LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 26: Ariana Grande attends the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards at Staples Center … [+]
Taylor Swift dominates the Billboard charts this week, thanks to her new album The Tortured Poets Department. The highly-anticipated full-length was always expected to conquer the albums-focused rankings, as well as a handful of the songs tallies…but its performance at radio is also incredibly impressive. As Swift scores a quick smash on one of Billboard’s radio charts, she inadvertently stops another pop superstar from earning another win.
“Fortnight” by Swift and Post Malone launches at No. 9 on the Adult Pop Airplay chart. That’s a historically-high starting point, and while those two artists are surely celebrating, the immediate success of that tune is less thrilling for Ariana Grande.
That pop superstar’s current single “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” lifts to a new high point of No. 11 on the Adult Pop Airplay chart this week. The track advances from No. 12 in its seventh frame on the list of the top-performing tracks at adult pop radio stations throughout the U.S.
Based on the performance of Grande’s tune, it seems likely that it would have reached the top 10 this week if Swift had debuted just one frame later…but that region proved to be too busy for her this time around. While there is some movement between Nos. 1 and 10, “Fortnight” is the only new entrant inside the competitive tier.
The arrival of Swift and Malone’s new smash clearly blocked Grande’s “We Can’t Be Friends” from reaching the top 10. For the moment, that hit will have to wait to become another proper smash for the Wicked actress and singer.
While it might be a bit frustrating for Grande and her team that “We Can’t Be Friends” hasn’t cracked the top 10 on the Adult Pop Airplay chart just yet, it seems highly likely that it will very soon. The cut may only need another week or two before it becomes the Grammy winner’s milestone tenth top 10 on the tally.
“Fortnight” marks Swift’s thirty-first placement inside the top 10 on the Adult Pop Airplay chart. For Malone, it’s his fifth trip to the loftiest region on the ranking.
