{"id":105394,"date":"2025-10-30T04:47:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T04:47:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/105394\/"},"modified":"2025-10-30T04:47:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T04:47:13","slug":"taylor-swifts-fate-of-ophelia-huntr-xs-golden-fight-for-no-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/105394\/","title":{"rendered":"Taylor Swift’s “Fate of Ophelia” & HUNTR\/X’s “Golden” Fight for No. 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tThe Contenders<\/a> is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. This week, for the upcoming Billboard Hot 100 dated Nov. 8, we look at the chances HUNTR\/X has of recapturing the crown that Taylor Swift has held for the last three weeks.<\/p>\n

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See latest videos, charts and news<\/p>\n

\n\tTaylor Swift, \u201cThe Fate of Ophelia\u201d (Republic): Taylor Swift<\/a>\u2019s dominance atop the Hot 100 since the release of her The Life of a Showgirl album has been typically staggering: Not only did she dominate the entire top 10 (and the two spots just outside) with its 12 tracks in the album\u2019s debut chart week (dated Oct. 18), she also held eight of the top 10 in its second week (Oct. 25) and four this week (Nov. 1). And in all three of those weeks, the same Showgirl song has reigned atop the Hot 100: lead single and album opener \u201cThe Fate of Ophelia.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cOphelia\u201d opened with historic streaming numbers and a gigantic radio debut, posting one of the best all-around single-week performances of any song in 2025, even without being available for single-song purchase in its debut frame. It has slipped heavily in streaming each week since \u2014\u00a0probably somewhat inevitably given the gaudy numbers it posted initially \u2014 but has still remained the most-streamed song in the country by a fairly comfortable margin. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tThat may change next week. According to early data provided by Luminate, \u201cOphelia\u201d has slipped another 19% in official on-demand U.S. streams through the first four days of this tracking week (Oct. 24-27) compared to the same period last tracking week, to 15.7 million streams. For the first time since its debut week, it is on track to fall out of the top spot on Streaming Songs. (Notably, programmed streams, not just on-demand, also contribute to the Hot 100.)\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tIt still has the slight edge in song sales over the other hits competing for the Hot 100\u2019s top spot \u2014\u00a0and it should also net some extra sales from the solo commercial release of its \u201cAlone in My Tower\u201d acoustic version on Tuesday (Oct. 28), which was previously only available as part of one of the album\u2019s deluxe editions.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tBut the real X factor here will be radio. While \u201cOphelia\u201d slipped 19% in streams, it also gained 20% in all-format airplay audience Oct. 24-27, according to Luminate, as it continues climbing in the top five on Radio Songs, Pop Airplay and Adult Pop Airplay. If it can continue to grow there in the final days of the tracking week while stabilizing on streaming, it might be able to hold onto the Hot 100 crown for a fourth frame. (Perhaps with a ghostly remix featuring an apparition of Hamlet\u2019s Ophelia, right in time for Halloween?) \u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tHUNTR\/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna & Rei Ami, \u201cGolden\u201d (Visva\/Republic): The biggest threat to Swift\u2019s Hot 100 rule is from the song she deposed in the first place: \u201cGolden,\u201d from KPop Demon Hunters. The HUNTR\/X <\/a>anthem has remained a strong performer in the three weeks it\u2019s had to cede the crown, and returns to No. 2 on this week\u2019s chart, rebounding all the way from\u00a0No. 13 two weeks earlier, when it got buried under the Showgirl avalanche. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cGolden\u201d is currently on track to pass \u201cOphelia\u201d on streaming next week, having amassed nearly 16.3 million official on-demand streams through the first four days of the tracking week \u2014 a 3% dip from its numbers during the equivalent period the previous week, but still a 3% lead over the numbers for Swift\u2019s single. (The impending Halloween weekend could also help it remain strong through the tracking week\u2019s final days, as KPop Demon Hunters-themed costumes are expected to dominate the season.) \u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cOphelia\u201d maintains a slight lead on \u201cGolden\u201d in sales, but again, radio may ultimately be a deciding factor. While it\u2019s not growing there as quickly this week as \u201cOphelia,\u201d it has a head start of several months \u2014 and it is still building on the airwaves, aiming to take over Pop Airplay for the first time. It could be a photo finish between arguably the two biggest pop culture phenomena of all of 2025 on next week\u2019s chart. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tIN THE MIX\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tOlivia Dean, \u201cMan I Need\u201d (Polydor\/Island\/Republic): The artist showing the most consistent growth on the Hot 100 this week is again Olivia Dean<\/a>, whose \u201cMan I Need\u201d hits the top 10 for the first time (moving 17-8), while her other two Hot 100 hits (\u201cSo Easy [To Fall in Love]\u201d and \u201cNice to Each Other\u201d) also hit new peaks of No. 44 and No. 88, respectively. \u201cMan I Need\u201d continues to gain across the board \u2014\u00a0particularly on radio, where it\u2019s up 25% in all-format audience through the first four days of the tracking week \u2014\u00a0though it still has some additional distance to make up to really get in the fight for No. 1 with Swift and HUNTR\/X. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t\u00a0<\/p>\n


\"Billboard
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