It’s Taylor Swift vs. Rihanna for Next Week’s No. 1 Song
One week after Taylor Swift's 'Midnights' arrived, Rihanna returned with her first new single in years, 'Lift Me Up.' The battle is on.
Taylor Swift was the undisputed queen of the Billboard charts this week, dominating the most important rankings and managing feats none before her has.
While this period may belong to her, there are already rumblings about next week and who will be in charge, and it seems that two of the most successful solo female pop stars of all time are competing for the top space on the singles chart…but who will win?
Currently, Swift rules the Hot 100 – Billboard‘s weekly ranking of the most-consumed songs in the U.S. – with her latest single “Anti-Hero.”
The most popular track from her massive album Midnights debuted in first place, becoming her ninth leader and fifth instant champion.
The cut easily opened atop the tally, facing no competition except from other Swift songs, as the singer became the first in history to claim the entirety of the top 10 for herself thanks to the immediate reception Midnight enjoyed.
While “Anti-Hero” may be a huge new smash for Swift, it’s facing even tougher competition when it comes to earning a second week atop the Hot 100.
One week after Midnights arrived, Rihanna returned with her first new single in years, “Lift Me Up.”
To say the track was highly anticipated doesn’t do the hype justice. Helping make the release even bigger than it already would have been is the fact that “Lift Me Up” is the lead cut from the upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack.
The last film’s album, which was curated and produced by Kendrick Lamar, spun off a number of hits, and this latest offering is expected to do the same.
“Lift Me Up” is already being mentioned in discussions regarding the Academy Awards, and it may very well be in the running for Best Original Song.
Aside from the awards, Rihanna is aiming to snag her fifteenth leader on the Hot 100 with the tune. Even if the tune fails to open in first place, she’s sure to land her thirty-second top 10 on the chart, a sum very few names have come even close to collecting.
So, at the moment, both Swift and Rihanna are vying for the No. 1 spot on next week’s Hot 100, and it seems almost certain that either “Anti-Hero” or “Lift Me Up” will win. At the moment, some early predictions suggest that Swift won’t give up the throne, even though Rihanna’s been gone for some time. The champion should be announced by Billboard on Monday, November 7.
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