Taylor Swift Will Secure 16th Pop Airplay Number One
The singer-songwriter extends her record with the track from the Toy Story 5 soundtrack.
Updated on Sept. 18, 2026 in Pop
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Taylor Swift will reach a record 16 number-one hits on the Pop Airplay chart when the list updates on September 23, 2026. The track I Knew It, I Knew You, featured in the film Toy Story 5, leads the tally for the week of September 26.
Why it matters
This milestone reinforces Swift as the most successful artist in the history of the Pop Airplay chart, which tracks mainstream top 40 radio activity. The achievement marks her 52nd total week at the top spot, further distancing her from other major pop performers.
Swift holds the record for 16 number-one hits and 52 total weeks atop the chart, which monitors airplay across nearly 150 U.S. radio stations. Data for these Billboard rankings is tabulated by Mediabase.
The players
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift is an American singer-songwriter who is a dominant force in modern popular music and a frequent chart-topper.
Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars is a multi-talented American performer and songwriter known for a long string of successful pop radio hits.
The details
The song I Knew It, I Knew You previously reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in June 2026. Billboard utilizes data from nearly 150 mainstream top 40 stations across the United States to compile the weekly pop rankings.
Timeline
The Pop Airplay chart has been published since October 1992.
The track reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 2026.
Billboard charts will update on September 23, 2026.
The official chart date for this milestone is September 26, 2026.
Industry Dynamics
This achievement follows a trajectory set since the establishment of the Pop Airplay chart in October 1992. The move illustrates the continued consolidation of mainstream radio airplay around singular, multimedia-linked mega-hits.
Listeners will hear the record-breaking track more frequently across major U.S. radio stations as it maintains its top position. Fans of the film Toy Story 5 can access the song through standard streaming platforms and broadcast radio.
The takeaway
Swift continues to demonstrate the power of film-integrated music to dominate modern airwaves. Listeners looking to follow chart trends can monitor weekly Billboard updates to see how newer releases challenge established records.
Further reading
Discover more about the evolving landscape of mainstream radio trends on the Pop section.
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Do you enjoy the songs currently receiving the most airplay on mainstream pop radio?
