Taylor Swift ends Ella Langley’s record-breaking Billboard Hot 100 run with ‘Patient Zero’

The singer scores her 16th US No 1 as four tracks from The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore occupy the chart’s top five

Taylor Swift has returned to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with “Patient Zero”, ending Ella Langley’s record-breaking run with “Choosin’ Texas” and adding another milestone to her chart career.

“Patient Zero” debuted at No 1 on the chart dated 10 October, giving Swift her 16th career leader on the US singles chart. Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas”, which spent 24 weeks at the summit, fell to No 2 after setting a record for the longest run at the top of the Hot 100.

Swift now ranks third among artists with the most No 1 singles in the chart’s history, behind the Beatles, with 20, and Mariah Carey, with 19. “Patient Zero” is also her 10th song to debut at No 1, tying Drake for the most chart-topping debuts.

The single is one of four new tracks released on 25 September as part of The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore, an expanded edition of Swift’s 2025 album. The other three songs also entered the Hot 100’s top five: “Cleveland!” at No 3, “Babylon” at No 4 and “Pink Clouding” at No 5.

The expanded release also helped The Life of a Showgirl return to No 1 on the Billboard 200 for a 13th week. The simultaneous success of the album and its new tracks underscores Swift’s continuing ability to turn a new release into a major event across the US music charts.

For Langley, the change marks the end of an extraordinary chart run. “Choosin’ Texas” had climbed to No 1 in February and remained there for 24 weeks, surpassing Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You”, which previously held the record with 22 weeks at the top.

The achievement was notable for a country song on a chart that combines streaming, radio airplay and sales across musical genres. Langley’s extended reign demonstrated the track’s staying power, while Swift’s arrival at No 1 shows how quickly a major release can reshape the rankings.

Swift’s latest chart-topper strengthens her position among the most successful singles artists in Hot 100 history. But the week’s defining development is the collision of two distinct chart achievements: a new Swift No 1 and the end of a record-setting run for Langley.