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2014-15, matching Fearless as her longest-leading No. 1 album.
“Blank Space” was a monumental hit for Swift, marking her third and longest-leading No. 1 at the time. With seven weeks at the summit, it stood as Swift’s longest-leading hit until “Anti-Hero” tallied eight weeks on top last November through this January. “Blank Space” also earned Grammy Award nominations for record of the year, song of the year and best pop solo performance.
Swift has since upped her total to nine Hot 100 No. 1s. Here’s a recap.
Taylor Swift’s Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s:
“Anti-Hero” (eight weeks, 2022-23)
“All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” (one, 2021)
“Willow” (one, 2020)
“Cardigan” (one, 2020)
“Look What You Made Me Do” (three, 2017)
“Bad Blood,” feat. Kendrick Lamar (one, 2015)
“Blank Space” (seven, 2014-15)
“Shake It Off” (four, 2014)
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” (three, 2012)
Older songs such as “Blank Space” are eligible to re-enter the Hot 100 if they rank in the top 50 and have meaningful reasons for their resurgences. We occasionally see this phenomenon when catalog songs go viral or are newly promoted, as with Swift’s “Cruel Summer” (from 2019 and, now promoted as a single, up to No. 3 on the Hot 100), or have notable TV/film synchs that generate newfound interest, as was the case with Kate Bush’s 1985 classic “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” last year. This explains why we see holiday songs storming the Hot 100 each winter, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” returning after Halloween and, most recently, Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the U.S.A.” back on the Hot 100 last month following Fourth of July-related gains.
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