For the second week in a row, Taylor Swift continues to dominate the Hot 100 chart with songs from her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department. The singer-songwriter claims numerous spots on the chart, with her single “Fortnight” with Post Malone holding onto the No. 1 spot once again. Despite facing tough competition from her new hits, one of Swift’s older singles, “Cruel Summer,” has managed to hold on and live on the Hot 100.
“Cruel Summer” has now spent 52 weeks on the Hot 100 chart, making it the second-longest-charting song in Swift’s career. The electro-pop track has defied the odds and continued to thrive on the ranking of the most-consumed songs in the U.S. It is only one frame away from tying with “Anti-Hero,” which spent 53 weeks on the tally starting in 2022.
This week, “Cruel Summer” jumps from No. 41 to No. 28 on the Hot 100 chart. The rise in its position can be attributed to other songs from The Tortured Poets Department falling down the chart, creating space for the older hit to climb. However, the future of “Cruel Summer” on the Hot 100 remains uncertain as Billboard’s recurrent rule stipulates that a song must rank above No. 25 at all times after a year on the chart.
If “Cruel Summer” fails to lift at least three spaces when the chart is refreshed, Billboard will remove the song from the list. However, if the track manages to surge once again, it will tie as Swift’s longest-running hit in the history of the Hot 100 chart. Fans will have to wait and see if “Cruel Summer” can maintain its position on the chart and continue to be a success for the talented singer-songwriter.
