Taylor Swift is no stranger to breaking records, but it’s been a good minute since one of her singles has swept country radio. Or, as Swift herself put it in a note that appeared in Monday’s edition of industry trade Country Aircheck, “man, it’s been a while.”
This week, Swift’s “I Knew It, I Knew You” from the Toy Story 5 soundtrack was the first song by a woman in history to close out the panel on impact: meaning, every single country radio station reporting to Mediabase signed on to play the song, in the very first week. That’s a feat even the old Taylor herself couldn’t achieve at the height of her country popularity. Coincidentally or not (this is Swift we’re talking about), the resurgence comes as we head into the 20th anniversary of her debut single, “Tim McGraw” on June 19th — the same day Toy Story 5 hits theaters.
Though Swift’s songs often make it into “recurrent” rotation, it’s been well over a decade since a newly released, non-Taylor’s Version single has made this much headway at country radio. That doesn’t mean Swift hasn’t tried: She serviced several songs, including “No Body No Crime” and “Betty,” to country radio, but none managed to gain traction from programmers. Her last Country Airplay Number One was the 2013 duet with McGraw, “Highway Don’t Care.”
So why now? There’s a lot of country momentum swirling around Swift. In addition to the “Tim McGraw” anniversary, Swift was recently inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and will be eligible this year for induction into the prestigious Country Music Hall of Fame as a “Modern Era Artist.” There is speculation that she’s getting married this summer, which could have programmers feeling festive, and, with the success of Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas,” perhaps they’re also a bit nostalgic for the woman who helped set the records that Langley has been breaking.
RJ Curtis, executive director of Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc., thinks they’re also excited to embrace the kind of lighter Swift songs that aren’t so personal or lyrically complex as her more recent offerings.
“My take is that it’s closer to what brought her to the dance in the first place,” Curtis tells Rolling Stone. “Above all, straight ahead storytelling coupled with a strong melody and a catchy hook that is quickly familiar and feels nostalgic. I have said for a while now that given the right song, country radio will support her again and welcome her back with open arms, and it looks like she delivered in a huge way.”
In another Swift-ian coincidence (one that is, most likely, not actually by her own design), she is sharing the country radio airwaves this week with John Mayer, rumored antagonist of her song, “Dear John.” Mayer’s featured on Lainey Wilson’s new single “Phone, Keys, Wallet.” Swift, Mayer, country radio…man, it’s been a while.
