Taylor Swift marks her 10th Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper with "Cruel Summer"

 

   "Cruel Summer" earns Taylor Swift her 10th career Billboard Hot 100 number-one entry as it completes its ascent to the top of the chart (for the week ending 28-Sept-2023), having lingered around the chart for a while. The single was initially released August 23, 2019, however gained traction by June 20, 2023 (after it was released to US contemporary hit radio as the fifth single off the parent album), reaching the US top ten for the first time then. 

   Off the singer's 7th album, Lover (2019), the single surpasses the other singles off the set especially the No.2 ranking entries. In 2019, the song had initially peaked at No.29. Lover became the singer's sixth album to debut atop the US Billboard 200 in a consecutive run. The first single "Me!" (featuring Brendon Urie) debuted at #100 only to jump to the No.2 spot in a week's moment (the biggest single week jump on the tally). It stalled behind "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus. In the UK it peaked at No.3. The next single "You Need to Calm Down" debuted at No.2 also behind "Old Town Road" and was Grammy nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance. "Lover" peaked at No.10 following a remix release with Shawn Mendes. "The Man" peaked at No.23 on the Hot 100. 

   Swift reached the Billboard Hot 100 top position initially with "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together"  (2012) from the Red album, with the single having debuted at #72 only to jump to the No.1 spot the week after, spending three non-consecutive weeks at No.1. In 2014, Swift would earn her second chart topper with "Shake It Off", which debuted atop the tally spending four non-consecutive weeks there. It marked her first number one debut on the chart as well. "Blank Space" spent seven weeks on top of  the Hot 100 list and would later be accompanied by "Bad Blood" (solo or featuring Kendrick Lamar), marking Swifts fourth number-one and a first for Lamar. In 2017, Swift made her return to the Hot 100 helm with "Look What You Made Me Do", staying afloat for three consecutive weeks. Topping the UK Singles chart, it earned Swift her first number-one in the territory. Crossing to 2020, Swift made her second number-one debut on the chat with "Cardigan", scoring her sixth #1 entry thereon. She would later debut again at the helm with "Willow" in 2020, her third number-one debut and seventh overall. "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" was re-released in 2021 off her re-recorded set Red (Taylor's Version). With 10 minutes and counting, it marked the longest song to chart atop the Hot 100 chart, while marking her 8th number one entry. "Anti-Hero" (released Oct. 21, 2022) marked her ninth #1 score after it debuted atop the Hot 100 and her fifth to debut at the spot. The song amassed eight total weeks on top of the charts and marked her longest stay atop. "Cruel Summer" peaked atop the list in its 24th week on the chart, marking Swift's 10th #1 song on the Hot 100. The song stayed atop the Hot 100 list for a second consecutive week (week ending 4 October 2023).