Taylor Swift First Number One Song on the Billboard Hot 100
Taylor Swift first reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 with "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" in the chart dated August 25, 2012, according to Billboard's official chart archives Billboard Hot 100. The track debuted at the top and marked her first leader on the Hot 100 after previous high-charting singles.
The song was released as a single from her third studio album "Red" and was certified multi-platinum by the RIAA RIAA Gold & Platinum. Streaming and sales data compiled by Luminate underpin the chart methodology used by Billboard to rank the Hot 100.
Chart Performance and Sales Metrics
"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" spent one week at number one and logged multiple weeks in the top 10, contributing to the commercial profile of the "Red" album Forbes. The single's digital sales and radio airplay drove its chart trajectory in the era before streaming dominated the Hot 100.
Billboard's Hot 100 formula combines sales, airplay, and streaming data, and the methodology has evolved over time Billboard Hot 100. "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" remains a reference point for Swift's chart history and her first leader on the ranking.
Broader Chart Context and Legacy
Swift has since added multiple number ones to her catalog, including tracks such as "Anti-Hero," "Cruel Summer," and "Is It Over Now?" from later albums Billboard Hot 100. Each subsequent leader expanded her record on the chart and reinforced her commercial footprint across streaming platforms and sales channels.
The success of "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" is often cited in retrospectives of Swift's chart milestones and her transition from country to pop Forbes. The song's performance set a foundation for her sustained presence at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in later years.