Taylor Swift scores a UK Official Chart Double — "Patient Zero" debuts at No. 1 on the Official Singles Chart (her 8th UK chart-topper) as "The Life of a Showgirl" reclaims the Albums No. 1 exactly a year after its release.
Image: iHeartRadioCA via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0); crop by Ellie Rodriguez
The chart story
"Patient Zero" — from The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore — entered the Official Singles Chart (week commencing 02/10/2026) straight at No. 1, according to the Official Charts Company. It is her eighth UK No. 1 single and her third of 2026, following "Opalite" and "I Knew It, I Knew You", making her the only artist with a hat-trick of UK No. 1 singles this year. Her eighth UK chart-topper extends a career chronicled in Taylor Swift's biography.
The rest of the Top 5 shows a full-scale Swift takeover: "Cleveland" debuted at No. 3 and "Babylon" — read the Babylon lyrics — landed at No. 4, giving her three songs in the Top 5. A mid-week First Look on September 27 had teased a complete Top-3 sweep, but the final chart settled at 1/3/4. Elsewhere, "The Fate of Ophelia" climbed from No. 14 to No. 10, and mid-week data had "Pink Clouding" as high as No. 3, though its final position was not confirmed.
In a week of chart milestones — alongside Ella Langley's record-breaking Choosin' Texas run — Madonna also made history: "Danceteria" re-entered the Official Singles Chart at a new peak of No. 22 on the strength of the Charli xcx "Afterhours" remix, becoming her 75th UK Top 40 single. Meanwhile, the Sugababes scored a notable return as "Ghost" debuted at No. 22 on the Official Singles Sales Chart, though its position on the main Top 100 remains unconfirmed.
What it means
This is Swift's fifth Official Chart Double — the Official Charts Company's term for topping the Official Singles Chart and the Official Albums Chart in the same week — and she has now scored one in every calendar year since 2022. The timing is poetic: "The Life of a Showgirl" returns to the summit exactly one year after its October 3, 2025 release. The album is her 14th UK No. 1, extending her record as the female artist with the most UK No. 1 albums.
Official video
Watch the official music video for "Patient Zero":
Taylor Swift - Patient Zero (Official Music Video)
FAQ
How many UK No. 1s does Taylor Swift have now?
Eight. "Patient Zero" is her eighth UK No. 1 single — and her third of 2026 after "Opalite" and "I Knew It, I Knew You". She also has 14 UK No. 1 albums, the most for any female artist.
What is the Official Chart Double?
The Official Charts Company's term for topping the Official Singles Chart and the Official Albums Chart in the same week. Swift has now done it five times — once in every calendar year since 2022.
What is The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore?
The expanded edition of Taylor Swift's 2025 album The Life of a Showgirl, which adds new tracks including "Patient Zero", "Cleveland" and "Babylon".
Who are the Sugababes and what is "Ghost"?
The Sugababes are a British girl group whose new single "Ghost" debuted at No. 22 on the Official Singles Sales Chart this week.
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