Taylor Swift Returns to No. 1 on U.S. Country Radio After 13 Years With ‘I Knew It, I Knew You’
Taylor Swift has returned to the top of U.S. country radio for the first time in 13 years, with her Toy Story 5 song “I Knew It, I Knew You” reaching No. 1 this week.
The achievement gives Swift her 13th No. 1 country radio song as a solo artist and 14th overall, adding another major milestone to a career that began in Nashville.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Song | “I Knew It, I Knew You” |
| Film | Toy Story 5 |
| U.S. country radio rank | No. 1 |
| Solo country radio No. 1s | 13 |
| Overall country radio No. 1s | 14 |
| First country radio No. 1 since | 13 years ago |
| Writers | Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff |
| Release date | June 5, 2026 |
| Billboard Hot 100 debut | No. 1 |
| Song inspiration | Jessie from Toy Story |
Taylor Swift is back at the top of country radio
“I Knew It, I Knew You” climbed to No. 1 on the U.S. country radio chart this week, marking Swift’s first country radio chart-topper in 13 years.
The song was written and produced by Swift and longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff for Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5.
The track was released June 5 and was promoted to country radio by MCA.
A week before the country-radio milestone, the song had also made a major impact on the broader music charts. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent its first two weeks at the top.
The song was inspired by Jessie
Swift wrote “I Knew It, I Knew You” around Jessie, the Toy Story character voiced by Joan Cusack.
Swift previously described the project as both a new challenge and something that felt familiar because of her connection to the Toy Story franchise.
She also said she and Antonoff wanted to respect the musical world created by Toy Story composer Randy Newman.
The song marked a return to the storytelling and country-rooted sound associated with Swift’s early career while retaining the songwriting style that defined her later work.
The country radio climb accelerated in September
The song moved from No. 4 to No. 1 on the Mediabase country building chart during the week ending Sept. 6, according to industry reporting.
It had accumulated 9,641 plays by Sept. 6, more than 550 ahead of Luke Combs’ “Be By You,” which was at No. 2 on the building chart.
Swift also received additional exposure on country radio programs in the days leading up to the chart rise.
She appeared across three country radio programs on Sept. 5 to discuss the song, its creation with Antonoff and the influence of Randy Newman’s Toy Story music.
Swifties helped drive attention to the song
Swift’s radio appearances generated significant attention among her global fan base.
Fans shared station links, downloaded the iHeartRadio app and followed the broadcasts ahead of the Sept. 5 appearances.
Some listeners, however, criticized the way at least two programs presented Swift’s appearances.
On Bob 94.9 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, an announcer introduced Swift as being “in studio,” although the material that followed appeared to be prerecorded responses rather than a live studio conversation.
American Country Countdown also used prerecorded Swift audio in a question-and-answer format.
The controversy did not stop the song’s momentum on country radio.
A major comeback to the format where Swift began
Swift’s latest country radio No. 1 carries particular significance because country music was central to the beginning of her career.
Her self-titled debut album was released nearly two decades ago and established her as a Nashville singer-songwriter before she became one of the biggest stars in pop music.
“I Knew It, I Knew You” therefore connects her current global career with the country format that helped launch it.
The new No. 1 is Swift’s 13th country radio chart-topper as a solo artist and 14th overall.
‘I Knew It, I Knew You’ has become a global hit
The song’s success has extended well beyond U.S. country radio.
It reached No. 1 in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Germany, while also posting strong radio results in several international markets.
According to the supplied industry reports, it spent two weeks at No. 1 in both the U.K. and Australia and also topped the Canadian Hot 100 and German charts.
The song has additionally reached No. 1 on country radio in Australia and Canada.
In the U.S., its country success follows its earlier No. 1 position on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
Swift performed the song live for the first time
Swift performed “I Knew It, I Knew You” live for the first time last month during the Grammy Museum’s Icon Sessions.
She performed the song as part of a medley that also included “All Too Well” and “August.”
The appearance marked her first performance since her July 3 wedding to Travis Kelce.
With the song now at No. 1 on U.S. country radio, Swift has added another milestone to a career that continues to move between pop, country and film music.
