Updated

Updated · Forbes · Jun 24

Olivia Rodrigo’s “Stupid Song” Debuts at No. 2 as Taylor Swift Holds UK Singles No. 1

Updated

Updated · Forbes · Jun 24

Olivia Rodrigo’s “Stupid Song” Debuts at No. 2 as Taylor Swift Holds UK Singles No. 1

Q: Why did a Taylor Swift song for an animated film block Olivia Rodrigo’s massive single from the No. 1 spot?

Taylor Swift’s *Toy Story 5* song kept Olivia Rodrigo’s “Stupid Song” off No. 1 because it simply posted the stronger overall UK chart week. In the tracking period, Swift’s “I Knew It, I Knew You” stayed at No. 1 for a second week with about 71,000 chart units, the biggest weekly total for any single in the UK this year. That total was strong enough to outweigh Rodrigo’s huge streaming debut. “Stupid Song” did reach No. 1 on the Official Streaming Chart, but the main Official Singles Chart is based on a broader mix of consumption, not streaming alone. That difference matters here. Rodrigo’s single was dominant on streaming, yet much weaker on pure purchase-based tallies, debuting only at No. 45 on Singles Downloads and No. 51 on Singles Sales. Swift’s song, by contrast, was boosted by much stronger sales, helped by limited-edition physical formats such as collector CDs and vinyl, which significantly lifted its chart units. So the result was not a sign that Rodrigo underperformed. Her album opened massively, all 13 tracks charted on the UK streaming ranking, and she placed three songs in the UK top five despite chart rules limiting lead artists to three concurrent singles. But on the specific metric that decides the Official Singles Chart, Swift’s song had the bigger combined week and therefore held the top spot.

Q: How did Olivia Rodrigo unite with '80s icons Robert Smith and David Byrne for her new pop album?

Olivia Rodrigo teamed up with Robert Smith on her new album through a direct duet, but the available reporting does not show a comparable album collaboration with David Byrne. On *You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love*, Smith appears on the song “What’s Wrong With Me.” Reports say he contributes vocals and instrumentation, and the track was introduced live when Smith joined Rodrigo onstage at Primavera Sound. The collaboration grew out of mutual admiration and an existing connection: Rodrigo has long cited The Cure as a major influence, said Smith’s music has “soundtrack[ed]” her life, and even named another album track, “The Cure,” as an homage to his band. Smith, for his part, has publicly praised Rodrigo’s earlier albums. As for Byrne, the supporting material provided here does not document him appearing on the album itself. It references Rodrigo’s broader appreciation of music history and mentions performances associated with Byrne’s work, but it does not establish that he collaborated with her on a track from the new record. So, based on the information available, Rodrigo’s confirmed ‘80s-icon union on the album is with Robert Smith, not David Byrne.

3 articles · Updated · Forbes · Jun 24

“Stupid Song” opened at No. 2 on the UK Official Singles Chart, giving Olivia Rodrigo her 11th top-10 hit but leaving her one place short of the summit.
Taylor Swift kept Rodrigo from No. 1 as “I Knew It, I Knew You” stayed atop the chart for a second week, becoming only Swift’s fourth UK single to lead for multiple frames.
Rodrigo still dominated elsewhere: her album You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love debuted at No. 1 on every eligible UK albums chart, while “Stupid Song” entered at No. 1 on the Official Streaming Chart.
Official Charts rules capped Rodrigo at three concurrent Singles Chart entries, with “The Cure” rising to No. 3 and “Drop Dead” jumping to No. 5 even as all 13 album tracks reached the streaming tally.