Even if you hadn’t seen our title, it wouldn’t take a music hardcore to predict who the biggest current draw in the industry is. Taylor Swift is a release-date-pusher for a reason — it’s nigh impossible to outshine her when a new record is on the way.
Though social media and fan reactions remain mixed, it’ll take a far more extended dip in quality for the “Taylor Swift” effect to lose its shine. A bit of latency in traditional tracking data (via Billboard, etc.) is the only reason the newly engaged megastar fails to capture the entirety of our top ten. Across more nimble platforms like the streamers, The Life of a Showgirl reigns supreme, dotting a full tracklist’s worth of material onto our top 25 (“The Fate of Ophelia” chief among them, followed by “Opalite,” “The Life of a Showgirl,” “Wood,” “Wi$h Li$t,” and “Eldest Daughter”). As the pop star supreme mentioned in her Zane Lowe appearance post-release, any press is good press for an entity as ubiquitous as Taylor Swift, and unsurprisingly, she’s the biggest headline after album #12.
Elsewhere in the pop sphere, more drama is brewing from an unexpected source. No, it doesn’t derive from the Minaj v. Belcalis firm, nor from mixed critical reviews. Instead, Tate McRae’s breakup with The Kid Laroi has become a tangible force on the charts, as the former’s “Tit for Tat” is already demonstrating.
Tate McRae And Tyler, The Creator Break Up Taylor Swift Domination
Now out for a full two weeks by the time of publication, the non-album track has proven to be the Canadian riser’s most bankable asset post-“Sports Car,” no doubt propelled by salacious lyrics and an A-list subject. Yet none of those more gossipy aspects would have the effect we’re now seeing without the musical bona fides to back it up, and the “diss song” is plenty successful in that regard. Even in this less-than-stellar, Shade Room-style moment, there’s a silver lining for those who believe McRae could be a defining face of the mainstream in the years to come.
Finally, though “song of the summer” discussions are mercifully in the rearview for now, we return to the hotter months for our final plot beat. Tyler, The Creator shocked fans—still largely reeling from the warmly regarded CHROMAKOPIA—with a mixtape-esque LP, DON’T TAP THE GLASS. In the short term following its launch, “Ring Ring Ring” was the early winner from the tracklist, but the slow build for “Sugar on My Tongue” became undeniable on our end this week. With solid numbers across the board, it lands at #11 in our latest chart. Should that position hold or gain even more momentum as we close out the year, Tyler could plausibly replicate what “ST. CHROMA” and “STICKY” did towards the top of 2025, providing long-term top-of-the-chart fodder that further solidifies his Midas touch.
As always, you can catch the music mentioned throughout this piece wherever you stream your music.
