What happened in this Culture story?

Taylor Swift's "The Life of a Showgirl" holds No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for a 15th non-consecutive week, sustained by an "Encore" edition whose single "Patient Zero" is also topping the Hot 100.

What is a key fact in this story? (1)

**Taylor Swift**'s "The Life of a Showgirl" earned 87,000 equivalent album units this week to spend a 15th non-consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, powered by the September 24 "Encore" edition and its four new tracks.

What is a key fact in this story? (2)

**"Patient Zero"** held No. 1 on the Hot 100 for a second week, marking Swift's 51st career week atop that chart and placing her fifth all-time behind Mariah Carey (101), Rihanna (60), the Beatles (59), and Drake (58).

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Taylor Swift’s ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ Spends 15th Week at No. 1 on Albums Chart — SkimNews

By Variety · Summarized & edited by Kapil Samant · 2026-10-18

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Taylor Swift's "The Life of a Showgirl" earned 87,000 equivalent album units this week to spend a 15th non-consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, powered by the September 24 "Encore" edition and its four new tracks.
"Patient Zero" held No. 1 on the Hot 100 for a second week, marking Swift's 51st career week atop that chart and placing her fifth all-time behind Mariah Carey (101), Rihanna (60), the Beatles (59), and Drake (58).
"The Life of a Showgirl" originally released in October 2025, moving 2.7 million copies in its opening frame, while the "Encore" edition alone collected 173,000 equivalent units in its first week.
Swift delivered her first full-band performance since the Eras Tour at the Academy Museum 6th Annual Gala, running through "I Knew It, I Knew You," "The Fate of Ophelia," "Blank Space," and "Love Story."
Greta Van Fleet's "Palace for the People" bows at No. 9 — the rock group's fourth top 10 album — behind Olivia Rodrigo at No. 2, Morgan Wallen at No. 3, Ella Langley at No. 4, and Noah Kahan at No. 5.
Drake places two albums in the top 10, with "Habibti" at No. 6 and "Iceman" rounding things out at No. 10.

Why it matters: A four-track "Encore" add-on is single-handedly keeping a four-month-old album atop the Billboard 200 while its lead track pushes Swift to 51 career weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 — now just seven weeks behind Drake for fourth place all-time. She's the only artist simultaneously commanding both charts while returning to live performance for the first time since the Eras Tour.